Neither funny enough to be an effective black comedy nor scary enough to capitalise on its thriller/horror elements.
Comment
03/31/08
The King of Comedy (1982)
92 %
Reviews Counted: 38 Fresh: 35 Rotten:3 Average Rating: 8.3/10
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Synopsis: Martin Scorsese's THE KING OF COMEDY is a brutally funny depiction of the dangers of celebrity fandom. Robert De Niro plays the ridiculously inept Rupert Pupkin, an aspiring comic who idolizes talk-show host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis). Still living at home with his mother, Rupert spends... [More]
Genre: Comedies
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Jerry Lewis, Sandra Bernhard, Diahnne Abbott, Tony Randall
Director: Martin Scorsese
Producer: Arnon Milchan
Screenwriter: Paul D. Zimmerman
Composer: Robbie Robertson
Producer: Arnon Milchan
Screenwriter: Paul D. Zimmerman
Composer: Robbie Robertson
Reviews
Top Critic
Worlds away from the bravura flash of other DeNiro-Scorsese collaborations, this underrated, claustrophobic, chilling satire is particularly prescient of today's celebrity-fixated society. A modern classic.
03/31/08
Top Critic Top Critic
The uncenteredness of the film is irritating, though it's irritating in an ambitious, risk-taking way.
03/31/08
To be sure, Robert De Niro turns in another virtuoso performance for Martin Scorsese, just as in their four previous efforts. But once again -- and even more so -- they come up with a character that it's hard to spend time with.
03/31/08
Top Critic
Fascinating drama with DeNiro as psycho, talk show wannabe, and Jerry Lewis giving great performance.
06/07/07
Much understood by critics in 1983, this is one of the most incisive (and scary) movies about the desperate desire to achieve fame in American society, increasingly dominated by shallow pop culture; De Niro, Jerry Lewis and Sandra Bernhard are terrific
02/22/07
One of the most disturbing, thought-provoking and funniest films of the 1980s. This underappreciated Scorsese great is more relevant today than ever.
10/21/05
This bizarre work is one of Martin Scorsese's greatest and most underrated films.
02/07/05
Takes an equally harsh look at the dark side of comedy, society’s value of success driving people to desperate acts, and the press’ bloodthirsty desire to sensationalize.
08/29/03
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