A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

The Evaluation System Reviews by Title Reviews by Date

Reviews from Video Reviews of the Classics Personal Background

Title: The Aristocrats

Date Viewed: 9/5/05

Details:

Shelley Berman

George Carlin

Billy Connolly

Phyllis Diller

Carrie Fisher

Whoopi Goldberg

Eric Idle

Penn Jillette

Kevin Pollak

Don Rickles

Chris Rock

Rita Rudner

Dick & Tom Smothers, et al.

Director: Paul Provenza

Score: 1/2

The Review: Uneven, occasionally hilarious, always outrageous paean to one of the hoariest joke scaffolds in entertainment history: "The Aristocrats." Not rated, and very definitely obscene by any definition; not something to which you'd take your grandmother or parents.

Not just a litany of different comedians telling their version of the joke -- and there are a lot of them (nearly 100 comics are listed in the credits) -- but also background, history, and many characters riffing on both the joke, the theme, its history and pushing-the-humor envelope.

Amidst the obscenities, there's also a version from the South Park animators, and a version in mime. And ultimately you'll learn the truth about why the Liberty Bell has a crack, and why Teller (of the Penn & Teller magic act) doesn't speak. But I don't guarantee that you'll be able to look at yourself in the mirror the next morning.

(6-Sep-05)

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