George Carlin - George's Best Stuff

Rating:
Summary: It's a Start, but it Could've Been So Much More
Review: It is almost IMPOSSIBLE to successfully put together a "Best of Carlin" on CD or DVD. Why? Because it'd take up too much time. Carlin has done NUMEROUS bits that are now deemed classic, and personally I think almost everything the man does, is great. And yet, here is this DVD, "George's Best Stuff." Well, it is a start, but only covers SOME of the great things this very funny and unique man has said and done.

It's not a complete disappointment though. The bits and segments included are indeed funny. And, I love how a lot of the stuff included are from older shows and acts. I really do think Carlin shines the best in his older material, but the Carlin today is still very funny and on top of his game. It was nice to see some of these older bits from older shows, and I hope they come out on DVD sometime soon.

The DVD includes famous bits such as "Seven Dirty Words," "Stuff," "Al Sleet," "Dog Incident," "Fussy Eater," "Losing Things," "Driving," and much more. The DVD has a total of 17 chapters and adds up to the DVD being 87 minutes.

AH HA! There lies the problem. 87 minutes. ONLY 87 minutes?? 87 minutes for something with the title of "George's Best Stuff?" These 87 minutes should represent the entire comedy life of George Carlin? I hope not! Like I said, it's a nice start, but I think something of this magnitude should really be longer. There's so much that is left out on this DVD. So many classic bits that fail to appear on this package with the name "George's Best Stuff." The stuff that is included does indeed qualify as some of George's best bits, but I think there was a missed opportunity here. I really think more could've been done.

Is "George's Best Stuff" a complete disappointment? Of course not. Is it enjoyable to watch? Most definitely. Should Carlin fans check it out? By all means, yes. However, I really do believe more could've been done and that more could've been included. While "George's Best Stuff" isn't a total disappointment, it does leave you feeling that more could've and should've been done to honor the very title on the DVD cover, "George's Best Stuff." It's a start, but I'm afraid it is only that.

Rating:
Summary: It's a Start, but it Could've Been So Much More
Review: It is almost IMPOSSIBLE to successfully put together a "Best of Carlin" on CD or DVD. Why? Because it'd take up too much time. Carlin has done NUMEROUS bits that are now deemed classic, and personally I think almost everything the man does, is great. And yet, here is this DVD, "George's Best Stuff." Well, it is a start, but only covers SOME of the great things this very funny and unique man has said and done.

It's not a complete disappointment though. The bits and segments included are indeed funny. And, I love how a lot of the stuff included are from older shows and acts. I really do think Carlin shines the best in his older material, but the Carlin today is still very funny and on top of his game. It was nice to see some of these older bits from older shows, and I hope they come out on DVD sometime soon.

The DVD includes famous bits such as "Seven Dirty Words," "Stuff," "Al Sleet," "Dog Incident," "Fussy Eater," "Losing Things," "Driving," and much more. The DVD has a total of 17 chapters and adds up to the DVD being 87 minutes.

AH HA! There lies the problem. 87 minutes. ONLY 87 minutes?? 87 minutes for something with the title of "George's Best Stuff?" These 87 minutes should represent the entire comedy life of George Carlin? I hope not! Like I said, it's a nice start, but I think something of this magnitude should really be longer. There's so much that is left out on this DVD. So many classic bits that fail to appear on this package with the name "George's Best Stuff." The stuff that is included does indeed qualify as some of George's best bits, but I think there was a missed opportunity here. I really think more could've been done.

Is "George's Best Stuff" a complete disappointment? Of course not. Is it enjoyable to watch? Most definitely. Should Carlin fans check it out? By all means, yes. However, I really do believe more could've been done and that more could've been included. While "George's Best Stuff" isn't a total disappointment, it does leave you feeling that more could've and should've been done to honor the very title on the DVD cover, "George's Best Stuff." It's a start, but I'm afraid it is only that.

Rating:
Summary: This is comedy like Robin Williams
Review: Some of this stuff is from the 70's when George Carlin was young and in 1990, he looked a little bit older like in Scary Movie 3 where he looks like Santa Claus as "the architect". George Carlin is my personal favorite comedian and it's as good as Robin Williams-Live on Broadway.Recently, I heard that nowadays he wants to be taken more seriously.I think he would be very good in something serious. That's just me.

