20th Century Fox/MGM DVD Clearance Sale (series)

Lenny

Starring: Dustin Hoffman Director: Bob Fosse  Rated:

DVD Features:

Audio:

• Dolby Digital Mono - English
• Dolby Digital Mono - French

Additional Release Material:

• Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer

Major Awards:

Cannes - Best Actress (1975)

Product Description:

Director Bob Fosse (CABARET) brings his characteristically scathing commentary on the entertainment biz to this biopic about the controversial comedian Lenny Bruce. Bruce's career was brought to a dramatic halt just years before this film was made, when he was found dead of a drug overdose on the bathroom floor of his home. He was 40 years old.

Lenny's sexual and narcotic misdemeanors are graphically portrayed. The film is shot in black-and-white, and the story of Bruce's life is told in flashback interviews with prominent figures from his life. Valerie Perrine's performance as the stripper Bruce married garnered her an Academy Award nomination (in addition to five others for the film in 1975). Dustin Hoffman transformed himself into an erratic anti-hero to play Bruce, giving a multi-faceted, riveting performance that truly depicts the demise of a legend. LENNY was Fosse's first and only non-musical film, and its innovation rivals the best of those works.

Plot Synopsis:

Based on the life of controversial comedian Lenny Bruce. Bruce's death in 1966 followed a turbulent life marked by numerous arrests for drug possession and obscenity, and a troubled marriage to an ex-stripper. His closest companions relate in interviews their experiences and feelings about Bruce, while flashbacks depict key events from his life.

Plot Keywords:

Biography | Drama | Rags To Riches | Theatrical Release | Tragedy | True Story

Production Notes:

• Theatrical release: November 10, 1974
• Director Bob Fosse supervised the editing of the film while working on the Broadway musical "Chicago." Stress and exhaustion led to his heart attack at the time of the film's release, resulting in open-heart surgery. This period of Fosse's life was later documented in the film "All That Jazz."
• "Lenny" was supposed to open the New York Film Festival, but editing delays prevented it.
• Valerie Perrine, who plays the stripper Bruce marries in the film, was once a Las Vegas showgirl.
• Valerie Perrine was named Best Supporting Actress of 1974 by the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics' Circle.
• Academy Award Nominations: 6, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor--Dustin Hoffman, Best Actress--Valerie Perrine, Best (Adapted) Screenplay.

Cast and Crew: