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70 of 71 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not ALL of the Best Of But Real Close, March 12, 2003
This review is from: Billy Connolly - The Greatest Hits Of Billy Connolly (DVD)
While searching Amazon for an HBO special Billy did back in the 80s, I stumbled on this little gem. I ordered it immediately and my husband was thrilled when I gave it to him. This DVD starts out with early Billy in the 1970s and moves chronologically through his stand up career ending with a last show in the late 1990s. Each tour is a different chapter although there is no chapter listing on the DVD - my one complaint if you can call it that. A cartoon Billy displays where and when each live show is recorded, then you are thrown into a routine or two from that tour. You do not get the entire stand up show - just snippets, presumably, the "best of" from each. Having seen both HBO routines back in the 80s I can say that certainly not all of "the best" has been included because you just can't get that much info on a single DVD. Still, you will get 2 hours of Billy Connolly at his best with this one DVD - not too shabby. A word of caution though: Billy's style may not be for everyone. There is plenty of foul language as well as subject matter that some find offensive - like "jobbies" that won't flush or how it feels to have your prostate examined - to name a few. NO ONE can accuse Billy Connolly about being shy!
Of course you also get such subjects as being a parent, visiting with friends in pubs and airlines so do not feel it is all toilet humor (no pun intended). If this DVD doesn't make you laugh then I seriously do not know what will. Also may I suggest that you do not watch all of this DVD in one sitting. My husband and I tried it and were sorry for days afterward as the pain in our stomach muscles from laughing so hard just lingered on and on. I have yet to find anyone who does not enjoy Connolly's take on things and I'm betting that you will enjoy it too.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Billy is Brilliant, But Stay On Your Toes, April 15, 2006
This review is from: Billy Connolly - The Greatest Hits Of Billy Connolly (DVD)
From his stories of a commuter waiting for his bus and Liam Neeson accidentally running over a cat to his immitation of wildebeests on the Serengeti Plain, this DVD covers a broad range of Billy's best material, spread out over 20+ years. I only wish there were more of it, although you shouldn't misunderstand - there's plenty here to have you wetting yourself a few times. After all, Billy Connolly is one of the true masters, considered a comic's comic throughout the comedy community.
Now here's what I hate to admit, as an American of Scots ancestry: During the parts where he plays to Scottish audiences, it can be quite a challenge to understand him through his thick brogue, especially in the footage from the 1970s. Then, once you understand him, some of his references are so solidly Scottish that getting the jokes can also be a challenge. But, of course, that's my problem, not his. And that's PART of what makes this DVD such an interesting and fun departure from more typical American comedy. All the more reason to watch it again and again.
The DVD itself is good, but a couple of one-on-one interviews with Connolly would have made it even better. After all, he's been around as long as Robin Williams, Paul Reiser, David Brenner, and others, but has been somewhat hidden from Americans until recently. Especially since there aren't many tapes or DVDs of this ingenious Scots comic available in the U.S., I highly recommend you grab this one. (I know there are many who read this from outside the U.S., but availability is something I can only write about from my own admittedly local vantage point.) At the very least, you'll quickly see where many of our more recent comics got their acts.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best You'll Find, January 22, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Billy Connolly - The Greatest Hits Of Billy Connolly (DVD)
After searching on-line stores for hours looking for a DVD of Billy's stand up material, I was incredibly happy when I found one. This is the best DVD of Billy's stand up material you will find to date. The DVD consists of portions from his live shows throughout his long career. If you're a long-time fan of the big-yin, or have never even heard of him before, this DVD will provide you with great laughs.
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