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Directed by: Paul Provenza Starring: George Carlin, Bob Saget, Gilbert Gottfried, Penn Jillette and 70+ others The move is not how I imagined it would be. It's not one comedian after the other and the other and so on telling the joke. It's only parts of the joke by one comedian, then it switches to another guy telling a bit of it, then comes back to the first one etc. I don't think we hear the joke from begining to the end once in the movie (except the South Park part). The people actually talk more about the joke then telling it, they all say when's the first time they heard it, the way it can be told, the variations on the joke.. We don't even hear George Carlin telling his version. Another thing that bothered me is that the director tried too much to make "artsy" camera shot, like huge close ups, or frequent cuts.. I don't think this was really nesseceray, looking at the nature of the movie. Being a huge fan of that type of humour, I had heard or imagined pretty much everything of the stuff they included in the joke. They did not go too hard on racists jokes, it rotated more around scat, pee, pedophilia and incest. I thought I'd heard something about Auschwitz but they did not go there, probably because a lot of the actors are jews themselves. But the movie does it's trick, people were hysterically laughing in the theater, and yes it's funny to hear the joke over and over. Somehow they managed to keep it fresh even after ~75 ppl telling it. I had read that Whoopi Goldberg and Jon Stewart's version were the best, but I was really decieved. The funniest or the grossest joke were definetly told by Bob Saget and Gilbert Gottfried. There was also a 'gay' looking guy with long hair and glasses, but I don't know his name. The movie was really worth it, but I had been waiting for it too long and was expecting SOOO much that it seemed a little mellow. But I'm sure it will definitly has it's effect among people who like crude dark vile tasteless humour. RATING: 4.5 PROS: Hysterically funny, if you're into that kinda humour CONS: Weirdly edited, useless long un-funny momments. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436078/
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Jul 28, 2005 17:08
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I spent roughly $30 in food costs and transportation costs to see this breakdown of an extremely flexible joke and, essentially, the breakdown of what makes each comic different. The deconstructon comes through the retelling and analysis of the joke by many, many prominent comedians. The joy in this movie comes not only from 70+ different takes on the same exact joke, but from what you can discern about the genesis of comedy through their differences. Even the unfunny moments (such as a masterfully edited mix of some slapstick comedian, Carrot Top, and Eddie Izzard completely loving up the joke) have a point to show that it's the comedian that makes the joke. I absolutely loved it. Wendy Liebmann had my favorite interpretation of the joke. You'll see it when you do. Being able to see compression artifacts in the video and a mix of having a headache and being stuck in the first row of the theater detracted from my viewing experience, but you could be completely blind and still enjoy this movie. Rated: 4.5 Share Bear fucked around with this message at 08:04 on Jul 30, 2005 |
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Jul 30, 2005 08:02
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Just saw it yesterday in Manhattan. All the shows were sold out and they even added some during the day which sold out as well (I think it was playing on 3 screens.) It was very funny. The half documentary half joke telling style worked pretty well. The editing was a little weird in some places but it worked well. My favorite versions of the joke were the ones which had a little something extra. The dude with the deck of cards was probably my favorite. Other great ones included Penn and Teller and Billy the Mime. Bob Saget was also great. Gilbert Gottfried was hilarious for all the side comments he made during the movie. Sarah Silverman was also very funny - as was the trailer for her comedy show which they played before the movie. Disappointing were Eddie Izzard and a few others although as Share Bear said even the bad tellings added to the story. I'll go 4.5 as well.
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Jul 30, 2005 19:18
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Caught this yesterday and I must say it was the most vulgar hour and a half that I have ever had the pleasure of sitting through. It was riotously funny almost non-stop, as each of a huge cast of famous comedians gives their own version of this extremely flixible and rude joke. Many will see this as inexcusable obscenity parading as comedy, but to everyone else who enjoys a good filthy joke this is one of the funniest movies you'll see. 4.5
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Jul 30, 2005 22:42
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This film gave me a new respect for Bob Saget. As others have noted, it alternates between unfunny and incredibly hilarious, but overall I rather enjoyed the movie. Rated 4.
