Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Bambi B on November 20, 2003 at 11:19:46

In Reply to: Steve Martin is by far not the most objectionable comic posted by Victor Khomenko on November 20, 2003 at 06:35:14:

Victor,

I met Steve Martin a couple of times as my office in Santa Monica used to be in the same building as Goldie Hawn's production company and Martin did production projects with her. I was sometimes in the tiny elevator with either Hawn or Martin.

Steve Martin in person is personable and witty, perhaps a bit quieter than most of his movie roles, but the intelligence just streams from his brow- and I believe my standards are high.

As a comic, he is innovative and smart. Of course he devised still recognized catch phrases and characters on Sat. Night Live and in his movies his range is remarkable- "The Jerk" to the "Grand Canyon" "The Spanish Prisoner" to "L.A. Story" I wasn't in the US when he was often on SNL, but those 25 year old skits are often hilarious. I feel though he is stronger in standup and short comic skits than extended comedy.

Martin has of course, directed and written. His play about Picasso was brilliant in many ways and widely acclaimed.

Victor, when you say, "even when he plays an idiot it is an idiot that has human qualities," I sense a little internalized Dostevsky! The ability to create sympathy is an unusual skill. It's a key to comedy that Keaton and Chaplin used so effectively. You mentioned Bill Murray and he of course plays idiots, but as opposed to Martin, constantly lets us all know that he knows that he is not an idiot but pretending ("What About Bob","The Man Who Knew too Little") and that makes his characters seem smug and remote to me by comparison to Martin's.

Martin, you may know, is a serious and intelligent art collector and has kept very quiet millions (some say $5,000,000+) in donations to the LA County Museum and others. I spoke to him about painting and he could easily be a modern art museum curator. An interesting character.

Now for my list of the 1200 most annoying comics..

Cheers,

Bam

I

Murray can be fun, but when he has one of his long, smirking roles where he lets us know he knows it can be tiring.