Penn & Teller Get Killed
Encyclopedia
Penn & Teller Get Killed is a 1989 dark comedy
film directed by Arthur Penn
starring magicians
Penn & Teller
. The duo play themselves, and the plot involves them in a satirical account of what the audience would perhaps imagine the pair doing in their daily lives. Most of the action involves Penn
and Teller
playing practical jokes on each other along with Penn's girlfriend, Carlotta (played by Caitlin Clarke
). The final joke, as the title of the film implies, has serious consequences for all three.
As things progress, it becomes apparent that Penn's comments about wishing someone were trying to kill him are not going down well with the public. Undeterred (and continuing with their prank war,) Penn and Teller expose fraudulent psychic surgery
to Carlotta's wealthy Uncle Ernesto before he can spend his fortune on the surgery in order to remove his tumour. Later, however, both Penn and Teller are kidnapped by agents of an angry Filipino psychic surgeon, wishing revenge on the two for damaging his reputation. Just as it seems the pair are about to be brutally tortured, the situation is revealed to Penn as a birthday prank played by Teller, Carlotta and Uncle Ernesto (who is in fact perfectly healthy.)
Later on, as the three leave the theatre after one of their nightly performances, someone opens fire on Penn, shooting him in the arm. Teller is accused of hiring an assassin as a joke, even though he (silently) protests his innocence. After Penn and Carlotta angrily leave him behind, Teller attempts to chase after the assassin's car, which, strangely, is identical to Penn's. The assassin attempts to lose Teller by hiring a ric-shaw, but Teller secretly follows behind, and sees that the assassin has dressed himself to look just like Penn. The assassin, however, soon realises that Teller is following him, and disappears. Teller returns to the theatre, where Penn has still not forgiven him for his 'joke'. As more shots are fired in to their dressing room, however, Penn finally realises that the situation has nothing to do with Teller, and that someone really is trying to kill him.
A femme fatale police officer by the name of MacNamara is hired to hide the two away on her house boat, and Teller buys a gun in order to protect Penn. That night, Teller is apprehended on the beach by two muggers, who demand money from him, and threaten him with a knife. Despite being armed with the gun, Teller calmly hands the money over, and only pretends to shoot at the muggers as they walk away, revealing a darker, more melodramatic side to his character.
Soon after, Officer MacNamara announces that a nameless villain, a supposed vehement Penn & Teller fan (played by David Patrick Kelly
) has been arrested. Penn and Teller get to tour his bizarre apartment turned Penn & Teller shrine. Believing that they are now safe, Teller innocuously disposes of his gun in a trashcan at the apartment. Shortly after MacNamara departs, however, Penn is stabbed in the stomach by an assailant on the street, and it appears that the Penn look-a-like assassin is still on the loose. Penn rushes off to hospital where, once Teller is out of sight, he appears perfectly fine. Teller, meanwhile, proceeds to pursue the would-be assassin in a peculiar chase scene back to the apartment.
As Teller enters the apartment, the madman, dressed as Penn, forces him to enact the upside-down Penn & Teller routine from the start of the film with him in front of a camera. He then uses duct tape to secure the hapless Teller to the gravity boot rig, leaving him to hang upside-down until he passes out and dies. Officer MacNamara then returns, revealing that she is in fact in league with the assassin. While the assassin leaves to find and finish off Penn, and MacNamara waits for Teller to die, the confused Teller is able to grab the gun from the wastebasket and threatens a startled MacNamara with it as the real Penn walks in. Teller shoots and kills him with one shot.
After Teller realises that he has just shot his partner, MacNamara laughs, and reveals herself as Carlotta, making it apparent that the whole event was in fact an elaborate prank that she and Penn played on Teller. Teller, breaking silence for the first time, immediately thinks Penn and Carlotta switched his gun for a replica, but Carlotta seems to think that Penn being dead is just another joke that the duo are playing on her. She and Teller then realise that Teller has actually killed Penn. Distraught, Teller turns the gun on himself, before the grief-stricken Carlotta throws herself out of the window.
Upon returning to his apartment and finding everyone dead, the "hired assassin" panics, fearing that the police will believe he really was a madman out to kill Penn & Teller, and takes the gun and shoots himself. Others who come into the apartment and find the carnage also kill themselves. The film ends with a pull-out from the apartment building, as gunshots fire in the distance, while the Bee Gees
song "I Started a Joke
" plays in the background. Penn, via voice over, explains that this is the definitive end of it all.
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
film directed by Arthur Penn
Arthur Penn
Arthur Hiller Penn was an American film director and producer with a career as a theater director as well. Penn amassed a critically acclaimed body of work throughout the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:...
starring magicians
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
Penn & Teller
Penn & Teller
Penn & Teller are Las Vegas headliners whose act is an amalgam of illusion and comedy. Penn Jillette is a raconteur; Teller generally uses mime while performing, although his voice can occasionally be heard during their performance...
. The duo play themselves, and the plot involves them in a satirical account of what the audience would perhaps imagine the pair doing in their daily lives. Most of the action involves Penn
Penn Jillette
Penn Fraser Jillette is an American magician, comedian, illusionist, juggler, bassist and a best-selling author known for his work with fellow illusionist Teller in the team Penn & Teller, and advocacy of atheism, libertarian philosophy, free-market economics, and scientific skepticism.-Early...
and Teller
Teller (magician)
Teller is an American magician, illusionist, comedian, writer, and the frequently silent half of the comedy magic duo Penn & Teller, along with Penn Jillette. He legally changed his name from "Raymond Joseph Teller" to just "Teller"...
playing practical jokes on each other along with Penn's girlfriend, Carlotta (played by Caitlin Clarke
Caitlin Clarke
Caitlin Clarke was an American theater and film actress best known for her role as Valerian in the 1981 fantasy film Dragonslayer and for her role as Charlotte Cardoza in the 1998–1999 Broadway musical Titanic....