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Aug 7, 2005 05:31
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This is the funniest movie I've ever seen. Not the most clever, mind you, but I've never laughed so long and so hard in my life. If you like to laugh and you don't mind (extreme) crudeness, see this movie. 5.5/5
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Aug 13, 2005 00:53
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I am a huge fan of stand up, and it was very refreshing to see a lot of the comics I have caught on Comedy Central give their take the "Aristocrat" joke. They broke it down in every way possible, and gave their own versions of it. Though not all the comics were funny, the ones that were made it a good piece. 4/5 P78M fucked around with this message at 18:02 on Aug 14, 2005 |
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Aug 14, 2005 05:31
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Quite possibly the best film on the craft of comedy, the style of jokes and explanation worked well to reveal a lot about the act of comedy. I couldn't stop laughing for most of it so it is very successful as both a comedy and a documentary. Probably the highlights were: the South Park one, Mario Cantone's Liza Manneli impression, and Bob Saget. 4.5/5
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Aug 14, 2005 06:40
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I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would; I've said before that I didn't find the joke funny and was basically repulsed by most of the acts being described when I read it online. What I didn't realize is how much personality most comedians bring to it, and how much funnier that makes it. My friends and I all agreed that the funniest actual telling of the joke was George Carlin's, right near the beginning, and his was definitely the simplest in terms of the actual act being performed, but the way he told it was great. The mime was also awesome, as well as Sarah Silverman. 4/5
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Aug 14, 2005 15:46
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penn jillete is the loving man. 4.5/5
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Aug 14, 2005 23:23
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reviews only please
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Aug 16, 2005 00:35
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It was so-so, definitely not worth $8. Should have been a half hour HBO special. Gilbert Godfried was by far the funniest comedian out of the lot of them, with Sarah Silverman as a close second, not many laughs otherwise. Save your money. 2/5 edit: Oh and Mario Cantone is a stupid human being and I hope he gets hit by an airplane
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Aug 16, 2005 00:53
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A family walks into a talent agency. It's a father, mother, son, daughter and dog. The father says to the talent agent, "We have a really amazing act. You should represent us." The agent says, "Sorry, I don't represent family acts. They're a little too cute." The mother says, "Sir, if you just see our act, we know you would want to represent us." The agent says, "OK. OK. I'll take a look." The father then produces projector, the son pulls up a projection screen, the mother dims the lights, and the daughter rolls a film. The talent agent then views a film about a running joke with its roots in Vaudeville that has circulated among comedians for countless generations. It is a joke that has had countless variations - its only similarities being the premise and the punchline. The film features many comedians doing their unique variations on the joke - many of them off-color, and some just utterly nonsequitor. The talent agent finds himself puzzled, then amused, then hitting dry heaves of laughter as different variations of the joke are shown in the film. Over the course of the flick, he also learns fascinating tidbits of knowledge in how comedians have developed their own humor styles around the joke, and how such an in-joke has perpetuated for so long over time - becoming a subversive means for comics to communicate their most crazy ideas to other comics. Then the film ends. For the longest time, the agent just sits in silence. Finally, he manages, "That's a hell of an act. What do you call it?" And the father says, "The Aristocrats!" 4.5/5 (Score would have been higher if not for some awkward editing that cuts down some of the humor.) DanSTC fucked around with this message at 05:07 on Aug 16, 2005 |
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Aug 16, 2005 05:02
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I saw this movie a few days ago for my brithday. Man, was it funny. I wasn't sure if hearing the same joke over and over again would be funny, but I had never heard the joke. As I watched the movie, I quickly learned that the comedian turned the joke into their own. Everyone's version was very funny. I loved Bob Saget's the most. I had no idea he was so crude. I would recommend it to anyone. Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Aug 16, 2005 08:10
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I went on a vacation to New York City with a short list of activities to do while there. Seeing this movie was one of the higher up choices since the film didn't play in my home town (I was wrong, it does.) I spent most of the film on the floor, laughing. I really enjoyed Gilbert Gottfried's explanations. 4.5/5
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Aug 16, 2005 08:28
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I never would have thought a mime would get me in tears laughing my head off. Some parts were overdone explainations, but the movie is mostly really funny. 4.5/5
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Aug 18, 2005 07:15
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My wife and I saw this last night in Evanston. Funniest drat thing I've seen in years. Eric Mead's card trick version of the joke was the highlight of the movie. There is great moment after great moment (with a few clunkers in-between. But that is the nature of comedy). This movie is more than just the re-telling of this one joke. It's really more about the history of comedy and just exactly what is comedy. If I was running a class on how to do stand-up, I would make this required viewing. 5.5/5
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Aug 19, 2005 15:34
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It was brilliant. Although some of the tellings were somewhat lacking, and I was really annoyed that we didn't get to see Billy Connelly's version, many of them were truly hilarious. I also really enjoyed the discussion of the comedy- the reviews complaining about that are baffling, as it made the whole thing work and only enhanced the jokes. My favorite moment, oddly enough, was not the best telling (I can't decide on between the card artists, Carlin, Penn 'n Teller or Silverman with her amazing little pauses.) My favorite moment is the beginning of the roast, when Gottfried is obviously so pissed off by the booing that he thinks "fine, screw it. You want offensive... LISTEN TO THIS" and proceeds to tell the one joke that (as several of the comedians said) you never, ever tell to an audience. The anger and frustration propelled the comedy, and watching the other comedians' reactions when they realized what was going on.... that was comedy. 4.5/5, losing .5 for the baffling omission and a somewhat abrupt ending leavened by wonderful credits.
