The King of Comedy. 1982. Directed by Martin Scorsese

Film

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The King of Comedy. 1982. USA. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Courtesy of Photofest

The King of Comedy. 1982. USA. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Screenplay by Paul D. Zimmerman. With Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott. 35mm. 109 min.

Aspiring stand-up comedian Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro), a social misfit with an insatiable appetite for fame and validation, idolizes popular late-night variety show host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis)—to a terrifying degree. Pupkin’s admiration spirals out of control after a calculated encounter allows a moment alone with Jerry that doesn’t go as Pupkin always imagined. In this pitch-black comedy, played to perfection by De Niro and Lewis, Scorsese skewers the tenuous relationship between fan and celebrity with ruthless wit and understated nuance.

This film accompanies A View from the Vaults: The 1980s.

Past events

Tue, Apr 7, 6:30 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T2, Theater 2

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2
Wed, Mar 18, 6:30 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T1, Theater 1

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 1

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