King Of Comedy The

I almost didn't buy the Blu-ray, because of negative comments about a poor transfer. The transfer is supposedly from the camera negative, and often looks it, as in the first scene with Rupert and Rita. The blacks are deep, the colors rich, and the sharpness and detail exemplary. (I sometime wonder what equipment some viewers own.) You can buy the Blu-ray without fear. "The King of Comedy" is the complementary "bookend" of another Scorsese masterpiece, "Taxi Driver", with Robert DeNiro playing asocial, near-psychotic fame-obsessed characters in both. Both films play strongly against audience expectation -- "King" even more than "Taxi". In "The King of Comedy", DeNiro's character, Rupert Pupkin -- a seemingly untalented standup-comic wannabe -- is played for very black non-laughs. Rupert is so cut off from normal social interaction that he's unable to make any progress towards becoming the "king of comedy" he knows he's destined to be. When an encounter with his late-night idol Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis) finally opens the possibility of appearing on television, he completely blows the chance, throwing him into the anguish that provokes increasingly demented assaults on his idol. On your first viewing -- and likely your third and tenth -- you'll be so violently embarrassed by Pupkin's self-destructive behavior that your toes will spastically curl down -- and stay there. You'll squirm so much you'll think you've mutated into a graboid. Rumor has it the actors //themselves// were so embarrassed that scenes which should have taken hours to film took //days//. This acute discomfort explains the film's box-office failure (not to mention its "sitting in the can" for a year) -- the average viewer isn't interested in a protagonist devoid of any sympathetic or redeeming characteristics -- until the end. The ending wholly upsets our expectations. Though we've been lead to believe Rupert lacks any mirth-provoking skills, he shows himself quite able to get an audience to laugh. His routine might not be brilliant, but he's no less funny than most comedians guesting on late-night talk shows. Significantly, Pupkin's routine isn't a series of jokes, but a more or less literal recitation of his miserable childhood. What the audience finds funny is actually Rupert's personal tragedy. We finally understand why he's so screwed up. (I emphatically disagree with Roger Ebert that the film has no "payoff" and the ending is "cynical and unsatisfying". But then, Ebert had trouble with unconventional comedies.) Though "Taxi Driver" and "The King of Comedy" are fundamentally similar, the latter inverts two important elements of the former... >> Despite its gritty look, "Taxi Driver" is fundamentally romantic, while "King of Comedy" treats the material in a semi-documentary style. Scorsese never "tells" us how we're supposed to react to the characters. >> We're initially annoyed (to say the least!) by Rupert Pupkin, then ultimately sympathize with him. Travis Bickle is at first the sympathetic loner, until we realize he's a psycho -- underscored (pun intended) by Bernard Herrmann's re-use of the three-note "mad house" theme at the end. Which brings us to the films' use of music. The "Taxi Driver" score came from the greatest film composer yet to have set pen to paper, while "King of Comedy" has //no// score. Why? Bernard Herrmann felt music was needed to make an emotional connection between the screen and the audience. This ain't necessarily so -- you can fully convey the most-profound emotions in a scoreless film (eg, "The Execution of Private Slovick"). Music's ability to enhance emotion is //so// strong it can override the director's intentions. This is probably why Hitchcock initially told Herrmann //not// to score Janet Leigh's shower. Without music, the scene is indescribably brutal. With Herrmann's music, its Expressionistic elements are raised to the Nth power. Is it any wonder Hitchcock was thrilled and let the music stand? Scorsese must have recognized this, and realized that any musical "comment" on Rupert Pupkin's behavior would only soften and sentimentalize the audience's reaction to him. When Pupkin makes an utter fool of himself, the audience has to experience it directly -- gurgling bassoons can't be telling the viewer they're not supposed to take it seriously. Similarly, when we finally begin to understand Rupert at the end, Scorsese doesn't want to sentimentalize the moment. If you have any lingering doubts about seeing "The King of Comedy", there's //one thing// in it (ignoring even DeNiro's incredibly perfect "should have won an Oscar" performance -- he //is// Rupert Pupkin) that fully justifies a viewing: After kidnapping Langford, Pupkin and Masha tie him to a chair, then duct-tape his mouth. The sight of "Mr. Greasy-Hair No-Talent" himself, Jerry Lewis, with his mouth taped shut (Oh, joy! Oh, rapture!), is worth the price of admission, many, many times over. If all of Martin Scorsese's work were destroyed, except for this one scene, it would be enough to sanctify his art as a movie maker. I grovel at Scorsese's feet, for (at least symbolically) putting the French toast of intellectuals in his place. It's doubly pleasing, because Lewis's turn as Langford is, consciously or not, strikingly self-satirizing. He was the //only// actor for the role. If you have Microsoft Cinemania, look up the Ebert and Kael reviews. Ebert's shows why he is one of the finest critics around -- whether or not you agree with him, you come away with a better understanding of a film. (It's also worthwhile reading Ebert's review of "Taxi Driver" to see how much of what he says about that film can be applied to "The King of Comedy.") Kael's review shows that the only insight she has into anything is her own self-serving attitude. There was never a "serious" movie critic who brought //less// -- intellectually or emotionally -- to the reviewing process than Pauline Kael (qv, her review of "2001"). Is "The King of Comedy" a truly great film? I don't know. But it //is// a terrific piece of totally uncompromising film making. Anyone who claims to love movies should see it.

