Sunday, February 28, 2016

One of Her Finest

Robert De Niro and Shelley Hack in The King of Comedy, 1983

Shelley starred in one of Martin Scorsese's most underrated films - the 1983 box-office flop The King Of Comedy. Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis lead the cast of characters that included (aside from Shelley) Sandra Bernhard, Diahnne Abbott and Tony Randall. The film is about a comic who would do anything to gain fame. The subject of the film has become more significant as the years have gone by - with  the "cult of celebrity" becoming more and more widespread. The movie has gained more fans (filmmakers and film buffs alike) decades after its theatrical release. And Shelley turned out one of her finest performances in the film. In fact, it's her work in this film that got her the lead in the cult classic The Stepfather in 1986.

a Japanese writeup about The King of Comedy, 1983