65 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Winters wonderful, frustrating documentary, July 1, 2001
Jonathan Winters is really a treasure and it is amazing how many people do not know about him. He is clearly Robin Williams's progenitor, starting out in his television career with sound effects and impersonations, but eventually moving into original characters and amazing improvisations, often based on random objects thrown to him.
This documentary, however, is constantly teasing the viewer who is eager to watch the master. Seldom does a segment or vignette go uninterrupted by cuts from interviews which are sparse, heavy on adoration and low on information. The subjects of these interviews are limited to Andy Williams, Robin Williams (who seems to have little to say about his hero), and family members who tell few stories. Winters himself makes a statement about his nervous breakdown and hospitalization that is firm and uninformative. There is talk about the work on IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD and MORK AND MINDY but no clips. Even when we watch him at play in public places, the camera holds so closely on him, rarely showing the setting or the people he is catching off-guard, that the spontaneity of what we are witnessing is hidden.
A little of Winters is vastly better than none, but this disappoints as a documentary.
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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wanting More, August 18, 2004
This review is from: The Unknown Jonathan Winters: On the Loose (DVD)
Jonathan Winters is probably my all-time favorite comedian! I liked this video but wish it had been longer and that many, many more of his comedy routines had been included. The clips were too scattered and too brief, and it just whetted my appetite for more and was frustrating. Appearances by Andy Williams and Robin Williams didn't add much. I did enjoy learning a little about Winters' personal life over the years, and seeing him as he was a couple years ago. I must say I was very glad to locate ANY video about him, but it would be wonderful if someone could put together a complete set of ALL of his routines! That would be fantastic!
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the first wild men, August 13, 2000
By A Customer
I just saw this special on PBS and found myself constantly laughing out loud! Many of today's generation only know Jonathan Winters from the egg commercials in California, but he's been in front of the camera a long time. He is one of the first comedians to use sound effects in his acts and he has the art of improvisation down to a science. His style is definitely a precursor to Robin Williams and Steve Martin and it is a treat to see him in action in this special. It will hand you the quick little laugh that you won't find somwhere else.
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