trouble all starts when object of your

The trouble all starts when the object of your fantasy just won't be your

fantasy (Film - The King of Comedy)

If you love film you have probably once in your life been crazy about

some star or other. Oh come on, admit it - or maybe it was a

television star, sports star, singer, prince. But having a

relationship with a celebrity, you don't actually know them, you're

really falling in love with an idea you have about them. And they

might be nothing like that. Nothing at all. So if you finally,

unfortunately meet them that experience can be mortifying, often

people find they can't speak at all - of course not, it would ruin the

fantasy - and you might end up being really disappointed.

Now if your name happened to be Rupert Pupkin, and you lived with your

mother in Clifton New Jersey and you were over thirty you might

already be very disappointed. And if you have one wish in the world,

and that is to be the King of Comedy on the evening talk show hosted

by the celebrity with whom you are obsessed, and if he just won't

listen to you...well, well, what would you do? I'm not going to tell

you what Rupert, played by Robert de Niro, does. He is joined by his

pathological fellow groupie, played by Sandra Bernhard, she has, shall

we say, a different fantasy. But it is no less intense in its fervent

hope and unreality. They are is utterly excruciating to watch. Like a

very slow car crash happening over and over. Jerry Lewis is the object

of their twin obsessions. The three of them are remarkably subtle -

this sounds pretty over the top, doesn't it? The situation is

continually over the top and yet they never are and so you are left

ricocheting between laughing and gawping in embarrassment. It is so a

word. It's a combination of gaping and gawking - look it up. If you

have never seen this wonderful film directed by Martin Scorcese, and I

hadn't until getting it from the library after Sheila recommended it

to me a few weeks ago, get a copy of The King of Comedy and please, be

compassionate.

Classes start up again tomorrow so this is my Monday post. I may be