The Aristocrats (2005)

Director:

Paul Provenza

Release Date:

9 September 2005 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Comedy

Tagline:

100 Superstar Comedians. One Very Dirty Joke.

Plot:

One hundred superstar comedians tell the same very, VERY dirty, filthy joke--one shared privately by comics since Vaudeville.

Plot Keywords:

Joke | Comedian | Vaudeville | Hugh Hefner | Mountain Goat

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Chris Albrecht	...	Himself - HBO Chairman / CEO
Jason Alexander	...	Himself
Hank Azaria	...	Himself
Shelley Berman	...	Himself
Steven Banks	...	Billy The Mime (as Billy The Mime)
Lewis Black	...	Himself
David Brenner	...	Himself
Mario Cantone	...	Himself
Drew Carey	...	Himself
George Carlin	...	Himself
Mark Cohen	...	Himself
Scott 'Carrot Top' Thompson	...	Himself (as Carrot Top)
Billy Connolly	...	Himself
Pat Cooper	...	Himself
Wayne Cotter	...	Himself

Also Known As:

The @r!$t* (r@t$ (USA) (promotional title)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | Australia:R | Norway:15 | Finland:K-18 | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/18 | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:AL (uncut) | USA:Unrated | USA:Not Rated | UK:18 | Ireland:18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario)

Company:

Mighty Cheese Productions

Trivia:

According to his biography, "I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not", Chevy Chase filmed a version of the joke as well. However, at the last second he decided not to sign the release form as he was afraid of what his daughters would think of the joke's content.

Quotes:

Pat Cooper: My grandmother, on the stage, has an abortion! Gives birth to a three-pound Shetland pony! My grandfather is the jockey, comes in third and paid $2.80!

Movie Connections:

References "South Park" (1997)

A celebration of laughter

The Aristocrats uses a warhorse joke to give the audience a window into humor, obscenity, and the American conscience. I am not aware of another study capable of inducing such laughter. The premise is devilishly simple and almost a modern version of comedia delarte. This allows some of the best American comic minds to muse wildly about humor. A great achievement of the movie is the raw footage of a who's who of comedians. Comic greats such as George Carlin, Eric Idle, Whoopi Goldberg, Gilbert Godfrey, Jason Alexander, Robin Williams, Phyllis Diller, Drew Carey, Sarah Silverman, and many more weigh in on how comedians put their signature on jokes.

The editing and pacing of the movie insure that the audience goes no longer than two minutes without a good laugh. There is no shortage of obscenity and lewdness in the film. The Aristocrats is not a family film. However, the film proves that there is much to be gained from wading into the lake of obscenity. Packed between laughs about bodily functions and social taboos, are searing insights about improvisation, character, show business, and things which most of us would not willingly put in our mouths. The movie hits on many different levels and stands as an insightful sociological achievement garbed in laughter.