Robert Klein: The HBO Specials 1975 – 2005 (SRO)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: C     Concerts: B-

 

 

There is no doubt of Robert Klein’s status as a top stand-up comedian, but he never left me laughing or with any memorable jokes.  However, he has been consistent in his ability to amuse and make people think, an arc you can experience from his cable TV debut to nearly household name recognition in the new DVD box set Robert Klein: The HBO Specials 1975 – 2005 from SRO Entertainment.  The 4 DVDs include:

 

An Evening with Robert Klein (1975)

Robert Klein Revisited (1977)

Robert Klein At Yale (1982)

Robert Klein: Child Of The 50’s, Man Of The 80’s (1984)

Robert Klein On Broadway (1986)

Robert Klein: It All Started Here (1995)

Robert Klein: Child In His 50’s (2000)

Robert Klein: The Amorous Busboy Of Decatur Avenue (2005)

 

 

What the man speaks and jokes about is important and a record of a time too many are trying to bury.  That makes these programs vital comedy history, so there is more to see and hear here than laughs.  It is a compilation of the early years of cable and the rise and fall of the counterculture, which alone more than justifies its release.

 

The full frame 1.33 X 1 image throughout each show is shot in analog NTSC video and is soft in all cases, with very little improvement as the shows become newer, so the interview looks better by default.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is flat and when the sound starts to become stereo, it is flat and simple at best.  Fans who have older tape copies will still likely find this an improvement.  The only extras are a 2007 interview with Klein about these shows and his career, plus an essay booklet inside.  If nothing else, he is a true survivor.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo