The Electric Chair (1985) User Reviews

Victor Argo gives a bravura performance in this offbeat and intriguing indie oddity

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 12 December 2010]

Familiar bulldog-faced character actor Victor Argo was one of those great rough'n'tumble New York City thespians who could always be relied on to add an extra dose of pure street grit and raw credibility to any given film he appeared in. Often relegated to minor, yet still memorable parts in such movies as "Taxi Driver," "Crimes and Misdemeanors," "True Romance," and "Ghost Dog," Vic delivers a strong and riveting portrayal in a rare lead role as Arnie Schwartz, a bitter and unhappy shoe store manager from Bayonne, New Jersey who makes an ill-advised attempt at being a stand-up comic by performing a painfully incisive, anguished, and soul-baring impromptu routine at a mysterious seedy Manhattan club in front of a tough and unforgiving audience who clearly represent assorted folks in the poor zhlub's miserable and unrewarding existence. Arnie gradually starts to unravel as he spits out scathing venom-loaded riffs on fame, wealth, failure, marriage, the dire nature of modern relevant humor, sex, death, religion, aging, and the unsparing unfairness of life itself. Pretty soon Arnie decides to strap himself into the electric chair prop he's sharing the stage with. Astutely written and directed by Mark Eisenstein, beautifully shot in stark black and white by David Seitz, laced with a profoundly dark and despairing sense of ruefully funny humor, with an appropriately gloomy score, extraordinary acting by Argo, plenty of stunningly bizarre moments (Argo's hearty, yet faltering live rendition of "Give My Regards to Broadway" is simply priceless!), an admirably uncompromising "try it, do it" avant-garde sensibility, and a haunting downbeat conclusion, this fascinatingly strange, often fiercely amusing, and ultimately quite moving one-of-a-kind item sizes up as one of the true unsung weirdo underground gems from the 80s.

A life lived, maybe not worth living.

[ehermo66 · 9/10 · 17 January 2005]

What can be said of a movie that most people have not seen but should? A film that could be called the Greatest Black Comedy Film of all time? Having seen this film in either 1989 or 1990, i wish I had a copy to show everyone what good acting and writing is all about. If you ever have the chance to see this film then you must go see it.

A stand-up comic does his routine that tells everyone what his life is like and how bad it is for him and everyone else. The writing in this movie hits too close to home to have been made up. While watching this movie, you wondered if what the stand-up comic is saying, has really happened to the people who made this film.

The title of the movie, "The Electric Chair" does appear at the end of the movie, and is used to great use. The 2 best lines I remember most vividly are: "God was Adam's pimp", and "Your wife runs off with your best friend, and you miss him". Someday I hope to have this film on home video, for the stand-up comic does a routine of life that is truly tragic.