Amazon.com

One of the major breakout stars to come out of the first years ofSaturday Night Live was not one of the original Not Ready for Prime TimePlayers, but was instead born from a bit of clay and the creative mind of WalterWilliams.

The 18 shorts that comprise The Best of Saturday Night Live: The Mr. BillCollection exemplify the humor and outrageousness that we have come toexpect from Mr. Bill, Spot, Mr. Hands, and of course, Sluggo. The plots, andbudget, may have been simple and at some times poorly executed, but they remaina catalyst of laughter and bring back memories of staying up late just to seewhat troubles would cause Bill to utter his famous phrase: "Ohh, nooo!!!" We aretreated to classic Mr. Bill exploits, such as "Mr. Bill's Christmas Special,""Mr. Bill Goes to New York," and the inappropriately named "Mr. Bill StrikesBack," as well as a bonus "Public Service Announcement" relating to highwayeducation.

Although the quality of the film is not always the best, the humor remainsintact. In 50 minutes, The Best of Saturday Night Live: The Mr. BillCollection illustrates how he was one of the show's brightest stars, all thewhile keeping his unkempt, independent charm. --Zachary Lively ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not as fun as when I was ten
I think if they had included the studio audience laugh track, it would be more fun to watch (kind of creepy without it). The later shorts do include the laugh track, which must have come from the SNL broadcasts.

so what
can't rewind a one minute film? Who cares? You DVD nerds are the worst.
The menu is cute.

Classic hilarity, abominable DVD
The "Mr. Bill" short films are as bizarrely endearing as ever, but the DVD is a disaster. (Note that all the earlier reviews are for the VHS tape.)

Here's the rub: ***ALL*** scanning and skipping functions are disabled throughout the entire disc! Want to go to the next film? Don't press the skip button; it won't work. You have to go back to the tedious menu and arrow your way slowly to the episode you want. Want to back up or fast forward a little in the film you're watching? Sorry, but there's no way AT ALL to do that.

This disc is a cruel joke and should be withdrawn. It cannot be recommended at all as issued, though I found it impossible to give poor Mr. Bill only one star....

Classic and hilarious
You may feel bad laughing at the sufferings of the benevolent, upbeat Mr. Bill, but you can't help it. This is as funny as anything ever seen on SNL. Although the video is less than an hour long, it packs more laughs than some of the best comedy movies. I highly, highly recommend this.

If you like Mr. Bill (or the Pizza Head commercials) get it!
This Mr. Bill video is very funny I believe. And what makes it so great, of course, is how "cheap" it's done. No one but Mr. Hands ever moves, and Mr. Bill just has to "stand" for anything Mr. Hands does to him, or anything Sluggo, a guy who hates Mr. Bill, tells Mr. Hands to do to him. Hilarious I believe! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

we come from france
I was fortunate enough to see this in the wrong order. Let me explain, i saw the movie first and then saw this. The movie was ok but when i saw this after it blew it away. It is very very funny. The ones w/ steve martin are the best. Suggested for a fan of the movie or snl remember, this was when the show was groundbreaking. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It was funny!
1988 was a great year for SNL, and it really shows in this great collection! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before hitting the big time with his second film Boogie Nights, young filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson impressed critics with this deftly conceived, low-budget film noir chamber piece. With its minimalist plot, deliberate pacing, and brief, but shocking bursts of violence, Hard Eight won't please everyone, but Anderson and his first-rate cast were clearly working on the same authentic wavelength. It's a mystery at first why a solemn professional gambler (Philip Baker Hall in a captivating performance) cares for a down-and-out loser (John C. Reilly) and a dimwit, Reno cocktail waitress (Gwyneth Paltrow). But his motivations become clear--and the movie packs a quietly effective punch--when the gambler faces blackmail by a small-time crook (Samuel L. Jackson). This unheralded film seemed like a closely kept secret itself, until it showed up on the 1997 top-10 lists of several prominent critics. In tandem with Boogie Nights, it marked the arrival of a new filmmaker whose talent is as impressive as that of that other '90s hotshot, Quentin Tarantino. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A nice Find
Hard Eight is one of those sharp character driven dramas that film fans will appreciate if they Like Paul Thomas Anderson in general. Anderson is the kind of writer that brings new things to life each time out. This time he finds a lonely gambler in his later days who befriends misfits. A great cast led my Phillip Baker Hall and John C. Reilly make the movie a treat and Sam Jackson and Gweneth Paltrow also show up for supporting roles.

The Special Features offer three scenes from the movie shot on video as part of a Sundance workshop. It also has two commentary tracks. The first one with Anderson and Hall is interesting, because Anderson is really funny and well spoken and has a lot of interesting things to say. Hall, on the other hand, drones on and on about character motivation and dynamics and sounds like a junior level college course on acting. Not to take away from Hall's performance which is top notch, but listening to actors talk about what goes on in an actor's mind is numbing.

Hard Eight is as interesting if not as ambitious as Anderson's later projects. If you like his other films, you'll do yourself a favor seeing this one.

compelling and heartfelt
My personal favorite of Paul Thomas Anderson's films, Hard Eight quenches my thirst with a good twist and ending. Boogie Nights and Magnolia seemed to me to be primarily centered around the characters (which is great in it's own respect), but both movies left me wanting a bit more. Philip Baker Hall stars this time as elderly lonesome gambler Sydney, who, for reasons unknown, helps two young confused kids find love and peace in the world.
This film deals with issues of regret, guilt and self-redemption as Sydney's generosity and charity is not as selfless as it may seem. And so we follow the daily lives of Sydney and these young adults, as their neuroses guide them into very unique situations which brilliantly outline the chaos they feel in their lives. The characters are sad, realistic, and evoke empathy from the viewer simply on maintaining their everyday lives.
The question that is raised is whether or not personal guilt of the past can ever be abolished by performing acts of kindness in the present. Can a man redeem his character even when he is in his 70's, or have his bad choices set the tone for his existence? Is covering up the past while refusing to deal with it head-on a detrimental decision? These questions are left unanswered in this compelling story of a lonely old man's attempt to clear his conscience.

