Product Details

• Actors: Sacha Baron Cohen, Newt Gingrich, Donald Trump, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Brent Scowcroft
• Directors: Dan Mazer, James Bobin, Scott Preston
• Writers: Dan Mazer, Anthony Hines, Craig DiGregorio, Craig Thomas, David Eilenberg
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: HBO
• DVD Release Date: August 17, 2004
• Run Time: 180 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00020X852
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,475 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #10 in Movies & TV > DVD > TV Talk Shows
• For more information about "Da Ali G Show - The Complete First Season" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

DA ALI G SHOW:COMPLETE FIRST SEASON - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Grows On You - Hilarious, September 16, 2004

By 

Scott McFarland (Manassas, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Da Ali G Show - The Complete First Season (DVD)

The jokes in Ali G. interviewing various American figures are really based on the humor in these people being so detached from youth culture that they think he is possibly serious (even when asking the most ridiculous questions) and possibly really does have a show that uses hip-hop jargon to explain politics and world events to da youth. Correspondingly, most of his best interview segments happen with older people, or people from rural areas.

The actor's particulaur genuis is his ability to keep a straight face after having asked the most totally ridiculous question, or said the most ridiculous and vulgar thing, possible. No small acheievement.

The humor in the Borat character, a Middle-Eastern man visiting and touring America for his program (beamed back to Khazakstan television) is based on the duality between Borat's polite, civilized manner and the brutal misogyny and racism that lies within his mindset and his culture, which he pleasantly verbalizes in his broken English.

The humor in the Bruno character is rather simple. He consistently and persistently chooses to believe that all men are homosexuals. It can be rather funny.

On the whole, hilarious.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the funniest...., May 24, 2004

By 

what1 (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Da Ali G Show - The Complete First Season (DVD)

I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Ali G during his American run on HBO last year by a friend of mine and I have to say that he is one of the funniest people in the business. He's not a stand-up comedian that somehow made the transition to his own show, he is a comedic actor, fully embracing each character he portrays and making each one funny in their own distinct way. Honestly, the time I've spent watching his show is probably the hardest i've laughed in a long time. Not only is Sacha perfect in each of his roles but whoever produces the show is a genius as well, placing the characters into awkward situations with hilarious consequences and somehow getting really famous people to be interviewed and then almost always embarassed by Ali.

To put it simply, this show utilizes every type of humor there is and does it very well, Sacha is extremely talented and funny and I promise you won't be disappointed if you give it a try.

(...).

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for everyone, but I found it extremely funny, August 21, 2004

By 

Bosco Hoggins (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Da Ali G Show - The Complete First Season (DVD)

I am often very ambidexerous on my reviews pointing out both what I like and (on the other hand) what I do not like about a certain product. However, with Da Ali G Show, I have to un ambiguously say that I have no qualms about buying the DVD.

If you have not heard about Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen), here is the basic rundown. The show is broken down into three concepts following three personas: (1) Hip-hop British interviewer Ali G., (2) Kazikstani reporter apparently stuck in the 70's Borat, and (3) German fashion club-kid Bruno. The general M.O. is to find unsuspecting interviewees from areas ranging from entertainment to religion to politics. The interviews seem to go smoothly, lulling the interviewee into a false comfort. Then, the interviews veer into absurd directions to see how far the interviewers can be taken off course before pulling the plug. Granted, the concept does not sound all that interesting, the execution is brilliant.

The result is getting to see a range of the absurd from Edwin Meese and Boutros Boutros Gali attempt (rather unsuccessfully) to rap to a debate about religion which degenerates into an arguement about which of the panel members cloged the backstage toilet.

If you cannot tell from the foregoing description, let me emphasize this point (with all-caps no less):

THIS DVD IS NOT FOR EVERYONE!!

Many people will not find this schtick funny. It relies heavily on satire as well as somewhat juvenille humor. If this is not your cup of tea, I can definitely understand and would not recommend it to you.

Given that, however, I found it very funny and was glad that I bought it.