Most people have never heard of “Penn & Teller Get Killed,” let alone seen it. Whether or not it ever even had any sort of theatrical run I’m unsure, but it’s managed to amass a minor cult following on home video over the years, which makes it an ideal title for the Warner Brothers Archive series. Playing fictitious versions of themselves, it kicks off with Penn & Teller appearing on a late-night talk show, where Penn announces that he wishes someone were trying to kill him, as it would bring some meaning to his life. Before long, it appears that someone may be taking him up on the request, yet the pair has been playing an escalating series of practical jokes on one another. Is the death threat against Penn one of Teller’s elaborate ruses, or is it the real deal?
There isn’t much more to the plot than what’s written above, and the screenplay, which was penned (ahem…) by the duo, is mostly a showcase for their oddball talents and dark personalities. It elicits at least a handful of genuine chuckles, and in the final reel, delivers an unusual, quirky sense of dread as it lives up to its title. It’s difficult to recommend to anyone who isn’t a fan, as this isn’t going to turn you into one, and yet it’s a noteworthy minor pop culture history lesson: the Penn & Teller of the movie are far removed from the Penn & Teller of today. Yes, there actually was a time when these guys were all about having a good time and entertaining the audience, as opposed to the bloated Libertarian windbags they are today.
