Stand-Up In The Cinema

Hollywood has enjoyed many attempts at representing stand-up comedians on the big screen. So, I thought I'd bring you an overview of some of the more interesting productions... read on.

I have two areas of excellent knowledge, which have been the entire basis of my two careers, spanning over 25 years in total. They are cinema and stand-up comedy.

I began as a film journalist in all its’ forms. Latterly, I became a stand-up promoter, MC and ultimately, a comedy coach.

The overlap between these joyous art-forms is greater than many realize. They are both all about generating fascinating ideas and presenting them in an entertaining form to an audience.

Just a few comedians who went on to become filmmakers...

I have long stated that a stand-up comedian is the ‘lowest budget film director in the world’. Their words create images that paint pictures in the minds of their audience.

Skill and originality with this process, in either field, can yield immense rewards.

No surprise then, that it’s a very long list of comedians who end up becoming screenwriters and directors.

...and a few more...

So, how is it, that the efforts of the producers and directors to represent stand-up comedy and stand-up comedians can be so very hit-and-miss?

The answer to that is simple. Because making a film is extremely hard. Making a good film is even harder.

Let me be clear, I’m not talking about comedy specials, even ones that got the big screen treatment like Richard Pryor: Live in Concert or Raw and Delirious from Eddie Murphy.

I mean actual, has a Props department and everything, feature films.

Just like with emerging stand-up talent, I have far greater admiration for a ‘swing and a miss’ movie than flicks that just pander and play it safe.

Many filmmakers and stand-ups have routinely fallen into the trap of blandly recycling the successful work of those who came before.

I have more sympathy for the ‘recycling’ movie people – for they need to convince other people to give them, typically, millions, to produce their vision.

No such excuse exists for a stand-up. The production costs are near nothing. Their brain, their mouth, a microphone, a PA and an audience… no mega-budgets needed.

The essential requirements are just great ideas, turned into sparkling jokes, ideally delivered with a charismatic performance.

After all, every stand-up is their own Producer, Director, Writer and Leading Man or Woman…

So, let’s have a wander through a few of the more interesting examples of stand-up as represented in the movies.

The most recent film among this bunch is the 2009 Judd Apatow movie, Funny People.

The star is Judds’ genuine old friend, former house mate and fellow young stand-up seeker, Adam Sandler.

Supporting Sandler is the ever-amazing Seth Rogen, playing a young stand-up trying to find his way, taken under the wing of a comedy megastar, essentially Sandler playing a version of his already famous self.

The essential tale is that the movie star has a terminal diagnosis and finds himself thrust together with the younger, gentler Rogen and a telling of how it’s lonely at the top – and what might be done about that.

The cast is cracking. Johan Hill when he was fatter, and all the funnier for it. Eric Bana another movie star with an origin story in stand-up, and Apatows’ wife, Leslie Mann.

There are cameos galore; Dave Attell, Charles Fleischer (the man who voiced Roger Rabbit), Sarah Silverman, Ray Romano and an acting debut from a young Bo Burnham. However, it’s a cameo from Eminem that I feel gets the biggest laugh of all.

What is ultimately a rather sweet comedy that covers a lot of themes, turns out to ultimately have its own dark foreshadowing… the brilliant and currently deceased Norm MacDonald also provides a cameo appearance… in a film about a comedy legend being diagnosed with a fatal disease, who then opts to hide it from the world.

Click to see the trailer...

Yeah, I know I mentioned Hollywood, but you’ll see some of my focus is not about productions emanating from that LA suburb.

Possibly my favourite of the films featured here is the 1995 British film, Funny Bones. It’s got embracing charm and real heart.

Even though American talent including Jerry Lewis and Oliver Platt co-star, the true hero of this production is retired British comedy legend, Lee Evans.

In many ways a telling of the culture clash between denizens of Las Vegas, and the British Vegas, Blackpool. This movie is a smart take on the egos and industry and a wonderful platform for the incredible physical comedy talents of Evans. Check this out, it’s an under-regarded gem.

Click to see the trailer...

While Tom Hanks enjoys living legend status these days, he broke through in the ‘80s and wow, there are some films in there that he doesn’t like to talk about. I know, because I tried. He just would not discuss Bachelor Party with me. True story.

