"Borat" - Your Thoughts

[englandmj7]

I know there has probably been minor discussion of this in various threads......

What were your thoughts on this? As someone who has spent at least a month a year in England/Ireland for my entire life I have known Sacha Baron Cohen for quite some time before he had an HBO show etc. (several years ago). I fucking love the guy and he is certainly my favorite comedian.

With that being said, I was not very impressed by the Borat movie. Mostly because it wasn't as funny as his regular interviews/skits and secondly, because dickface frat guys are now going to be doing impressions of him at every party you attend for the next five years.....minimum. I also disliked the fact that alot of the movie was not "real," but rather planned skits.

[greentea]

i like it. very funny.

[mr fluffernutter]

With that being said, I was not very impressed by the Borat movie. Mostly because it wasn't as funny as his regular interviews/skits and secondly, because dickface frat guys are now going to be doing impressions of him at every party you attend for the next five years.....minimum. I also disliked the fact that alot of the movie was not "real," but rather planned skits.

They weren't necessarily planned (at least the responces to his questions aren't), they were pranks. The producer's would phone up the guys and set up an interview for 'Borat' and comedy would ensue.

But I still haven't seen it so I should probably gerettt out a herree

[englandmj7]

They weren't necessarily planned (at least the responces to his questions aren't), they were pranks. The producer's would phone up the guys and set up an interview for 'Borat' and comedy would ensue.

But I still haven't seen it so I should probably gerettt out a herree

Hmm? I am not sure what you are getting at. In his show, interviews are set up and Borat improvises; everyone knows that. In the movie, there are several parts that are not improv at all, hence my comment that they were "planned"; for instance, many parts use scripted actors in dialogue/relationships with Borat as opposed to random interviewees/bystanders, etc. When you see it you will understand.

[Carl]

The only part that was not improv in the whole movie (ie not set up) was the Pamela Anderson part.

That said, the movie was really funny, but i felt like i'd seen the whole thing from the previews. If i had no idea what the movie was gonna be about it easily would have been one of the funniest movies ive ever seen.

The hotel scene was hystarical...and so gratuitus that people next to me got up and left.

[02///M3]

I thought the scenes you are referring to were very funny as well. The scenes with his friend and with the prostitute he meets were great I thought. I have been watching Ali G since the first season came out on HBO, and I personally think the movie was one of the funnier, wittier comedies I have seen in a long time.

[Fuuma]

I know there has probably been minor discussion of this in various threads......

What were your thoughts on this? As someone who has spent at least a month a year in England/Ireland for my entire life I have known Sacha Baron Cohen for quite some time before he had an HBO show etc. (several years ago). I fucking love the guy and he is certainly my favorite comedian.

With that being said, I was not very impressed by the Borat movie. Mostly because it wasn't as funny as his regular interviews/skits and secondly, because dickface frat guys are now going to be doing impressions of him at every party you attend for the next five years.....minimum. I also disliked the fact that alot of the movie was not "real," but rather planned skits.

Ever seen the interview with some feminist personnality where he asks about "trying feminism"? that was one of the best ever.

[mr fluffernutter]

Hmm? I am not sure what you are getting at. In his show, interviews are set up and Borat improvises; everyone knows that. In the movie, there are several parts that are not improv at all, hence my comment that they were "planned"; for instance, many parts use scripted actors in dialogue/relationships with Borat as opposed to random interviewees/bystanders, etc. When you see it you will understand.

Now I understand.

I thought you meant the interviews were planned. Whoops

[englandmj7]

The only part that was not improv in the whole movie (ie not set up) was the Pamela Anderson part.

That said, the movie was really funny, but i felt like i'd seen the whole thing from the previews. If i had no idea what the movie was gonna be about it easily would have been one of the funniest movies ive ever seen.

The hotel scene was hystarical...and so gratuitus that people next to me got up and left.

What? I am not going to ruin the movie for anyone but come on dude..... The B&B stay with the cockroaches? The prostitute friendship? Several camera angles filming an approaching bus of supposedly random frat guys? Hotel wrestling? Visiting Kazakhstan? Buying a bear? I could go on for hours. 50% of the movie WAS NOT improv. You need to watch it again.

