Dying Laughing is a beautifully shot film that provides an intimate insight into the comedy industry and highlight the importance of comedy in society. As Chris Rock posits at the beginning of the film: “we’re the last philosophers, everybody now that talks is reading from a pre-approved script, you know, even our alleged smart people…there’s only one group of people that kind of say what they wanna say.”
The film has gathered together interviews with a wide variety of comedians, the diversity is impressive considering comedy is still seen as a white man’s game. With appearances from Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, Kevin Hart, Jamie Foxx, Billy Connolly, Steve Coogan, Eddie Izzard, Jerry Lewis, Chris Rock, Sarah Silverman, Frank Skinner, Jo Brand, Frankie Boyle, John Thomson and the late Garry Shandling and Victoria Wood.
Various comedians share not just their thoughts on comedy but what makes a comedian – be it childhood tragedy, overcoming a disaster or just plain ambition. They also talk about what community there is in this strange world that revolves mostly around travel, dodgy hotel chains, bombing in front of an audience and hecklers.
The film makers have managed to get complete raw honesty about the tenacity these comedians had to draw on to succeed – not to mention personal sacrifice – show just how serious you have to be about comedy if you want to be a comedian. As Garry Shandling reveals to a horrified aspiring actor, there’s no shortcut.
Directors Paul Toogood and Lloyd Stanton said: “Over two years, as the film began to emerge from the thousands of miles traveled and hundreds of hours or interviews, we learned about the physical and emotional dedication that it takes to become a stand-up comedian, and that the prospect of failure haunts even the most experienced and celebrated practitioners,
“We hope that the audience will find the final piece as touching, thought-provoking, inspirational, and as funny, as we do.”
If you like getting the skinny on comedians then this is the film for you.
DYING LAUGHING is in UK cinemas and On Demand 16th June www.dyinglaughingfilm.com and will premiere at the Prince Charles Cinema on the 15th June http://bit.ly/2rJPHFT
