A piece of work 2010 is about as far from hagiography as it is possible for a documentary to be. A piece of work is not funny even though youd expect a year in the life of one of the worlds funniest ladies to be so. It follows the comedian for 14 months of her life in her midseventies in a. This might be the most honest film ever made about the art of standing on a stage and attempting to make strangers laugh, and what compels. Today is the birthday of the great comedienne joan rivers b. To their credit, the filmmakers dont try to make her look good, and while. A piece of work, is incredibly humanizing and entertaining. Comedian joan rivers is a real piece of work few topics are offlimits for the brash comedian. A piece of work this thursday at the tribeca cinemas. The makers followed joan rivers for a year, filming her every move as they went and these edited highlights give us a window into. This has lifted me to another level and i am thankful that joan rivers shared herself with us. Opening tonight in theaters is joan rivers, a piece of work, a funny, touching and brutal yearlong ride with the driven, groundbreaking comedian in her 76th year of life 76. Documentary about the life and career of comedian joan rivers as she turns 75yearsold.
Six decades of standup that show joan rivers enduring genius. When she bailed on short notice the show hired a drag. I had stopped laughing and joan brought it back to me. Joan rivers, who sadly died today at age 81, started doing standup in the early 1960s, working comedy clubs in greenwich village until she got her first break on the tonight show. Penetrating rivers coarse image, this compelling documentary offers an honest. But its a product of her own design, and as long as someone is willing to buy it, shell be out there, making it available. Joan rivers a piece of work takes the audience on a year long ride with joan rivers in her 76th year of life. A piece of work captures a year in the life of the late comedienne as she turned threequarters of a century old. If the filmmakers didnt have total access, i dont want to see what they missed. A documentary on the life and career of joan rivers, made as the comedienne turns 75 years old. Filmmakers ricki stern and annie sundberg the devil came on horseback, the trials of darryl hunt expose the private dramas of this irreverent. It is uncompromising in depicting how a 75 yearold icon is working every minute of her day, not to sharpen her craft necessarily, but rather to make money to.
That, at least, is what i thought after watching twice the documentary joan rivers. Joan rivers jocelyn pickett billy sammeth kathy griffin dr. A documentary on the life and career of joan rivers, made as. Penetrating rivers coarse image, this compelling documentary offers an honest, behindthescenes look at her career and at show business in general. Editor penelope falk discusses relevance in the documentary joan rivers.
A piece of work, one of the most revealing and funniest show biz documentaries ever. Comedienne joan rivers talks to harry smith about her new documentary, a piece of work. The film follows rivers for 14 months, mostly during the 76th year of her life, 92 and made an effort to peel away the mask and expose the struggles, sacrifices and joy of living life as a ground breaking female. A piece of work 2010 starring joan rivers and melissa rivers on dvd and bluray. If youre just joining us, my guest is joan rivers, and theres a new documentary about her. West coast editor krista smith at the sundance film festival about the new documentary about her life, a piece of work, why leno isnt funny and why conan should be. A piece of work, rivers behaves as if her fragile sense of selfworth will dissipate completely if a crowd at an indian casino in wisconsin doesnt guffaw heartily at every wisecrack and adlib. Look whos on the red carpet now interview magazine. I wish that the diary would have covered every single day of the year for which this diary. With joan rivers, melissa rivers, kathy griffin, jocelyn pickett. A piece of work is available to stream on netflix now.
That, says her longtime manager billy sammeth in joan rivers. A piece of work premiered at the 2010 sundance film festival where it won the us documentary prize for best editing. You will leave this film remembering that joan rivers is one very funny woman albeit a vulgar one. A piece of work marks the pbs premiere of the documentary for which pbs now has exclusive broadcast rights. A piece of work, a peek behind the curtains at this fascinating and complex woman its a revealing movie, but i feel there are several points of dishonesty and omission. The filmmakers appear to have had unlimited access to rivers, probably because she was a star who constantly worried about being out of the spotlight.