[englandmj7]

Ever seen the interview with some feminist personnality where he asks about "trying feminism"? that was one of the best ever.

He heh, yep. That was a great one.

[doctorgnar]

I am by NO means a fan of John Mayer, nor do I really have any respect for him as a human being. With that said, today someone sent me this rather lucid, funny post from his blog (yeah, apparently John Mayer has a blog.) Dude makes some good points.

--------------

BORAT: A PREDICTION

Make no mistake about it: "Borat" is locked and loaded, ready to invade the public consciousness. Get ready to say goodbye to it.

When "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" is released tomorrow, there will be a short window of time, from about 6pm on Friday to about 10pm on Sunday, when the film's impact will sit in perfect equilibrium with both its mass appeal and its comic potency. "The hip eclipse", let's call it. I say 10pm because somewhere in Oxnard, CA, 7pm local time, a young Friday's waiter will deliver a plate of Jack Daniel's Chicken Strips and punctuate it with the phrase "You laaaaaaiik!!!!!". This will be the first sign of the "Borat" outbreak - what will eventually be transmitted through contact with co-workers, on airplanes and in casinos, and GOOD LORD, in bars everywhere.

It won't be the fault of the movie, and it certainly won't be the fault of Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat's creator. It will be due to a society set up to adopt, consume and then divorce a trend in dizzying time. The infrastructure is ripe for it, a now perfectly balanced sphere of blogs, critiques, and various other forms of media with which to hijack the trend. Borat impressionists will appear on youtube, and a home-made mega-mix of lines from the movie will be cobbled together by a 14 year old and placed incongruously atop a house drum beat. It will be an internet sensation. And while Dayton, Ohio greets it, the Lower East Side will have already eulogized it. If you don't believe me when I say we will kill it by hugging it too hard, look at what happened to Brokeback Mountain - "I wish I could quit you" became a ready-mixed punch line for months, and it wasn't even trying. (Even the word "brokeback" itself came to be an out of the box bon mot.) We've been waiting for the next "WAY!" and "NOT!" for a long time. And we're about to get it in the form of "high five!" and "wa-wa-wee-wah!"

And if you're still wondering what leg I have to stand on with this, just remember: I was truly hip for three weeks back in 2001.

Yakshimesh!!!!

POSTED BY JOHN MAYER AT 06:34 PM FROM SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Link: http://www.johnmayer.com/blog#208

[englandmj7]

I am by NO means a fan of John Mayer, nor do I really have any respect for him as a human being. With that said, today someone sent me this rather lucid, funny post from his blog (yeah, apparently John Mayer has a blog.) Dude makes some good points.

Unfortunately, it is so true. Remember Beavis & Butthead? Idiot impressionists ruined the whole show for me.

There was a 45 yr-old ex-frat guy clad in a matching USC tracksuit and hat at the place I went for dinner last night who no shit did the WORST impression of Borat I have ever heard for his entire meal; he was intentionally loud and made sure to order from the waitress in his shitty attempt (sounded identical to Dracula) at an impression. His disgustingly fat girlfriend kept chuckling every few minutes so he could feel good about himself as he belted out his verbal diarrhea.....I actually felt like stabbing him in the neck with my pizza spatula........asshole.

[doctorgnar]

Unfortunately, it is so true. Remember Beavis & Butthead? Idiot impressionists ruined the whole show for me.

I think the worst case of this is the Rick James impressions spawned by the Chappelle Show.

[englandmj7]

I think the worst case of this is the Rick James impressions spawned by the Chappelle Show

Yep! Completely forgot about those......Horrible!

[hughsd]

borat blew

[poly800rock]

i thought that some of the jokes were old by now. the pam anderson wasn't improv? that was the best part, that sucks. It really made me appreciate how great the character Ali G. is though, I feel like i enjoy the concept of Ali G more now that borat is basically done.

[red]

didnt watch the movie. didnt read this thread. but nothing makes me laugh like borat does.

[poly800rock]

I know there has probably been minor discussion of this in various threads......

What were your thoughts on this? As someone who has spent at least a month a year in England/Ireland for my entire life I have known Sacha Baron Cohen for quite some time before he had an HBO show etc. (several years ago). I fucking love the guy and he is certainly my favorite comedian.

