Gag Reels: Failure is Funny
Everyone makes mistakes, even the most polished and smooth of film professionals. Fortunately, most of these people have a sense of humor about their failings -- and thus, the gag reel was born. Here are a few of our favorites.
1. Jackie Chan in Rumble in the Bronx
Jackie Chan is one of the great champions of the gag reel, ending each
of his movies with a candid look at the stunts that went wrong. Ths
excerpt from Rumble in the Bronx is the perfect showcase of one
man suffering, and suffering, for his art.
2. The West Wing Season 1
This crew-produced gag reel highlights the fast-talking-est,
food-loving-est, Emmy-winning-est political drama of the century.
3. Back to the Future
We all have a little trouble buying Michael J. Fox as a teenager, even
in 1985. But it gets even harder when you see him struggle with Marty
McFly's iconic skateboard, or try and drink some real booze.
4. Newsradio
Most sitcom gag reels kind of suck; they're just actors screwing up
lines and cursing about it. But not only is this clip pretty funny,
it features one of the all-time great sitcom casts -- including Dave
Foley, Steven Root, Maura Tienery, Vicki Lewis, and the late great
Phil Hartman.
5. Orson Welles Believes In the Products He Endorses...
...But only after vigorous sampling. We choose to embrace that explanation for this collection of takes from a 1970s wine commercial. Because otherwise we're just watching the absolute
nadir of a legendary actor/director, and we too then develop a
thirst for the hard stuff.
