A chilling satirical vacuum where desperate neon dreams collide with the cold stone of rejection. It is a celluloid scream of loneliness, capturing the plastic hollow of a cardboard-cutout spotlight.
The King of Comedy
"It's no laughing matter."
Director:
Martin Scorsese
Cast:
Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard, Shelley Hack
Drama
Comedy
Budget:
$19,000,000
Box Office:
$2,536,000
The King of Comedy - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
The Clash Cameo
Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, and Paul Simonon appear as a group of 'street scum' during a scene where Rupert and Masha argue. This reflects the gritty, urban New York atmosphere Scorsese cultivated.
The 'Taxi Driver' Mirror
Rupert Pupkin is often viewed as a spiritual, non-violent (or differently violent) successor to Travis Bickle. Both are isolated New Yorkers seeking purpose through a grand, public gesture.
Scorsese Family Cameos
In addition to his mother's voice, Martin Scorsese's father Charles appears as a man at a bar, and Martin himself has a cameo as a TV director.