COMEDIANS EXPLORE FAMILY VALUES.Byline: Bob Strauss Film Critic HEARD THE ONE about the unique family act? You will, over and over again, in the often gut-busting, enlightening and completely filthy ``The Aristocrats.'' Like a comedy concert documentary with astounding a·stound tr.v. a·stound·ed, a·stound·ing, a·stounds To astonish and bewilder. See Synonyms at surprise. [From Middle English astoned, past participle of astonen, backstage access and a mind mired in the gutter, ``The Aristocrats'' interrogates about 100 stand-ups, sitcom producers, writers and the like about the old joke that, until now, comedians mostly just told to each other. Only the opening - someone starts to describe the most disgusting vaudeville act ever - and the non sequitur punch line are consistent. The object is for each comedian to amuse his or her colleagues for as long as they can with the most imaginative details of the performance they can dream up and sustain. Incest, pedophilia pedophilia, psychosexual disorder in which there is a preference for sexual activity with prepubertal children. Pedophiles are almost always males. The children are more often of the opposite sex (about twice as often) and are typically 13 years or age or younger; , bestiality Bestiality See also Perversion. Asterius Minotaur born to Pasiphaë and Cretan Bull. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 34] Leda raped by Zeus in form of swan. [Gk. Myth. , dismemberment dismemberment /dis·mem·ber·ment/ (dis-mem´ber-ment) amputation of a limb or a portion of it. dismemberment amputation of a limb or a portion of it. and scatalogy are not required riffing subjects, but are mentioned so often they may as well be. Directed by Paul Provenza (with a ``film by'' co-credit for executive producer/sound recordist re·cord·ist n. One that records sound electronically, as for films or at concerts. Penn Jillette), ``The Aristocrats'' reveals a good deal about how the craft of comedy works. More amusing, and perhaps disturbing, it shows us what a lot of our favorite comics are really into, depending on which of the above subjects (or other obsessions) they choose to emphasize. And much of it is hilarious, if inevitably repetitious rep·e·ti·tious adj. Filled with repetition, especially needless or tedious repetition. rep  e·ti over an hour and a half. But ya gotta love the ones who really personalize it in a clever way. Sarah Silverman brilliantly reveals that she actually was an Aristocrat. Kevin Pollak picks the perfect actor to impersonate im·per·son·ate tr.v. im·per·son·at·ed, im·per·son·at·ing, im·per·son·ates 1. To assume the character or appearance of, especially fraudulently: impersonate a police officer. 2. telling it, and impersonates him perfectly. Want to know how really good this joke is? Even Billy the Mime does it funny. Don't go if dirty jokes offend you. But if you like this kind of thing - and you know who you are - the fun rarely lets up. Bob Strauss, (818) 713-3670 bob.strauss(at)dailynews.com THE ARISTOCRATS - Three stars (Not rated: language, nudity) Starring: George Carlin car·line or car·lin n. Scots A woman, especially an old one. [Middle English kerling, from Old Norse, from karl, man.] , Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Stewart, Robin Williams, many more. Director: Paul Provenza. Running time: 1 hr. 26 min. Playing: ArcLight, Hollywood; Criterion 6, Santa Monica. In a nutshell: Nearly 100 professional funnypeople offer their interpretations of the dirtiest joke ever told. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Fred Willard gives his take on the world's dirtiest joke in ``The Artistocrats.'' |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion