SANDRA BERNHARD
This is a true blue Signature Role. It’s a violent assault to the senses. Who else could have played this over the edge, manic, out of her mind stalker-kidnapper? No one comes to mind. That’s really my main criteria, (Who else?) when it comes to defining – what it means to be ‘Signature’. Sandra is the real deal.
She is street. Her look, her vibe, her ballsy tongue, her big BIG mouth. Gritty New York street with genius timing. Razor sharp and fast. She is Scorsese with a Vag J-J, let’s face it. She takes her comedic skills to the brink so many times, so hilariously, I thought for sure she was going to crack herself up, or Lewis or DeNiro.
Vincent Canby of the New York Times said that, “Miss Bernhard, who is new to films and may be one of the decade's comic finds” How right he was but he also assumes that this would be the jump-start to her film career. This was the beginning, middle and the end of her film career – really. One role but it’s a furious, take no prisoners, manic crazed, hysterical ride to the end. Unsettling, and so unpredictable her performance. She is voice of reason in an insane way. Even though she too is off her rocker. She's the only one that can reach Rupert, in terms of how disturbed and deluded he’s behaving. Takes one to know one. The film is a true satire and with Sandra, Scorsese's found the perfect fit to this NETWORK esk slam. This was the first time I had ever heard of Sandra Bernhard. After this I became a huge fan; in College and during my summers at Williamstown I wore out her concert tape, WITHOUT YOU I’M NOTHING. In her cabaret/comedy one woman show she talked about working with Scorsese saying, “don’t be impressed – I had to suck his dick” Maybe that’s why she never worked again. You don’t mess with a film titan.
THE KING OF COMEDY slams the People magazine / now TMZ culture that feeds on Americans' obsession with the rich and famous. One of the ways in which THE KING OF COMEDY works so effectively is in the viewer's uncertainty whether it's going to wind up as terrifyingly as is always possible. It's full of laughs, but under all of the comic situations is the awful suspicion that our laughter is going to be turned against us, like a gun.
Almost as if our laughs at the film or the characters indicate our own guilt. Celebrity has taken over, this film has no problem saying it’s ‘you that did this – you jerk’. Sandra’s seduction of Jerry Langford evokes huge belly laughs – She plays it so truthfully and committed, (watch the scene where she dresses him up in a homemade orange sweater while her other crazy comrade has to get to the studio), you root for this unusual looking creature in a sick way. It’s love, its just twisted love. Then later, the second he wants the tape free of his hands – you know she’s not going to be held by her secret lover, the uber famous talk show host, Jerry, (Brilliantly played by Jerry Lewis). My only tiny criticism in this wild, wild ride is she anticipated the slap - no biggie. Scorsese doesn’t shy way from taking advantage of Sandra’s lanky weird body – that last shot of her running down the street in her underwear feels like a great, watch through your fingers, horror film. Sandra is haunting, hysterical and riveting as Masha. This is one is the neck and neck along with TAXI DRIVER as my favorite Scorsese film. I love it. No movie disturbed me more, made me feel more uncomfortable – in a good way. Showed me something I had never seen before. What can I say, I have a soft spot for those deluded crazies – love em’.
Almost as if our laughs at the film or the characters indicate our own guilt. Celebrity has taken over, this film has no problem saying it’s ‘you that did this – you jerk’. Sandra’s seduction of Jerry Langford evokes huge belly laughs – She plays it so truthfully and committed, (watch the scene where she dresses him up in a homemade orange sweater while her other crazy comrade has to get to the studio), you root for this unusual looking creature in a sick way. It’s love, its just twisted love. Then later, the second he wants the tape free of his hands – you know she’s not going to be held by her secret lover, the uber famous talk show host, Jerry, (Brilliantly played by Jerry Lewis). My only tiny criticism in this wild, wild ride is she anticipated the slap - no biggie. Scorsese doesn’t shy way from taking advantage of Sandra’s lanky weird body – that last shot of her running down the street in her underwear feels like a great, watch through your fingers, horror film. Sandra is haunting, hysterical and riveting as Masha. This is one is the neck and neck along with TAXI DRIVER as my favorite Scorsese film. I love it. No movie disturbed me more, made me feel more uncomfortable – in a good way. Showed me something I had never seen before. What can I say, I have a soft spot for those deluded crazies – love em’.
And I’m fine with Sandra never doing another quality film again. Do one and then leave em wanting more. I wish more actors would just do a few films and than go away – give someone else a chance. Do a Scorsese and then take it on the road – you’re done - you can retire. Sounds good.
great article - thank you! :)
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