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The Aristocrats [DVD] [2005]
 
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The Aristocrats [DVD] [2005]

DVD ~ Whoopi Goldberg
3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
RRP: £15.99
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The Aristocrats [DVD] [2005]
98% buy the item featured on this page:
The Aristocrats [DVD] [2005] 3.0 out of 5 stars (22)
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The Aristocrats [DVD] [2005] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]
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The Aristocrats [DVD] [2005] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] 4.5 out of 5 stars (2)
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Product details

  • Actors: Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Banks, Billy Connolly, Eddie Izzard, Hank Azaria
  • Directors: Paul Provenza, Penn Jillette
  • Format: Anamorphic, PAL
  • Language English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 18
  • Studio: Pathe Distribution
  • DVD Release Date: 30 Jan 2006
  • Run Time: 92 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000BTIPFC
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 9,245 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
As a film, The Aristocrats is quite straightforward. At its heart is what’s renowned as the dirtiest, filthiest joke in the room, one so unpleasant that it can never be performed on stage or on screen. As the numerous talking heads testify, it’s a comedian’s joke to tell to other comedians, rather than to be shared with audiences. And the joke at heart, as they all know, isn’t all that funny. Fortunately, the telling frequently is.

The film thus rounds up a who’s who of comedy, and gets them to both discuss the infamous joke, and to commit their rendition of it to film. What the viewer then gets from it all is an at-times fascinating comparison of how different comedians can tackle pretty much the same material in wildly different ways. And with contributions from the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Eric Idle and Paul Reiser, this isn’t a tired scrape around the C-list circuit by any means, and it’s all the better for it.

With 100 comedians ultimately repeating their own version of the gag throughout the film’s running time, it’s perhaps unsurprising that The Aristocrats does slightly outstay its welcome. And the warning that the joke in question is offensive really shouldn’t be taken lightly at all--taboos aren’t just broken here, they’re shattered into umpteen pieces. If you can stomach all that though, the end result is still worth your time.--Simon Brew

DVD Description
outrageous, star-studded comedy extravaganza that celebrates the art of improvisation and the finest (not to mention the most foul-mouthed) traditions of stand up

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Customer Reviews

22 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (7)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.0 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to the world of comedy Marmite, 4 May 2006
By M. S. Mosley "doc-twister" (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
It is very simple really.

You will either love this film so much that you will talk about nothing else for days or hate it with a burning inhuman passion.

As I'm sure you know its about a joke that has become a legend behind the scenes of comedy. A Joke that comedians tell to each other as an informal competition.
The start and finish is more or less fixed but the rest is just a flight of absurd and twisted fantasy.

From a purely technical point of view this is a disjointed mess that should not be funny in any way at all.
Much of it is offensive in the extreme and the only things that redeem it is the performance and the intent.
Such an insane idea couldn't possibly happen so any offense is just a symptom of an inflated sense of self importance on the part of the viewer.

Try it but don't let the kids watch it.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The journey, not the destination, 31 Dec 2006
By J. Harrison (Brighton, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This film is a masterclass in how to take a simple, though moderately funny, joke...... and run with it.

YES !! as countless reviewers have pointed out, this is not a politicaly correct joke. It delves deep, deep, DEEP into the issues we find disturbing. It has to, in a way. Because that's all part of the setup. Part of the journey.

Gilbert Gotfried told this joke (as we hear in the documentary) to an audience too shocked to hear his material on 9/11 a scant three weeks after the event. He did this to show how true bravery means confronting the issues you shy away from.

The joke itself has become a cult. A whole language of comedy has been spawned by it, as you will see from the variations and sub-text jokes.

If you are easily offended then don't watch this. If you think 'Will and Grace' a little risque then don't watch this. If you are one of the members of the moral minority then don't watch this. If you are prepared to leave your preconceptions at the door and take a peek at what comedy is capable of then buy this DVD and show it to everyone you know. The friends you are left with are the ones you deserve, the ones who will laugh loudest and cry tears of joy at the pure genius of this masterpiece.

A word to the wise. This joke and the people who tell it DO NOT 'cross the line'. They begin from the other side of the line, and keep going.......
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A Documentary, Not a Comedy, 12 Jun 2006
By Sordel (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
There are a lot of DVDs that you can judge by how funny they are, but whether you enjoy The Aristocrats doesn't depend on that. Have a few drinks, put it on in a room of like-minded (and broad-minded) friends and you may find yourself laughing hysterically, but personally I watched it on my own, without benefit of alcohol, and didn't find too much to crack a smile about.

Nevertheless, I'd recommend this DVD (with its entertaining and informative commentary) to anyone who wants to see something really interesting about jokes, comedians and the nature of humour. Many of the speakers here bring a great deal of insight to bear on "the joke", and as a whole the movie really makes you think about how jokes are constructed, interpreted and distorted by different tellers. Even if you find "the joke" itself to be repugnant, this is such a thought-provoking exploration that you will probably profit by the experience of seeing it.

Just don't let your kids see it ... or your dog.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars "...it's a blank slate and you get to play"
This is a documentary about a joke where comedians get to be as crude and offensive as they can be before announcing the punchline "...The Aristocrats!". Read more
Published 4 months ago by DangermouseZilla

4.0 out of 5 stars Good good good
Ok, so I bought this as I remembered watching sections of it when it was on TV and thought it would be a good watch. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Adrian Williams

1.0 out of 5 stars Absurd, inhumane, disgusting and above all... HERESY.
HOW can a joke, which if practiced and lived, would put you behind bars or on the electric chair easily, survive that long? Read more
Published 11 months ago by Movie Freak

4.0 out of 5 stars fine stuff but very extreme
It appears to me when glancing through reviews of this that this documentary splits opinion like few others,some think the nature of this where 100 comedians retell the same joke... Read more
Published 19 months ago by sean paul mccann

1.0 out of 5 stars NO STARS !
This film is a masterclass in how to take a joke that isn't funny and ask lots of people who think they are funny to tell it , over and over and over and over and over and over... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mark Wharton

3.0 out of 5 stars interesting
This is vaguely interesting and great if you are a fan of all the American comedians that are featured. Read more
Published on 13 May 2007 by M. O. HAYNES

3.0 out of 5 stars meh.
A documentary about an infamous joke that has done the rounds for decades amongst comedians but has rarely had a public airing. Read more
Published on 7 May 2007 by Michael K

5.0 out of 5 stars Offensive, disgusting, crude and incredibly funny !
Went to see this twice at the Cameo, and both times members of the audience got up and walked out !

If you are likely to find descriptions of insestuous sex acts... Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2007 by Douglas Traill

5.0 out of 5 stars Get A Life And Get This Movie
Yes, it's a documentary, yes, it's not high budget, and yes, the comedy is very black. But frankly if you're going to criticize the joke for not being funny or the humor for being... Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2007 by S. J. Lamb

1.0 out of 5 stars Please don't watch this film.
If you like comedy in general, if you respect and/or admire any of the comedians listed as being in this film please do not even think about watching this film. Read more
Published on 26 Oct 2006 by F. Tunnicliff

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