SCTV, Volume 2 (5 Disc Set)
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Movie Reviews of SCTV, Volume 2 (5 Disc Set)
Movie Review: Better packaging than Volume One, and better shows
Summary: 5 Stars
If you own the first SCTV box, you'll be glad to know of some navigation improvements found in the second. Specifically, each show has a title (instead of an episode number), and the chapters are labeled by skit, song, or wraparound piece (unlike the first box, which just says "Chapter 1, Chapter 2" etc).
The shows offered on Volume 2 are more consistant, with less filler from the old syndicated shows, and you can tell that the writers were really getting a handle on the 90-minute format. Classic wraparounds found in Vol.2 include "CCCP1," "The Godfather," and "The SCTV Staff Christmas Party."
My personal favorite sketches from these boxes: "Peppi Longsocks", "Ricardo Montalban's School of Acting," and "Gerry Todd's Midnight Video Special." The latter being the first time I had ever seen the Talking Heads' classic "Once in a Lifetime" video (years before MTV), and it took me a year or so to realize that the video wasn't a skit.
The three shows with commentary tracks are okay. Dave Thomas spends much of the time on the show he comments on explaining the jokes in a fairly annoying way (explaining humor is rarely funny).
The two shows that Andrea Martin and Catherine O'Hara comment on are more insightful and amusing (like when Andrea's cell phone starts ringing, or when Andrea starts talking about how the movie "Brother Bear" ripped off Bob & Doug McKenzie, unaware that Moranis and Thomas supplied the voices for the movie.)
The extras are good, although, sadly, Rick Moranis is missing from all new-for-DVD material.
Movie Review: Funny stuff
Summary: 5 Stars
I remember hoisting beers and watching SCTV late at night with a good friend of mine.
Although we were also fans of SNL, SCTV was just more....intelligent. The show was riddled with subtleties that illustrated how well-crafted the program was.
This is the second set of DVD's released for the show and so far, this set is just as good, if not better, than the first. Rather then repeat what earlier reviews have already stated there is a lot of good stuff here and many of the most famous sketches. However, I'm still waiting for the episode where Guy tumbles down hundreds of staircases trying to escape (if I recall correctly) a restaurant located at the top of a nuclear reactor that is about to go critical. After tumbling to the bottom, he stands up and says something like "that was quite a tumble". It has to be seen to be appreciated. (I don't think this episode is in this collection).
There are some good extras on the DVD's but again, oddly, Rick Moranis did not seem to take part in any of the commentaries. I found this very noticeable.
At some point I hope they release the 30 minutes episodes that ran prior to the 90 minute episodes currently being released. The 30 minute episodes were, in some ways, better especially the skits with Harold Ramis; but they also lacked some of the continuity of the 90 minutes shows.
SCTV was intelligent, well-crafted comedy and it continues to be a joy to see these episodes again after all of these years.
Movie Review: Simply the best of the best!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had originally become hooked with SCTV when its early Toronto years were in Rhodes Syndication, broadcast in the late 70's, usually around Midnight. Followed it to NBC, which never really knew what to do with it. This tremendous ensemble group is just about the best satirical comedy group I have ever seen. SNL groupies may argue their team, but, gang, give credit where it's due. SCTV had more energy, imagination, and just plain funnier characters that truly made us watch and hold our sides with laughter. I won't delve into more details about the characters, as it has been discussed in other reviews here, but, suffice to say, that, on Disc 4 of this set, "The SCTV Staff Christmas Party" has one of the best imitations of Liberace (Dave Thomas) and Elton John (Rick Moranis) in dueling pianos I have ever seen in my life. Side-splittingly funny. Also John Candy as Orson Welles, Andrea Martin as Ethel Merman. Imitations aside, the characters established, such as Guy Caballero, station owner sleazebag in a wheelchair for "respect", the hoser idiot MacKenzie Brothers ("take off eh"), Sammy Maudlin, loser stand up wannabe whose act is as tarnished as the multitude of gold chains around his neck; Dr, Tongue and Bruno (Woody Tobias Jr.). I could go on and on. I have all the sets of this wonderful show, but wanted to review this set, especially recommending the "Staff Christmas Party". For those who have never seen nor experienced this great ensemble, it is an aquired taste. Hope you love it as much as I do.Movie Review: Red Rooster Returns
Summary: 5 Stars
Dave Thomas as Red Rooster. I can't tell you what it will mean to me to see that again. "...good for shootin' squirrels and Rooskies!"
The original SCTV 90 minute broadcasts are responsible for shaping my sense of humor and thank God because it could have been a great many other, less-intelligent things! I remember sneaking out of bed and down to the unused TV room to watch the shows. Hopefully, these other skits will make it too...
** Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("Cecil, do you think I'm pretty with my eyes bulging out like this?")
** Pippi Longsocks ("Yes Father, I tossed her out the window onto the wood pile.")
** Doorway to Hell, with Mr. Wilcox and the Dummy with "powerful wooden hands"
** Walter Cronkite vs. David Brinkley
** Count Floyd's Monster Chiller Horror Theatre (specifically the "Bloodsucking Monkeys from West Mifflin, PA.")
** Lust for Paint ("your paintings could hang in the Louvre-vr-vr-vr-vr-vr!!!")
** Pre-Teen World with Rough Trade ("Do you know Art Garfunkle?")
** Farm Film Report where they blow up Brooke Shields (the song "Young Turks" sung by Catherine O'Hara made me wet my pants...I swear!)
** Midnight Express Special
** New York Rhapsody with violinist Eugene Fodor
Keep them coming. I will purchase them ALL! That's a promise.
Movie Review: Makes me wanna stand up and ... stretch!
Summary: 5 Stars
"SCTV Cycle 2" features some of the most inspired episodes in the SCTV canon. As much as you'll hear the actors and writers complain about how hard it was to fill out the 90-minute format, the work here shows how rewarding and timeless and flat-out hilarious those long-form shows could be.
When a mammoth Soviet satellite infringes on the tiny SCTV orbiter (complete with hot dog rotisserie), the network is taken over by CCCP1, or "3CP1 on your dial, Russian Television." The Russian TV parodies that follow are savagely funny. Watch especially for "What Fits into Russia," "Hey, Giorgi," and Russia's favorite game show "Uposcrabblenyk."
Self-absorbed host of the ironically titled "You!" show, Libby Wolfson makes her stage debut in ... deep breath ... "I'm Taking My Own Head, Screwing It On Right And No Guy's Gonna Tell Me That It Ain't."
The classic Godfather parody show is here, with Guy Caballero as the Don. How many bullets can that guy take anyway? And never tell anyone outside the family that your favorite sport is soccer.
And who can forget the invasion of Zontar, the Thing from Venus?
There's great glopping heaps of funniness to be had here, as well as in every SCTV release. Thanks again to Shout! Factory for doing the hard work that makes these releases possible.