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Product Description ------------------- Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis star in this comedy drama directed by Martin Scorsese. The film follows Rupert Pupkin (De Niro), a man obsessed with becoming a famous comedian by performing his stand-up routine on his idol Jerry Langford (Lewis)'s talk show. After having his requests to perform on the show dismissed by Jerry, Rupert becomes even more determined to get his big break. With his behaviour becoming increasingly erratic, Rupert enlists the help of his deranged friend Masha (Sandra Bernhard) and comes up with a plan to kip Jerry in order to get what he wants. .co.uk Review ------------- The King of Comedy, which flopped at the box office, is actually a gem waiting to be rediscovered. Like A Face in the Crowd (a not-so-distant cousin to this film), Network, and The Truman Show, its target is show business--specifically the burning desire to become famous or be near the famous, no matter what. Robert De Niro plays the emotionally unstable, horrendously untalented Rupert Pupkin, a wannabe Ve-style comedian. His fantasies are egged-on by Marsha, a talk-show groupie (brilliantly played by Sandra Bernhard) who hatches a devious, sure-to-backfire plan. Jerry Lewis is terrific in the straight role as the Johnny Carson-like talk-show host Jerry Langford. De Niro's performance as the obsessive Pupkin is among his finest (which is saying a lot) and he never tries to make the character likable in any way. Because there's no hero and no-one to root for, and because at times the film insists we get a little too close and personal with Pupkin, some will be put off. Yet it's one of Scorsese's most original and fascinating films, giving viewers much to consider on the subject of celebrity. Its inevitable climax is clever and quietly horrific. --Christopher J Jarmick