Is it a big kick to completely ruin a take because someone laughs at an improv they didn’t expect?
"Oh, yeah! Hugely! Working with Sacha Baron Cohen was terrific, because he’s a really hardened improviser – so it was even more satisfying to nail him…
"The scene where I go to visit him at his chateau before our final confrontation and we’re talking in the garden… There’s a second half to that where some guy is training the dogs in the distance and I accidentally say the secret attack word – ‘fire-hydrant’ – and the dogs run towards us.
In one take, I just… started doing this noise. It was like… [Does a REALLY loud impersonation of what a police siren might sound like if the mechanism was swapped for that of a foghorn]. Sacha just completely cracked up and said, “Will, what the fuck are you doing?”"
Do you remember any improv that could have never made it into the movie, whatever the rating?
"There’s one bit in the section where Ricky is down on his luck... I’m lying on the couch, asleep, surrounded by beer cans and burritos, and my mom gives me the ‘What are you doing with your life?’ speech.
"I say, “Look, I’ve been working on something and it’s kind of a secret and if I show you, you can’t judge it because it’s a work-in-progress.” And she’s like, “Of course!” And, basically… I’m able to fart and form words with it. You know, like… ‘PhhrrrwwwILOVEYOUpffffft!’"
Why on Earth did you not leave that in?
"It was just getting too long in that section. It was a tough one to lose, believe me. A bitter debate."
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Comments
RagingBull
Feb 14th 2012, 9:29
I'm sorry, for all the worth of the stars you've selected, I cannot take any "funniest stars alive" list seriously that does not acknowledge the likes Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and, to a lesser degree, Harold Lloyd. You've not shown prejudice towards early comedy (The Marx Brothers, Laurel & Hardy) so how can you fail to acknowledge stars without which many of the above acts could not exist. Charlie Chaplin is worth one hundred Will Ferrels, and I am still a fan of him also.
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RagingBull
Feb 14th 2012, 9:29
I'm sorry, for all the worth of the stars you've selected, I cannot take any "funniest stars alive" list seriously that does not acknowledge the likes Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and, to a lesser degree, Harold Lloyd. You've not shown prejudice towards early comedy (The Marx Brothers, Laurel & Hardy) so how can you fail to acknowledge stars without which many of the above acts could not exist. Charlie Chaplin is worth one hundred Will Ferrels, and I am still a fan of him also.
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Heisenberg
Feb 14th 2012, 9:32
One, admittedly, very funny movie in 2004 is about it for me. Limited comedian, his repertoire consists of random words/sentences in a raised or shouty voice. My first time seeing him was austin powers, and he is still doing pretty much the same act now, 18years later.
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YorksProp
Feb 14th 2012, 11:15
@RagingBull any "funniest stars alive" list that DOES include Chapline, Keaton, Lloyd, Marx Brothers or Laurel & Hardy would lose all credibility to me, them being dead and all.
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jthecrab
Feb 14th 2012, 12:15
Ferrell is great but John C Reilly is a true genius. Whenever they make a movie together Reilly always outshines him IMO.
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2Dglasses
Feb 14th 2012, 15:37
^agreed. talladega nights and even step brothers are way better than kicking and screaming and even semi-pro which had some nice moments. Ferrell is incredibly funny in small doses (the stuff with Pearl the baby) but sometimes hard to stomach for a whole film. Walk h*****n the other hand i think is one of the more underappreciated comedies of the last 10 years-sadly it came along just when everyone wanted fratboy nonsense.
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writerdave87
Feb 14th 2012, 22:26
Have you noticed how John C Reilly looks younger in every successive film he's in? He looked about 50 in the River Wild!
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2Dglasses
Feb 15th 2012, 8:12
WTF? "Walk hard", followed by the word 'on' is asterisked out?
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ChrisWootton
Feb 15th 2012, 12:28
I wonder if Erection is allowed to go through
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ChrisWootton
Feb 15th 2012, 12:28
Yes. It is.
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Heisenberg
Feb 16th 2012, 8:37
I assume that in a few weeks, Total Film will be advertising the new Will Ferrell film? On the front page alone i see 3 features basically about him being 'funny'.
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FBJRider
Feb 17th 2012, 19:51
He's alright, he's never starred in a film that's more than mediocre. He's better than the likes of Adam Sandler etc. Obviously but he's nowhere near one of the funniest people alive.
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Aleric
Feb 20th 2012, 22:13
Will Ferrell, the most over rated comic on the planet. His movies are the lowest of the art and his real life demeanor makes his a detestable a*s. Unless of course you agree with him then you are acceptable in his circles.
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