If you have watched many movies directed by Jerry Lewis, you will have noticed they are very different from the Hollywood mainstream movies of the times.
Maybe best described as "experimental comedy", he was constantly pushing the boundaries of this genre. It seems to have been a reflection of how hard he pushed himself and those around him.
Especially in "Cracking Up" he seems to be releasing some inner impatience through his direction. The complete lack of regard for the attention span of the audience is clear.
It is an endless series of long overdrawn 'shticks', but these bits are all new. Like he is angrily challenging the audience "Look. These are NEW. Get it? Do I have to spell it out? Okaaayy ..."
By 1983 he was in a position to do what he liked, for his art, for himself. This movie was not even released until years later on cable and video.
He experiments with fractured narrative, a style that has become commonplace today. He also continues to drive stunning visuals, a hallmark of his direction.
The psychologist's office scene looked like the room was covered in ice, everything has surreal unnatural opulent sheen. His antics of slipping and falling for 20 minutes deeply underscored "THIS IS NEW".
No one needs to be reminded he was a genius in his own right, with patents on several inventions including instant-replay.
If you watch "Nutty Professor" carefully, you will see that Desilu Studios adopted not only his richly saturated visuals, but even many of the sound effects when producing "Star Trek" years later.
On a more serious note, his work with the MDA Telethon was an unparalleled financial success. He fought to direct most of the funding into genetics, specifically screening technology that has become a pillar of medical science today. A major first step toward treatment of any genetic disorder.
It was another risky experiment that succeeded beyond expectations. Very few thought so at the time, and people wonder why he had a reputation of being impatient with doubters.
He was first in many ways, he always had to be first. Even if it cost him personally, and many times it did. This movie was not his first experiment, nor his last.
If you can appreciate "Cracking Up" as a daring experiment, and try to see that no one in Hollywood was doing anything remotely as risky, then you can enjoy it at least at an intellectual level.
Progress is 10% inspiration and 90% persperation, and this movie did make some progress. He was truly the nuttiest of professors, who would even play the clown and fall flat on his face if it would make a difference.
He made a difference.
Maybe best described as "experimental comedy", he was constantly pushing the boundaries of this genre. It seems to have been a reflection of how hard he pushed himself and those around him.
Especially in "Cracking Up" he seems to be releasing some inner impatience through his direction. The complete lack of regard for the attention span of the audience is clear.
It is an endless series of long overdrawn 'shticks', but these bits are all new. Like he is angrily challenging the audience "Look. These are NEW. Get it? Do I have to spell it out? Okaaayy ..."
By 1983 he was in a position to do what he liked, for his art, for himself. This movie was not even released until years later on cable and video.
He experiments with fractured narrative, a style that has become commonplace today. He also continues to drive stunning visuals, a hallmark of his direction.
The psychologist's office scene looked like the room was covered in ice, everything has surreal unnatural opulent sheen. His antics of slipping and falling for 20 minutes deeply underscored "THIS IS NEW".
No one needs to be reminded he was a genius in his own right, with patents on several inventions including instant-replay.
If you watch "Nutty Professor" carefully, you will see that Desilu Studios adopted not only his richly saturated visuals, but even many of the sound effects when producing "Star Trek" years later.
On a more serious note, his work with the MDA Telethon was an unparalleled financial success. He fought to direct most of the funding into genetics, specifically screening technology that has become a pillar of medical science today. A major first step toward treatment of any genetic disorder.
It was another risky experiment that succeeded beyond expectations. Very few thought so at the time, and people wonder why he had a reputation of being impatient with doubters.
He was first in many ways, he always had to be first. Even if it cost him personally, and many times it did. This movie was not his first experiment, nor his last.
If you can appreciate "Cracking Up" as a daring experiment, and try to see that no one in Hollywood was doing anything remotely as risky, then you can enjoy it at least at an intellectual level.
Progress is 10% inspiration and 90% persperation, and this movie did make some progress. He was truly the nuttiest of professors, who would even play the clown and fall flat on his face if it would make a difference.
He made a difference.