The Aristocrats

[MacGuffin]

Trailer here.

Release Date: July 29th, 2005 (NY/LA)

Cast: Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, Lewis Black, Drew Carey, George Carlin, Billy Connolly, Tim Conway, Andy Dick, Phyllis Diller, Susie Essman, Carrie Fisher, Joe Franklin, Whoopi Goldberg, Gilbert Gottfried, Eric Idle, Eddie Izzard, Richard Jeni, Paul Krassner, Bill Maher, Howie Mandel, Jackie Martling, Chuck McCann, Michael McKean, Larry Miller, Martin Mull, Kevin Nealon, Taylor Negron, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Penn & Teller, Emo Philips, Paul Reiser, Andy Richter, Don Rickles, Chris Rock, Bob Saget, Sarah Silverman, Bobby Slayton, Tom Smothers, Dick Smothers, Doug Stanhope, David Steinberg, Jon Stewart, Rip Taylor, Dave Thomas, Carrot Top, Bruce Vilanch, Fred Willard, Robin Williams, Steven Wright

Director: Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller), Paul Provenza

Premise: Magician, comedian and entertainer extraordinaire Penn Jillette takes us into the secret world of comedians as we're introduced to a perpetually filthy joke that is never told the same way twice, serving as the comedy equilavent of a jazz solo since the Vaudeville days. All that remains constant is the beginning and the end, and 105 comedians fill in the rest.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


AMC theater chain doesn't get dirty joke

"The dirtiest joke ever told" won't be told in an AMC theater.

AMC Theatres, which will become the country's second-largest theater chain after its pending merger with Loews Cineplex, has decided not to exhibit "The Aristocrats," an upcoming unrated documentary about a particularly blue joke, on any of its screens.

According to the movie's distributor, ThinkFilm, the Kansas City-based AMC originally agreed to play the film in two markets -- Atlanta and Chicago -- but later backed out of its obligations.

AMC countered that though the two companies engaged in early conversations, AMC never reached an agreement with ThinkFilm to play the "Aristocrats." AMC spokeswoman Pam Blase said that whenever a film is unrated, the company's policy is to send the movie up to its corporate offices. Blase said in this case AMC Film Group chairman Dick Walsh made a business decision not to play the film.

Blase added that even if "Aristocrats," which showcases a string of comedians telling the same vaudeville-era dirty joke, performs well when it opens in limited engagements July 29 in Los Angeles and New York, AMC will not try to secure it for one of its 3,500 screens.

"We are trying to program more specialty films in our theaters, but we are very selective," Blase said. "We've made a business decision and evaluated all the factors and we will stick with that decision."

Closely held AMC seems to be the only major theater chain offered the picture that has given it a thumbs down. According to ThinkFilm, "The Aristocrats," directed by Paul Provenza and executive produced by Provenza and Penn Jillette, will open in New York at a Loews theater in Times Square as well as at the Mann Theatre in Santa Monica and a Pacific Theatre screen in Los Angeles. (Pacific Theatres does not confirm bookings that are more than five days in the future.)

When the movie, which bowed at January's Sundance Film Festival to strong reviews, expands Aug. 12 to additional markets, the nation's largest theater chain, Regal Entertainment Group and other companies are on board to play it. The Knoxville, Tenn.-based company will play the film at its Cinema Art screens that show specialty product.

"We occasionally play unrated films in these locations and this one was never an issue for us," Regal chief operating officer Greg Dunn said.

Theater chains often decline to play certain films, especially if they suspect the films won't do any business in their market.

But ThinkFilm contends that AMC, rather than making a simple business calculation, is engaging in censorship, and that given AMC's status as the country's second-largest chain, that could impact the film's fortunes.

"AMC has some very strategic theaters that we'd like to access," ThinkFilm president and CEO Jeff Sackman said. "They've said ('The Aristocrats') is too small, but this film is not smaller than others that they've played. The real problem is somebody is deciding on a personal basis what's appropriate and what isn't."

Some circuits, like Texas-based Cinemark USA, have policies in place stating they will not play any unrated or NC-17-rated films in their theaters. As a result, ThinkFilm didn't approach Cinemark.

But AMC does not have such a policy. The chain has played such challenging recent fare as Universal Pictures' "Inside Deep Throat," which carried an NC-17 rating, and the unrated version of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

ThinkFilm said AMC's decision could have broader consequences about what pictures are available to moviegoers once AMC takes over Loews Cineplex and its 2,200 screens.

[RegularKarate]

This was huge at SXSW, but I missed it (I couldn't make either showing).

The only thing I would like to toss in is that there was a panel in support of this film and Paul Provenza seems like an asshole... he dominated the conversation keeping people who are actually funny like Patton Oswalt and Thomas Hayden Church from getting to speak as much and tried to hard to be funny, but wasn't.

[MacGuffin]

'Aristocrats' a Dirty Joke of a Film

This ain't no Walt Disney production not with the language. Or the imagery. Or the bestiality.

Particularly the bestiality. Yet Penn Jillette, executive producer of "The Aristocrats," believes his acclaimed documentary about the filthiest joke known to mankind is an achievement far beyond cartoon classics like "Bambi."