SLICK
Move over Tarantino and Mamet we got a new writer director in town.Paul Thomas Anderson.Boogie Nights and this one Hard Eight
make him an easy competitor in the world of indie film-making
this movie is great.Philip Baker Hall finally scores a lead role
and does an outstanding job as Sydney,the kind,nice,and all to
calm and slick pro gambler who helps John(John C. Reilly)a down
on his luck chum.Then they become good freinds and we skip a head
2 years and we meet Clementine Johns new love played good as usual by Gweneth Paltrow and slick casino pro Jimmy played by
Samuel L.Jackson who is the standout.This movie crackles with
dialogue and your never bored because you never know whats gonna
happen next and we find out secrets about our nice freind Sydney
and from their it gets interesting.SEE IT NOWWWW

Too ambiguous and understated
Maybe I was born into a generation of short attention spans, but I just felt this movie moved too slowly. I understand that it's a character-driven drama and not an action flick, but I do now believe there's such a thing as too much subtlety. Ninety percent of the film consists of extremely drawn-out, quiet conversations between two characters, with lines no more than a couple of words long: "Cigarette?" "No thanks," etc. It seems too artsy and contrived. A lot of filmakers - I can't help but mention Tarantino here - use mundane, understated dialogue to act as comic bathos, or to develop character, but it doesn't work so well in Hard Eight.

That said, it still deserves at least 3.5 stars (rounded to four). Hall's unrelentingly phlegmatic Sydney plays so well off of Jackson's 'enobled thug' Jimmy; the scenes where they confront each other, Sydney doggedly trying to assert his principles, Jimmy exposing Sydney's hypocrisy and condescension, are well played-out. You have trouble deciding where your sympathies lie, which always good, and I was strangely satisfied with the ending as well. Also, it's such a short, simple and (in some ways) unpretentious movie that it's hard to judge it very harshly; it would be like condemning a nice little schoolhouse in relation to the Taj Mahal.

Hard To Stay Awake...
Don't get me wrong here. I am a fan of Anderson's work in general, especially Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love. But I just could handle Hard Eight. Usually Anderson's slower pace is a welcome change for me as I really enjoy character driven dramas. The acting was pretty good, but I just thought the script lacked anything of interest. Maybe next time, but I can't recommend actually buying this one unless you want a complete Anderson collection. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

John goodman, one of the first members of the Five time club
There is a reason John Goodman keeps getting invited back to host SNL... that reason is he is hillarious! I got this video and can tell you I have watched it many times and still to this day get lots of laughs out of it! I only hope they do a more recent video soon with some up to date John Goodman hosting on it! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Michael Jordan is The Ultimate Man.
This video is ultimate. Ultimate in the fact that it's ultimate comedy, and ultimate in the fact that it features The Ultimate Man, Michael Jordan. So put two and two together--or in this case, put ultimate and ultimate together, and what do you get? The answer's very simple--ultimate. Order this video now. ... Read more

Reviews (324)

Sandler finally has a chance to shine.
Anyone who has watched Adam's Sandler's movies knows he has the ability to become a great dramatic actor. While his other films were slapstick comedies, the characters in them were often more than just pratfalls and booby jokes. 'The Waterboy' was by no means intelligent fair, but Sandler artfully managed to imbue into his character a sense of despair, of being trapped by love and a sense of responsibility to his mother. You found yourself feeling sympathy and understanding for a character who, in less capable hands, might only have been obnoxious and irritating. True, this does not make the film anything more than a lowbrow comedy...but the potential was there.

Punch-Drunk Love finally offers Sandler a worthy medium for his talent. It's a story of Barry Egan, a socially inept businessman who, by virtue of his loneliness and an ad in the paper, finds himself being extorted by a phone sex operator. As if this were not difficult enough, Barry also has seven controlling, verbally abusive sisters to contend with. Yet even while he struggles (at times violently) against the shackles of his existence, Barry manages to find love. Or rather, love finds him--and it won't take no for an answer.

It's difficult to categorize Sandler's character in this movie. Barry is a wonderfully three-dimensional character, a man so repressed by his circumstances that when he does explode it with with all the intensity of a nuclear bomb. He is awkward, painfully shy, depressed and at times physically violent. The floridly colored inserts between certain scenes in the film make you wonder if Barry isn't suffering from some more severe mental illness. Yet despite all his flaws Barry is a very likeable character. You find yourself aching at his lonliness, experiencing his rage, rooting for his ultimate victory over adversity...even if your initial instinct says this probably won't happen.

A lot of people say that the love story between Barry and Lena (played by Emma Watson) is unrealistic. It's true that Barry and Lena seem to be polar opposites, yet those kinds of relationships are very often the best kind. And they do have some things in common (the unusual nature of their pillow talk, for one). Also, one must remember than Lena chose Barry--she saw a picture of him on his sister's desk and she wanted to meet him. Perhaps she saw what a vulnerable, damaged person he was from the picture alone and therefore was not surprised by what she found. Or, having discovered his flaws, perhaps she wanted to help him. It's called Florence Nightingale Syndrome and it isn't all that uncommon. And as for Barry loving her... She was the first woman who ever treated him with affection and respect; he was a lonely man. Of course he fell in love with her. And P.T. Anderson never tried to convince us their relationship was a flawless fairytale. He never implied it would last. He just made us want it to...all I can say is it takes a special type of person to watch this kind of fare. If you are a fan of 'The Royal Tenenbaums', 'Magnolia', or anything Hitchcock, you will most likely love it. If, however, your tastes run to the more obvious, shallow kind of neat little love story save your time. Take your money and rent 'A Walk to Remember' instead.

