Shakes The Clown

Last week, I wrote about the Bobcat Goldthwait film Hot To Trot. After that project was a huge flop, Goldthwait decided to call the shots on his next film. And he did just that by writing, directing, and starring in 1991's Shakes The Clown.

Often dubbed the Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown movies, Shakes The Clown tells the story of a clown, Goldthwait, who has a hard time giving up the bottle. When an opportunity arises for Shakes to take over hosting duties on a popular kids show, his rival, an evil, coke snorting clown named Binky, Tom Kenny,frames Shakes for a murder. With the help of his clown buddies, Adam Sandler and Blake Clark, and his girlfriend Judy, Julie Brown, Shakes tries to go clean and sober so he can clear his name and find the culprit.

In his directorial debut, Goldthwait has created a very funny, dark, and imaginative film. He has created this society where all makes of clowns, including rodeo and mimes, live amongst the normal folk. The regular townspeople have somewhat of a racist attitude towards clowns. Shakes can almost be looked at as a smart comment on society. Even though it can be somewhat deep, it also has plenty of silliness.

Goldthwait is really good as Shakes, showing range that he didn't have the chance to display at this point. Kenny steals the show as the truly frightening Binky. Best known as the voice of Spongebob Squarepants, Kenny gets the chance to go incredibly dark, while still getting some laughs. This was one of Sandler's first roles, and he's funnier in it than in anything he's done in the last ten years. The late Robin Williams and Mrs. Brady herself, Florence Henderson, pop up in some hilarious cameos as a mime and a clown groupie.

Over the years, Goldthwait has become a terrific filmmaker. And as much as I love his other work, I think Shakes The Clown is his best. A dark, vulgar, comic masterpiece.

Unfortunately it is out of print on dvd.