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| Special Features: |
Commentary by director Christian Charles and producer Gary Streiner
Commentary by comedians Jerry Steinfeld and Colin Quinn
Jerry Seinfeld's and Orny Adams' complete "Late Night" appearances
Deleted scenes with commentary
Jiminy Glick's interviews with Jerry Seinfeld and Orny Adams
"Where is Orny Now?" short film
Complete advertising campaign
Notes from Jerry Seinfeld, Colin Quinn and Orny Adams on developing material
Widescreen anamorphic format
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| Video Format: |
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.66:1)
[SS-DL]
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| Languages: |
English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
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| Subtitles: |
English
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| Captions: |
Yes
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| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
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Win "Comedian" on DVD!
EI is giving away ten copies of Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedian" on DVD. Visit EI's DVD Contests
page to enter your name in the drawing.
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A uneven yet fascinating look at the psyche of stand-up comedians, this documentary by advertisement directors Christian
Charles and Gary Streiner profiles reclusive comedian Jerry Seinfeld as he returns to the stand-up circuit. So what is
a comedian worth hundreds of millions of dollars doing working tiny comedy clubs in New Jersey and Cleveland? That is
essentially the question “Comedian” seeks to answer.
Charles and Streiner interestingly juxtapose the world’s most famous comedian with the trials of unknown comic Orny
Adams, whose avarice and thirst for fame are painful to watch. One has to wonder whether the filmmakers’ choice of
Adams was meant to show the difference in mentality between an amateur comic and a composed and professional master
craftsman such as Seinfeld, who’s using his local comic tour to hone his skills for a new routine.
The draw of “Comedian” is of course Seinfeld, and the film certainly shines in this aspect. We see footage of Seinfeld
discussing his craft with fellow comedians Colin Quinn (who's featured several times in the film), Ray Romano, Chris Rock,
and even a brief conversation backstage with Orny Adams, and get a more personal look at what makes him tick,
as he reveals his fears, anxieties and attraction to the stage and microphone that’s made him a legend.
We are shown the entire process of developing a standup routine, from how jokes are put together, to backstage
prepping and even what happens when comics suffer brain farts (Seinfeld loses his train of thought in one club, and is
forced to ramble as he frantically attempts to find his place again). In another particularly telling scene, he
talks about the reason he continues to do standup, which is motivated by the fear of losing his touch on stage if
he ever stops performing.
While the Orny Adams segment tends to annoy (mostly because Adams lacks both the humor and humility to be a true star),
Charles and Streiner thankfully pull the plug in the second half of “Comedian,” focusing their attention to the man the
film should really be about. It's a poignant look at the quiet brilliance of a master comedian, and what makes him and those
in his unique world tick.
While "Comedian" occasionally suffers from uneven pacing, it's a fascinating look at the little-known
world of standup comedians. The DVD makes it even better. Audio/video quality is above average
for a documentary (given the low-budget nature of the production), and there's plenty of
supplements (two great commentary tracks headline this area) to choose from.
Picture Quality: 8/10
"Comedian" is presented in 1.33:1 full-frame, typical of most films in the documentary genre.
The picture quality is equal to the presentation in theaters. Sharpness and detail are fairly consistent,
though some scenes have a fair amount of grain. Edge enhancement wasn't visible, but a few instances
of slight compression artifacts did pop up. Overall, a decent documentary video transfer.
Sound Quality: 9/10
"Comedian" is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. The film's jazz-heavy score comes across very nicely
in the home theater setting. There is also surprisingly a fair bit of reinforcement from the surround channels.
Dialogue remains relatively crisp and audible, even during the louder comedy club sequences.
If there's one negative, the audio track is a little soft as a whole.
Menu: 8/10
Nice clean menu system.
No Easter Eggs found during review.
Extra Features: 9/10
Commentaries: The first commentary track features comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Colin Quinn,
who have been recorded together. Though fairly low-key throughout, the two are often pretty funny,
with many in-jokes and comments about what's currently going on in the feature.
Not exactly a thorough and insightful commentary track, it is the most entertaining extra feature on the disc.
The other commentary track is from producer Gary Streiner and director Christian Charles.
A little more dry than the first track, the two do provide a good overview of what
they were trying to accomplish, while chatting about working with the comedians and production issues
(the two also served as cinematographers).
Deleted Scenes: Five very amusing deleted scenes (12 minutes worth) are included.
The director/producer aksi offer audio commentary about why this material was cut.
Advertising: The film's hilarious "parody" trailer has been included, plus
TV promos, poster galleries and a look at "action figures" of the people featured in the movie.
Jiminy Glick Interviews: Both Adams and Seinfeld are featured in interviews with
the Martin Short host-character that were done specifically for the DVD.
Letterman Appearances: The full, unabridged Letterman performances of both Orny Adams and
Seinfeld have been included (part of both are featured in the film itself).
What Is Orny Doing? is a short featurette that fills us into what the unfunny Adams is up to now.
Anatomy of a Joke: A noble yet slightly meaning feature. You are shown the actual note sheets
from Seinfeld, Adams and Colin Quinn. However, it's very hard to make out much of the actual writing and
scribble on the pages.
The Final Word:
While "Comedian" occasionally suffers from uneven pacing, it's a fascinating look at the little-known world of standup comedians. The DVD is even better. Audio/video quality is about as good as it gets for a documentary (given the low-budget nature of the production), and there's plenty of supplements (two great commentary tracks headline this are). Worth atleast a rental, "Comedian" is a great addition for fans of Seinfeld and standup comedy.
Stephen Wong
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