Review of The King of Comedy (1982) by Dave A — 28 Jun 2009

One of Scorsese and DeNiro's most underrated collaborations. In this black comic take on the hunger for fame and fortune, DeNiro is aspiring comic Rupert Pupkin, who relentlessly stalks his comic idol by the name of Jerry Langford (a well cast Jerry Lewis in what he admits that he played himself), a famous late night talk show host who wants his privacy.

DeNiro's character is so relentlessly in tune with that rare kind of crazy, a man whose drive knows no bounds and his persistence gets him into trouble constantly. Pitch black comedy echoes The Office in terms of making you feel uneasy and downright troubled at the sight of DeNiro's character's desperation, which reaches rock bottom when he teams up with deranged fan Sandra Bernhard in their pursuit of Jerry.