One of the Best Films of the Year
Paul Thomas Anderson is probably the most talented new director in the industry, with the possible exception of Wes Anderson. With Boogie Nights and Magnolia, he tried to make big Hollywood films with indie supplies, and I have to say, he did a fine job at that. This time around, he tried to do something simpler with Punch-Drunk Love, and he presented to us one of the most extraordinary-looking indies of the past few years.

Adam Sandler plays Barry Egan, a single man with his own business who for years has been unable to fall in love and show affection for another. Part of this is due to his upbringing, with seven sisters who dehumanized him in childhood to fear and more or less hate women as an adult. Despite this, he is still a lonely person who never has anyone to talk to when he needs help. One day, he calls a phone sex company just for conversation and finds himself caught up in a credit card scam ran by the repulsive Dean Trumbell (PT Anderson regular Philip Seymour Hoffman).

Things get even more complex when Barry meets one of his sisters' coworkers, a timid young woman called Lena, played by Emily Watson. After one date and a few chance meetings in between, they immediately fall in love with each other. To make things even stranger, Barry realizes that if you buy enough Healthy's Choice pudding packages, you could wind up with enough frequent flyer miles to last you your entire life.

Though labeled as a romantic comedy, you should expect anything when you see this film. Not to mention that there's more to this film than what I've told you. The biggest surprise of all is Adam Sandler's terrific performance, proving that he can play both a lovable fool and a truly psychologically damaged human being at the same time.

Furthermore, Punch-Drunk Love is filled with excellent moments of wry humor, some gorgeous painting-like images, and some unforgettable performances. A real achievement in independent film.

Or: Adam Sandler¿s attempt at being taken seriously
I rented this movie with an open mind. Sure, Adam Sandler is responsible for some of the dumbest comedies of recent times; but he's also done some very good ones- THE WEDDING SINGER, ANGER MANAGEMENT & 50 FIRST DATES as a case in point. Then there's the Rob Schneider comedies Sandler co-produced. And admittedly THE WATERBOY & HAPPY GILMORE were stupid but still reasonably enjoyable- plus there was the added incentive of ogling Fairuza Balk and Julie Bowen.- here we have Emily Watson but ..... More on that later.
I also had high expectations for the movie when I saw Paul Thomas Anderson's name on the credits as director. BOOGIE NIGHTS was excellent and MAGNOLIA was very good (if half an hour overlong). Anderson managed to elicit a brilliant performance from Tom Cruise, and the climax with the plague of raining frogs ranks in my opinion as one of the coolest moments in recent cinema. Ingenious.
Now Anderson has given the world PUNCH DRUNK LOVE. What can I say, except when I subjected myself to PUNCH DRUNK LOVE I was STONE COLD SOBER.
Sandler plays Barry Egen; a naïve, shy, sheltered young man whose life is dominated by his seven highly dysfunctional sisters who would drive any guy mad. Even Ron Jeremy and Randy West would be struggling to crawl out from under them, giving a frenetic "time-out" sign. Folks, this is The Brady Bunch as envisaged by Robert Crumb, with artistic pretension substituting for the laughs.
At heart a kind, but lost and lonely soul, Barry has previously looked for companionship by calling phone sex hotlines - the women in question taking full advantage of his naivety and conning him into giving them his personal details and social security number, ending with Barry willingly allowing money to be extorted from him. Poor schmuck.
But one day while working his dead-end warehouse job Barry finds himself struck by Cupid's Arrow when he lays eyes on the lovely Lena Leonard (played by the incredibly cute Emily Watson, who sadly is utterly wasted here). It turns out for some reason that Lena likes him a lot too, but the socially awkward Barry doesn't know how to build on their attraction. In time they have their first date and slowly but surely; love blossoms.
Now, I'll admit that I don't mind the occasional love story if there's a good story or an interesting angle to it (e.g.: THE GRADUATE, SUMMER OF '42, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3- seriously!) but words almost fail me when it comes to describing this movie. The picture has a bright, chirpy look about it but its tone is very bland. It had the potential to be a good movie but Anderson's self indulgence swallows everything up and the result amounts to nothing more than 90 minutes of wasted time.
However, every cloud has a silver lining, however brief, and here is some amusing dialogue from the love scene:
Watson: "I wanna bite your cheek and chew on it coz it's so f***in' cute."
Sandler: "I'm looking at your face and I just wanna smash it- I just wanna f***in smash it with a sledgehammer and squeeze, you're so pretty."
Watson: "I wanna chew your face and I wanna scoop out your eyes and I wanna eat them and suck on them."
Sandler: "OK" [pause] "This is funny." [Pause] "This is nice."
So bear than in mind next time you're on a date and you experience one of those awkward silences!

Punch-Drunk Perfection
Right off, I want to say that I'm a huge fan of Paul Thomas Anderson. Boogie Nights and Magnolia are two of the best ensemble pieces I've ever seen. Needless to say, I was quite surprised when I heard that he'd done a small picture, a love story, and that it starred Adam Sandler. But that was only the beginning of the surprises, as I soon found out...

