I like Steve Martin, I really do. I've practically stolen the two comedy CDs my dad bought. He is crack-you-up funny.
I've seen a number of his films. The titles of which I can't remember off the top of my head, aside from his cameo in The Muppet Movie. I liked most of them.
Just the other day one of the classic movie channels was playing his film debut, The Jerk. I hadn't seen it. And now I have. And, I now intend to buy it on DVD. It was hysterical. I loved it, truthfully.
It may not be the most quotable movie ever ("God! He hates the cans!), but this doesn't decrease its merit in the least. Its a classic and rightfully so. The humor is almost transparent until it hits you in the face, BAM!
I loved it. Just thought I would share the discovery of a new movie favorite.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Steve also plays a mean banjo. Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
*runs into the thread*
The new phone book is here! The new phone book is here!
I love that movie.
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
I never get a new phone book without thinking of that scene, and the follow up with the cans.
I'll have to add that to my Netflix queue... I don't think my girls have ever seen it.
Posted by airmanfour (Member # 6111) on :
The Pink Panther is over his head. As great as Steve Martin is (and i love "The Jerk" too), he cannot possibly hold a candle to Peter Sellers' Clouseau. I'm a little worried for him.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Okay, here's the deal: Steve Martin is brilliant. "The Pink Panther," however, was a terrible movie, and remains a terrible movie; any worth it retains is due almost entirely to nostalgia. Consequently, remaking it is a staggeringly bad idea unless the material is somehow improved. Since that's not likely, it will almost certainly bomb.
Posted by LadyDove (Member # 3000) on :
I agree with Tom. I love both Sellers and Martin, but neither of them could work magic with such a limited script.
Posted by clod (Member # 9084) on :
TD?!
LD???!!!!
Say it isn't so!!!
*head 'splodes*
*pop*
oh, come on now, so little hope? Though, honestly, if I had my casting choices for a remake of the PP, it would be that Ryan Stiles guy from the Drew Carey show, not Martin. Martin's kinda moved on into exploring other stuff - good on him, as bland as the product may be. Sure, the slapschtick, he can do. As an actor, however, I don't think he can inhabit the KIND & BLITHE VACANCY of Sellers.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
If anyone wishes to see what Peter Sellers could do with a truly brilliant script, I highly recommend Being There.
Having said that, I have to admit that the original Pink Panther movies are a guilty pleasure of mine and that I was shaking my head when I saw that Steve Martin is starring in a remake.
Now, don't get me wrong, Steve Martin is a brilliant and funny man. But he is brilliant and funny in a way that just would not work with the Pink Panther movies. I fully expect to see a movie of Steve Martin portraying Peter Sellers portraying Inspector Clouseau. And that will be very sad.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Luved Being There. I grew up on the Pink Panther movies, but I'm not sure I could stomach them now.
I am actually not a Steve Martin fan. He rarely makes me laugh, and I more often find him irritating. Yes, I know, I must be the only person on the planet who feels that way.
Anyway, my reaction to hearing that Steve Martin was going to do a new Pink Panther movie was:
O_o
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Being There is awesome. Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
quote:Originally posted by Storm Saxon: *runs into the thread*
The new phone book is here! The new phone book is here!
I love that movie.
You have to do the whole quote to get the funny:
"The new phone book is here! The new phone book is here! I'm somebody now!
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
beverly, have you seen All of Me? There's something about that movie, and especially the scene at the end that makes me love Steve Martin.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
I love Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Especially scenes where Martin is playing "Ruprekt the Monkey Boy"... "Ruprekt... don't take the cork off the fork"
The funny thing about The Jerk, is the first time I got a phone book with *my* name in it, I really DID feel like "somebody" just like Martin's character in the movie.
Of course, I didn't run around screaming "I'M SOMEBODY!" until someone shot the cans all around me.
"It's not the money... It's all the STUUUUUU~FFFF"
Pix
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
I read an interview with Steve Martin once in which he basically said "thank God for the movies" because otherwise it would have been SNL forever and he just would have gotten weirder and weirder.
