Steve Martin is arguably the best absurdist comedic actor of our generation. Rick Moranis, faded, Dan Aykroyd makes a living off cameos, Chevy Chase told everyone Cary Grant was gay and was ousted from hollywood, and Rowan Atkinson made Mr Bean's holiday. Some might say Bill Murray but Bill Murray does well in great films, Bill Murray fits films, and anyone can look good in a well made suit. Steve Martin makes the film, take 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels', on paper a terrible film but Steve Martin's performance transformed Michael Caine from bit parts as ex spy's and butlers to an actor who could do 'funny'.
Steve Martin bowed out of decent films with 'Bowfinger' and has been sadly waisted in the poor remakes of the Pink Panther. But he is however like another comedic genius before him, George Fornby, a fantastic banjo player and now concentrates on his playing as his major creative outlet. He is now heralded as a purveyor of true blue grass, it was even rumoured that after his ukelele performance of 'you belong to me' in The Jerk sales of the small guitar went up 120%.
Martin cut his teeth on the stand up circuit and when making guest appearances on saturday night live audiences would jump by 1 million viewers. His first feature film appearance was in the musical 'Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' which features the Bee Gee's as The Beatles but more importantly Steve Martin singing Maxwells Silver Hammer.
Soon Martin was well on his way into America's coffee table magazines, in 1979 he co-wrote and lead Total films no.48 funniest film of all time 'The Jerk' which will be opening 'The Steve Martin season' at the Victoria. His first starring role saw Martin believing he was not adopted but born of an African American family, the second film in the 'Steve Martin season' , 'Dead Men don't wear plaid' see's him believing he is acting alongside Burt Lancaster, Humphry Bogart, Veronica Lake and Bette Davis. Carl Reiner's 'Dead men don’t wear plaid' is the only successful film noir comedy parody ever made but still generally overlooked despite seeing Steve Martins at his absurdist best.
Next we have 'The man with two brains' , Carl Reiner and Steve Martins second outing together in the space of two years and not a bit 'crainely' less stimulating than our first two offerings.
We finish off with what can cheaply be referred to as a christmas movie, but 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles defies any public holiday classification, huge laughs are welcome anytime of year at The Victoria. 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles brings us the fantasy threesome of Steve martin sandwiched between the timeless, 80's hit-making genius writing of John Hughes and the 2nd best career performance of John Candy after his master stroke in 'JFK' of course. Candy threatens to steal the show but Martin brings a more mature comedic performance, here he loses the absurdness the 80's tagged him with and sets him up for the 'Father of the bride' franchise with this, his most serious role of our 'Steve Martin season' , which says something about what every sunday in August is about to bring you.
We will be topping up the loo roll this month because you will piss your pants with laughter.
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