'Live From New York!' Trailer Explores the History of SNL

Unlike James Franco’s Saturday Night, which took viewers behind the scenes of the making of just one episode of SNL, Live From New York! presents an audio-visual history of the whole series. With the help of lots of familiar faces, including those who have hosted the show throughout its run, the new documentary traces the existence of SNL from its early days to now. The first trailer for Live From New York! is here, giving you a little taste of what the doc has in store.

Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Chris Rock, Amy Poehler, and even former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani are just some of the faces you’ll see in the new documentary, each one lending commentary and context to various elements of SNL and its history. The doc explores the beginnings of the series, when Lorne Michaels pitched this wacky sketch show as “a cross between 60 Minutes and Monty Python,” featuring a cast of misfits, to the present day, as SNL has become one of the most prolific series in history.

What began as a shaky enterprise quickly became a weekly treat and a legitimate American institution, which has, as Baldwin notes in the trailer, weathered the ups and downs of our country. So many fans of SNL grew up watching the show and can’t remember a time when SNL didn’t exist. There’s a certain comfort in knowing it’s always there every Saturday night. And although some seasons and casts aren’t as great as others, there’s still something wonderful about tuning in and watching this motley crew deliver a show that was conceived and polished in the span of one week.

Live From New York! will make its debut next Wednesday, April 15, at the Tribeca Film Festival.