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The King of Comedy (1982)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
18 February 1983 (USA) moreTagline:
. . and when it's all over one of them won't be laughing morePlot:
Aspiring comic Rupert Pupkin wants to achieve success in showbiz, by resorting to stalking his idol, a late night talk show host who craves his own privacy. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Film Veteran Rossellini Dies (From WENN. 13 October 2008, 9:10 AM, PDT)
Actor Kim Chan Dies
(From WENN. 10 October 2008, 9:05 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
The world that we live in... moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Robert De Niro | ... | Rupert Pupkin | |
| Jerry Lewis | ... | Jerry Langford | |
| Diahnne Abbott | ... | Rita Keane | |
| Sandra Bernhard | ... | Masha | |
| Shelley Hack | ... | Cathy Long | |
| Ed Herlihy | ... | Ed Herlihy | |
| Lou Brown | ... | Band leader | |
| Loretta Tupper | ... | Stage Door Fan | |
| Peter Potulski | ... | Stage Door Fan | |
| Vinnie Gonzales | ... | Stage Door Fan | |
| Whitey Ryan | ... | Stage Door Guard | |
| Doc Lawless | ... | Chauffeur | |
| Marta Heflin | ... | Young Girl | |
| Katherine Wallach | ... | Autograph Seeker | |
| Charles Kaleina | ... | Autograph Seeker |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
109 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
Iceland:L | Brazil:12 | South Korea:15 | Australia:PG | Canada:14A | Finland:S | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PGFilming Locations:
New York City, New York, USAFun Stuff
Trivia:
George Kapp ("Mystery Guest") was an actual NYC high school chemistry teacher in the 1960s-1970s. moreGoofs:
Continuity: The position that Jerry is facing as Rupert chats with him in the limousine. moreQuotes:
[first lines]Ed Herlihy: And now, from New York, The Jerry Langford Show! With Jerry's guests Tony Randall, Richard Dreyfuss, Rodney Dangerfield, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Lou Brown and the orchestra, and little old me Ed Herlihy. And now say hello to Jerry!
more
Soundtrack:
Fly Me to the Moon moreFAQ
What is the entire monologue that Rupert Pupkin gives on the Jerry Langford Show?more
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I hate the celebrity culture. I hate the fact that people become famous, just for the sake of being famous. I hate the fact that just because a celebrity gets married or has a child, that's front page news. I hate reality TV. I hate shows like "Pop Idol" (or "American Idol"), where normal people seem to think they are destined for A-list status. The fact that this film (The King of Comedy) is as old as I am, is either an all too worrying statement on society, or proves that it was way ahead of its time. Maybe that's why I love it so much.
De Niro has always amazed me, but the fact that he seems to understand this character so well is a little overwhelming. Whether he is delivering cringeworthy gags to a cardboard audience, or embarrassing himself, obliviously, in front of Jerry Lewis, his consistency is amazing. His motives are understandable to anyone who's ever had a dream. Perhaps it's De Niro's early ambition as an actor, that fuelled this shamefully overlooked performance.
Jerry Lewis is perfect as the disgruntled TV host. A man who lives a double-life of hilarious TV personality, with a bitter persona off-screen. You can certainly relate to this man's motivations, his love for his work, but his resistance to allow it run his personal life.
The only character I can't totally emphasize with is Sandra Bernhard's Masha (her actions aren't justified as well as De Niro's Rupert). But maybe that just goes with my aforementioned hatred for celebrity culture. The scary thing is, I know that people like this exist, and I didn't for a second, question the feasibility of her performance.
As usual, Scorsese shows brilliant control, despite this being one of his most modest works.
"The King of Comedy" should be looked upon, now more than ever, as a very important film, that has a lot to say about the world we live in and the obsessions that we consume. 9/10