had some free time this weekend at work, so I watched 2 really good films
A Futile and Stupid Gesture is an off beat biopic about Doug Kenney (Will Forte), who created National Lampoon magazine with Henry Beard (a totally unrecognizable General Hux - Domhnall Gleeson). Assembling an all star comedy class which includes Joel McHale as Chevy Chase, Thomas Lennon as Michael O Donoghue, and Matt Lucas as Tony Hendra . . . the film explores the rise of the magazine, the radio show which spawned most of the original SNL cast, and the 2 classic films Kenney wrote (Animal House and Caddyshack). The film is hilariously self meta at times with some witty cameos (Mark Metcalf as the magazine publisher who asks, "what do you want to do with your life?") but also addresses Kenney's final days with some sadness and dark wit.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton is a documentary about Jim Carrey's experience playing Andy Kaufman for the 1999 Milos Forman film Man on the Moon. It includes previously unseen footage Carrey's "crew" videotaped behind the scenes, and recent interviews with Carrey about the role. Someone recently asked here if Kaufman was a genius or an idiot, and I have to go with genius. Rewatching some of his classic performances through the lens of Carrey describing them as originally performed, then presented for the film, I am awestruck by how bold and brilliant Kaufman was in a pre-"fake news" world. I watched his appearance on Dave Letterman with Jerry Lawler, and the interview is so uncomfortable to watch, even knowing that he and Lawler had staged most of what the audience witnessed. Kaufman made you constantly question what you were seeing . . . is this guy putting us on, or is this "real"?
Carrey's best bit is sending Tony Clifton to the Playboy mansion . . . Hugh Hefner (RIP) has one of the best reactions to the gag.
On a side note, I have to wonder how Kaufman's "Inter-gender wrestling" career would play today. I don't think people got the joke then, and wouldn't now.
Anyway, if you're a fan of 70s era comedy, do yourself a favor and watch both of these gems on Netflix.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture is an off beat biopic about Doug Kenney (Will Forte), who created National Lampoon magazine with Henry Beard (a totally unrecognizable General Hux - Domhnall Gleeson). Assembling an all star comedy class which includes Joel McHale as Chevy Chase, Thomas Lennon as Michael O Donoghue, and Matt Lucas as Tony Hendra . . . the film explores the rise of the magazine, the radio show which spawned most of the original SNL cast, and the 2 classic films Kenney wrote (Animal House and Caddyshack). The film is hilariously self meta at times with some witty cameos (Mark Metcalf as the magazine publisher who asks, "what do you want to do with your life?") but also addresses Kenney's final days with some sadness and dark wit.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton is a documentary about Jim Carrey's experience playing Andy Kaufman for the 1999 Milos Forman film Man on the Moon. It includes previously unseen footage Carrey's "crew" videotaped behind the scenes, and recent interviews with Carrey about the role. Someone recently asked here if Kaufman was a genius or an idiot, and I have to go with genius. Rewatching some of his classic performances through the lens of Carrey describing them as originally performed, then presented for the film, I am awestruck by how bold and brilliant Kaufman was in a pre-"fake news" world. I watched his appearance on Dave Letterman with Jerry Lawler, and the interview is so uncomfortable to watch, even knowing that he and Lawler had staged most of what the audience witnessed. Kaufman made you constantly question what you were seeing . . . is this guy putting us on, or is this "real"?
Carrey's best bit is sending Tony Clifton to the Playboy mansion . . . Hugh Hefner (RIP) has one of the best reactions to the gag.
On a side note, I have to wonder how Kaufman's "Inter-gender wrestling" career would play today. I don't think people got the joke then, and wouldn't now.
Anyway, if you're a fan of 70s era comedy, do yourself a favor and watch both of these gems on Netflix.
