Understanding Rupert Pupkin | The King of Comedy (1982) | Character Analysis
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- čas přidán 28. 03. 2020
- During this video I try to understand the character of Rupert Pupkin and why his obsession to becoming the King of Comedy is dangerous and admirable.
The King of Comedy is a tale of one's ambitions and destiny to be what they thought they would become.
A message hidden behind the film's dark humour, the life of Rupert Pupkin is one that I can relate to and this is probably the same to many of you as well.
However, Rupert Pupkin isn’t someone that we should look up to, he is a man that is dangerously obsessed with talk show host Jerry Langfard, to the point where he kidnaps him for a chance at the big time.
But it is that journey Rupert takes to get to the top which makes him kind of admirable.
I do not condone in the actions Rupert takes but his dedication and dreams of becoming someone greater is something that many of us can understand.
Rupert is delusional and obsessive.
He has a goal and wants to get to the finishing line as soon as possible.
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The King of Comedy (1982)
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One of Robert De Niro's top performances.
Indeed
His best performances are jake lamotta and Rupert pubkin
And the movie's a dark example of successful guerilla marketing
At his stand-up performarce he told that his mother was dead 9 years ago. This was so sad when i realized that the voice of his mother was a delusion also. I speak about that because you mentioned him living with his mother.
I honestly learn so much through comments because people point out things I missed. With him saying his mother died and with the mother, which we never see makes perfect sense. I might need to rewatch his stand-up because that detail completely flew over my head. Thanks!
Yeahhhhhh. I had also missed it bro.
Also, the voice of the mother is played by Scorsese´s real mother
I should have read this first ! Yeah , but what about the end real or fantasy ?
@@chiroescalante Yeah , I know - so funny !!
This shouldn't have been "the flop of the year" the movie was simply ahead of it's time, people weren't used to that type of movies
Rupert Pupkin, is so relatable to me, I've had many problems during my high-school, with teachers and other students, felt so abandoned, set aside. I used to talk to myself and have those kind of fantasies Rupert has. The scene where he almost cries while talking abou the six weeks, makes me remember how I felt during that period of time. Really scary looking back,maybe I'm as unstable as pupkin.
Same I can relate to that too
I’m also currently searching for help as I speak😂
@@alainconstant5006 hope you got the help you were looking for, pal 👍
@@alainconstant5006 same Bro.
If you can empathize with Pupkin, you're not like him. Sociopaths cannot empathize. It's the definition of sociopathy. That's why I kind of envy that trait. Some people are completely immune to criticism. Wonderful for trolling.
You didn't kidnap anyone though did you?
why is this movie so underrated? I understand vibe on Taxi Driver, especially for last two years because of the Joker but if not King of Comedy, this movie wouldn't be same thing
It does go under the radar. Maybe because when it was released, it got panned by critics and coming after Raging Bull was a hard task.
This is one of my favorite movies. This was a great source to build Joker on. Awesome analysis video. For those wondering, Rupert's success was not delusional. Do you remember when he was talking to the black and white audience? The end is the reverse from the audience's perspective. Live and in living color. It was no longer a fantasy because they say you dream in black and white.
That's an interesting fact about black and white dreams. And I like that idea of the audience being black and white at the beginning but at the end it is in colour. This is why The King of Comedy is so good, you can have endless discussions about the meaning of the movie.
@@filmisjustmovingpictures Have you done a Joker video?
Yeah I have and for that Joker video I also analysed Taxi Driver and The Dark Knight before hand.
@@filmisjustmovingpictures I will be tuning in. Thank you. Great content.
When its in black and white its above all a picture, Rupert Pupkin imagines himself making the audience laugh and being recognize (its his goal) and we are sure its fantasy. At the end, the last shot, he is living the fantasy and we don't know if his success is delusional or not. We can't know! His success after he is arrested seems to be true but when the camera comes progressively close to his head (last shot), its like a question: Rupert, is this success all in your mind, are you fooling us and yourself again? I see it as an open ending.
I especially love the ending of this film. Personally I take an American Psycho Approach to the ending questioning if the end is real or if it’s all in Jerry’s head based off the numerous dream sequence scenes throughout the film. Who knows tho, maybe I’m reaching to far 🤷🏻♂️
I saw it tonight for the first time. De Niro was amazing.