Sandler plays Barry Egan, a quiet, lonely guy who is experiencing a degree of emotional angst about life. He's trying to make his business prosper, dealing with seven nagging sisters (all of whom badger him relentlessly about life, love, etc...), and yet finds himself swinging from sobbing uncontrollably to abject rage from time to time, with no apparent reason. In a lonely moment, he indulges in a phone-sex scam with unfortunate consequences. He's also buying up lots of groceries in an attempt to gain a million free air miles and meanwhile, a romance is blossoming with Lena (Emily Watson), a friend of one of his sisters. With me so far?

The real beauty of this film is in its imagery and simplicity. Barry and Lena are imperfect people trying to connect in an imperfect world. Anderson gives an amazing amount of trust to the actors to portray these people honestly, and it works wonderfully. They are able to convey a universe of emotion with very few words, and the connection seems so real, so tangible, that just watching them is almost like falling in love. The use of music, always excellent in Anderson's films, is just as perfect here and I have to say, the scene in which Barry and Lena walk down a hotel hallway in Hawaii with the song Maui Chimes playing quietly in the background, as he takes her hand and the camera irises in on their hands as they round a corner is quite possibly the sweetest love scene I've never seen. An earlier scene in which the two meet in the same hotel is done all in silhouette, and the effect is brilliant and beautiful. I'm getting all teary-eyed just thinking about it.

Luis Guzman and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, two of Anderson's stock cast of actors, as usual, turn in great performances and it makes me happy to see that Anderson appreciates the quality of these actors as much as many of us do. And though it appears that Sandler has returned to his more familiar genre of movies, he shows us that he really does have the chops to play serious, character-driven roles and with luck, we'll see more performances of this caliber from him in the future.

Weird.
It is a poor man's Lost In Translation, but only because it has a similar theme to it. The film style is also similar. This movie is straightforward without many plot twists, more like red herring plot twists. All the major events in the movie seem like swatting flies instead of ultimately affecting the ending somehow. This movie was not how I envisioned, and I was a little disappointed after so much I heard about it. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good. It's not really a movie I'd want on my shelf, unless the people who noticed I had it had not seen the movie. The movie does not uphold the edgy theme I heard about it, but instead seems like an extended short film. And if it comes down to a reccommendation, see Lost In Translation, which is a little more intellectually stimulating, if not really weird also. I'll admit the music was appropriate for the movie, really taking the movie from a boring weird taboo ride to really identifying the movie as a trip fest. Being a new director, I think he tried too hard too include stylistic fanfare and demonstrate some creativity, and I don't think the story's level of drama validated a need for strange effects. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Blues Brothers, Gidget Goes to Shock Therapy and More!
Loved the video, two episodes of "The Best of SNL" combined on one tape ... Read more

Reviews (248)

Why don't you feast on that?
Boogie Nights is a very stylish and funny film that is sure to please movie fans. While its slightly subtle and offbeat humor may be lost on some viewers, Boogie Nights is a hilarious movie.

The film is centered around the rise and fall of adult film star Dirk Diggler (played by Mark Wahlberg). Diggler starts out as a polite, bright-eyed kid but is slowly corrupted by life in the fast lane. Wahlberg gives a great performance as the dopey Diggler, whose words aren't necessarily meant to be funny yet often come off as hilarious.

The supporting cast also does an excellent job in this film. John C. Reilly plays Diggler pal and fellow adult film star Reed Rothchild to perfection. Reilly is funny throughout the movie, but stands out particularly in a scene where he is being interviewed about the impact of movie violence on viewers. Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, and Philip Seymour Hoffman also deliver very strong supporting performances.

It's hard to explain what makes Boogie Nights such an entertaining movie. The humor in the dialogue is often quite subtle, but is nevertheless very effective. The characters are colorful and really seem believable despite their sometimes odd behavior and personalities.

Director/writer Paul Thomas Anderson did a great job with this film. Viewers are sure to feel empathetic towards the characters as they struggle and yet will likely find themselves laughing at just how bad and weird things get at times.

The scene that best sums up Boogie Nights as a whole occurs when Diggler, Rothchild, and friend Todd Parker find themselves in the home of an oddball drug addict trying to sell him some bad dope. The use of music and camerawork in this scene really creates a feeling of tension, yet viewers will probably be tempted to laugh at some of the various events of the scene. I won't say exactly what happens, but the entire sequence shows how Boogie Nights is a dichotomy of the laughable and the tragic.

In short, Boogie Nights is a very entertaining and memorable film. Wahlberg's portrayal of Dirk Diggler is top notch and the other actors also do excellent work in the film. Boogie Nights seems to get better with each subsequent viewing and I highly recommend the movie to fans of subtle and slightly dark humor.

Worthwhile
Boogie Nights is an entertaining movie, but not a fantastic one. While Burt Reynolds and of course Don Cheadle are solid choices for their roles, the film hinges largely on the performance and natural charisma of Wahlberg, who is possibly the only actor who could even be imagined in this role without risking his career. Claims that the story is based on that of John Holmes are nothing but publicity to give it more legitimacy than a completely fictional narrative about the porn industry, which is really what it is. Wahlberg's character bears no specific resemblance to Holmes whatsoever, and the narrative is entirely generic of its topic: pool parties, drug use, filming porn scenes. The "big package" schtick is too repetitive and overdone, and in fact is the main drama of the entire film: Will we get to see it after witnessing the jaw-dropping over-reactions of nearly everyone else who appears on screen, or not? Such tension. Wahlberg's persona is portrayed as overly stupid, almost appearing to have a significant mental impairment, and with minimal comic advantage. His total wide-eyed gullibility gets tiring, but is balanced somewhat by the grittier drug deal scenes in the second half of the film.

