Sam Kinison - Why Did We Laugh? (DVD/CD)
by Larry Carroll (IV)
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DVD details
Actor: Beverly D'Angelo, Bill Kinison, Carl LaBove, Dennis Miller, Richard PryorDirector: Larry Carroll (IV)
Brand: Image Entertainment
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Black & White, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-10-03
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: S'More Entertainment
DVD Reviews of Sam Kinison - Why Did We Laugh? (DVD/CD)
DVD Review: "In another time and place he would have been called prophet."
Summary: 5 Stars
So says the tombstone of Sam Kinison who was one of the greatest comedians of our age. His talent outshined that of his peers, and his physical presence was as integral to his success as was his material. Nowadays, in a society blighted by political correctness, only comedians are allowed to speak freely which makes the likes of Sam Kinison all the more alluring. He expounded (with volume!) the foibles of human nature without a filter and we are in his debt. His life is explored here along with selected segments of his art. No, this is not a comedy compilation. You'll be disappointed if you think it will be. The film informs us of his history and features his brother and best friend as the primary persons to reveal his personality. Rodney Dangerfield and Richard Pryor also provide valuable insight. Kinison's was an incredibly passionate life. How obvious it is now, in retrospect, the similarity between his skills as a preacher and the nature of his stage presence. This documentary elucidates the way that he was attacked by PC as well for his shtick on gays and AIDS. We're lucky that a few brave folks like Sam persisted in slaughtering sacred cows and skewering the posturing of our self-righteous elite. I thoroughly enjoyed this DVD and look forward to rerenting the ones devoted to his stand-up. DVD Review: The Story of an Unappreciated Genius
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the story of a man who was unafraid to tell the truth. Despite the other snarky comments some have posted, this video is a great introduction to a complex, unappreciated genius who has largely been forgotten by our Britney-besotted generation.DVD Review: Re-published, great Sam K content but horrible presentation now
Summary: 3 Stars
Having rented nearly every Sam Kinison DVD published to date (Jan. '08), I think this video contains most of Sam's best routines. It includes some truly outstanding bits from his early start in Texas, including some which IMHO he never did as well in later performances.
As noted in other reviews, this video tells the story of Sam's life in pseudo documentary format -- from his early years growing up as the son of a preacher, to his start in comedy, certain key events during & after his rise to the top, to the sad story of his tragic & untimely death.
Unfortunately..... this DVD has been re-published since its original release, which I rented several years ago. This new version has all the same Sam K. content, BUT: As originally published the video was divided into "chapters"; title graphics & music played between each segment/chapter, putting it all into a logical sequence. What you get now, between the comedy bits & the interviews, is dead silence with a jangled assortment of photos & short, now-muted video clips which seem like pointless filler. (They even took out the opening title sequence - what's up with that??) The end result is a disorganized and confusing presentation - a bunch of great Sam K. clips interrupted by seemingly meaningless interview segments. There *was* a point to those segments and their sequence, but there's no way to tell that now. Shame on the publisher for butchering the video in this way, they have destroyed the cohesive and interesting story as told in the original release. Sam's memory deserves better.
My rating: Sam K's material in this DVD: 5 stars. Presentation: 0 stars. If you're eager for a good selection of Sam's best this is it. Just be prepared to fast-forward through the transition segments, and forget trying to comprehend any story or timeline behind what's being presented. I've returned my copy and I'm hoping (the online video-rental co. I subscribe to) still has the original so I can watch it again.
All I can say is, if you can find an original-release version of this video to rent or buy, get it instead - don't bother with this one.
DVD Review: Laugh til you hurt
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a guilty pleasure .... the late comedian Sam Kinison .... the guy who turned from being a screaming preacher to being a screaming stand-up, and if he strikes you the right way, you can laugh til you hurt.
He was really very religious and a great communicator. He was disillusioned with people like Tammy Faye Baker and hubby and their ilk .... the so-called religious people who raised money for shopping malls etc, and so he quit the evangelical circuit to communicate in a very different way. He was also someone very disillusioned by very bad relationships and he expresses his extreme rage at his ex-wives and lovers in a way that others who have been through the same thing can identify with in a very cathartic way.
I remember hating his screaming back in the 80s when I first heard him and then changing my mind when I saw this very same documentary about him about a year ago on A&E. He was in extreme pain and he dumped it on his audience who roared with uncontrollable laughter. Funny how that works.
DVD Review: Choppy
Summary: 3 Stars
If you really want to get into Sam's routine(s),don't buy this dvd. As soon as you start enjoying his material, it stops to interview someone else that knew him.
Description of Sam Kinison - Why Did We Laugh? (DVD/CD)
For fans of comedy, Sam Kinison needs no introduction. His scathing comedy tackled tough topics no other comedian dared to touch. Fed up and disenfranchised with his career as a Pentacostal preacher, Sam left the ministry to try his hand at comedy. Almost immediately, and thanks in part to the foresight of Rodney Dangerfield who showcased Sam on an HBO special, his piercing scream, extreme humor and irreverent take on life attracted attention. Containing rare, early footage of Sam preaching and performing stand up at the world famous Comedy Store, the Award Winning "Why Did We Laugh" tells the story of a comedic genius who touched a deeper chord in people than most entertainers. Sadly, Sam was taken from us far too early, yet leaving us with a lasting and unique legacy. Includes excerpts from various stand-up appearances as well as interviews with Rodney Dangerfield, Richard Pryor, Dennis Miller, Larry King, Jay Leno, Judy Tenuta, Beverly D'Angelo, Tim Matheson and others. Also, appearances from "Larry King Live", "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" . Separate CD entitled "The Passion of Sam", featuring Sam giving an Evangelical sermon and singing at the Emanuel Temple Church in Rockford, Il., where Sam was once employed as the Youth Pastor (approx. 36 min r/t)General DVDs
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