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Aug 21, 2005 03:31
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I caught this in Columbus yesterday. I laughed so drat hard in parts of it my face hurt by the end. It was definitely a good piece. Many people here will definitely not see anything new or pushing the envelope, but overall it was very fun. The best part was being interviewed by a news anchor afterwards immediately outside the film and delivering my own lame rendition. Think fist-loving your mom. Yeah, not terribly original and it will NEVER get aired on TV. Oh well. Rating: 5/5 totally worth the money and was glad to be in the right place at the right time to catch the premier of the film.
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Aug 21, 2005 05:09
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This was a really loving excellent film. The only thing I would have changed would be Mario Cantone, who was eye-stabbingly unfunny. That man is a cancer on this fine film. Sarah Silverman, wow. The timing, delivery, absolutely unbelievable. She stole the film, for sure. Carlin, Gottfried, and Saget were close seconds. I was disapointed as a Daily Show fan at how gay Jon Stewart's bits were, and how Louis Black could have been way funnier. One of the funniest parts of the entire movie for me was all the people who didn't realize what was going on until it was too late. For instance, an old man and his wife slowly climbed the 60 or so stairs to sit one row ahead of us, only to gasp in horror and disgust at the poo poo eating, fist loving, rectal bleeding, etc.. I think a total of 8 people left within the first 5 minutes. The theatre was nearly empty to start with, I don't really think these people knew what they were getting into. 5/5
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Aug 21, 2005 10:18
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This is a very funny movie, but very uneven. Some parts will make you laugh your rear end off. But they inexplicably kept some really weak-rear end bits and pieces in, and some of the participants are woefully under-used. For instance, it is like they decided to edit out all but the boring parts involving Eric Idle and Jon Stewart.  There was also a minute where they just showed some guy acting drunk and retarded. The production values on this movie are poo poo, which isn't TOO relevant to this kind of movie, but it looks like a loving VHS tape. And they used annoying "kooky" camera angles all the time, which combined with the bad picture quality made the physical act of watching it a pain in the rear end. Luckily, The Aristocrats doesn't really need pictures at all, it is just guys talking. Getting back to the content, with the exception of Silverman's bit, all the female comedians were lovely. ALL OF THEM. Does Silverman have  or something? At least Carrie Fisher has the excuse of not being a comedian, and was kind of amusing.The incredible filth has been noted, but I'll note it again, because this movie is extravagantly dirty. 4/5.
