Yes, he is a thoroughly engaging talent. The way you have depicted him here shows some remarkable parallels with the character of the man Jerzy Kosinski.
This probably throws light on why Sellars wanted to play Chance the Gardener. Seems he and Kosinski may have had quite a lot in common. Perhaps.
“The ‘Clowns’ are I believe the most important humans on the planet right now. Have been for decades actually. They’re the only ones telling the truth, teaching us about us, highlighting the past and predicting the future - all the time making us laugh.”
Comics are my heroes too! I so agree with you about the importance of comedy, of comedians, and of anyone who can make others laugh. That’s why I try to highlight comedy in my writing; I have a section called “Ready to Laugh” and I try to decipher it and understand how it’s done, like in this essay:
What Is Funny?: The Rules Of (Punching Up) Comedy According To The Movies
My first experience of Sellers was the Goon Show heard on the radio with my family, and also on the crystal set my Dad gave me one Christmas. Strangelove is a peak for a very large number of people, but especially Sellers. The bugger has no equal, though some admirable people have tried to be. Robin Williams comes close but Sellers never looked vulnerable, never cracked the shell around the character. Which I suppose vindicates your man who wasn't there.
Nicely written. As ever.
Yes, he is a thoroughly engaging talent. The way you have depicted him here shows some remarkable parallels with the character of the man Jerzy Kosinski.
This probably throws light on why Sellars wanted to play Chance the Gardener. Seems he and Kosinski may have had quite a lot in common. Perhaps.
Thanks Michael. Fascinating.
Brilliant piece on a heartbreak of a man - giant of an actor. Funny, frightening, fierce.
“The ‘Clowns’ are I believe the most important humans on the planet right now. Have been for decades actually. They’re the only ones telling the truth, teaching us about us, highlighting the past and predicting the future - all the time making us laugh.”
Comics are my heroes too! I so agree with you about the importance of comedy, of comedians, and of anyone who can make others laugh. That’s why I try to highlight comedy in my writing; I have a section called “Ready to Laugh” and I try to decipher it and understand how it’s done, like in this essay:
What Is Funny?: The Rules Of (Punching Up) Comedy According To The Movies
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/what-is-funny
But it’s more than just technique, comedy is a miracle and a gift. And I believe it reveals the meaning of life, so I wrote about it here:
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/the-meaning-of-life
Thanks for bringing attention to so many wonderful movies!
My first experience of Sellers was the Goon Show heard on the radio with my family, and also on the crystal set my Dad gave me one Christmas. Strangelove is a peak for a very large number of people, but especially Sellers. The bugger has no equal, though some admirable people have tried to be. Robin Williams comes close but Sellers never looked vulnerable, never cracked the shell around the character. Which I suppose vindicates your man who wasn't there.