Although this film does have its moments and is worth watching overall, it is not a legendary cinematic achievement.

Interesting, but good
Boogie Nights is a good movie(i watched it last night) with a lot of good actors just some of the scenes seemend to drag but you want to see what happens. while i was watching it seemend like it lasted about 4 hours and i just began to get bored with it but it still kept an intresting story with great performances from Burt Renyolds, Mark Whaelberg, and Julianne Moore

This movie was funny, touching and even nostalagic
When I first saw this film, I was skeptical, thinking it was a low-brow glossed-over "milk the renewed interest in Disco".

I am pleased to say I was wrong!!

In a very elite cast, I thought Mark Wahlberg, as "Dirk Diggler" aka John Holmes, the well-endowed porn king who winds up a hapless coke addict "stole the show". Growing up in this "era", it was very nostalgic to see Hi-Fi's, 70's hair, and the soundtrack brought back the whole era, along with a story of people who extended themselves past their most essential limit- that of self-control.

I rated it a "5 of 5"; to all who enjoy it, "54" is a must-see, also!!

the arrival of a truly great director
although Hard Eight was the first time people may of heard of Paul Thomas Anderson (and a really great movie also) Boggie Nights was the film that truly marked the arrival of great director..for my money this movie is a well made and ENTERTAINING (something many film makers forget about) as almost any films to come out in the last 10-15 years. great story arc..well written script..authentic feel, without trying too hard for that 70's cheesiness it just seems natural..and just flat out stellar performances from a huge cast...too me while not on the same level it has the same sweeping through the gutter, rags to riches to rags feel as Goodfellas..and like that movie gives realness and depth to a group of people who live outside of the world the rest of us live in..but are still effected by it...P.T. Anderson with his next movies Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love cemented his place as one the great directors in hollywood...check out Boogie Nights to see where it started ... Read more

Reviews (2)

1985 was one of the best season's ever for S.N.L. !
I have no idea why Lorne Michaels decided to dismiss every cast member from this season except Dennis Miller and Jon Lovits. Maybe the ratings weren't what was to be expected or maybe he missed the raw talent that made the show (Saturday Night Live) what it is. Still, Damon Wayans, Lovits, and Miller are all naturals and all made their debuts on this season of SNL. Pros such as Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall, Robert Downey Jr., and Joan Cusack are all remarkable and prove that comedy is where they belong. Ron Reagan Jr. and Tom Hanks star in incredibly well done parodies on Back to the Future and Jerry Seinfeld, and one of the greatest monologues in the history of the show is delivered by the great Peewee Herman on this outstanding best of 1985 tape. Don't miss out!

great stuff
When I watch this video, I get flashbacks of my life during that time. The tape features Tom Hanks when he was just another actor in silly movies, PeeWee Herman, Penn and Teller, and the president's son (no, not Dubya!).
Cameos of audience members, a "Back to the Future" spoof, a yuppie-slamming commercial parody, a Hall and Oates impersonation, etc., all show that 1985 was (and is) the most totally "eighties" year.

My only complaint is that Sam Kinnison made numerous appearences on SNL during this season, but none of those were included on this tape. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Please rethink the format for the DVD release!
This is a fun blues video to watch. Buddy Guy is playing well and the selection of material is good. A purist may be disappointed that the backup band is led by G.E. Smith of SNL, but he and his band do an enthusiastic and excellent job.

The only complaint that I have about this VHS tape is that it is another example of the twisted production values that are often brought to these "authentic blues hero concert tapes". Nearly every time Buddy Guy gets deep into a solo, the director/editor decides to cut away to an interview segment. I like the interview segments, but I am not so shallow that I wouldn't watch them if they appeared at the end of the concert, or even between songs. Come on! Most people who buy this VHS tape probably play the guitar and want to watch Buddy's fingers during each and every solo.

I do hope they release this concert on DVD some day, and that if they do, they rethink the format. The interviews would make for a nice additional menu choice.

The good news is that the concert was also released on a CD without the songs being chopped up this way. So buy both of them and you can really dig how great Buddy Guy can be in concert and was for this particular gig.

A LITTLE BLUES HISTORY
Buddy Guy plays very good on this video, as well the Saturday Night Live Band. What stands out in this film is the footage of the old Chicago Blues Clubs that have been closed down and their present day look. Buddy gives informative background on the old days, his perspective on the Blues and the role he's had. Playing in a small club you get limited camera angles, so I saw better footage of Buddy Guy at the Muddy Waters tribute on PBS. It's still worth the purchase though because he's playing more straight Blues, keeping the "Hendrix Style" to a minimum.

Buddy is the REAL DEAL
I have been to Buddy Guy's Legends nightclub in Chicago and this video captures Buddy at his best jammin with GE Smith and the SNL band in Legend's itself...excellent direction with interviews with Buddy telling about the early days of the Chicago Blues scene...sound is excellent and I truly enjoyed watching Buddy and GE trade blues guitars licks...a must see video...