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Aug 21, 2005 23:03
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I agree with the general sentiment of the posters on here. The film was for the most part downright hilarious and was weirdly edited at points and dragged at points. I still came away immensley entertained. The card guy was the highlight for me as well. "Joe Franklin Raped me" 4.5/5
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Aug 27, 2005 03:30
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In 20 years of living, I have never seen anything as funny as this. This is THE FUNNIEST movie I have EVER SEEN. 5.5/5
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Aug 27, 2005 06:18
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It took me a while to understand what the point of this movie was. When the joke was first told, I didn't get it at all. But in the end, I really liked where the movie went. I remember thinking that this was the most raunchy, graphic movie I have ever seen. Then I kind of realize that they aren't showing anything, it's only talking. So I think that in itself is a wonderful observation on the filmmakers part. That being said, I also think some of the comics fell flat. Paul Reiser is who stands out in my mind. He seemed to be in it a lot, but was never funny. Like everyone else has said, Godfried and Saget were highlights. I also really enjoyed the South Park bit. As far as the Silverman love, I will admit that I don't get it. I thought she was the least funny of all the women. When I was there, this old couple walked out in the middle, which was kind of funny. The movie is worth seeing, but it's the type of movie you'll probably only want to watch once, so I'd wait for the DVD just to hear the fan created jokes. I know some Goons would come up with really funny stuff. 4/5
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Aug 28, 2005 19:10
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One of the top 3 funniest movies I've ever seen. A huge variety of comedians going as over the top as possible and offending as many people as they can. The beginning and the end of the joke is always the same, but it's very interesting and more hilarious to see how they get there. The mime part was literally the funniest thing I've ever seen. A mime mimmicking the most horrendous sex acts while tourists walk by on what looks like a beachfront. Cartman's monologue was spectacular too. Oh man, awesome movie, see it. 5.5/5
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Aug 29, 2005 02:29
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Funniest flick of the year. Just listening to all the great comedians chat about the industry was just really, really cool to me. The only criticism is that Mario Cantone isn't funny at all. 4.5/5
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Aug 30, 2005 21:48
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Saw this three times, each with a different friend, and it was just as funny the third time as it was the first. Every time, I left the theater with my throat raw from laughing so hard for so long. My favorite reditions were Bob Sagat's, Gilbert Gottfried's, and Billy the Mime. My least favorite were Paul Reiser, Steven Wright, and Mario Catone's Liza Minnelli abortion. I was really happy it wasn't just 100 tellings of the joke, because there's only so much any comedian can do. I wouldn't laugh at an hour and a half of "dad fucks the son while the son fucks the dog and the dog shits on the little baby while the baby bleeds internally. We're the Aristocrats!" It was much better with the mixture of the backstory/analyzation/joke, and the unique editing, in most cases, kept the pacing fresh. In some cases the editing detracted from the movie, like in the case of Taylor Negron, but the telling of the pianist joke switching between Robin Williams and Drew Carey was really awesome. 5/5.5
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Sep 6, 2005 01:51
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I went in expecting complete tellings of the joke, so I was a little suprized with how they were split/edited up. I enjoyed Sarah Silverman & Wendy Liebman's the most. 4.5/5
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Sep 8, 2005 21:01
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I went in not knowing what to expect at all, George Carlin is always loving hillarious, The Onion staff with poo poo covered black face, the South Park rendition, BOB loving SAGET IS THE MAN! I laughed through everything even when it was only me laughing and everyone else's jaw was on the floor in disbelief. Thank you SA for making me so desinsitized. 5.0/5.5
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Sep 10, 2005 04:35
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Great film. So much I loved about it, so little I didn't. The mime and the magician were both really cool and original compared to the others. Bob Saget wasn't the worst at all. I was a little upset that some comedians that showed up didn't do their version (Chris Rock was barely in the film but he kind of explains why) or only had a few small bits. Best part of the whole movie? Doug Stanhope. Seriously underrated. Rated: 5/5 DVD might bring it to the full 5.5
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Sep 11, 2005 07:26
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George Carlin explains in the movie that the featured joke is interesting because of the way it allows a comedian to break people's boundaries with complete disregard to standards of decency. However, after ten minutes of watching comedians spout vulgarities, all possible boundaries have been fully destroyed, and the movie ceases to be entertaining. Maybe it would have been funny if I was back in fourth grade, when descriptions of bathroom functions and disgusting sexual acts were hilarious in and of themselves, but I just don't enjoy seeing the same crap repeated over and over as an adult. Perhaps I'm missing something that's cracking everyone else up, but sorry Penn, this was pretty bad. 1.5/5
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Nov 27, 2005 05:07
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Kenshino posted:Doug Stanhope. Seriously underrated. Finally managed to catch this and it was absolutely hilarious. I wasn't a fan of the joke to begin with, but after seeing this documentary I have much more respect for it and totally agree with it being brilliant. 5.
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Nov 28, 2005 01:33
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Sebenza posted:George Carlin explains in the movie that the featured joke is interesting because of the way it allows a comedian to break people's boundaries with complete disregard to standards of decency. However, after ten minutes of watching comedians spout vulgarities, all possible boundaries have been fully destroyed, and the movie ceases to be entertaining. Maybe it would have been funny if I was back in fourth grade, when descriptions of bathroom functions and disgusting sexual acts were hilarious in and of themselves, but I just don't enjoy seeing the same crap repeated over and over as an adult. Perhaps I'm missing something that's cracking everyone else up, but sorry Penn, this was pretty bad. 1.5/5 This is exactly how I felt about the movie. The only time I laughed was during Silverman's take on the joke, just because of her dead pan delivery and the bit about being raped which was the only time I was at all shocked after the first 5 minutes of the movie. I love toliet humor, but to me this movie was way too repetitive and not creative at all. I probably would have thought it was hilarious when I was 15. 1.5/5
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Nov 28, 2005 05:50
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Many unfunny moments ruin The Aristocrats for me. Rest 1/3 is actually very good. 3/5
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Dec 11, 2005 22:13
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FlokoWerewolves posted:This is exactly how I felt about the movie. The only time I laughed was during Silverman's take on the joke, just because of her dead pan delivery and the bit about being raped which was the only time I was at all shocked after the first 5 minutes of the movie. I generally agree with this. A handful of performances really shined, but mostly it was sort of banal after you got over the first few jokes about incests and poo poo eating. 2.0.