A piece of work takes the audience on a year long ride with legendary comedian joan rivers in her 76th year of life. It would be must see tv to sit around and listen to joan and her friends dish. In one stretch in this film she closes a show in toronto, flies overnight to palm springs, does a gig, flies overnight to minneapolis, and performs another one. The 15 most outrageous joan rivers quotes ever jewish. Peeling away the mask of an iconic comedian and exposing the struggles, sacrifices and joy of living life as a ground breaking female performer. A piece of work on dvd december 14, 2010 starring joan rivers, melissa rivers, kathy griffin. Joan rivers in joan rivers a piece of work charles millerifc films. The thought of a diary by joan rivers made me feel all tingly with anticipation.
I hate everyone starting with me, is a hootnholler, rollickinggoodread, from the irrepressible joan rivers. Filmmakers chronicle a year in the life of the iconic performer. Joan rivers speaks with vanity fair editor krista smith at the sundance film festival about a piece of work, a documentary about her life, why leno isnt funny, and why conan should be grateful. Directors ricki stern and annie sundberg follow 75yearold joan rivers for a year of work, what joan knows and does the best. A piece of work, was the beginning of rivers downward slide in confidence, employment. Ricki stern and anne sundberg joan rivers was a certainly a trailblazer among women comedians, and this documentary by ricki stern and anne sundberg shows rivers genius for telling jokes, her insecurities and the ups and downs of her relationship with her daughter melissa after rivers husband. Joan rivers a piece of work a year in the life of a legend. Comedians always go, oh, you let women get on stage and say things. A piece of work is a 2010 documentary film about the life and career of comedian joan rivers, also featuring melissa rivers, don rickles and kathy griffin it had its world premiere at the sundance film festival on january 25, 2010. Proceeds to benefit joans favorite charity, gods love we.
A piece of work rafael zen when the synopsis said that it would be a brutally honest glimpse into rivers struggle to keep fighting the stages, it never prepared me to what i was about to watch. A piece of work ricki stern annie sundberg ricki stern 2010 filmmakers ricki stern and annie sundberg document a year in the life of the comedy pioneer as she works tirelessly to keep her career thriving in a y. Its no wonder that when joan rivers asks a radio host, who is the real me. I want to take the occasion to recommend the 2010 documentary joan rivers. She has joked about her many face lifts, her husbands suicide. A compelling portrait of an aging icon who still has the thirst to kill on stage. Shes a pioneer, an icon, and a consummate survivor, but in the ruthlessly honest documentary joan rivers.
A piece of work, and earlier this week would have been the comedy and fashion icons 82nd birthday. Comedian joan rivers is a real piece of work wbur news. I had tired of ms rivers of late, tired of her constant plastic surgeries and catty, caustic banter. The sites critical consensus reads, penetrating rivers coarse image, this compelling documentary offers an honest, behindthescenes look at her career and.
It opens with rivers on stage at a seedy new york comedy club. A piece of work, premiered at the sundance film festival on january 25, 2010. Joan rivers on a piece of work and why leno isnt funny. Its hourlong episodes are unwatchable, which is striking because a recent documentary, joan rivers. But it is as documentaries go one of the best ever.
Joan rivers reminds me of virginia graham in days gone by when grahams show girl talk was a hit and a hoot. But this book proves why she became famous in the first place. A monarch in a realm of court jesters, joan rivers is. Cameras followed joan rivers around for a year, filming her daily life for the documentary, a piece of work. Promoted content baltimore magazine receives 11 crma nominations. A piece of work covers the events in about a year of her life. A piece of work riveting doc dishes the dirt on the legendary queen of comedy. She was a quiet child joan quickly wins back her wisconsin audience. She has joked about her many face lifts, her husbands suicide, her bankruptcy and the sacrifices. And now, joan has a new documentary, a piece of work, chronicling a year in the life of show businesss hardest working woman. Rivers says that even 50 years after she began her career, shes still trying to open doors for younger comedians. Stylist and megafan mel ottenberg chases her down midpublicity tour, hoping to get her to talk about who looks fat on the runway.
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