(Could've) been AWESOME...
Isn't Mr Guy receiving more than his fair share of attention these days ? This is a fine sample of what a young director can do with a copy of Adobe Premiere and a good PC ! Don't get me wrong, the music is TERRIFIC, sound is above average (it's recorded live at Legends, Guy's Club), the band is first class... Picture quality is OK, I guess, with 3-4 cameras buzzing around the place (a lot of angles, good thing) and a mediocre sepia-toning thing over the whole video, except -here comes! - the TERRIBLE cutscenes where your good frined Buddy Guy gets all-down-home-homey and warm, and starts telling stories of the past, his first cigar-box-guitar, the first time he met the blues, and, guess what ? ALL CUTSCENES are over solos! First song, first solo, Buddy breaks a string, everybody's laughing, oops.. a cutscene, solo in the back, picture comes back to the club after solo ends ! Poor editing? Buddy's tendency for overexposure ? Buy this tape for the music, and JUST LISTEN to it, no need to watch it (that is, if you're not fed up with his Royal Bluesness already)

Buddy Guy is without a doubt the real deal!
Buddy Guy is without a doubt one of the greatest guitar players in the world. This film, which showcases Guy live at his world famous "Legends" takes us on a musical journey. It not only shows us the immensly talented Guy playing with G.E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live band but it also features interview clips in which Guy recalls his early days, his influences as well as his brushes with other bluesmen as Muddy Waters. This film is brilliantly directed and filmed. The most important thing, however, is the music. It does not get any better with fiery blues riffs, solos, his charismatic stage presence and of course the trademark passionate voice of Buddy Guy, and live. A wonderful musical journey with one of the most talented and creative guitar players of our time. Buddy Guy is the epitome of blues greats and he is without a doubt the real deal. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Chevy Chase's famous fall and trips over things on SNL!
My favorite part of every classic beginning on Saturday Night Live television history during the seventies is when he falls down or trips over things that were waiting to happen for Chevy himself. As he says in every opening credits to this show was "LIVE FROM NEW YORK IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT! And don't forget his zany antic on weekend update as he was the news anchor person. ... Read more

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Few topics have provided such ample fodder for Saturday Night Live as the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal. And while cast member Darrell Hammond has embodied many characters on the long-running television show (including Trent Lott, Ted Koppel, Phil Donahue, Sean Connery, John Travolta, and Jay Leno), he is best known for his dead-on impersonation of President Clinton, so much so that he appeared with the president at the Radio-Television Correspondents Dinner in 1997.

This collection of SNL skits, hosted by Hammond, contains nothing but parodies of the low moments of the Clinton scandal. The uneven quality of the skits is disappointing given the richness of the material; however, there are enough bright moments to make the video worth the watch. A series of mock Gap ads starring Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Ken Starr are hysterical, as are some of the quite short gags in which the laughs last longer than the skits. Sadly, not enough clips feature John Goodman as Linda Tripp, although we get a taste for the character in "Oprah 2001" and in a montage of some of Tripp's best lines. Some of the skits are downright juvenile, as when a gaggle of female journalists turn a news discussion into a pajama-clad slumber party gabfest. Yet watching Lewinsky (Molly Shannon) guided by her P.R. rep (David Slade) interview talk-show hosts for her exclusive interview is comedy at its best. Overall this collection will please political pundits and fans of SNL. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Boy, all of history should be this funny!
Darrell Hammond's "Bill Clinton" and John Goodman's "Linda Tripp" have to stand as two of the funniest comic performances even done on the long-running television show.

They bring tears to my eyes and probably do the same for the pair parodied.

It was alright.
It was alright, but I wanted to see more of the skits with
Tripp in them. They cut a lot of them out of this, but it
was fun to watch anyway.

Great!
This is one great "best of." Every skit is so funny. I think if you love political humor, you'll love this one. It's worth viewing.

Funny, well worth a viewing
The Best of the Clinton scandal is a very funny collection of skits overall. This is mainly due to the fact that Darrell Hammond simply has a field day playing the President, getting the looks, mannerisms, pathetic attempts at apology; all down to perfection. As he mentions at the offset, he couldn't have asked for more prime material to work with. Some of the highlights include a series of T.V. personalities attempting to land Monica's tell all interview, including Barbara Walters, Howard Stern, Larry Flynt, Phil Donahue, Oprah(done very well by Tim Meaodows), and others. There are also scenes with John Goodman as Linda Tripp; a role that he was perfect for as well. There's even a Ladie's Man skit, where he does a demonstration of how he would have seduced Monica if he were in the President's shoes. The best thing about this tape is that for the most part it sticks to the topic. The last SNL video 'Game Show Parodies' was so all over the place that I was thinking this one may have had the same problem, but it didn't. A good one for the collection.

Saturday Night Live - The Best of the Clinton Scandal
Another great "best of" video. This one is great, a good reminder of all that happened on the show during that time. A must have to complete your collection. ... Read more

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Welcome to Mr. Robinson's neighborhood
The magic of Eddie Murphey's final season on SNL is captured on this best of 1983 tape... and when I say magic I mean Murphy truly went all out before departing from the show. You would have to see it to actually experience the magic that is Eddie Murphy on SNL. I don't want to give away any surprises, and believe me, if you've never seen it before then there are plenty of surprises. But obviously there's Mr. Robinson's neigborhood and Buckweet. No Gumbi on this one, but there is a really good sketch with James Belushi and Joe Piscapo. The star though is Murphy, doing an impersination of Michael Jackson that will have you laughing all night. The only reason I didn't give this one 5 stars is because they rolled the credits right in the middle of James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub. ... Read more

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Tom Hanks is a legend
This video shows the highlites from 3 seperate episodes as hosted by Tom Hanks. The video is hillarious featuring many great skits including "the deleted scenes from Big" which makes me laugh just thinking about it! Rare video so if you can snap up a copy I can't reccomend it enough! Check it out! ... Read more

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While hordes are ready to stream into any theater with his name on the marquee, you can actually experience the mother lode of Adam Sandler giggles in the comfort of your own home. This collection of nearly 20 skits from the comedian's 1991-95 stint on Saturday Night Live is an essential tool for anyone who's taking life too seriously. The classic characters are all present and accounted for: Operaman, Cajun Man, Gap Girl ("Didja cinch that?"), Kirstie Alley's exuberant bellboy ("Bellissima!"), and, of course, Canteen Boy, found here in a hilariously unsettling encounter with Alec Baldwin's randy troop leader.

