Customer Reviews

The Best of Ernie Kovacs

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This 2-disc set includes all of the 1977 PBS Series that re-introduced this television pioneer to a new audience. Seeing this material again for me after almost twenty years was like visiting an old friend and catching up on great times. I would caution those just discovering Kovacs, however, that some of this DVD is not side-splittingly funny in a conventional sense; rather, much of it is gently humorous and cerebral. Mostly, it is fascinating - incredibly surreal (still the most surreal stuff EVER seen on television) and way, WAY ahead of its' time; much of Kovacs work remains indescribable and uncategoriazable. Having said that, characters such as Percy Dovetonsils and the Nairobi Trio will have even the most jaded viewer chuckling, if not laughing out loud at the sheer outrageousness of these images. Keeping in mind when these shows were made (late 50's/early 60's) Kovacs' body of work remains among the most subversive ever done for network television. By the way, Kovacs solemnly intoning a scene from Julius Ceaser, dressed in full Roman centurian regalia, and then breaking into a tap-dance is still one of the funniest things that I have ever seen. Highly recommended.

These videos are taken from tv shows compiled in the late 70's. We get to see the genius of Kovacs, his great skits, bizarre antics, wild characters, and ingenious visual gags.

But...

We sometimes see the same clip three or four times. The clips are edited together in ways that don't necessarily complement each other. And if I hear that version of "Mack the Knife" again, ...[I'll go insane].

Kovacs is deserving of a new survey of his works. A better job of compiling his work can be done than this, and we don't need to hear the same Jack Lemmon introduction repeatedly. (I do worry that some of this archival material may have deteriorated over the years, hopefully it's still preserved.)

This set is worth your time, and worth your money. It's reasonably priced, and contains a variety of good material. It would just be nice to have a better assembled, more thought-out collection.

Ernie Kovacs was the guy who said televsion (50s style) was called a medium because it was neither rare nor well done. He instsed on looking at things his own way, and using TV's technology in ways no one else would even imagine.

Today, whenever a business seminar leader trots out the well-worn cliche "thinking outside the box," Ernie's face comes before me.

And music was innate. So much of Ernie's TV tech stuff was 100% visual, it was tantamount to viewing a series of silent films.

And we remember that silent movies had musical accompaniment. Ernie had to furnish music which would at once associate itself with the ruthlessly original visual imagery and also be, hopefully, something we'd not heard before.

He scoured the globe for 1950s-era music that you'd never heard before. For example, even fifty years later, I cannot hear the version of "Jalousie" on this CD without seeing the "office equipment" visuals he made. And I'd be grateful for a plateful of fish.

Ernie's outlook on things has warped me for life. He made the fifties what they were. There would not be a Saurday Night Live but for his influence.

Now, here's the "but." This collection is better than no collection at all, but not much better. Kovacs was an editor of great skill, and the editing on these DVDs is awful.

So, some Kovacs is better than none at all. But I would hope somebody would come along and do it right some time...

I, like the majority of the reviewers for this DVD have great things to say about it. But more that that, I think that people need to see more of Ernie Kovacs' genius. Here was a man with more savvy about what television could do to entertain -- and an understanding of what it could and would become -- than any network programming executive, ever! Most of what's on the DVD is timeless. Unless you only think what's on the WB is actually funny, then get this. Now having said that, I want to make a request. Pester the studios for more of Ernie's work. Write to distributors and demand that for every "Sleazy Coeds in Toxic Appartments of Death" they release that they should also release a "Wake Me When It's Over" or an "Operation Mad Ball" with Ernie Kovacs. The second one, BTW, also stars Jack Lemmon: a double treat. Even Kovacs; "Sail a Crooked Ship" one of his final performances, is a hoot as is "Five Golden Hours," his last movie. Sure, these movies aren't his writing, but he brought an irreverance to the roles that make them a joy to watch, much more so than "Beat Billy Jack to Death with a Bat, Part 7!" And as for this DVD, I think it's as important as The Sid Ceasar Collection as a great TV history lesson we all could use.