). The final joke, as the title of the film implies, has serious consequences for all three.
Plot
Penn & Teller appear on a late night talk show, performing an impressive upside-down camera illusion. After the show's host mocks the duo's interest in magic and their renowned skepticism, Penn jokingly comments that he wishes someone were trying to kill him. Soon after, the magicians are off to a scheduled show in Atlantic City with Penn's girlfriend, Carlotta. At the airport, Teller plays a prank on Penn by slipping metal objects in to his pockets each time he walks through the metal detector, and Penn gets back at him by thumbcuffing Teller to a fake gun, which gets him arrested by security.As things progress, it becomes apparent that Penn's comments about wishing someone were trying to kill him are not going down well with the public. Undeterred (and continuing with their prank war,) Penn and Teller expose fraudulent psychic surgery
Psychic surgery
Psychic surgery is a procedure typically involving the supposed creation of an incision using only the bare hands, the supposed removal of pathological matter, and the seemingly spontaneous healing of the incision....
to Carlotta's wealthy Uncle Ernesto before he can spend his fortune on the surgery in order to remove his tumour. Later, however, both Penn and Teller are kidnapped by agents of an angry Filipino psychic surgeon, wishing revenge on the two for damaging his reputation. Just as it seems the pair are about to be brutally tortured, the situation is revealed to Penn as a birthday prank played by Teller, Carlotta and Uncle Ernesto (who is in fact perfectly healthy.)
Later on, as the three leave the theatre after one of their nightly performances, someone opens fire on Penn, shooting him in the arm. Teller is accused of hiring an assassin as a joke, even though he (silently) protests his innocence. After Penn and Carlotta angrily leave him behind, Teller attempts to chase after the assassin's car, which, strangely, is identical to Penn's. The assassin attempts to lose Teller by hiring a ric-shaw, but Teller secretly follows behind, and sees that the assassin has dressed himself to look just like Penn. The assassin, however, soon realises that Teller is following him, and disappears. Teller returns to the theatre, where Penn has still not forgiven him for his 'joke'. As more shots are fired in to their dressing room, however, Penn finally realises that the situation has nothing to do with Teller, and that someone really is trying to kill him.
A femme fatale police officer by the name of MacNamara is hired to hide the two away on her house boat, and Teller buys a gun in order to protect Penn. That night, Teller is apprehended on the beach by two muggers, who demand money from him, and threaten him with a knife. Despite being armed with the gun, Teller calmly hands the money over, and only pretends to shoot at the muggers as they walk away, revealing a darker, more melodramatic side to his character.
Soon after, Officer MacNamara announces that a nameless villain, a supposed vehement Penn & Teller fan (played by David Patrick Kelly
David Patrick Kelly
David Patrick Kelly is an American actor and musician who has appeared in numerous films, including some major roles.-Career:...
) has been arrested. Penn and Teller get to tour his bizarre apartment turned Penn & Teller shrine. Believing that they are now safe, Teller innocuously disposes of his gun in a trashcan at the apartment. Shortly after MacNamara departs, however, Penn is stabbed in the stomach by an assailant on the street, and it appears that the Penn look-a-like assassin is still on the loose. Penn rushes off to hospital where, once Teller is out of sight, he appears perfectly fine. Teller, meanwhile, proceeds to pursue the would-be assassin in a peculiar chase scene back to the apartment.
As Teller enters the apartment, the madman, dressed as Penn, forces him to enact the upside-down Penn & Teller routine from the start of the film with him in front of a camera. He then uses duct tape to secure the hapless Teller to the gravity boot rig, leaving him to hang upside-down until he passes out and dies. Officer MacNamara then returns, revealing that she is in fact in league with the assassin. While the assassin leaves to find and finish off Penn, and MacNamara waits for Teller to die, the confused Teller is able to grab the gun from the wastebasket and threatens a startled MacNamara with it as the real Penn walks in. Teller shoots and kills him with one shot.
After Teller realises that he has just shot his partner, MacNamara laughs, and reveals herself as Carlotta, making it apparent that the whole event was in fact an elaborate prank that she and Penn played on Teller. Teller, breaking silence for the first time, immediately thinks Penn and Carlotta switched his gun for a replica, but Carlotta seems to think that Penn being dead is just another joke that the duo are playing on her. She and Teller then realise that Teller has actually killed Penn. Distraught, Teller turns the gun on himself, before the grief-stricken Carlotta throws herself out of the window.
Upon returning to his apartment and finding everyone dead, the "hired assassin" panics, fearing that the police will believe he really was a madman out to kill Penn & Teller, and takes the gun and shoots himself. Others who come into the apartment and find the carnage also kill themselves. The film ends with a pull-out from the apartment building, as gunshots fire in the distance, while the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
song "I Started a Joke
I Started a Joke
"I Started a Joke" is a 1968 song by the Bee Gees from their album Idea, which was released in September of that year.Curiously, it was not released as a single in the UK, where buyers who could not afford the album had to content themselves with a Polydor version by Heath...
" plays in the background. Penn, via voice over, explains that this is the definitive end of it all.