Pauly Shore is Dead
March 26th 2010 10:24
For those of you born after 1990, Pauly Shore was a comedian who had a spell of super stardom for several years. His film's included Bio-Dome, Encino Man, In The Army Now, Jury Duty, Son In Law and other films that you may or may not want to forget.
I pulled this film out to watch in response to the various reactions over the high Hollywood body count of the last ten years. Even though many famous people died during the nineties, it still feels like nothing compared to the carnage of the last decade. The past ten years has been filled with more Elvis type 'overdosing on the can' drug deaths than ever before. The thing that struck me every time I heard about one of these deaths were how these people were eulogized. The most interesting example being Anna Nicole Smith, the despised Playboy playmate became a tabloid darling in the wake of her death, which makes the following film's premise all the more tempting to watch.
Made in 2003, Pauly Shore is Dead, was written and directed by the man himself, starring Pauly Shore as Pauly Shore. In this self aware satire, Pauly Shore set's the scene around where his career started to deflate. Pauly decides to fake his own death. Once he does this, he is hailed as a comic genius who died before his time and the film continues down a path of comical eccentricity. As far as Pauly Shore goes as a director, you sense that he has nothing to lose, as a result he takes some risks with the self degrading material, which pay off. All flaws aside, this aspect is what gives the film a heart and is also what keeps you watching it, even as the film fluctuates in quality.
Just a year or two ago, the Van Damme film, J.C.V.D. was released and wowed all the critics. 'Pauly Shore Is Dead' is set in a similar context, but they are at once completely different. The main similarity being in how they examine the way fans and detractors would remember them. Unlike J.C.V.D., 'Pauly Shore Is Dead' is not interested in taking itself seriously or having any subtext, but simply just making you laugh (an admirable enough intention). 'Pauly Shore is Dead' has a successful mixture of intelligent and also low brow humor to make it worth checking out. Also, Pauly's severely honest review of himself makes for quite an endearing film that never feels self indulgent.
The film has some big names on it's pay role (or more likely favour role), it includes cameos from Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Vince Vaughn, comedian Carrot Top, Charlie Sheen, Michael Madsen, Snoop Dog, Tom Sizemore and a lot more. I've read many reviews who have said that this was the only thing that made the film work. This could possibly be true, but where I differ in opinion is that a good chunk of the laughs come from Shore himself. The featured A-list cast provide more of a support and give him something to work with. Having said that I still think the film would have been vastly inferior without this collaboration and contribution of talented celebrities.
The film's first ten minutes or so begin like really bad television, but if you stick with it, it's charms might just win you over, these include has-been Rico Sauave selling oranges by the road, Pauly's botched attempt at phone sex and getting career advice from Todd Bridges. It has some really funny things in it and is at times damn entertaining stuff. It's no great achievement in relation to other decent comedies, but it's worth checking out and for my money - a guilty pleasure that you might just be telling your friends about afterwards.
I pulled this film out to watch in response to the various reactions over the high Hollywood body count of the last ten years. Even though many famous people died during the nineties, it still feels like nothing compared to the carnage of the last decade. The past ten years has been filled with more Elvis type 'overdosing on the can' drug deaths than ever before. The thing that struck me every time I heard about one of these deaths were how these people were eulogized. The most interesting example being Anna Nicole Smith, the despised Playboy playmate became a tabloid darling in the wake of her death, which makes the following film's premise all the more tempting to watch.
Pauly Shore is Dead - The Movie
Made in 2003, Pauly Shore is Dead, was written and directed by the man himself, starring Pauly Shore as Pauly Shore. In this self aware satire, Pauly Shore set's the scene around where his career started to deflate. Pauly decides to fake his own death. Once he does this, he is hailed as a comic genius who died before his time and the film continues down a path of comical eccentricity. As far as Pauly Shore goes as a director, you sense that he has nothing to lose, as a result he takes some risks with the self degrading material, which pay off. All flaws aside, this aspect is what gives the film a heart and is also what keeps you watching it, even as the film fluctuates in quality.
A funny scene with Charlie Sheen
Just a year or two ago, the Van Damme film, J.C.V.D. was released and wowed all the critics. 'Pauly Shore Is Dead' is set in a similar context, but they are at once completely different. The main similarity being in how they examine the way fans and detractors would remember them. Unlike J.C.V.D., 'Pauly Shore Is Dead' is not interested in taking itself seriously or having any subtext, but simply just making you laugh (an admirable enough intention). 'Pauly Shore is Dead' has a successful mixture of intelligent and also low brow humor to make it worth checking out. Also, Pauly's severely honest review of himself makes for quite an endearing film that never feels self indulgent.
A cameo from Vince Vaughn
The film has some big names on it's pay role (or more likely favour role), it includes cameos from Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Vince Vaughn, comedian Carrot Top, Charlie Sheen, Michael Madsen, Snoop Dog, Tom Sizemore and a lot more. I've read many reviews who have said that this was the only thing that made the film work. This could possibly be true, but where I differ in opinion is that a good chunk of the laughs come from Shore himself. The featured A-list cast provide more of a support and give him something to work with. Having said that I still think the film would have been vastly inferior without this collaboration and contribution of talented celebrities.
The film's first ten minutes or so begin like really bad television, but if you stick with it, it's charms might just win you over, these include has-been Rico Sauave selling oranges by the road, Pauly's botched attempt at phone sex and getting career advice from Todd Bridges. It has some really funny things in it and is at times damn entertaining stuff. It's no great achievement in relation to other decent comedies, but it's worth checking out and for my money - a guilty pleasure that you might just be telling your friends about afterwards.
A scene starring Sean Penn
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Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
BTW, I didn't meet him but I was in his presence when I first went to L.A. I remember thinking: Great, of all the celebs to run into my first time in Elay, it's Paul Shore.
What happened when you met him?
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
There are actually some really really funny things in this film, the're a couple of dumb things too but that has to be expected. Try to track it down.
Oh yes, Pauly gets around. What did I say to him you ask? Why, I told that I enjoyed 'Pauly Shore Is Dead' of course. For the most part we didnt have too much to say just made small talk for a minute then I moved on.
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald