The King of Comedy (1982)

Scorsese/De Niro collaboration a kind of odd companion piece to the better known Taxi Driver. It covers somewhat similar territory to the earlier film, its about obsession, the mentally unbalanced, and a need to be loved/famous, however this is more of a traditional black comedy and exercise in the awkward then its even darker predecessor. De Niro is Rupert Pupkin, a thirty-four year old New Jersey born nobody who lives in his mothers basement and is obsessed with becoming a comic superstar star like his idol late-night television host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis in his most understated performance, essentially playing a self loathing version of himself). Pupkin who seems to be largely trying to compensate for a feeling that others view him as worthless, at first tries to forcefully ingratiate himself with Langford, even inviting himself for a weekend at Langford's country home. It takes a long time for Pupkin to get Langfords less that subtle hints that he wants nothing to do with him, before the would be 'King of Comedy' kidnaps the talk show host with the help of another obsessed fan (the appropratly odd Sandra Bernhard). Pupkin gets into contact with Langford's people, and after the host gives his agent some code words to let him know that this is not a joke, issues his demand that he be given 10 minutes of time to do his routine on Langford's show and be allowed to see it air before releasing Jerry. The film has large portions of improvised dialogue that help it retain a spontaneity and tension, and in my (as well as others) estimation is the last movie to really retain that 1970's feeling of a dirty, odd ball, and gritty New York that was emblematic of that city in film from Midnight Cowboy (1969) to this cinematic offering. Best of all it allows Scorsese, De Niro, and even Lewis to show a greater range then we usually associate with them. 4 out of 5.