Episode 32: The King of Comedy
Justin:
I’m going to split this Parting Shot into two parts - the Robert De Niro appreciation part and the Martin Scorsese appreciation part.
Bobby D first. Over the span of two days, I watched THE KING OF COMEDY for the first time and then rewatched GOODFELLAS for the zillionth time and TAXI DRIVER for the second time. The range that guy shows in just those three movies is almost beyond comprehension. In today’s featured film, THE KING OF COMEDY, he gives what I believe is his greatest performance. He plays against any type I’ve ever seen him play - he’s mousey, yet resilient; he’s a pee-on, but somehow makes things happen. It’s a wild movie with a strong dose of crazy (and I love it for that), but at its center is De Niro’s outlandish performance as Rupert Pupkin, a showcase as good as any I’ve ever seen. It’s still hard to believe it’s the same guy who would later appear in something called DIRTY GRANDPA, but hey, they can’t all be winners, can they?
As for Marty, this last month has been an absolute joy because of the deep-diving we’ve done into his career. In the last month, I’ve gotten the chance to watch or rewatch eleven of his films and to say I appreciate what he’s done for the world of cinema is a large understatement. Going into this, I really did think of him as that gangster-film director who also had a few other oddball entries, but he is far, far more than that. In fact, I don’t think it’s crazy to suggest that he has one of the most varied filmographies of any director out there. Here’s just five of his greatest achievements: THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, a journey into the mind of the Son of God as he questions his true purpose; THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, a no-holds-barred peek into the financial world and the lengths the rich go to in order to stay that way; HUGO, a lesson on the history of film masquerading as a classic coming-of-age children’s story that regularly tugs at your heartstrings; GOODFELLAS, a whirlwind tale of a young man lured into the life of a mobster and all the consequences therein; and THE KING OF COMEDY, a startling look at fame through the eyes of a wannabe celebrity who goes to insane lengths to get in front of a camera. And I didn’t even mention his personal look at religion and its effects in ancient Japan in SILENCE, his take on the psychological thriller in SHUTTER ISLAND, his version of a biopic with the unflinching look at a boxer moonlighting as a domestic abuser in RAGING BULL, or TAXI DRIVER, or GANGS OF NEW YORK, or THE AVIATOR, or CASINO, or the one he actually won a Best Director Oscar for, THE DEPARTED!
You get the idea.
The man is a master of his craft. He loves nuance and making the viewer uncomfortable; he only puts on the screen what he wants and every detail has a purpose. This past month has certainly confirmed for me what I already pretty much knew - Martin Scorsese is an all-time great director. But more than that, what this past month has really done is show me precisely why he has earned that label and led me to a point of supreme appreciation for the creative genius he is. I don’t know enough and haven’t seen enough to suggest he’s actually number one on the all-time list, but I don’t think it’s crazy to suggest he at least belongs on the Mount Rushmore of directors alongside the greatest to ever do it… luscious eyebrows and all.
