Directed by Paul Provenza
by Jake Jacobson
I'll start this review by trying to save you time. The Aristocrats is an awesome documentary, the kind of documentary that's so good that other documentaries feel dirty and unsophisticated when compared to it. It's funny, irreverent, off the wall, and utterly depraved in all the right ways. If that's the kind of thing you go for (and let's be frank, if you're on this site, clearly it is) you'll love this film.
The Aristocrats, in case you don't know, is a film about the dirtiest joke in the world, a joke that's as old as vaudeville, as varied as snowflakes, and so incredibly vile that only comedians know about it. The joke is of course called The Aristocrats, named for its pithy punch line, and it is told in seedy dives and comedy halls across the nation after the crowds have all gone home. It's a sort of secret handshake among comedians, a testament to their ingenuity, insanity, and creativity. The joke, though it has been altered more times than one can count, usually goes something like this: A guy goes into a talent agency and says he's got a riot of an act, something he's sure the agent will just love. He says it's a family act, involving himself, his wife, his children, the family dog, and any other extended familial relations or pets that pop into the particular comedian's mind. The man then begins to explain the act itself, a depraved little number that delves into as many dark areas as the human mind can conceive. There's sex, incest, bestiality, defecation, urination, violation, molestation, murder, and even a little necrophilia…just for good measure. The agent, struck dumb by this most heinous of descriptions, musters the strength to ask, "Well, what do you call this act?" To wit the man replies, "The Aristocrats".
To be fair, The Aristocrats isn't what you'd call a good joke, and the dozens of comedians involved with the film gladly admit as much. The beauty of the joke is the ride, the shear chutzpa necessary to tell a good version of it and the creativity involved in manifesting the dirtiest stage act ever conceived. The film is an offbeat documentary. Between hearing (and seeing, as there is a mimed version of the joke which is truly inspirational) what must have been dozens of versions of the joke there are clips from all sorts of comedy personalities, from John Stewart to the writing staff of The Onion, explaining the history and nuances of the joke. They discuss everything from the funniest versions of the joke to the reasons one must include the piss before the shit. Sometimes the commentary on the joke itself is funnier than any of the versions shown on the film (as in the case of Gilbert Gottfried's explanation of "where all this blood is coming from"). Even better, it seems the joke has become so ubiquitous and pervasive there are even jokes about The Aristocrats joke itself.
The film is about as well shot as any documentary, but to be honest it doesn't need any more pomp than that. The subject matter and the truly staggering number of comedians that took part in the film more than pay the price of admission. I was practically rolling in my seat for the entire duration of the film. If I'd had a weak heart I'd most surely be writing this review from a hospital room. In short, if you like to laugh, if you like good comedy, and if you every now and again like a dirty joke, see this film. Essentially speaking, if you are a human, and not a robot or something, you will love this film.