With that being said, I was not very impressed by the Borat movie. Mostly because it wasn't as funny as his regular interviews/skits and secondly, because dickface frat guys are now going to be doing impressions of him at every party you attend for the next five years.....minimum. I also disliked the fact that alot of the movie was not "real," but rather planned skits.

i got the UK ali G shows on DVD when I was in thailand and I'll agree that ALL of the skits are better there than over here in the states...The borat sketches over there are amazing

[poly800rock]

Ever seen the interview with some feminist personnality where he asks about "trying feminism"? that was one of the best ever.

how about when he's asking about his uncle Jemal as being a trisexual....

he'll try anything sexual

but thats Ali G stuff.

[Guest jeffvyain]

i thought it was pretty hilarious, but i agree...this is going to get fucking annoying. it's unfortunate that everyone gets to share in the fun of ali G now, and it's still sad that i can't quote actual episodes, which, at times, were quite a bit funnier than the movie, and no one gets what i'm talking about. all in due time, i suppose. i'm sure the ali g box set will be selling out soon, and every time we start talking about borat and i come up with "he is your slave?" people will know what i'm talking about now. i can't even tell you how many borats i saw for halloween. and that was before the movie came out. it's going to get ugly.

[Double D]

It was a little underwhelming. Nothing was as outright funny as Borat's 'Throw the Jew Down the Well' skit from one of the old Ali G series. Should've just done an outright skit show, which is why the Jackass movie worked and both of Sacha Baron Cohen's movies have messed up rather. Not that Borat was anywhere near as bad as the Ali G movie.

[englandmj7]

Actually, for as much shit as it got, I thought that Ali G's "Indahouse" was fucking hilarious.

David Carlton: Swan, is there any reason why there should be an absurdly dressed, half-naked man, chained to a fence being tossed off by an old blind council worker?

Ali G: He iz a criminal! And not even da good type wot deals drugs and does drive bys.

Ali G: Jezzy, iz you wearing green? I knew it - you iz defected to the Iver 'eath possey, innit? Come on - let's stab him!

Jezzy F: No, no - wait! Me mum, yeah, she put me yellow top in the wash with me brothers blue football socks even though they ain't colourfast.

Ali G: All right. But you tell that slag, that in the ghetto, washing non colourfast synthetics at 60 degrees could cost you your life...

The dream sequence at the beginning is the funniest shit I have ever seen.

[andewhall]

Actually, for as much shit as it got, I thought that Ali G's "Indahouse" was fucking hilarious.

The dream sequence at the beginning is the funniest shit I have ever seen.

I agree, spyed it on tv a couple of months back and laughed my tits off again.

I saw a great episode of Ali G when he was interviewing the drug police, with all the gear on the table...that was fucking funny

[Twibs]

i was wathing ali-g/borat for a while myself and the movie was funny but the shows/skits are alot funnier porlly cause its easyer to be funny for 3 minutes rather than an hour +

[mickawes]

I like that gay german VJ impersonation he does. That one episode when he goes to the miami beach party or something and gets the EXTREEEEME frat boys to do the intro to his show, and then he breaks the news that its for a gay network and they get all huffy bout it.

Ali G is good too... "Theres a thin liiiine between love and hate..." "Theres also a thin line between the poo and the punani..."

[watchman]

I thought it was really, really, funny. Even though i was stoned, i'm reasonably sure it would be hilarious without that aspect. He just makes people say such ridiculous shit, it's brilliant.

[MilSpex]

He`s basically making America look bad, rather than Kazakstan contrary to popular belief. He corners dumb Americans and makes them look bad. Americans should boycott this movie.

[jpgm]

I like that gay german VJ impersonation he does. That one episode when he goes to the miami beach party or something and gets the EXTREEEEME frat boys to do the intro to his show, and then he breaks the news that its for a gay network and they get all huffy bout it.

im pretty sure he is making a movie based around that character.

[Guest jeffvyain]

i pray he does. borat and that character are the funnier of the 3 in my opinion. and yea, that scene with the frat boys and getting them to moon the camera and shit is outright ridiculous.

[Guest StuckOnStupid]

I and secondly, because dickface frat guys are now going to be doing impressions of him at every party you attend for the next five years.....minimum..

can i get a "rick james, bitch"?