The World's Greatest Sinner

[Vincant A.]

I've heard of this one in recent and I hope it fits in this forum. After reading a fairly in depth article on Timothy Carey I've had an interest in checking this one out. So let the discussion on this lost classic begin.

And on that note; does anyone know where I can pick up a decent to good quality copy? Because I gotta' tell ya' I've been on my fair share of sites that specialize in selling cult flicks and I've never seen a one offer this film, and this includes sites that offer Preminger's Skidoo and the lost work of Andy Kaufman. So any help at all appreciated.

[Ian Miller]

That's thee question on my mind too. Apart from vhs tapes sold by Carey's son in the past, I have seen nothing available. However, Carey's stage performance/"Ulysses dance" appears on a 5 Minutes To Live LOST & FOUND comp (Vol. 3, I think), which is the site you're referring to, right?

I've wanted to see this for years and years, and I even used to have a Zappa bootleg (SERIOUS MUSIC) that had huge chunks from the film edited together.

Edit: OK, so I found a site that offers an expensive vhs (I think this is the family site), but it's not apparent if they still exist or not, given the 2001-2 copyright. Good luck!

[Vincant A.]

Yeah I've even tried Bit torrent and P2P sites and came up with nothing, which is shocking considering you can even find the rare Titicut Follies on the net.

[Jeffrey M2]

It must be out there online -- a friend downloaded a copy and burnt a Divx disc for me... though I haven't yet watched it.

[Andy Copp]

I have it on my site nightcrew Video at www.coppfilms.com my copy is good but not perfect by far. But with a movie this obscure you take what you can I suppose...

[William R.]

Originally Posted by Andy Copp

I have it on my site nightcrew Video at www.coppfilms.com my copy is good but not perfect by far. But with a movie this obscure you take what you can I suppose...

I've had that site bookmarked forever. I guess it's safe to order.

[Marc Morris]

I picked up a video of THE WORLD'S GREATEST SINNER directly from Carey's son's website a few years ago. Check it out:

Absolute Films

[Chris Poggiali]

I don't know if he's upgraded in the past 15 years, but the VHS that Carey's son used to sell was "copy protected" in the most brainless way imaginable: it was recorded at the 6 hour speed! I guess the theory was that it would look terrible if someone tried to dupe it. Unfortunately, it looked terrible the first time it was played, and only went downhill from there.

[Richard Sweeney]

Thimothy Carey was in CHANGE OF HABBIT with Elvis and Elvis went up to Carrey and asked about THE WORLDS GREATEST SINNER and wanted to know if he could lend him a copy becase he always wanted to see it. Carey said he only had one copy and didn't want to lend it. So Elvis didn't get to see it.

[Marc Morris]

it was recorded at the 6 hour speed!

No, mine is in SP mode bu there's an on-screen spolier.

[Tyler D.]

This movie goes from great to torture every five minutes. Warning to everyone it is extreamly hard to watch. And know that saying that on this site means its REALLY hard not just hard for the adverage viewer. Maybe it's my copy but ive heard that the film was never really fully edited so it kinda jumps around but some parts are really amazing. as a whole it sucks but in parts well worth it. If you guys are still having problems contact me id be willing to trade a tape for something else crazy. My copy sucks but im pretty sure all the copies suck.

[Andy Copp]

Originally Posted by William R.

I've had that site bookmarked forever. I guess it's safe to order.

Yep, Safe to order!!!! You know right where to go and whoop my ass if you're unhappy!

As for my WORLD'S GREATEST SINNER, it is most definately NOT from an EP master and has not bugs or logos on it. It ain't perfect by any stretch, b ut sounds like it is better than the other copies running around. But yeah the movie IS choppy, like it was unfinished or not a fine edit done. But that is part of the charm. Carrey's freak out dance number is a highlight and worth the bucks alone!

Remind me you're a DVD maniacs member if youorder and we'll work something out

Later
Andy

[Wayne Schmidt]

Originally Posted by Tyler D.

This movie goes from great to torture every five minutes. Warning to everyone it is extreamly hard to watch. And know that saying that on this site means its REALLY hard not just hard for the adverage viewer. Maybe it's my copy but ive heard that the film was never really fully edited so it kinda jumps around but some parts are really amazing. as a whole it sucks but in parts well worth it. If you guys are still having problems contact me id be willing to trade a tape for something else crazy. My copy sucks but im pretty sure all the copies suck.

I'm good friends with the guy who did most of the editing on the film (Steve Nielson) . . . . I remember Carey would call him back every six months or so and recut, add and take out . . . use to drive Steve nuts. And no, he never "locked" picture to my knowledge. Is the tape of a workprint or did he ever actually cut negative and make an answer print?

[Andy Copp]

There is no workprint numbers or anything, but I highly doubt its from an answer print either. I found it at Chiller Theater in 1996 by a fluke. The guy didn't even know what it was and had it thrown in his $5.00 bin under the table! So god only knows where it originated from.

I would hardly say any of the movie "sucks" btu it is ALL bizarre. Prime Carrey and his big dream project from what I understand. The finale is actually pretty moving too. A weird wonderful ride.

Andy

[Ian Miller]

It's funny that there is now talk on various forums about this, with a lot of people (myself included, thanks to the Panty Cakes Grabber) seeing it for the first time. I wouldn't say it sucks, at all, but I would say that it's lack of transition shots (noted on another forum) and extremely odd lighting schemes make it more of an art film than anything I can come up with easily by way of comparison. Carey's perf is VERY memorable, and just the whole story idea in general (insurance salesman and family man has mid-life crisis, re-names himself God, is not a preacher or politician, yet runs for president on the "Eternal Man" party ticket, and uses Rock and Roll as his gimmick) is really ahead of his time, years before LSD-era faves like PRIVELIGE or WILD IN THE STREETS. You gotta love Paul Frees's narration (btw I recently saw the IRMA LA DOUCE trailer narrated by.........Paul Frees!), and Zappa's music goes between fitting the visuals well and really just serving it's own purpose, sounding very much like an artist trying to get his music heard, at any cost, which sounds about right, given his typically snide comments about the experience. At any rate, if you have ever been remotely curious about this film, you need to track down a copy and watch it.