The highlights, however, are the tunes, from "The Chanukah Song" ("Paul Newman's half-Jewish. Goldie Hawn, too. Put them together--what a fine-looking Jew!") to the all-out opus "Lunchlady Land," featuring a bemoled Chris Farley rocking out like no one in a hairnet ever has to the "Slop-Sloppy-Joes" chorus.

All in all, it's a nice trip back through SNL time. When it comes to getting in touch with his inner goofy 8-year-old, Adam Sandler is comedy's big daddy. --Bob Michaels ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A Sandler CelebraSHON
For me, Saturday Night Live stopped being funny enough to watch about the same time Adam Sandler left the show. This collection of Sandler moments is a little uneven and fails to include some of my favorites, but there is still plenty of great comedy to be found here. You get performances of such Sandler classics as The Chanukah Song, Lunch Lady Land, and a less famous little Christmas ditty (but, alas, no Red Hooded Sweatshirt song), not to mention his Springsteen performance of Dancing in the Dark alongside Courteney Cox. His Operaman persona is well represented with performances scattered throughout the 87 minutes of comedy mayhem. Cajun Man puts in an appearance, as does Lucy the Gap sales girl. The Canteen Boy segment is rather hard to forget, featuring the icky advances of Scout leader Alec Baldwin to Sandler's innocent persona. Proving that this comedy remains timely, Iraqi Pete shows up to draw the jeers of an American audience. There are a couple of skits of the typically inane SNL variety that seemed out of place here: the house-sitting and New York restaurant guide commercials; it is actually Chris Farley who manages to extract significant humor out of these otherwise unimpressive offerings. The selection from The Denise Show is very funny, but I would have favored the final one featuring Nicole Kidman as the better choice. I was very happy to see one of Sandler's Halloween costume suggestion skits included here; as funny as this selection is, though, I was a little disappointed that it was not the very first one-that was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life. All in all, there is something here for every Adam Sandler fan; it is a tribute to his comedic genius that there was not enough room on this tape to include all of his fans' favorite moments from the show.

Please God, give me cancer now!
This is probably funnier than all of AS's films, and that is saying a lot! From the Zagat's skit (the book is gone, but the mouth keeps on!) to the now classic Schmitts Gay commercial, it really is the BEST of Adam Sandler, the best in the series. The Denise Show was a skit I don't remember, but it's funny as hell. (here's the part of the show where I absolutely lose it!) and of course Canteen Boy is another great one. (Alec Baldwin-a great SNL host) The Operaman montage is hilarious (I especially love the two Pearl Jam bits, the Al Gore song, and of course the Demi Moore "dry-humpo!" song) Cajun Man is in here, as well as the Hannukah song. Of course, the now classic "Bellissima!" skits are untouchable, and the Gap girl skits are hilarious. It's very hard to pinpoint the best skit on here, but I would say a tie between Canteen Boy and the Operaman montage. Opera Man, bye bye!

Omigod! It's The Best Of Adam Sandler!
While not as versatile as Dana Carvey or Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler had his own special brand of humor that made him one of "Saturday Night Live's" must - watch comedians during the early 1990s'. Relying more on characters than impressions, he had an intense flair for physcial comedy, something few castmembers were good at.

For a solid 70 minutes of laughter, this dvd can hardly be beat. All of his most popular charcters are here - "Canteen Boy" (in a rather memorable sketch with Alec Baldwin), "Cajun Man", Lucy the Gap girl and , of course "Operaman". Also, there's more than a few one - time characters who make their appearnaces. "Iraqi Pete" seems is hilarious, though has eerie echoes of what's going on in the world today. The bellboy from the "Room Service" sketch (actually, he also appeared in the "Il Cantore" sketch) is also funny. My favorite is Hank Gelfand from the "Zagat's" sketch, though Chris Farley actually does better than him here.
And of course, there's the music: "The Hanukkah Song", "Present Song" and "Lunchlady Song" (though in this one, Farley once again outshines him). Plus, there's his hilarious costume suggestions ("I'm Backwards Man").

I suggest this dbd. I guarantee you'll laugh your pants off. Here's hoping tha Lorne Michaels gets his stuff together and asks Sandler to host the show again soon.

Magnifico
During the years 1986 to 1991, a few new comedians joined the cast of NBC's "Saturday Night Live". Dana Carvey, Mike Meyers, Kevin Nealon, Dennis Miller, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Chris Rock, Victoria Jackson, Phil Hartman, John Lovitz, Julia Sweeney, Chris Farley and a host of others built what is arguably the only ensemble to rival the first five years with Gilda, Dan and Chevy. Another comedian who joined the show around this period was Adam Sandler, then a struggling comedian who (as one reviewer pointed out) had already starred in one movie called "Going Overboard".

"Saturday Night Live - The Best Of Adam Sandler" is an excellent compilation of some of his zaniest characters (and some in which he plays himself singing a song or giving costume suggestions to the unfortunate ones who couldn't find one for Halloween. There are 20 skits here, so I'm going to just the name a few of my favorites.

"Zagats" is my favorite. A bewigged Sandler acts alongside Chris Farley and David Duchovny (both in drag) as an elderly Jewish man who is celebrating his 35 th anniversary with his wife Bev (played by Farley). Sandler's insults and one - liners ("Give me cancer now, God") are among his best work. Liken him to Mr. Roper from "Three's Company", only Jewish.