This is a marvelous film from Martin Scorsese. If it weren't such a classic, I would have docked a star off of my rating for the quality of the DVD. I was disappointed in the quality of the picture and sound on the DVD release. I usually don't mind if the print is a little dated, but "The King Of Comedy" needs to be remastered b/c the transfer here is just awful. Blurry (and yes, it's supposed to look like a blurry broadcast at times, but not ALL the time) and VERY GRAINY. And it's a shame too, because this is a fantastic film. There are 2 deleted scenes, both Jerry Lewis scenes, with the most valuable being a deleted monologue from Lewis. Other than that, there's an 18 minute "making-of" documentary which is ok, but doesn't delve into De Niro, the actor, as much as I'd hoped. That's all we've got here. However, I would still encourage anyone considering it to buy this item. I don't think you'll regret it if you have an appreciation for subtle and mature humor. "Better to be king for a night than a schmuck for life." - - Rupert Pupkin is a wannabe comedian played magnificently by Robert De Niro in this often overlooked Martin Scorsese classic. If you are expecting the style of humor you would get in a modern classic like "Dumb and Dumber" then you should look elsewhere. There are some very funny laugh-out-loud moments in this picture, but much of the comedy is black and subtle. As almost any review of this film states, De Niro's character (Pupkin) is similar to the character he played in "Taxi Driver", Travis Bickle. Both characters are isolated and shunned by the world. Both characters are embarrassingly inept at achieving their goals. The 2 characters are both loners that are simply trying to get some sense of satisfaction in an otherwise distasteful life. In "The King Of Comedy" however, we aren't frequently presented with drama, and when we are, it's hilarious. So this is for people who enjoy a black comedy and subtle humor (maybe in other words, clean and mature adult humor). And if you love Scorsese and De Niro like I do, this was the film that they made together following "Raging Bull" and proceeding "Goodfellas" so this is right in Scorsese and De Niro's hay-day. Jerry Lewis notably stars in a supporting role and is fantastic as well. Even Sandra Bernhard is tolerable in this film. That's all thanks to Marty though. A classic. 5 stars.

La película pone que está en español en la caja y luego dentro del dvd no hemos encontrado esa lengua, está en francés. Queríamos el cambio de película o que nos devuelvan el dinero

Great film and terrific on Bluray x good price too xxxxx stars

Opinión de King Of Comedy [Italia] con ASIN : B00HVAFOXU Película con audio castellano. Los extras no tienen subtítulos en español, solo en italiano. ¡Un saludo!

Edizione inglese ma è presente anche la lingua italiana , capolavoro assoluto del grande martin scorsese con un ottimo robert de niro , film stupendo , tutti gli appassionati dovrebbero possedere questo bluray !

