THE ARISTOCRATS
*** out of *****

Genres
Comedy
Documentary

2005
Directed by
Paul Provenca
Featuring
Almost every comedian in the world (see here)

So a family of performers walk into an agent's office and say to the agent "have I got an act for you". From that point on it gets a bit vulgar, but that is basically what this documentary is about. A joke with the punch line 'The Aristocrats!'. What goes in-between the first line and the punch line is up to the teller of the joke, but usually consists of a family of performers that do all manner of deviously disgusting acts that cover bestiality, incest, fecalphelia, I could go on but it would probably make the average person a little sick.

This joke has travelled around the stand-up world and just about everyone in the business has their own version of it. It’s a joke that has transcended time and taste. This documentary is a journey to discover how the joke originated and to interview 100 comedians to get their versions of the joke. What ensues is 90 minutes of the filthiest obscenities you will likely hear in one film. And some of it is actually pretty damn funny too.

Filmmaker Paul Provenza follows around comedian and sometimes illusionist Penn Jillette (of Penn and Teller fame). They take us on a journey through America showing us the different interpretations of the joke, and along the way we also learn some insights about the different comedian's personalities, how they heard the joke and its use in stand-up.

While mostly regarded as an in-joke told by comedians to comedians it has sprung up in public a few times. One such hilarious example is included in the film, when Gilbert Gottfried (the man with the most annoying voice in the world) used it on the Comedy Central Roast of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. It all started with a 9/11 joke, keep in mind that this was three weeks after the tragedy. When things started going south for Gottfried, he pulled out "The Aristocrats", taking things way out of line and changing the tone of the entire evening.

Traditionally, comedians used it as a mental exercise; telling the joke as a way to warm up before a gig. The documentary teaches us this and three other things; 1-about this sort-of secret joke told between comedians that is rarely ever performed on stage, 2-it’s a joke that is totally adaptable to one's personality and, 3-the point is to be as obscene and disgusting as one possibly can. After all, the more over-the-top the joke is, the more effective the punch line is. Aside from these insights and some laughter, that's about all you're likely to get from this film.

Different people will likely react differently to a telling of the joke, that is what makes this documentary unique and interesting. However, having different interpretations of what is essentially the same joke retold over 90 minutes can get a bit tedious, not to mention a little boring. I also found the back and forth heavy cutting of the film a bit distracting. Aside from this, those that appreciate a dirty joke will have a good way to kill 90 minutes, be entertained and, most importantly, shocked at what some of these comedians are capable of coming up with. However, if you offend easily then it is wise that you skip this offering.

Finger_Of_DOOM's reviews also appear on DVD Compare, where they include details of the DVD release. For this review click here.

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