Upon perusing a list of movies, I came across The King of Comedy, which seems to be gathering some press coverage due to certain connections it has with the upcoming Joker movie. Starring De Niro in the lead role, I felt a compulsion to give the movie a go-ahead.
The King of Comedy is a study of how everyday people worship their celebrity idols. It is the story of a failed “comedian” (Rupert Pupkin) who has delusions of grandeur and daydreams about himself as an uber successful stand-up comedian. Upon meeting his idol –talk show host Jerry Langford- he truly believes he has a chance of getting his “big-break” at the stardom that he deserves. We all like to envision ourselves in positions of fame and Pupkin falls in the same boat. He dreams about his success in the field to such an extent that he has begun to believe he has the skill and wit to make it as a comedian. He wants all the fame without the effort. To be a star without going through the trials and tribulations that Hollywood offers. If only life were that simple?
He is annoyingly persistent, and at some point of time, we have run into people who pester us until they get what they want. The ones who are socially inept and do not notice the social cues we are giving off. When his idol Jerry Langford denies him a shot at glory, Rupert resorts to extreme actions to achieve his dream, even if he can only live in it for a night.
The audience is drawn into the life of a man who refuses to back down. His entire life has morphed to a point where he forces down his delusions down the throats of people around him. He has adopted his lifestyle to match those of stand up hosts you see on screen. Everything from gestures and mannerisms are exaggerated to the point where a guest at a restaurant sees right through his act, and is seen mocking Pupkin in the background of a, mimicking the wild gesticulations Rupert has adopted into his daily life. To Pupkin, his fantasies are within reach -the life as a celebrity and the love of his life by his side. We are conditioned to empathize with people who undergo suffering and ridicule by people in power. Rupert displays no sympathy for the people around him and in return, we do not pity his situation either. If you had the chance to be loved and adored as a King for a day no matter the cost, would you stake your freedom for it?
It has been a while since I gave a shot at writing, so the review might seem a bit off. I am going to stick at it though and I will try to have a new article out soon.
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