He's got a real talent--for example, I love his take on bizarre characters way better than Jim Carrey, who can't get out of "over the top" mode no matter what. But I still don't want to see Martin as Clousseau (sp?). Can't imagine that this is going to be a good movie.
I saw The Jerk when it came out, forever ago--really don't remember it, but do remember laughing pretty hard at the time!
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
I love Steve Martin in most of his roles. I like his more serious roles, too. (The Spanish Prisoner, Novacaine, Grand Canyon)
Anyone remember L.A. Story? I really like that movie but it's mostly because of Steve Martin. I'm not sure I'd think twice about it if it were anyone else.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
I saw a biography on him last week; apparently, he's fairly brilliant at pretty much everything.
I love The Jerk. Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
quote:Originally posted by KarlEd:
Anyone remember L.A. Story? I really like that movie but it's mostly because of Steve Martin. I'm not sure I'd think twice about it if it were anyone else.
I agree wholeheartedly.
Has he ever performed in an entirely serious dramatic role? Can't remember anything off the top of my head. But I bet he'd be good.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
I loved LA Story but I can't place why I liked it. I think it just evoked a happy emotion in me. Some of the jokes were funny, but it wasn't a roll on the floor laughing movie like The Jerk.
I *did* love Patrick Stewart as the Nazi waiter from L'idiot when Martin was in the Fourth Reich National Bank getting his portfolio approved to go to the restaurant. "You cannot have ze duck."
Pix
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
. . . hmmmm . . . Steve Martin as Mazer Rackham?
Just kidding. Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
I have the mp3 of "You Belong to Me" on my desktop at home. It's my favorite part of the movie.
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
I think Spanish Prisoner was a fairly serious and dramatic role.
Grand Canyon too.
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
Uprooted, his roles in both The Spanish Prisoner and Grand Canyon were entirely "serious dramantic roles". By that I mean they were not comedy roles. Though they may have had some cleverly witty and/or funny lines, the characters he portrayed in those two movies were not comedic at all.
For that matter, I'd include his role in Novocaine in the above paragraph, too.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Cool, I wasn't aware of any of those. Guess I'll have to check out IMDB & Netflix!
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
Anyone else see (and enjoy) Bowfinger? I really enjoyed that movie, but it was largely overlooked in the box office.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I saw Bowfinger, but was largely dissapointed.
edit: Oops. I missed the "and enjoy" part.
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
I think it was generally* an in-joke about Hollywood more than anything. I enjoyed it, but I can see why it wasn't a box-office hit.
* Like how I avoided a "largely" triple-play?
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
That makes sense, and it explains why it didn't do much for me.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
quote:beverly, have you seen All of Me? There's something about that movie, and especially the scene at the end that makes me love Steve Martin.
You know, I've never seen all of All of Me. :snicker: I probably should. Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
quote: Has he ever performed in an entirely serious dramatic role? Can't remember anything off the top of my head. But I bet he'd be good.
It has recently come to my attention that comedic actors are *excellent* in dramatic roles. I bet I could enjoy Steve Martin in a dramatic role, because he would probably be fabulous.
Posted by Rico (Member # 7533) on :
Heh I hadn't thought of The Jerk in quite a while. I remember a few bits and pieces of it, but not too much since it's been a while. Good movie though
I should really rent it again sometime just to see if I still like it.
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
quote:It has recently come to my attention that comedic actors are *excellent* in dramatic roles. I bet I could enjoy Steve Martin in a dramatic role, because he would probably be fabulous.
That actually doesn't surprise me. Good comedy is much harder to do than good drama (IMO).
Another actor, known more for comedy, but excellent in drama is Robin Williams. I actually prefer his drama to his comedy, at least at this point in his career. Two very good dramatic roles for him were in One Hour Photo, and The Final Cut. I also liked his role in Insomnia.
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come.
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
I thought WDMC was visually stunning, but the mood was oppressively morose. About halfway through it I felt like if I didn't get some sunshine I'd end up slitting my wrists.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:That actually doesn't surprise me. Good comedy is much harder to do than good drama (IMO).
In the commentary for Serenity, Whedon says that he loves using comedic actors for dramatic roles, for exactly that reason.
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