Laugh Clown Laugh is about more than just a good laugh
The art of the clown has kept people entertained for centuries, but for Berlin based Reinhard Horstkotte--a seasoned clown of 30+ years--being a clown means more to him than just giving folks a good laugh.
Horstkotte’s persona--Filou the Clown--is not what one might expect from typical clown fare. He doesn’t mask his face in a bright shade of white; doesn’t wear overbearingly bright clothes; doesn’t wear a big curly/bushy wig on his head. Filou is an understated clown who wears a tailor-cut vest with pinstripe pants, a jewel toned ruby colored dress shirt, and just enough makeup to give his eyes and cheekbones a bit of flair. For good measure, he’s got a signature bulbish red clown nose …show more content…
Filou isn’t just a way to get a good laugh out of people--it isn’t a self-serving narcissism that drives him. For him, seeing people laugh on his behalf is the end result of him bringing them pleasure. In other words, what really drives Horstkotte is his selflessness and desire to make other people happy.
Horstkotte is a quiet presence, and even as Filou there is a calmness behind his performance. He isn’t overly energetic, he’s more like a wanderer. In a particularly touching scene, Filou is seen walking around under an autumn-affected tree--barren of all leaves--picking up the dead leaves off the ground and attempting to put them back on the branches. The colors of this scene are particularly stunning, as the dying leaves in shades of gold, red and orange compliment Filou’s understated appearance as he stands behind the backdrop of a pale Berlin sky.
Emmanuel Vaughn-Lee’s direction is complementary to Filou’s style of performance, and filmed as such: understated, melancholic, and breezy. Simple but effective, Laugh Clown Laugh is an inspiring and pleasant glimpse into the life of an everyday man who gets pleasure out of inspiring
The art of the clown has kept people entertained for centuries, but for Berlin based Reinhard Horstkotte--a seasoned clown of 30+ years--being a clown means more to him than just giving folks a good laugh.
Horstkotte’s persona--Filou the Clown--is not what one might expect from typical clown fare. He doesn’t mask his face in a bright shade of white; doesn’t wear overbearingly bright clothes; doesn’t wear a big curly/bushy wig on his head. Filou is an understated clown who wears a tailor-cut vest with pinstripe pants, a jewel toned ruby colored dress shirt, and just enough makeup to give his eyes and cheekbones a bit of flair. For good measure, he’s got a signature bulbish red clown nose …show more content…
Filou isn’t just a way to get a good laugh out of people--it isn’t a self-serving narcissism that drives him. For him, seeing people laugh on his behalf is the end result of him bringing them pleasure. In other words, what really drives Horstkotte is his selflessness and desire to make other people happy.
Horstkotte is a quiet presence, and even as Filou there is a calmness behind his performance. He isn’t overly energetic, he’s more like a wanderer. In a particularly touching scene, Filou is seen walking around under an autumn-affected tree--barren of all leaves--picking up the dead leaves off the ground and attempting to put them back on the branches. The colors of this scene are particularly stunning, as the dying leaves in shades of gold, red and orange compliment Filou’s understated appearance as he stands behind the backdrop of a pale Berlin sky.
Emmanuel Vaughn-Lee’s direction is complementary to Filou’s style of performance, and filmed as such: understated, melancholic, and breezy. Simple but effective, Laugh Clown Laugh is an inspiring and pleasant glimpse into the life of an everyday man who gets pleasure out of inspiring