Back in 1988 he starred in Punchline alongside Sally Field. They’d later team up again for the considerably more successful Forrest Gump. And there’s an early days appearance from always awesome John Goodman.

This is a brutally flawed curiosity, yet it does tap into elements of the ambition and hardship that is baked-in to being a stand-up hopeful. Of course, Hanks has real comedy chops and the film does contain a few decent laughs.

However, this movie is often mocked by professional comedians - principally for the scene where the comedians are back stage in a comedy club and have lockers for their private possessions - yeah, that’s not a thing…

Click to see the trailer...

In 1992, Billy Crystal was about as big as movie stars get. He was coming hot off the back of huge hits - When Harry Met Sally… and City Slickers, and in the middle of carving out his spot as quite possibly the greatest Oscars host ever.

So, he got to make his pet project, Mr Saturday Night. He co-wrote it with two of the finest comedy writers in the business and got to direct, his first time doing so.

And it unfairly bombed. This is a charming look at a fascinating era of live comedy and a genuine shame that it has faded away so much.

I know this much, the lead character of Buddy Love as portrayed by Crystal has a scene where he explains some of the mechanics of comedy – and a much younger me noted those insights and, as a result, was quite possibly directly inspired to take my first steps in writing comedy.

Nearly 30 years later, Crystal revamped Mr Saturday Night as a Broadway musical, and ultimately the production received 5 Tony nominations including, Best Musical.

Click to see the trailer...

Lenny is unquestionably the darkest of the films that I’m referencing here, as directed by Bob Fosse. This is the biopic of the late, great Lenny Bruce with Dustin Hoffman taking the lead.

For anyone who loves stand-up, Lenny Bruce is a legend. Please understand, that modern ears listening to Bruce will be very hard-pressed to find anything to laugh at. Comedy this old does not age or translate well. At all.

However, it’s commonly agreed that Lenny Bruce was an absolute pioneer of our beloved art. He crafted much of the confessional form, introduced the taboo-bothering approach and was severely punished for it.

Lenny became a comedy martyr. He was harassed, harangued and humiliated before turning to heroin.

In a far more conservative culture from decades ago, the authorities targeted this man on the mic, and his descent was played out most publicly. Being ‘cancelled’ is not necessarily a new phenomenon… how about we leave our stand-ups out of it? Huh?

This is a fascinating story that every stand-up comedy lover ought to know. Of course, Hoffman is incredible in a role that has considerably more shades than just jokes, in a film shot exclusively in shades of glorious black and white.

Click to see the trailer...

When Joker was released in 2019, many were quick to make the link between the feel of the film with Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. And they weren’t wrong.

However, I always felt that the influence of Scorsese’s The King of Comedy was massively overlooked. De Niro as a late-night host in Joker is an unquestionable nod to the desperate Rupert Pupkin, also played by De Niro, in this dark comedy about the pursuit of fame.

Regardless of Joker, and the overwhelming association between Scorsese and gangster films, the truly original King of Comedy may well confound your expectations, and I highly recommend you check it out.

Oh, and there’s Jerry Lewis. Again.

Click to see the trailer...

As an aside… You may find it of interest that, since Jerry Lewis is in two movies featured in this rundown, one film he starred in that you have never seen is the notorious The Day the Clown Cried.

What must have been one of the hardest/most deluded film pitches of all time may soon, after more than 50 years, finally see the light of day.

Click for fuller info on this notorious and unreleased mad idea

So, there you have it.

I have more stand-up themed films that may work in a similar future blog. I’m pondering whether it might be called Stand-Up at the Cinema: Part Deux or Stand-Up at the Cinema: Die Harder…

If you’d like more of this kinda thing, then please feel welcome to email me (alfie@wearefunnyproject.com) and say as much.

Hey, you could even ask me to cease and desist. Or, you might have some suggestions as to which films I might feature?

If you’re really into the Movies and Stand-Up then see another of my blogs, just below this article, Punchline Production.

If you're after details for my Cinematic System of Stand-Up, produced for more advanced and ambitious amateur stand-ups, then you got the clickable in the line above.

B-Duh, B-Duh, B-Duh, that’s all folks

Big Love

Alfie Noakes

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