..............und natürlich zu Robert, dessen Rolle hier gleichermaßen zur Beängstigung wie zum Fremdschämen anstachelt/ anregt. Diese penetrante Anmache eines von sich über alle Maßen eingebildeten Wichtigtuers gegenüber seines Idols Jerry ist nicht nur voll schräg, sondern nicht minder die Spitze des schwarzen Humors. " Man sagt nicht: Hey Freunde, jetzt kommt die Pointe,.....man bringt sie einfach! " Rupert Pupkin ist ein Wahn.sinniger. Er ist besessen vom Wahn, berühmt sein zu wollen. Er ist überzeugt davon, dass er ein guter Komiker ist. Dass er witzig ist. Und negative Reaktionen blendet er aus. Und letztlich ist ihm jedes Mittel recht, sein Ziel auch zu erreichen. KING OF COMEDY ist aufwühlend spannend, KING OF COMEDY ist tatsächlich ein Thriller, denn die Kombi aus falscher Selbsteinschätzung und aus nicht ernst genommen werden hat brutale Folgen für alle Beteiligten. Ein wahnsinniger, wahnwitziger Film eben. Und großartig wie Lewis und DeNiro. Eben. " Tut mir leid, er hat keinen Termin mit Ihnen. " ******************************************************************************** Story: Ein Möchtegern- Entertainer, der sich für ein unentdecktes Talent hält, entführt sein großes Idol und erzwingt sich damit den Platz in dessen Fernsehshow? Kaum zu glauben, oder? Seht selbst. ********************************************************************************* Fazit, mein grandioses: Eine grandios gespielte und bitterböse Farce: KING OF COMEDY! Ein Film voller bizarrer Szenen, schrägstem Humor und komischster Schärfe komischer Einlagen, über die ich ernsthaft lachen konnte. DeNiro überzeugt als narzisstische Nervensäge, die sich für einen göttlichen Komiker oder sogar für Gott hält. Der personifizierte Wahnsinn, der am Ende als bemitleidenswerter Wicht enttarnt wird, der in einer Traumwelt lebt. " Haben Sie ihn gebeten, zu gehen? " - " Ja. Aber er geht nicht. " Genial doch die Szene, in der Rupert in seinem Zimmer sitzt und mit fiktiven Gästen in einer fiktiven Talkshow quatscht- während er dabei von seiner Mutter unterbrochen wird, die aus dem Erdgeschoß nach oben ruft, dass er doch nun endlich den Müll rausbringen soll. " Also wenn Sie jetzt nicht mitspielen, Jerry,..........könnte das ein Problem geben. " Nur zu gut erinnere ich mich an dieses Zitat: `In jeder Straße, in jeder Stadt gibt es einen Niemand, der davon träumt, ein Jemand zu sein. Ein einsamer, vergessener Mann, entschlossen zu beweisen, dass er noch lebt. ` Ja, das stammt aus Paul Schraders Feder, ist die Tagline von " Taxi Driver " aus dem Jahr 1976- die Geschichte von Travis Bickle, der einen Amoklauf verübt, um " die Straße vom Schmutz zu befreien ". Und um seine Männlichkeit zu beweisen.....beinahe so könnte man die Linie von Rupert Pupkin beschreiben, der hier in KING OF COMEDY noch bei seiner Mutter lebt und dessen großes Ziel es ist, wie der berühmte Jerry Langford zu werden. Beinahe. Mit all seinen Boshaftigkeiten und seinen inneren Dämonen. " Soll man das für möglich halten? Dieser Irrsinnige bedroht Jerrys Leben und ihr sorgt euch um die Sendung?! " Also: Sowohl " Taxi Driver " als auch KING OF COMEDY handelt von kranken Individuen,.........aber auch von einer kranken Gesellschaft. " Hallo, wer ist da? " - " Ich bin der King. " KNG OF COMEDY- ein Film über die Leere hinter der vorfabrizierten Fröhlichkeit. KING OF COMEDY- ein wirklich besonderer Film. " Verhaftet? Fein. Ich glaub`, ich muss jetzt zum Make up. " - " Ich würde zu gerne etwas Farbe in Ihr Gesicht bringen. " - " Hähä, haha. " :DD Und: Mein großer Dank gilt Daniel Zynda- ohne seine klasse Rezension hätte ich mitnichten den für mich immer nur witzigen Jerry Lewis in einer so ernsten Rolle erleben und bewundern können.:-) Lauflänge: 104.20 Minuten ( mit Abspann ) ! Bonus ( deutsche Untertitel ) : - Der Versuch, nach oben zu kommen: Making of= 18.40 Minuten! - Unveröffentlichte Szenen= 6.15 Minuten! - Original Kinotrailer + kanadischem TV- Spot! Ja, ein wirklich besonderer Tipp!