The King of Comedy

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Movie
German title The King of Comedy
Original title The King of Comedy
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1982
length 104 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director Martin Scorsese
script Paul D. Zimmerman
production Arnon Milchan
camera Fred Schuler
cut Thelma Schoonmaker
occupation

The King of Comedy is an American film directed by Martin Scorsese in 1982 .

action

Rupert Pupkin is a wannabe - comedian in New York . His greatest role model is the adored Jerry Langford, on whose regular television show Pupkin would like to appear as a guest in order to achieve a breakthrough as an entertainer from a standing start . Again and again Pupkin indulges in daydreams in which he is already a well-known television personality and, for example, is sitting in a restaurant with Langford.

To get Langford's attention, one day Pupkin helps him escape from a crowd of besieging fans . When Langford recognizes a no less annoying fan in Pupkin, he refers him to his secretary, who puts him off. From then on, Pupkin besieged the Langfords production company almost every day, but without success. His obsession finally turns into intense stalking , until he and his girlfriend kidnap Masha Langford in order to get an appearance on his TV show.

Fearing that Langford could be in serious danger, the production company agrees and enables Pupkin to make a one-off appearance. After the program was broadcast on television and Langford has since freed himself, Pupkin is arrested by the police.

Then it is shown how Pupkin wrote an autobiography in prison called King for a Night and in the end achieved the fame he had longed for in the form of his own TV show: not through his moderate jokes, but rather because of it the circumstances of his appearance.

background

The King of Comedy was one of Martin Scorsese's most unsuccessful films at the box office. However, it received praise from the critics who considered it one of his best films. Scorsese originally wanted to cast Johnny Carson to play Jerry Langford. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were also discussed as alternatives before Jerry Lewis was finally cast for the role.

useful information

  • The film features some stars who play themselves, such as comedian Ed Herlihy , musician Lou Brown, as well as actors Tony Randall and Joyce Brothers and pianist and comedian Victor Borge .
  • In addition to Martin Scorsese , some members of his family also star in The King of Comedy . He himself plays a television director in the film. His mother Catherine plays Rupert's mother. But she is not shown in the film. You can only hear her voice. Martin Scorsese's daughter Cathy plays the role of Dolores and his father Charles plays a man in the bar at the end of the film, where Rupert Pupkin is watching his TV appearance.
  • Film and television producers Edgar Scherick and Frederick de Cordova play the roles of the broadcaster and producer of the Jerry Langford show in the film.
  • In addition to the singer and actress Ellen Foley and the musician and film director Don Letts , the musicians Mick Jones , Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer from The Clash can be seen in a short scene. They are all listed in the credits as "Street Scum" (translation: street scum ) .

German version

The German synchronous arrangement was created in 1983 in the studio of Berliner Synchron GmbH under Wenzel Lüdecke in Berlin .

role actor Voice actor
Rupert Pupkin Robert De Niro Christian Brückner
Jerry Langford Jerry Lewis Peer Augustinski
Rita Keane Diahnne Abbott Evelyn Marron
Masha Sandra Bernhard Liane Rudolph
Cathy Long Shelley hack Alexandra Lange
Tony Randall Tony Randall Jürgen Thormann

Reviews

The film received mostly positive reviews, earning a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 44 reviews.

  • Lexicon of international film : A profoundly told tragic comedy about the exploitation of dreams and the contradiction between illusion and reality in American show business. Excellent interpretation in the two opposing main roles.
  • Der Spiegel : Because Scorsese's Jerry Lewis plays talk show host Langford in this new, sometimes bitter, film, a warning is necessary. While the story, written by former Newsweek critic Paul D. Zimmerman, is full of sarcastic wit, it is not a comedy of the usual kind. Jerry Lewis is showing a character that hardly makes you laugh. He is the lonely television superstar who is visibly annoyed by the whole show business. He is chased by fans on the street, and at night he sits sullenly and alone in front of the television in his apartment. Scorsese, the precise observer of American delusional derailments, is too good to hear the sentimental cliché of the loneliness of the men at the top. Using Pupkin-De Niro as an example, he shows that the loneliness at the bottom is just as great.

Awards

The film took part in the competition at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1983 , but was not included in the award. In 1984 he was nominated in five categories for the BAFTA Award , but only Paul D. Zimmerman received it for his script. The London Film Critics Association voted him Film of the Year in 1984.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Thomas Bräutigam : Lexicon of film and television synchronization. More than 2000 films and series with their German voice actors etc. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-289-X , p. 213
  2. ↑ The King of Comedy at Rotten Tomatoes
  3. ^ The King of Comedy. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  4. ↑ Arnd Schirmer: Star in the basement . In: Der Spiegel . No. 10 , 1983, p. 211-213 ( online - March 7, 1983 ).