I think Rupert doesn't live with his mother. His mother's dead and he only fantasises that she's alive. Yelling at Masha, "I can't even pay my rent! I live in a hovel!" And in his stand-up, "Mom, what are you doin' here?! You've been dead for 9 years!"
Thing is, the ending, with rupert having a best selling book and his own show is also most likely a delusion as well.
Best selling book could very well be real. Many people in prison write books and are allowed to publish and the story of opening the show and admitting to kidnapping is just too good to not make headlines.
As for the having his own show part highly unlikely.
@@ricemenarq6230 the reason I believe it’s real is because firstly yes he can get a show crazy u stable and terrible people get shows all the time . Tiger King is a perfect example. And secondly in all the fantasies we see Rupert with Jerry and he’s always so happy. But in this last scene he seems to be putting on a fake smile and Jerry isn’t anywhere since he obviously wants to stay away from the man that kidnapped him.
You could then start the game of assuming the kidnapping was a delusion in Rupert's mind.
In fact, THE ENTIRE MOVIE was a delusion in Rupert's mind.
@@theultimatereductionist7592 maybe you're not real?
The way I look at it, whether it's real or not, doesn't matter; to Rupert, it IS real, whether he was standing in front of an actual audience or in his own prison cell, all he's hearing is an endless applause and his own name being repeated over and over.
I can perfectly relate with him. I am also an aspiring filmmaker and I day dream about interviewing me by somebody. Specially like the ones that Tarkovsky used to give, in a nature or something.
I, too, have what you would call an obesssion with this movie. I cannot watch it enough. Many years ago I did, amazingly, achieve 15 minutes of fame by winning a writing contest and was allowed to do a live play-by-play broadcast of a major league baseball game on live local radio. Part of that wonderful experience was getting to conduct the taped pre-game show (my guest was Rafael Palmerio). When it came time to break for the commercial, I borrowed the George Kapp line, " We'll be right back after this word". My performance on the broadcast was terrible as I was horrifically unpolished, but it gave me a memory for a lifetime and I didn't even have to break any laws. BTW Jerry Lewis should have received an Oscar nomination for his performance.
What a beautiful analysis. Thank you...
I relate up until a point , cause he doesn’t put in any work to make these dreams tangible , he doesn’t play clubs , he doesn’t take criticism well at all , he’s pushy , he can’t take a hint , it’s so many qualities I can’t gel with at all, but the burning desire to be something/ someone that I can relate too. I can feel that , his methods though are completely out of this world and cringy lol
The way deniro delivers "Rupert pupkin the NEW king of comedy." When doing his audition tape in the basement is one of the darkest, and funniest things ever. This film is a masterpiece
For years, like the majority of us here, I thought the ending was also a dellussion of Rupert’s from prison or a psych ward as well, but the more analysis you do, and I now tend to believe he was indeed famous and had a book waiting to be published alright!! But one on a study of his personallity or even a reality tv program, where Rupert eventually realizes that #1.) The celeb life aint all its cut out to be, and 2.). He eventually comes to terms he is being rather laughed at, than laughed, along with!! This is shown by the zooming in and redness color pigmentation, showing that he got what he wished for, and is now stuck in his own personal hell!!
great video mate, you make some amazing points in understanding how the narrative is driven through Rupert's delusion (how he chose to continue the story even after his tape was rejected) and the conflict between him and time itself as an abstract opposition. i'll sub
Thanks!
At first I thought he the ending was real, but after thinking about it a little, I think it was also just delusional daydreaming, in reality he was probably still in prison by the end of the movie, I was expecting a scene with him standing in a cell reenacting what he was imagining like in the previous scenes, before thinking Scorsese would not reveal whether it was real or not and so the movie ended
This Robert De Niro movie along with taxi driver are both masterpieces.
Love this movie, one of my favorites. Great analysis.
Thank you!
One of the most underrated movie ever made! The only reason it was a flop was because it was ahead of its time and people had a hard time relating to it because the world wasn’t yet such a joke.
In my top 10 list of favorite movies !
Is it your favourite Scorsese movie?
I loved how you did your intro💗
Thank you for all the comments! I really appreciate the support you have given the channel 😊
GOOD JOB !! I sometimes wonder if his mother was really there or not . Same with his book and TV show at the end . I have to look for Scorcese interviews to see if he ever says one way or another . I think I saw a review or interview or something that touched on it a couple years ago , but I can't remember . Any theories ? Love your vid , gonna check out more - HOPE YA MAKE IT !!
