In 1997, four of America's leading African-American stand-up comedians -- Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Bernie Mac, and Cedric The Entertainer -- joined forces for a concert tour that became one of the top money-earning attractions of recent years, consistently selling out 10,000 to 15,000 seat arenas from coast to coast. The Original Kings of Comedy captures the tour's rough and raunchy humor on film. The concert documentary was shot in February of 2000 during a two-night stand in Charlotte,
North Carolina (which was the site of the tour's first date three years earlier). Spike Lee served as director. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Footage shot from over their shoulders reveals a sea of faces out of which individuals quickly emerge, as the comedians -- especially emcee Harvey -- enthrall and provoke audience members.
Seeing the film in a crowded theater is a lot more fun than watching it on TV would be, and the crappy, grainy look does create a sort of you-are-there immediacy.
The key to such a movie's success is its ability to capture the 'you are there' feeling -- a task that The Original Kings of Comedy is largely effective at.
The film offers more than just yuks, however. As in Lee's best work, the film intelligently discusses race and race relations, though this time through the guise of humor.
It is Bernie Mac who is the true King of Comedy here, following in the footsteps of Pryor and Murphy before him as he crosses from church-raised testifying, to furious black cultural theorizing, to barely controlled comedic genius.
Apesar de praticamente se limitar a registrar o show dos quatro comediantes, sem jamais se preocupar com o lado humano destes, o filme se destaca graças ao humor cáustico e sem barreiras de seus protagonistas.
Watching Spike Lee's concert movie is the next best thing to having been in the house when the Kings of Comedy caused a laugh riot in Charlotte, N. C. last February.
It is during these intimate scenes where Lee's style is more clearly evident, using settings such as a basketball court or a poker game, along with inventive camera angles and editing to give a spontanaeous feel.
It is a simple, straight forward record of four hugely talented African-American comedians, Steve Harvey, DL Hughley, Cedric The Entertainer and Bernie Mac, as they bring the house down in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I don't know why Spike Lee directed this but it's hilarious, all up in Charlotte.
April 22, 2010
Lenny Muggsy
Super Reviewer
I've never seen so many fat black chicks laughing at one time in one crowd. Also I only laughed hard at one joke during the entire DVD, and that was Hughley's "two week notice" bit. Steve Martin's rant about today's rap music was pretty spot on though.
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