I haven't seen these bits in nearly 20 years, and coming back to them was like a bullet of nostalgia, with a hint of sadness. Like the voice-over intro states, "Slow down your internal clock. It was a quieter time." The humor is strong on some pieces, but a lot of the stuff on these discs is not as funny as Python, or Belushi. Still, if you take into account the fact that TV was still a relatively new concept, at this time, and that main-stream America was very laid back, and homespun, you look at Ernie's work, and realize how bizarre, funny, and experimental it all was. The sadness only comes in the fact that many people, today, will dismiss it, as my niece did, as stupid, or boring. Ernie even pioneered the concept of music videos! Like the humor of Python, however, some folks just don't get it. As far as the collection, itself, this 2 DISK set is chock full! There is so much to it, I had to stop viewing, after the first disk, because I had had an overdose already, and needed to save the other disk for later. There is just so much on these disks, and it is WONDERFUL to be able to preserve these sketches, rather than losing them to the ravages of time. If you enjoy, and respect, the work of Ernie Kovacs, quite possibly the greatest TV experimentalist of all-time, you need to get this collection. You'll laugh, and remember. Both are important.

Ernie Kovacs was television's original genius. His innovative use of sound, imagery and outrageous sight gags made for incredibly funny viewing. His characters were priceless. "Percy Dovetonsils" was one of the very first pseudo-gay characters whose wonderful takes to the camera were a scream, especially that syrupy smirk he got on his face. Eugene was a character played entirely in pantomime. The Nairobi Trio is, perhaps Ernies' most famous contribution to comic lore with three band members in long coats, hairy ape masks and derbys playing in a band to the music of the Ray Charles Singers (why they made this recording will never be known) but it is perfect for Ernie's motives. I won't give away the shtick but you'll roll in the aisles (if you have aisles). Ernie left us before his time but today's television comedy owes much to Ernie Kovacs, especially Laugh-in and SNL.

If you were born early enough to see Ernie Kovacs the first time around, this box set is a joy to watch. If you have never seen his genius, this is worth a look. You will see things Ernie invented and has been used by others. Rowan and Martin gave him credit for the "Bathtub" blackouts used on Laugh-In. Ernie did narration over old movies long before Mystery Science 3000 was started. Imagine what Ernie could do with current technology. A true innovator cut down in his prime.

These are likely the only Kovacs images currently in print, and it's good to have these tapes available at a reasonable price. Be forewarned, though, that the tapes are loaded with little glitches that make the experience of watching them a little less enjoyable. The video company chalks it up to the source material, but these imperfections are obviously the result of problems in the mass video copying process.

The cult following of Ernie's work is well deserved. Where so many other TV "pioneers" were adapting radio material for the screen, Mr. Kovacs treated TV like a totally new toy and created visually centered material that others have fed upon for decades. A Kaleidoscope dancing to the music? On black and white TV? What was he thinking of? Ernie's genius ideas are now commonplace entertainment fodder. These tapes give us a rare opportunity to glimpse comedy art at its crude and wonderful birth. Although its easier for baby boomers to put this material in context, creative younger folks will be able to watch Ernie and contrast him to the often seen scenes of Berle, Lucy, Gleason, etc. If you think Sid Caesar was innovative, Ernie will slay you.

This collection was my first encounter with Ernie Kovacs as PBS first aired this series during the late seventies.

"The Best of Ernie Kovacs" is a collection of skits and gags from Ernie's various television shows and specials that aired on early television from the early fifties to 1962 (the year of his accidental death.) Even though some of the tape is badly faded and some of comedy is predictable and dated, this man was a true television pioneer -- especially with trick camera shots and studio effects. He also gave us some great characters like Percy Dovetonsils (a swishy drunk poet) and the Nairobi Trio -- three people dressed in disturbingly grotesque monkey costumes who were simply hilarious. This collection is narrated by Ernie's great friend (and poker partner) Jack Lemmon, and is also a great study of vintage television.

Also worth a look is a made for cable movie entitled "Between the Laughter" starring Jeff Goldblum, which chronicles Kovacs real-life search for his two young daughters. One will appreciate this especially if you are a parent