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Steve Martin is Funnier than you

SteveMartin

I’m sorry you may be extremely funny, I just doubt you are funnier than Steve Martin. Watch this wild and crazy guy”s Happy feet.

 

See he’s funnier than you. His work in the seventies was revolutionary, he made deconstructing the scene, a scene. His work on Saturday Night Live was legendary; watching him face off against Bill Murray or John Belushi is the pinnacle of American comedy in an oversaturated market. But sadly, for the greater part of our generation we see Steve Martin as the sweet buffoon from Cheaper by the Dozen or Bringing Down the House. I’m not saying these are monstrosities or even particularly terrible, I’m just trying to communicate that Steve Martin is so much better.

LA Story is an incredibly personal film, about a man pushing against LA phonies despite being a phony himself. This same joke, this same thought process is shown in his stand-up performances throughout the ‘70s. I say this because while LA story, the Jerk and Planes Trains and Automobiles are easily accessible and popular with our generation, his years on TV are not. Martin left stand-up to pursue a career in film throughout the ‘80s and many of the early performances on SNL and other shows were left to nerds like me. This is a shame, because they were ludicrously funny.

It occurs to me that this is reading like an obituary, incidentally here is an obit Martin wrote for the New Yorker . Anyway, this is not Steve Martins obituary he is alive and well, more importantly he is releasing a collection, “Television stuff”, which compiles his early material across three DVDs. Arguably, the funniest and the most important period of his career, it will be wonderful to see on something other than YouTube.

Watch Steve Martin in Planes Trains and Automobiles and LA story and you see a wickedly funny but thoughtful performer. Read his many essays and articles and you get a feeling for his sharp intellect. Listen to his bluegrass and you hear him playing bluegrass. Most importantly watch this DVD and you will see he is funnier than you.

Steve Martin: Television Stuff has been released in America and is available to order on amazon.com. Sadly, there is no UK release date as of yet, but really what is the cost of a region free DVD player compared to the misery of not seeing this.

Nanu-Nanu Spotify Playlist – Back to School

Back to School spotify

When I was asked to compile this playlist I was excited. Excitement which swiftly sunk into depression after I was informed that a) Tayler Swifts complete works is not appropriate and b) I was limited to 1 Grease track.

After several hours weeping/pleading with our Editor Finlay, I whittled my list down to 15 tracks. It”s constructed almost entirely with references to failed TV shows and John Hughes

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finest (spoiler alert not “Flubber”)

Enjoy!

Read On…

Back to School Part 2: Film

Back to School Film

As if yesterday’s comic selection wasn’t enough to brighten up the start of term, here is a selection of films. This list is stuffed with films you’ve probably already seen but you should see again because the likelihood is they are a damn sight better than homework or “playing outside”.

Breakfast Club


Breakfast Club sets out to be the ultimate bottle episode and capture High School in one Saturday. For those who don’t know, a “Bottle Episode” is where a cast is brought together in one place where they are forced to deal with underlying tensions. For example the mall episode in every single 90s/00s high school show. Breakfast Club is taking on the underlying divisions common in every High School, it sets out to break down the superficial barriers by humanising each character in the others eyes. It is a touching and funny film and should be top of every high-school movie list on the back of the script

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alone. In my opinion the breakfast club is the ensemble to end all ensembles, it deals with the group dynamic brilliantly while maintaining strong identity for each character. The performances are universally strong whether this is the actors fault or John Hughe’s I don’t know. Everyone has their favourites, Emilio Esteves and Judd Nelson are the standouts for me mainly because of Andrew’s dancing and Benders ankle bandana. John Hughes spent the greater part of his post Lampoon career trying to capture High School, I’m glad he did.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off


Ferris Bueller is outstanding, if you haven’t seen it go watch it now. Then come back and read the rest of this article, actually same goes for Breakfast Club.

Welcome back now that we have all enjoyed these films lets talk Bueller. Ferris is who everyone wants to be, everyone, he drives awesome (semi-stolen) cars, he sings on floats, he does a dynamite “sausage king” impression. I can’t write enough praise about this film, I love it, I’m entirely biased and have no criticism. Hilarious script, excellent performances, singing, dancing and a truly unbelievable car. You’ve seen it you know why I love this film, it’s a ludicrous feature-length fantasy about grabbing life by the bollocks and singing twist and shout, whats not to love?

Watch the film again, school will still be there in 90 odd minutes and you will be in a much better mood.

Mean Girls


The Lindsay Lohan starring Mean Girls is one of the funniest films Tina Fey has ever written about High School. The ability to turn one of Hollywood’s biggest disasters into an essentially likeable character is a miracle of modern cinema. Examining High School through an outsiders perspective is hardly ground breaking but it does allow for some really funny moments and great performances (mostly by the adult cast but also a few stand out kids). It approaches the issue of compartmentalising kids in school on a much grander scale than other films with ludicrous results. It’s a bit of a dumb film but worth a watch if just to enjoy the comedy of Lindsay Lohan trying to act like a human being.

