And Now For a Documentary I Have Seen

aristocrats
Originally uploaded by dangunderman.

blondandeffective's comment on the previous posting demonstrates the dangers of writing about something you haven't seen or read. The recording of Timmy's mauling exists, but moviegoers don't get to hear it. So I guess I can understand why some are afraid of copycat crimes. I mean, if you can't actually hear the mauling, how bad can hanging out with bears be? Right? Hello? Jesus, people are stupid.

Anyway, now I present my thoughts on "The Aristocrats," which I went to see this afternoon. It's been a long time since I saw a movie in the afternoon. It's a good way to see a movie. But that's not my only thought about it.

For those of you who don't know, "The Aristocrats" gets its title from the punchline of a joke. It's an old joke, with a great deal of room for riffing. The artistry, and the offense, lies in the riff. During the course of the movie, you hear the joke over fifty times told by many comedians, each version more offensive and/or scatological than the last. Some versions are so filthy, the entire AMC movie theater chain is refusing to screen it. Because of words. And that's pretty stupid.

But the film is smart. Really smart. It analyzes, dissects, and deconstructs the joke to a degree that would be envied by any powerhouse academic institution. Among the deconstructions and analyses the joke is told -- stupid versions, funny versions, first person versions, screaming versions, incestuous versions, shit-covered versions, turn-you-on-your-head versions, pregnant versions, physical comedy versions, and one incredibly well-timed version that many say might be the best telling of all time.

And did I mention how much I love going to see a movie in the afternoon?