Excellent Analysis... Keep doing the videos
Thanks for the support!
I love your content keep up the great work
Thanks!
One of my favorite movies
Excellent
Thanks!
I hope you achieve your dreams, you have the talent and content to make it on CZcams, just need to be picked up by the current of the algorithm and you'll be up there with the big guys!
Thank you! Its always cool when I get a comment of support!
what sucks about yt is that algorithm and it's randomness is pretty much unfair
Great video. Subscribed. Keep at it :)
Thank you!
I thought when first watching this film that the end was another delusional episode? The book having his time on TV. It's really a brilliant film. One of my favourites👍🏻
You'll make it big
I thought it was still a dream the end
Rupert Pupkin is me. The reason he wants to be a celebrity is because that is the only way he can relate to an outside world which excludes him whenever he takes a forward step. The normal world doesn't have any use for him.
WIthout this video there wouldn't be this wonderful comment section that I learned a lot from, so at least theres that going for it, but I feel you didn't dwelve too deeply in your understanding of the movie.
Whats the name of the Song at the beginning?
the songs used are in the description
Hey dude. You said you want to get bigger here on youtube. Some constructive criticism i have is just to simply watch the pauses in your editing. It feels like it loses momentum and my interest when there’s too long of pauses between points and/or music starting
Thanks for the feedback. I do the long pauses quite a bit 😅. I'm gonna take what you said on board and make sure that there isn't a too long pause between points.
Rupert Pupkin wasn't merely socially awkward he was a whole dimension short
Ian relate to this movie...and on a scary note, my last name is Rupert!
one think i wanted to add is that he didn't actually live with his mother, his mother is dead and he reveals she has been dead for 9 years in his stand up routine. She was just a part of his daydreams and that is why we never see her. I only realised this on the second viewing of this movie, but he elludes to her commiting suicide.
I realy enjoyed the movie and this video you uploaded. I really Understand your opinion and what your saying about Robert De Niros character in this film. Everybody has Goals what Rupert Pupkin did was wrong but he made it on to TV. Speaking of that one of my main Dreams and Goals is to start developing Video Games and Publishing them to Consoles and it did not work out well but ill keep trying i got banned off a Discord server for Directly Messaging someone at 1200 But. Thats not gonna stop me from my goal ill learn how to program and code in college because my channel has simple videos from 2015 when i was a kid. And i want to do something more Advance like Code an RPG game and have millions of people play it but mean while. Keep up the Goodwork ill subscribe to your youtube channel because im also a film enthusiast Trust me you make good videos and im pretty sure you will keep getting subscribers. Robert De Niro Also did good in a film called the dear hunter i would like to see you make a video Understanding his Character there to. But its only a suggestion, You dont half to Have a Good day Stay Safe.
Thanks for the comment. Hopefully you reach your goal. And I'm glad you are enjoying the content!
@@filmisjustmovingpictures No Problemo!!
Joker ripped it off to the point where I honestly don't know how a movie can be such blatant plagiarism and still get support from people
And it didn't even do it well.
Did he make it though? Or you was that one of delusions
That is a good point. It could have been all in his head at the end. But that comes down to whether you see it that way.
sort of reminds me of the end of taxi driver
🌷♥️🌷🌷♥️🌷
♥️🌷♥️♥️🌷♥️
He was Cosmo Kramer pretending to be Mike Douglas, he was The Joker wanting to be more
If you want, I can interview you about your channel)
If this dream isn't still fulfilled
Lol, that's fine. I appreciate the offer
Take a look at the ending again. There is something I never saw before and I love this movie. Look at the curtains. He is behind bars. Now it's obvious. It's ALL in his mind. He's in prison.
A must 👀 🎥 how 🤔 it got under the radarvis amazing 👏 what wound me uo was when all the paise was heaped on 'Joker' Movie in 2020 I think. Was a blatant copy of this much superior film it makes the List.
"YouChube channel...", "...he seriously wants to change his whoad...", "...with your own personal goah..."
It is what it is
I think you missed the point. Rupert delusional impulses betray pure selfishness and narcissism. He throws the women he claims to love under the bus as soon as she tried to confront him with reality and tried to get him to leave Langdfeld's house. He is totally self absorbed and selfish and shallow.
Is the joker movie a nod to this
yeah, this movie and taxi driver...i assume
If you want to have your analysis have broader appeal, you to need emphasize that your analysis would apply to people interested in becoming great or important in fields OTHER than just entertainment.
