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Shakes the Clown
(1991)
"When I see clowns, I don't think - there's
someone bringing joy into people's lives. I think -
there's a convicted felon; There's a guy with a past.
"I don't think clowns are funny. No kids think they're
funny. That's why clowns are always playing hospitals;
The kids can't get up and run away!"
- Bobcat Goldthwait
Neurotic, stammering stand-up comic Bobcat Goldthwait
had a chance to establish himself as a writer/director
on a level with John Waters and somehow misses the mark.
Relating the story of an alcoholic clown who works kid's
birthday parties, Goldthwait does find moments of perverse
comic genius but he cannot sustain the required level
of black humor this story requires. In fact, the first
10 minutes here are the only truly darkly funny part
of this film.
The film opens promisingly with a unexpectedly brilliant
cameo by Florence Henderson. As Shakes wakes up from
a drunken stupor in an unfamiliar place the mood is
set for the type of humor we should expect, twisted
dark comedy. Unfortunately the rest of the film never
achieves the lofty level of warped humor the opening
sequence promises.
Tons of humorous comic stars come along to try their
hand at this flipped -out humor but no one seems to
help. Even Robin Williams falls flat in his cameo as
a mime teacher. Williams is allowed to run free and
he usually shines when given this kind of opportunity,
but he embarrasses himself here. Also in the cast are
Julie Brown, Blake Clark, Bruce Baum, Tom Kenny, Adam
Sandler and Tom Villard, all great comics, but not one
of them delivers a drop-dead funny line. Only one person
gets in a zinger and that is La Wanda Page. As "Aunt
Esther" on the old "Sanford and Son" sit-com she wowed
70's audiences and here she gets the funniest cameo
of the movie. It is just too little to help, I'm afraid.
Goldthwait adeptly handles his duties behind the camera
for a first timer. "Shakes" is lensed like almost any
other comedy. But Goldthwait never tries anything new
here. There are virtually no visible puns and no fancy
camera tricks. We don't expect Goldthwait to be Tim
Burton, but it would have helped to have better sets
and a better Art Director. This film really doesn't
have any "style."
The major problem here is Goldthwait tries to be slightly
serious when all-out black humor and perverse writing
is required. Clowns are odd characters and these clowns
cuss, drink and some even snort coke. But we never get
to go inside the minds of any of these clowns to see
what kind of odd quirks make them tick. No character
has any motivation except Shakes and his character's
skeletons are not developed. Goldthwait only spends
85 minutes on this story when a better, more in-depth
bizarre story could have been worth 2 hours.
This film does have moments of genius and, even with
it's faults, it's still a lot more interesting than
a lot of today's comedies. But with such a compelling
idea as the story of drunk, foul-mouthed birthday party
clowns the possibilities for hilarity are endless. Goldthwait
doesn't even scratch the surface of the comic possibilities
here.
Notes: In the 90's, "dark" clowns started to turn up
everywhere. Tv's "In Living Color" had Homey the Clown
(Damon Wayans). "Stephen King's 'It'" had Pennywise
(Tim Curry) and Tv's "Simpsons" cartoon had Krusty.
Clowns across the nation were not amused. "They're giving
clowns a bad name," said Joe Barney, a clown of 20 years.
During the promotional tour for the film Goldthwait
began refering to the film as "The Last Temptation of
Bozo."
Report
Card
Script:
D
Acting: B+
Cinematography\Lighting: C
Special Effects\Make Up:B+
Music: B
Final
Grade: C-
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