And his brother (yes, his real-life brother) is fake stuntman Super Dave Osbourne (real name Dave Einstein).
Often when I watch Brooks’ films (especially the earlier ones, Lost in America is a perfect example), I think, “That’s funny,” but I don’t laugh. Call it subtle comedy if you like, but for me it’s comedy that has missed the mark. But I’ve also rarely enjoyed comedies that rely on the humiliation of the protagonist, which accounts for a fair percentage of Brooks’ stuff. (And 95% of Ben Stiller’s, and many other comedians working today.)
That said, Defending Your Life is one of my favorite films, and I liked The Muse, Mother, and his part in Broadcast News.
A good example of funny-not-funny is on the Finding Nemo DVD; one of the bonus segments is Brooks doing an ultra-long, ultra-not-funny version of the “mollusk and sea cucumber” joke that his character tells in the movie.
The joke delivery, itself, is (as intended) absolutely unfunny as hell; but hearing Brooks’ masterful prolonged tortured delivery of it is very funny, in a meta-humor way.
See, now you’re in trouble. Because I love Terry Gilliam’s stuff. Just saw Brazil for the first time this week as well - loved it. Saw it right before Lost in America, in fact.
I don’t think it was meant to mean you had to love one if you hated the other. I read it to say that like with Gilliam, people line up either in favor of or strongly against Brooks. And with very few folks clustered in the indifferent to camp.
BTW, I’m in the love camp, mainly on the strength of some cuts of his I heard on Dr Demento as a kid (probably from the same album h.sapiens mentions, his SNL stuff (more than just the Comedy Institute), and his movies. But I agree that he’s not for everyone, and have learned over the years not to recommend him to folks, because I just end up catching a lot of flack.
And Gamera, could you please turn off your sig? Between your version, the original G&S version, and the improvised one Paul’s father sings on an episode of Mad About You, that tune will not leave my brain! I woke up this morning humming it! :eek:
I’m referring to the inference that people who like either of those things have good taste, and the statement that people who dislike either of those things has bad taste. I can’t simultaneously have good and bad taste in movies.
Sorry, I always post my sig once in a thread, usually with the first post. I’ve gotten so many compliments on it, I just feel compelled to keep it out there.
hehheh, you actually got me on that one. Were I a smarter man, I would have realized the pitfall in my jibe. When I first read your response, I was thinking “This dope doesn’t have a clue what I meant.”, which was further reinforced by Sean’s reply. Upon reading your explanation, I must shamefacedly shrink from this thread. At least, for the moment.
There was obscene worship? I don’t remember that… was I there? Did I bring a camera?
If it helps, I still plan to watch him in other things, to see if it was merely his writing that I found fault with. Broadcast News will by in my hands in a few months, and I still haven’t seen Finding Nemo…
Well, no. But it happened! It did! But then the chickens got loose and the post office wouldn’t deliver my mail anymore, and after the incident with the Chia pet things went underground for a while.
