Review of Slapstick Studio

Wow, no one has commented on this. I wonder why? I picked a DVD of a couple of episodes up off Amazon when I did a search for Dick Shawn. Ah, the wonders of the internet. And the wonders of DVDs that some bozo actually put this out. I guess that's why it was only a penny on Amazon. I'm not kidding: One penny. And a well spent penny too! This is a tough one to review because it is so amazingly awful. I wasn't sure whether to give it a 1 or a 10, so I gave it a 5 in the middle. Here's the show's wacky premise: It takes place in the 1920's I'm guessing. It's about a silent film studio. All the characters talk, but act, or I should say way overact, like they are in a silent movie. Ha ha, ain't dat funny! This means lots of wretched mugging at the camera, garish make-up, including most of the men (!), and exaggerated body movements. The sets are made of cardboard, or something very close to it, and sometimes the entire wall moves when somebody knocks on a door. Interjected at some point during the course of the show, we get to see a fake black and white short silent movie that the characters made. The movie, if you can believe it, is even worse than the show. The words that the characters say in the "silent film" are read aloud to us the audience, because obviously, we are too stupid to read them. Back in the "real world" as if all this weren't painful enough, there are ridiculous singing and dancing musical numbers for no reason. There is also a laugh track for the most insipid unfunny non-jokes. Did this show actually air on network TV? It's hard for me to believe it did. It is akin to watching a car crash. It is sheer morbid curiosity at this dismal failure of a show. And that, my good invisible friend, is its charm! The only other comparison that comes to mind is the musical version of Superman called It's A Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman- except that was actually funny. Dick Shawn's talent is gone to waste here, as he just appears to be going through the motions rather mechanically like he doesn't care- which is, I suppose, a kind of grace. I do enjoy watching him not care. However, knowing the genius he's capable of, his performance is beyond subdued. To sum this TV show up in a word: Wow.