"... that k sounds make the best punchlines. ('I don’t know if you can print this, but my example was always: "Punched in the dick" is nowhere near as funny as "kicked in the cock."') Saturday Night originated in the same lifelong curiosity. 'Anyone who is a self-described comedy nerd—you’re interested in the weird chemistry of what makes something funny,' he says.... 'We interviewed everyone we could find that was alive from opening night,' Reitman says. 'Every living cast member, every living writer, people from the art department, costumes, hair and makeup, NBC pages, members of Billy Preston’s band—I mean, anyone we could find.'... [Laraine] Newman’s anecdote about guest host George Carlin... objecting to a sketch about Alexander the Great’s high school reunion became a key part of the film, and she’s grateful that Reitman focused on the strange mix of stakes they faced that night. 'We were led to believe that nobody was watching—11:30 p.m. was considered just a dead time,' she says. 'There was no expectation that the show would last. So really, it was like we were doing the show for ourselves....'"
SNL was a pretty funny show and unique for its time. I liked it. But to me it became pretty clear, pretty fast that SCTV was a funnier show (Candy, Levy, Flaherty, O'hara, Martin and more).
Trailer does not make me want to see the movie, and I'm among the natural, sure-fire audience. I was a teenager when SNL first aired. I missed the first few shows but started watching due to middle school buzz when classmates started repeating some of the sketch lines and Weekend Update jokes. I continued at watch for decades, and I've read more than one book about SNL's early days. But that trailer left me cold.
Had just passed the bar, was working a great job at Touche Ross, had a terrific girlfriend (Carol D.). Things were going my way. This show came along and it was funny, really funny. For a few years. Rats, nothing lasts forever.
One problem with movies about old TV shows and old Movies is just remind us how much better the original actors and orginal material was. If some current day actor is as funny as Belushi or Radner than we probably would've seen them skyrocket to the top. And I hope the " I stepped on my penis" isn't the highlight of the script.
The first one I watched was J Geils and some Three Mile Island skit with Jimmy Carter. With the writers strike they went back and showed the earlier onesz The one with Blondie and Steve Martin my favourite.
Most if the SLN sketches back then were on current events, that most people don't understand or remember 50 years later.
However, the biggest difference between SCTV and SNL was that SCTV was taped on a soundstage, so the cast could reshoot and edit the sketch until they got it right.
SNL was performed on live TV in front of a studio audience. If thier sketch died the cast was stuck on stage until the next commercial break.
It was a good excuse to get a date downstairs on the basement couch in front of the TV late on a Saturday night. If the show flagged, like it usually did, we could find other things to do. One of my girlfriends at the time was an exchange student from Madrid. I still can hear her hysterical laughter whenever they ran the "Franco is still dead" gag.
Awhile later, I made friends with a guy who had worked as a page on the set. He said most of the chaos was because a lot of the cast and much of the crew was completely coke-addled by show time. That black fellow in particular. I wonder if the show that in the movie.
Lorne Michaels supposedly said they knew that 80% of their audience was completely blown away when watching the show, so that's who they wrote for. It shows when you go back and look at some of the early episodes.
SNL and SCTV weren't competitors, they complimented each other. Most of the cast from both early shows came from the same place, Second City Chicago (and later Toronto). One was live, one was taped. One did topical humor, one just parodied TV. They were on at different times. I enjoyed them both.
I loved SNL and still enjoy watching new clips online, but using a comedy show to make a "This Is Serious, People" film never works for me. And I'm a fan who is fascinated by the history of the show.
Plenty of modern era cast members have gone on to film and other projects. The cast is much bigger than the original, so it's harder to break out in a huge way.
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24 comments:
another reminder why I stopped going to the movies.
SNL was a pretty funny show and unique for its time. I liked it. But to me it became pretty clear, pretty fast that SCTV was a funnier show (Candy, Levy, Flaherty, O'hara, Martin and more).
Trailer does not make me want to see the movie, and I'm among the natural, sure-fire audience. I was a teenager when SNL first aired. I missed the first few shows but started watching due to middle school buzz when classmates started repeating some of the sketch lines and Weekend Update jokes. I continued at watch for decades, and I've read more than one book about SNL's early days. But that trailer left me cold.
Not a single funny moment. Subversive remarks have to be less stereotyped these days.
My nickname for the cat is "fuzzypants" because "pants" is a funny word. Like "knickers" instead of "underwear".
Had just passed the bar, was working a great job at Touche Ross, had a terrific girlfriend (Carol D.). Things were going my way. This show came along and it was funny, really funny. For a few years. Rats, nothing lasts forever.
They are lamer than old yeller what happened to that show
I miss Michael O'Donoghue.
One problem with movies about old TV shows and old Movies is just remind us how much better the original actors and orginal material was. If some current day actor is as funny as Belushi or Radner than we probably would've seen them skyrocket to the top. And I hope the " I stepped on my penis" isn't the highlight of the script.
Meh.
The show was great for about 10 years; I don't think the movie has ten minutes of greatness, if this is the cream.
actors flailing at imitating impressions is not good sight
How derivative and tired. Not funny.
Agreed! SCTV was the best comedy on TV and those old episodes are still as funny today as they were back then. Can’t say the same for SNL. IMHO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO6if5s0zmk
The first one I watched was J Geils and some Three Mile Island skit with Jimmy Carter. With the writers strike they went back and showed the earlier onesz The one with Blondie and Steve Martin my favourite.
Even Fridays was better…
Most if the SLN sketches back then were on current events, that most people don't understand or remember 50 years later.
However, the biggest difference between SCTV and SNL was that SCTV was taped on a soundstage, so the cast could reshoot and edit the sketch until they got it right.
SNL was performed on live TV in front of a studio audience. If thier sketch died the cast was stuck on stage until the next commercial break.
It was a good excuse to get a date downstairs on the basement couch in front of the TV late on a Saturday night. If the show flagged, like it usually did, we could find other things to do. One of my girlfriends at the time was an exchange student from Madrid. I still can hear her hysterical laughter whenever they ran the "Franco is still dead" gag.
Awhile later, I made friends with a guy who had worked as a page on the set. He said most of the chaos was because a lot of the cast and much of the crew was completely coke-addled by show time. That black fellow in particular. I wonder if the show that in the movie.
Lorne Michaels supposedly said they knew that 80% of their audience was completely blown away when watching the show, so that's who they wrote for. It shows when you go back and look at some of the early episodes.
I loved early SNL. Nobody today would even dare to do those sketches in our current woke and politically correct culture.
SNL and SCTV weren't competitors, they complimented each other. Most of the cast from both early shows came from the same place, Second City Chicago (and later Toronto). One was live, one was taped. One did topical humor, one just parodied TV. They were on at different times. I enjoyed them both.
I loved SNL and still enjoy watching new clips online, but using a comedy show to make a "This Is Serious, People" film never works for me. And I'm a fan who is fascinated by the history of the show.
Plenty of modern era cast members have gone on to film and other projects. The cast is much bigger than the original, so it's harder to break out in a huge way.
I do agree about the hard k sound being funny, but alliteration is inherently unfunny to me. "Punched in the dick" is funnier.
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