"This film has more affection and love and world peace in it than any Disney film ever made," said Jillette, best known as half of the magic act Penn & Teller. "This is a truly feel-good movie about (an unprintable family activity)."

More accurately, this movie is about a variety of unprintable family activities, some involving pets, limited only by the imagination of the person telling the joke. The bit is vile, vulgar, obscene and offensive; it's a gag that could make you gag.

But as related by Robin Williams, Chris Rock, Martin Mull, Whoopi Goldberg and dozens of other brilliant comedians, this low-rent humor helps "The Aristocrats" hit rarely reached comedic heights. It delivers on the promise of its promo:

"No nudity. No violence. Unspeakable obscenity."

The joke, which dates back to vaudeville, consists of a raunchy setup followed by the simple punchline "the aristocrats." It was passed down through the years, with each comic adapting the joke to reflect their own personality.

Or psychosis.

Jillette, who developed the documentary's concept four years ago over coffee with comedian (and "Aristocrats" director) Paul Provenza, envisioned comedians riffing on the joke like jazz musicians taking solos in a smoky nightclub.

Picture Miles Davis, after trading his trumpet for Tourette's syndrome.

"It's be-bop, improvisation," Jillette explained. "You get to see different actors do Shakespeare, or jazz musicians do versions of the same song. Why not comedians?"

Provenza concurred.

The pair bought two video cameras and a pile of blank 60-minute tapes, then began calling their friends.

Almost everyone responded enthusiastically, with more than 100 appearing in the film. "Drew Carey said yes before I could explain the whole thing," Jillette said.

Everyone worked for free.

"Not paying the comics a dime that's Penn's greatest magic trick," said comedian Gilbert Gottfried, who worked for Disney as the voice of parrot Iago in "Aladdin" and handles the same chores for the ubiquitous AFLAC duck in TV commercials.

Sitting down with Jillette for "The Aristocrats" was a perfect fit for him.

"I've always said my career is somewhere between children's programming and hard-core porn," said Gottfried, who insists that he was the first person to tell the joke to Jillette and failed to see the Miles Davis parallel.

"I personally think Miles Davis is a lot funnier than me," Gottfried said. "And he's working more."

A tasteless joke about a dead jazz legend? Perfect. No taboo is taboo for "The Aristocrats."

Bob Saget, the beloved "Full House" father, provides a definition of "cockeyed" unimagined by Merriam or Webster. Andy Dick conjures a crotchless Hitler outfit in his version. Kevin Pollack tells the joke while doing a dead-on impression of Christopher Walken.

Gottfried's perversely profane version at a Friars Club roast of Hugh Hefner steals the movie. The Playboy poobah looks perplexed as Gottfried begins the joke.

"Hefner does get blindsided, and I love that," Jillette said.

Initially, there were fears that appalled audiences would storm out of the theater in droves. Instead, the 86-minute documentary debuted at the Sundance Film Festival (with just a dozen walkouts) to almost unanimous praise, and was purchased by distributor THINKFilm in January.

It opens in New York and Los Angeles on July 29, with a national release Aug. 12.

"The Aristocrats" won't arrive without controversy. The AMC theater chain, which operates 3,500 movie screens nationwide, already announced it won't show "The Aristocrats."

Terrific news, according to Jillette.

"It kind of makes me feel great, because words still have power," Jillette said. "I just like how uplifting the idea is: Words are powerful."

[mutinyco]

If you like the idea of Bob Saget talking about a man flattening his penis with a desk drawer, then popping his daughter's eye out, then fucking her socket, only to get his flat penis stuck in her skull, this might be the movie for you...

[Eddo]

I will definitely be seeing this.

[Stefen]

haha this sounds so odd that it has to be seen.

[bonanzataz]

EDIT: on a pc, you should probably right click. tell me if it don't work still and i'll just take it down...  

[cron]

that link doesn't works taz

[Pubrick]

that link doesn't works taz

works for me.

is this a spoiler for the movie, seeing how the trailer tried so hard NOT to tell u the joke?

[mutinyco]

Did you just call me Coltrane?... http://www.moviecitynews.com/columnists/mutiny/aristocrats.html

[matt35mm]

Go to www.dead-frog.com/aristocrats to tell your own version of the joke.

It's fun.

Here's mine.  I don't think I even need to say that it's fairly vile.  Mine's not the funniest or the most disgusting on there.  I guess I really could've been more ambitious in my storytelling.  I didn't have that much time, plus I just can't compete with some of these people.  Mine's pretty much just a standard telling.

[The Red Vine]

I can see why that's suppose to be "the dirtiest joke in the world"

[Gamblour.]

Finally saw this....for the love of god, if you have any love of documentaries or just comedy, go see this. It's nothing but people talking about a joke and they love it. it's just a joyous thing to watch. I loved it. EXCEPT:....

Spoilers


They kept fucking interrupting Gottfried's version at Hefner's roast. That was some horrible editing bullshit. JUST SHOW THE DAMN THING.

[Figure 8]

Yeah, I would agree on both points, but this was probably the funniest thing I have seen in a while.  The entire theater was filled with laughter throughout the entire movie.

[Brazoliange]

this was probably the funniest thing I have seen in a while.  The entire theater was filled with laughter throughout the entire movie.

agreed, there was so much more comedy packed into this than in a majority of comedy movies. Go see this.