movies come from lots of dumb ideas but this might be the dumbest,’ asserts Jerry Seinfeld, standup comedian, TV sitcom rev-olutioniser and first-time movie director at 69 years old. This iconic funnyman may be a little late off the mark when it comes to helming Unfrosted - his oddball directorial debut that chronicles the wild and completely made-up tale of how everyone’s favourite sugar-loaded toaster pastry came to be - but his observations about the weird things that inspire movies are as timely as ever.
Films often emerge from left-field catalysts - memes, online ads, even Barbie dolls with identity-crisis Kens. For his latest project, Seinfeld has gathered a stacked comedy cast that spans Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer and himself to make something unique: a movie that has its origins in a stand-up routine. ‘As far as I can tell, it’s the first,’ he tells Total Film, explaining how a comedy bit that he first debuted during a 2010 set on has led directly to his first film. ‘I don’t think anybody’s done this before.’