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Dec 16, 2005 06:20
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I finally got around to seeing this. I figured I would love it since I have no problem at all with vile, crude, disgusting humor. After I started watching it, I wasn't sure whether I was viewing the actual movie or a behind the scenes "making of" segment, since there was no content other than comedians all spliced up saying dirty words, but it just kept on going for the entire length. I couldn't even watch it all in one sitting, I was so overwhelmingly bored I had to stop and go do other more rewarding things. It ended up taking me three sittings to force my way through the whole thing. The only time I even cracked a smile was during the joke about the guy who plays the most beautiful music, but gives his songs disgusting names. The rest of the time I wanted to bash everyone's head in for making me consider slipping into a coma so that I may be less tortured. The Aristocrats is pretty much the most worthless film I have ever seen. If I had known what I know now, I would've required to be paid to watch it. This should've been a 30 minute special on Comedy Central's uncensored Saturday nights, and I'd still feel cheated for watching. .5/5 XK fucked around with this message at 18:58 on Dec 16, 2005 |
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Dec 16, 2005 18:45
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Sebenza posted:After ten minutes of watching comedians spout vulgarities, all possible boundaries have been fully destroyed, and the movie ceases to be entertaining. Honestly, the movie was better than I was expecting. If it had've quite literally been nothing but a series of comedians telling the joke, one after the other, it would have been so thoroughly inane and boring that I wouldn't have finished watching it. As it is, the discusion about the joke is both the best and worst thing about the film. By this I mean that, like I said, after the first ten minutes you really have heard all that the joke has to offer, and the variations you hear over the remaining 90 (I'm guessing at the length) minutes do not make worthwhile viewing. So it's the comedians chatter and banter that's what you are really sticking around for. There are very, very few exceptions to this: there is a version of the joke that is done with a mime, and another with a deck of cards. All the other versions are, in essence, identical, and neither funny nor interesting. However the quality of this chatter and banter is very, very varied and random. Some of it is good, some of it is bad, but at the end of the film, I turned it off and had to ask myself "Did I really just listen to people having seriously deep conversations about the nature of comedy from the perspective of a joke which is essentially the most juvenile and immature thing I've ever heard?" And yeah, a film which leaves you doing that isn't a great film. To be fair, there's not much wrong with the film itself, it's more the subject matter. Seriously, the joke is puerile, immature and juvenile nonsense, and nothing more. Yes I'm aware that "lol that's the point" but gently caress that, I'd rather watch some decent stand up. You know, with intelligence. Listening to the joke made me feel like I was standing around the schoolyard in primary school again. I've grown up a bit since then and this poo poo just isn't quite as funny. So I'd have to give it a 2/5. I would also have to say "gently caress the aristocrats, give me a real stand up routine thanks". TCC: Dude, you gotta play miniature golf. Iblys fucked around with this message at 00:36 on Dec 25, 2005 |
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Dec 25, 2005 00:31
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Funny as hell whenever some one that is actually good at telling the joke is on, but just plain ackward whenever someone that sucks steps up. Also it does get annoyingly repetitive towards the end. But funny as hell none the less. 4/5
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Dec 31, 2005 09:13
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I refuse to believe that this particular joke is really that iconic among comedians. The concept of this movie was passable at best, the execution was atrocius and the only thing that saved it from a 1 was Sarah Silverman. Gilbert Godfried would've scratched out another point if that retard Rob Schneider wasn't busting a gut like he was going to die. It wasn't THAT funny. 2/5
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Jan 1, 2006 06:55
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Stupid joke, stupid movie. How could you collect this much talent and turn out such a self-absorbed, crappily edited piece of poo poo? Some "chucklish" moments at Saget, Silverman, and Gottfreid, but otherwise the movie, and the DVD extras for that matter, are just unfunny and a total waste of my time. 1/5
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Jan 17, 2006 07:21
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