1. JulieL.

   10

   You're going to love this film if you're interested in the craft of comedy, and in the relationships comedians have to other comedians, their intelligence about the craft and their delight in comdey's particular voices and styles. And you'll hate it if you have some kind of agenda about keeping things clean and making comedy serve a social good. Don't bother to see it if you're only interested in the dirty joke, because that's not what this documentary is about. What it's really about the delivery, the voice of the comedian, the style, the beautiful riffs of particular tellers of the joke, the sense of a pattern and the breaking of patters, almost like great improvisational jazz.The stand-up comedians are very honest about the joke's old-fashioned appeal, its roots in vaudeville, the appeal of it, nostagically. Some of their talk wanders over intosweet melancholy, like that of Paul Resie, whose take on the joke is my own favorite. Granted, some of the talk gets mind-bogglingly gross. But the movie is fascinating and funny. Listening to some of the comedians laughing and enjoying each other while telling it - I loved it, and laughed along with them, and learned quite a bit about the sense of voice among comedians.… Expand

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2. JeffL.

   8

   Utterly unique documentary - the brainchild of comedian Paul Provenza and magician Penn Jillette - could be subtitled "Anatomy of a Dirty Joke," as dozens of comics - famous and obscure, young and old, male and female, brilliant and awful - take turns telling and retelling the same joke. The joke itself (usually known in comedy circles as "The Aristocrat") is simple and not very funny; the payoff comes in watching each comedian telling the joke in his or her own style, adding layers of filth, grossness, and perverse detail to their particular version. It's not enough for me to warn you to stay away if you're easily offended; if you think that there's ANY possibility that mere words will truly upset you, find another movie. But if you have a genuine interest in the inner workings of the comic mind and a high tolerance for outrageous descriptions of every act of sex and scatology imaginable, this is a must-see. While a few of the performances fall flat (and an out-of-it Eddie Izzard appears to be plastered during his bit), many soar, in their own, sick ways. Sitcom stars Bob Saget and Paul Reiser are uproarious in ways that fans could never even imagine from Full House or Mad About You. Kevin Pollak tells the whole thing while impersonating Christopher Walken (!) Tom Smothers, who knows the joke, tells it to brother Dick, who doesn't. Carrie Fisher brings her famous parents (Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher) into the story, while a very pregnant Judy Gold incorporates her unborn baby. Novelty acts include a juggling team (impressive), a mime (surprisingly funny), a card-trick artist (remarkable), and a ventriloquist (awful.) Arguably the funniest, and certainly of the most historic interest, is Gilbert Gottfried's rare public telling of the joke at a Friars Club roast (of Hugh Hefner) just weeks after September 11, 2001. Gottfried's fearlessly outrageous, take-no-prisoners rendition draws huge, cathartic laughs not only from the audience, but from his fellow comics, who gasp in helpless disbelief as he tells the joke that has become their "little secret." Some may grow weary of the repetition of the material, but I found this to be a fascinating, original, and often explosively funny cinematic experiment.… Expand

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3. Seriosity

   7

   Great comedians telling their own versions of The Aristocrats joke. You get a lot of insight from comedians on how joke telling works for them and in general. Really, really funny if nothing else.… Expand

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4. Circus

   4

   Its a shame that they did not just have the entire footage for each comedian from start to finish rather than merely showing exerps from each comedian. Not for the faint hearted. Possibly the most foul things to hear. Hilarious to see some comedians such as Gilbert Gottfried but others don't make me laugh as much. It's easier to type it into youtube to find your favourite comedian telling the joke.… Expand

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