Adventures in Babysitting


To say this is the most ridiculous film in this list is an incorrect use of the word “ridiculous”. Adventures in baby sitting follows Elisabeth Shue, an entirely irresponsible baby sitter, and her wards. This unlikely ensemble of minors genuinely stumble upon multiple gun fights, car thief’s, the mob, abusive frat guys and a mechanic who looks like Thor. It’s a silly film but you will enjoy it, the cast are surprisingly capable actors who stumble through a series of Goonie like escapades. The only reason this made it on the list instead of the Goonies is I watched this more recently and am still reeling from the experience. Genuinely they almost foil the

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mob, I still can’t get over it.

Juno

Lets talk about Juno Home skillet, lickety split and whatever other phrases we were supposed to believe an actual human being used. In 2008 Juno provided us with a surprisingly humorous and touching look at teenage pregnancy and adoption. With regressing adults highlighting Juno’s growth and ludicrous turns of phrase highlighting the benefit of watching tv and listening to that MTV. Through Juno (described in my favourite line in the film as a “cautionary whale”) we get an intelligent and funny look at teenage life in the noughties.

NB. I was trying to write a “baby bump/ bumps along the way” pun for like half an hour, if you think of one fire it in the comments. High five for my favourite

Back To School Part 1: Comics

Back to School Comics

It”s that time of the year, doesn”t matter how old you are summer ending is bullspit. End of the summer means end of the Olympics, end of good weather and, for those of a certain age, back to school. Well cool off, I am here to brighten up even the worst summer hangover. Over the next couple of days I will be aiming you towards stuff that should keep the September blues at bay

I know what you”re going to say “Angus I”m going back to uni”, “Angus I spent all my money in the fringe”, “Angus I”m scared the leaves are changing”  well quit moaning I”ve got some comics for you.

Morning Glories Vol: 1-3

Image comics has recently released the third volume in this expansive series and there has never been a better time to pick it up. Until a week ago I hadn”t heard of Nick Spencer”s interesting take on High School, I have since inhaled all three volumes.

Morning Glories is set in one of the worlds leading preparatory schools, classrooms stocked with the best resources and all other available space stuffed with unresolved mystery. Following a group of pupils providing a Breakfast Club-esque cross section of the high school society. This group”s initial excitement at being accepted to this prestigious school is soon replaced with horror as they realise the Orwellian arsenal of despair and torture the staff utilise to achieve their unknown goal.

Spencer draws on influences from across the board, whether its room 101 or John Hughes. The key influence on the overall style however are the JJ Abrams” shows Lost and Fringe. Extensive backstory all tying into one mystery, each issue drifts in and out of flashbacks and/or flash-forwards? (wibbly wobbley timey wimey). This style of narrative is infuriatingly compelling but possibly to0 grand for the comic format. I read the series in three volumes and this was very enjoyable, however I cannot see myself enjoying the single issues to the same extent. The story can be slow and convoluted, waiting a month for an issue which ends up a flashback that won”t be relevant for another four issues (months) would drive me to the edge of insanity.

It”s a testament to the writing that I am only now discussing the art of this series. Morning Glories has consistent but frankly muted art. It”s functional but not much more, the only stand out feature I felt are the expressive characters. This means one of two things 1) they wanted to create an atmosphere of mundane drudgery in the school while aiding character development with expressive close ups or 2) they spent all the budget on a decent writer and got stuck with an average artist.

The size and ambition Casino games paid for for any mere 11% (individuals online slots can’t be introduced rapidly enough) while bingo notched a 4% share. of this project is infuriating but enjoyable. I was excited to read the third volume, I want to know what happens. It”s more compelling than a lot of content currently produced, especially when read in trade paperbacks. However if Spencer so much as thinks the word purgatory when writing the ultimate payoff, I will riot.

Freshmen Vol: 1

What if a group of college freshmen suddenly got superpowers based on what they were
thinking in one split second in 2004?

I”ll give you a minute to mull that mammoth question over.

You”ve just read the first issue of Top Cow”s Freshmen co-created by Seth Green and Hugh Sterbakov. Penned by Sterbakov, Freshmen aims to capture the fresher experience utilising super powers and a talking beaver. It”s a simple comic from a simpler time, it”s a super powered “Undeclared”. This simplicity however plays to the relative strength of Sterbakov”s writing, silly humour (one character”s power is to make people drunk and the Beaver talks) is used to mask a fairly strong arc of character development. There are some gaps in development later in the series, however this is more due to the unusual size of ensemble.

Volume one does a good job combining a standard super-hero origin story with a college freshers group dynamic. A pared down story which focuses entirely on characters is pleasant relief after the heavy “Morning Glories”. It is a funny book which handles an overly large ensemble well, the bad guy is menacing if a little basic and Freshmen set itself up well for a second volume. Overall I would recommend Freshmen Volume One, its funny, silly and provides some good action with a fun group dynamic.