Rating:
Summary: Fun, fun, fun!
Review: This is a very great video. I'm from the netherlands, and I enjoyed it very mucho! It contains some of the best stuff Carlin's performed. really cewl!

Rating:
Summary: The emperor is naked!
Review: This is my 2nd bunch of comments on this DVD, my first has not been posted, maybe it never will be. I hope not. I've thought the matter over. I've read a lot of reviews of Carlin since I discovered him the other day, and I've noticed that the people who worship him seem as a general rule to like violence in their "music" and their movies. (I've been reading other reviews by Carlin devotees.) I've also noticed that many if not most of the rave reviews (particularly one that praised his intelligence) are illiterate. A few reviews I agree with. Early, young Carlin was warmer, calmer, more human, more humane and just plain funnier. The comparison can be made on this DVD, because the last bit "Driving" was by an older Carlin. What were previously comical expressions on his face became grotesque manic grimaces, what was sly and warm became ferocious rage, what was controversial (and I get this also from the Jammin'/Doin' It DVD which I watched part of) became meaningless rantings. His early stuff was amusing (I prefer Bob Newhart) and I laughed some, it was not particularly insightful, some of his observations of life and things (eg the differences between dogs and cats, stuff, losing things) were clever and often dead-on. I obviously preferred the younger Carlin (and he was pretty then with all his hair, the older version simply didn't even look like him, whichever was the real him), and I thought the older Carlin was just an explosion of incoherent hatred. Vulgar (yay!), but to me not funny.

Rating:
Summary: The emperor is naked!
Review: This is my 2nd bunch of comments on this DVD, my first has not been posted, maybe it never will be. I hope not. I've thought the matter over. I've read a lot of reviews of Carlin since I discovered him the other day, and I've noticed that the people who worship him seem as a general rule to like violence in their "music" and their movies. (I've been reading other reviews by Carlin devotees.) I've also noticed that many if not most of the rave reviews (particularly one that praised his intelligence) are illiterate. A few reviews I agree with. Early, young Carlin was warmer, calmer, more human, more humane and just plain funnier. The comparison can be made on this DVD, because the last bit "Driving" was by an older Carlin. What were previously comical expressions on his face became grotesque manic grimaces, what was sly and warm became ferocious rage, what was controversial (and I get this also from the Jammin'/Doin' It DVD which I watched part of) became meaningless rantings. His early stuff was amusing (I prefer Bob Newhart) and I laughed some, it was not particularly insightful, some of his observations of life and things (eg the differences between dogs and cats, stuff, losing things) were clever and often dead-on. I obviously preferred the younger Carlin (and he was pretty then with all his hair, the older version simply didn't even look like him, whichever was the real him), and I thought the older Carlin was just an explosion of incoherent hatred. Vulgar (yay!), but to me not funny.

Rating:
Summary: Our Greatest Comedian
Review: This video shows a score of live performance bits, including the seven words in 3 or 4 of the performance bits. It shows him at various ages from young to balding and greying where you can see him performing live. It tops his CD's because you see him live and see and hear the auduence's break-up reactions. Carlin is unique and unsurpassed. I could not recommend this video more highly.

Rating:
Summary: Our Greatest Comedian
Review: This video shows a score of live performance bits, including the seven words in 3 or 4 of the performance bits. It shows him at various ages from young to balding and greying where you can see him performing live. It tops his CD's because you see him live and see and hear the auduence's break-up reactions. Carlin is unique and unsurpassed. I could not recommend this video more highly.

Rating:
Summary: Finally! Now THIS is more like it!
Review: Well now, it appears we've hit the mother lode with this gem of a comdy video! the reason for me stating so is that it, fortunatly and mercifully contains only classic pre '90's standup material for the absolute pleasure and enjoyment of Mr. Carlin's formerly devoted audience. I especially appreciate the presence of the '77 and '78 routines (blue and black shirts, respectively) that really stand out in the selection of "stuff" from times past that this video showcases. The material from '82,'84, and '86 is not legendary but still not too bad. However, the '88 and '90 parts are strictly mediocre and forgettable, I truly feel. Anyway, I am extremely glad that this, as well as the recent release of the "Little David Years" box set exists on the comedy album market today, in order to inspire up-and-comers and to remind us that the "Former Great" really did use to deliver memorable monologues that did more than make us laugh, they made us think as well. The most important thing for comedy fans to remember is: Classic Carlin is Cool!