Sadly, the ending of the film is another delusion of his.
CLUES:
The prison bar curtains behind him as he takes the stage, his red (jump)suit, the insane concept that he’d be a beloved figure after what he did and that he’d have sustained popularity after several years in prison and he called an “inspiration.” The fact that the prison sentence in no way matches up to the severity of crime he committed. The overly praising and super repetitive introduction he gets from the announcer. The fact that in every important moment in the movie they juxtapose Rupert’s shitty reality with a positive delusion of his which is contrary to reality. They just follow the same formula: here’s Rupert’s shitty reality. And now here’s his happy delusion to the contrary of reality. Same with the final scene
the more selfish you are the more ego you have
I've seen Robert De Niro in characters like Travis Bickle, Jimmy Doyle, Jake LaMotta, Rupert Pupkin, Jimmy Conway, Sam "Ace" Rothstein & Frank Sheeran.
Trust me no one has the humane qualities one can sympathize with expect for Travis Bickle were I felt De Niro was Excellent.
(No please don't include those horrible Cape Fear Max Cady & Johnny boy characters)
do u mean they are horrible people are the characters are shit?
Joker has absolutely nothing on King of Comedy
Every single antiscience anti-math troll, every flat-earther, every creationist, every Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) denier, every medical pseudoscientist, religionist, woo wootard = Rupert Pupkin to real serious peer reviewed science conferences + science journals.
You have issues
Let’s give Rupert some credit. He’s not that bad.
Really bad analysis tbh
Why do you think it was bad? I'm always looking to improve.
You are basically equivocating Pupkins plight to your own of becoming a 'CZcams celebrity,' for the first 5 minutes. This film is a gross satire of Hollywood and celebrity culture Pupkin is a figure to be ridiculed not empathised with. One of the reasons the film is so blackly comic is the complete lack of humour Pupkin has - he is witless, yet aspires to be the 'King of Comedy.' The fact he ascended to the top is an indictment of Hollywood sensationalism, this criminal is welcomed back onto TV and becomes a star.
Overall, Pupkin is a sad figure and to be told he is relatable and admirable in spite of his defects misses the satirical point of the movie. The movie shows how figures like Langford who raises Pupkins hopes at the start with his glib charm is actually another grim personality behind the wit, this is showcasing the hollow charm of Hollywood. His kidnap and torture is a blackly comic way of saying 'fuck you,' to Hollywood for exploiting the hopes and dreams of people like Langford.
Thanks for the comment.
I'll try and cover some of your points. But I'm pretty sure my video covers most of your aggrievances.
*You are basically equivocating Pupkins plight to your own of becoming a 'CZcams celebrity,' for the first 5 minutes.* -- Yes I did compare Rupert with myself. Because I do see a bit of him in me and when I write analysis it's about what I think about the movie, not objectively breaking it down. That's why I included the connection between him obsessing over being the king of comedy and myself obsessing over making CZcams videos. I understand why he gets so passionate about his passion.
*One of the reasons the film is so blackly comic is the complete lack of humour Pupkin has - he is witless, yet aspires to be the 'King of Comedy.'* -- I guess that's what makes him kind of endearing at times. He is in your world, bad at comedy, but he never gives up to get to the top. The actions he takes are wrong, but that's a commentary on the dangers of obsession.
*Overall, Pupkin is a sad figure and to be told he is relatable and admirable in spite of his defects misses the satirical point of the movie.* -- I think that's why this movie is brilliant. The character is odd. But to make a character as relevant today than back then shows the quality and timelessness of the movie. Rupert Pupkin shows me my defects and how I obsess over what I'm passionate about.
And I think a lot of people would feel the same. When you constantly think about your passion and struggle to get to where you want to be, it does play in your mind. And Rupert Pupkin is a story that warns you over obsessing too much but also he's a character that you can understand because you feel like your in the same position. And I stand by my video.
Thanks again for the comment!
@@filmisjustmovingpictures Thanks for the detailed response. I guess what you take away from the movie is a Jungian message “The fool is the precursor to the savior,” and relate it to your own struggle as a content maker whereas I see the movie as a very cynical satire. I'll hold my perspective was how the film was intended to be viewed, or a more pertinent area for analysis, however I must agree Pupkin's relentlessness and obsession (seen in many Scorsese characters) is fascinating, no matter how delusional, twisted, and morally abject the character is.
Poor editing
Cult.