Revisiting Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy And Its Relevance Today

Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis delve into the dark realities of showbiz with their satirical dramedy about a budding stand-up artist and his idol.

The King of Comedy: Dystopia, satire, music, and visual effects are prominent ways of making a statement through the cinematic medium. Imagination and fiction have a wider scope of connecting to the audiences. Martin Scorsese found solace for his inner frustration about making something worth artistic contentment with The King of Comedy. Considered to be one of the best collaborations between Scorsese and the versatile legend Robert De Niro, The King of Comedy is a cult classic meant for the students of cinema. The movie also has references to Todd Phillips’ Noir-Thriller Joker, also starring De Niro in a crucial role. The Scorsese directorial is an ahead-of-its-time satirical dramedy. It resonates well with the present-day chaotic times, be it the paparazzi hounding celebs, geopolitics, or layoffs. Scorsese’s presentation of Manhattan during the early 1980s transports you to the era when pop culture went through a revolutionary change during the Cold War period (March 12, 1947-December 26, 1991).

MARTIN SCORSESE TOOK INSPIRATION FROM REVOLUTION IN POLITICS AND POP CULTURE

Both India and the West were going through a period of rebellion and crime and sex were the most prevalent themes in post Emmergency India (1975-1977). Apart from the machismo of Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan, objectification of femme fatale and damsel in distress was also being commodified by filmmakers. Zeenat Aman emerged in a white bikini breaking stereotype about the conventional Hindi film heroine in Qurbaani (1980). Films of that time were all about escapism, as people affected by economic distress needed entertainment. So, the glorification of movie stars started the paparazzi’s tryst with celebs. Scorsese envisioned a world much before the advent of tablets and TikTok. A person’s love and respect for their idols often leads to crazy fandom in the age of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The protagonist Rupert Pupkin played by De Niro admires Jerry Langford aka Jerry Lewis to an extent of causing his own mental health issues. Richard is delusional regarding his relationship with Jerry and daydreams about talking to the latter. Circumstances force him to break the law and commit a serious offence. The black comedy is probably one of the darkest films of Scorsese and De Niro. The King of Comedy reflects the brutal society of consumerism and how it manipulates the mindset of the middle class.

ROBERT DE NIRO HITS THE BULL’S EYE BY PLAYING ONE OF THE DARKEST ROLES OF HIS CAREER

There is a Richard Pupkin in all of us, who want to reach a certain stage in our lives. Although, in real life, a person won’t go to an extent of kidnapping and blackmailing like the main character in The King of Comedy. Scorsese makes a hard-hitting commentary on those who wish to make it big by hook or crook. The King of Comedy is way too real and, on your face, that it can have multiple interpretations. The confrontation between Jerry and Richard justifies the saying ‘never meet your heroes’. However, it is Scorsese’s cinematic genius and De Niro’s artistic finesse that at no point does the narrative justify crime and shortcuts to success. The misconception about overnight success among struggling artists has been showcased with utmost honesty by the writer Paul D. Zimmerman.

MARTIN SCORSESE REFELCTS ON HOW POP CULTURE MANIPULATES AUDIENCE’S PSYCHE

The King of Comedy shows pop culture’s celebrity worship and how fans glued to television or present-day smartphones create a fancy world of their own. In a market economy, every person wants to get the best standard of living and wants to achieve greater heights. The theme of the film resonates with Jim Carrey’s quote as he once said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so that they can see that it’s not the answer.” The King of Comedy is inspired by the real-life incident when former US President Ronald Regan was shot by John Hinkley Jr, a disturbed young man with a fixation on Taxi Driver and Jodie Foster. The protagonist in the film was told that he wasn’t ready to be a comedian and needed to work on his skills. The pain of constant rejection and FOMO in a world of cut-throat competition often has a negative impact on people’s behaviour and thinking patterns. The same happened to Richard. Society has failed men like Richard by over-emphasizing fame, money, success, and luxury. Something that Gen Z deals with every day.

THE KING OF COMEDY SHOWS THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF HERO WORSHIP

Rupert was smart, intelligent, talented, and even subconsciously confident. But his inner fear made him feel like an inferior seeking society’s validation. He knew a lot about comedy and even carried a talent book of comic artists and movie stars along with him. His obsession with Jerry was the biggest hurdle in realizing his hidden talent. Instead of chasing Jerry, if Richard would have worked on his craft, sooner or later he would have become The King of Comedy ethically instead of serving a jail term and setting a wrong precedent for society. As he himself said in the movie “A guy can get anything he wants as long as he pays the price.”

VERDICT

The King of Comedy treats every character as human instead of painting them in black and white. The movie is a must-watch for budding screenwriters, directors, actors, and journalists to witness the most honest and transparent depiction of the media and entertainment industry. One of Scorsese’s most soulful works reflects upon the inner battles of strugglers and achievers in showbiz. A poignant artwork about glitz and glamour that is a subtle and unique representation of life through the cinematic lens.

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