"Canteen Boy" is a rather provocative skit, with not - so - subtle allusions to sodomy and homsexuality, with Alec Baldwin as a scout master pining for a more than a little uncomfortable Sandler. Very racy, but extremely funny stuff.

Finally, there are four different "Operaman" skits. Here is where you'll hear Sandler zing such notorious figures as Amy Fisher, Lorena Bobbit, George Bush, Hilary and Bill Clinton, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks and a hilarious song about Pearl Jam in which Operaman expresses his non - gay crush on Eddie Vedder. John Lovitz and Glenn Close also pop as Operaman's brother and his sister - in - law.

Other skits like "The Denise Show", "Grandma" and "The Herlihy Boy"are equally funny and memorable. For me, the only skit not included that I wish they did was "Operaman's Lotto Ticket". But this is still an essential collection, especially if you are a big Sandler fan.

Not the best of Adam Sandler, but still fun for "SNL" fans!
During the early to mid-90s, a few comedians ruled NBC's "Saturday Night Live," and they got future film careers out of it all. Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, and now even Rob Schneider have all gone on to fruitful film careers, with Carvey finally getting back in the game (hopefully) after heart problems (though "Master of Disguise" didn't help him too much). Other funny comedians such as Kevin Nealon and Phil Hartman, though equally funny, never got very far. Nealon made some cameos in his fellow "SNL" friends' films ("Happy Gilmore," "Master of Disguise," "Anger Management"), while Hartman was shot by his wife before he got anywhere at all.

Adam Sandler has probably gotten the most out of "Saturday Night Live." He appeared in one film prior to his casting on "SNL." It was a film called "Going Overboard," and it is a true cinematic disaster. After "SNL," however, he has appeared in such flicks as "Billy Madison," "Happy Gilmore," "The Waterboy," "The Wedding Singer," and last year's "Punch-Drunk Love," in which he displayed his true feelings behind the goofy boy persona.

"Saturday Night Live: The Best of Adam Sandler" is a compilation of his greatest moments on the famed television show, ranging from skits involving original characters such as Canteen Boy and Operaman, to the host of "The Denise Show" and The Herlihy Boy Homesitter.

I stumbled upon this DVD while I was at my video store picking up another "SNL" DVD. I was happy because I like the early 90s segments of "Saturday Night Live" much more than the recent episodes, especially now that Will Ferrell has left the show. I was pretty excited that I had found it.

Which is why I was a bit disappointed. I liked this collection of his so-called "greatest moments," but I can't necessarily say that I've seen nothing better. In fact, some of the skits on this DVD are not that funny after a while. The Herlihy Boy Homesitter gets old pretty fast, and while I liked "The Denise Show," I recall seeing a much funnier sequence of the same fake TV show with Nicole Kidman as a guest star - and it was funnier than this one.

Thinking back, I didn't laugh a whole lot at all the skits. They weren't as funny or outrageous as those included in this year's "The Best of Will Ferrell." Is it because Adam Sandler himself isn't funny? Many people think so. I think he's good at what he does. I like his goofy comedies like "Happy Gilmore" because they put a smile on my face (though he's far from being a great comedian at all). Also included on the DVD is the song that inspired his animated feature film "Eight Crazy Nights," as well as Iraqi Pete (an odd skit but pretty funny). I had already seen a few of these skits on television before, including that involving Kevin Nealon and guest star Kirstie Alley being bothered by sex-craved Italians in a hotel.

My favorite skit, however, would have to be one that has Michael Keaton paying Chris Farley to keep an eye on his frail grandmother while he goes back to his room with a girl for a half hour. The grandmother (played by Sandler with a wig) wants Joey (Keaton), and she doesn't want anything to do with Farley. Farley tries to help her with everything but "she" screams and claims he's attacking her. Keaton comes out and beats up Farley a few times in the process. Funny stuff, but still a long shot from anything extraordinary.

And just as with "The Best of Will Ferrell," I am disappointed in this DVD's length. 73 minutes is short for a collection such as this. I understand that it originally aired on television, and with commercials it runs to a full 90 minutes. However, why not make it a full two hours with commercials? That would mean the DVD, without commercials (of course), would run closer to 90 minutes than 70. Or why not include a batch of extra "Best Of" scenes for the Special Edition DVD? That would interest many more buyers.

There are also no special features on this DVD, save one single photo gallery that scans through a handful of snapshots from the skits for about thirty seconds. The new "Best Ofs" contain dress rehearsals, outtakes, Conan O'Brian interviews, and photo galleries. I suppose there wasn't much footage left over since Adam Sandler's skits were filmed before DVDs and Lorne Michaels never thought of saving some deleted scenes and so on and so forth. But it would have been interesting to have more than a photo gallery. Maybe even trailers for some of Sandler's movies?

Strictly speaking, it's not an overblown Special Edition DVD like so many nowadays. It is basically exactly what it says - a collection of his best moments. No real special features, no commentaries, etc. Just the same as the TV broadcast only on DVD format. I guess that's OK.

If you're a fan of "Saturday Night Live" or Adam Sandler, I recommend picking up this DVD. However, if you want a good laugh, I recommend picking up "The Best of Will Ferrell" or "Dana Carvey," which I am told is hilarious and is next on my list. Steve Martin is always a good bet, too, but you may have more trouble finding older episodes - not many people care for them anymore. I'm still waiting on "The Best of Dan Aykroyd," "Chevy Chase," and "Gilda Radner," to name a few of many....

"Saturday Night Live: The Best of Adam Sandler" runs 73 minutes, and includes many different skits. It is not rated and contains some sexual content and language. Its single bonus feature is a photo gallery. ... Read more