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Any Steve Martin comedy fans out there???
- Thread starter tb-player
- Start date
Thread Drift: I have only ever seen L.A. Story once, in a theater way back in 1991, but there is a moment in that film that I remember vividly due to some brilliantly unexpected sound design. It's toward the end of the film, and the actress playing Martin's love interest -- or rather, the more mature of the love interests, because Sarah Jessica Parker also plays a sort-of love interest if I'm recalling the plot correctly -- is sitting on an airplane waiting to take off, it's raining outside, and she's second-guessing her decision to leave (I think)...
...and inexplicably the soundtrack music gradually swells up to an unbelieveably loud level. Conspicuously louder than any other event in the entire film. It's like the audio mixer in post accidentally leaned on a fader! and yet it is a sublimely powerful event, stunningly effective at capturing the actor's inner drama. I loved that moment, and I walked out of the theater having a newfound respect for film sound design
...and practically no other memories of the film. (Other than that Sarah Jessica Parker was annoying even back then, and that the movie featured a talking road sign.)
This place has the best pizza in a cup
If you can find it, read his autobiography. I know he's written a lot of books but this one covers his live and career up to the point of getting cast in The Jerk. It's a good story...he talks about his childhood, living adjacent to Disney Land, getting into magic, then comedy, and touring as a comedian, working out his routines, and evolving from small comedy clubs to stadium gigs. Tonight show appearances...etc.
"That man hates these cans!"
The Jerk is effing brilliant. He's very hit or miss for me, but The Jerk is so great.
At the time, Steve started a kind of new kind of comedy style. Sort of on the dumb side but funny and entertaining. Needless to say, he used to be a comedy writer for The Smothers Brothers Show, Sonny and Cher and Glenn Campbell Show.
Kind of a coincidence with this TalkBass thread but just a couple of days ago, I was watching a very old episode of The Midnight Special and Steve did this stand up routine.
This was filmed about 50 years ago! Amazing! Where does the time go?
Kind of a coincidence with this TalkBass thread but just a couple of days ago, I was watching a very old episode of The Midnight Special and Steve did this stand up routine.
This was filmed about 50 years ago! Amazing! Where does the time go?
IIRC he kind of outgrew standup comedy. He was just so freaking perfect at it, there wasn't anything left for him to accomplish, there.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a favorite of mine.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a favorite of mine.
I like to get small and listen to his comedy records.
Steve's actual wife (at the time), Victoria Tennant.
My friend really appreciated me quoting the line :
"You cooked her nines!"
When he finally awoke from 3 months in a coma, with a traumatic brain injury.
He genuinely thought it was funny, and it proved that in spite of the injury, his personality was intact, and he had total recall of his favourite movie.
Also, under the circumstances, my favourite line :
"...I couldn't f**k a gorilla"
might have been inappropriate (you really have to take a beat whilst you entertain the notion, to sell that line with a tinge of regret).
As a longtime resident of Orange County, and lucky enough to have seen him in the Carnation square in Disneyland band. I’ve been a fan.
Wore out the grooves on Wild and Crazy guy.
The Saturday night live bits are pure gold.
Wore out the grooves on Wild and Crazy guy.
The Saturday night live bits are pure gold.
My favorite Steve Martin movies are the Jerk and Bowfinger, I have a copy of The Cruel Shoes on my favorite book rack. I still remember meeting SM way back when as he was the opening act for some long forgotten artist, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. We connected since we were both born in Waco.
slobake
resident ... something
He did a great job re-creating inspector Clouseau. I wish he would do another Pink Panther movie.
I don't know why Bowfinger has been relegated to obscurity. IMO, it's one of Steve Martin's and Eddie Murphy's funniest movies.
