George Burns In Concert (1996/Razor
Digital)
Picture: C
Sound: C Extras: D Concert: B-
George Burns used to make a joke that he could not die
until he reached 100 years old because he was booked in Vegas until then. He was, he made that age, then left us as
one of the most enduring entertainers of all time. After looking at some of his early television work and some other
great moments, here is a 1996 stage concert originally shown on HBO. This DVD is simply entitled George Burns
In Concert and features a nearly hour-long stand-up session that includes
his famous monotone singing.
Burns had actually cut a Country Music album at the time
and was promoting it in spots. Though
his Vaudeville type of humor may be considered dated by some, others
appreciated the wit, one-liners and surprise while looking on at the marvel of
this survivor. The audience is with him
from the moment he arrives on stage and the master that he is, he knows how to
work this and not let go until the program is over. This DVD shows that he remained in prime form all the way.
The 1.33 X 1 image is shot on NTSC professional videotape
and is softer than it should be, down a generation or two from its original
source. The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is
uneven in that the music is louder than Burns and it is too compressed
throughout for a recent recording. At
least it does not ruin the jokes. There
are no extras, so this is a very basic disc.
Be sure to check the site for more George Burns DVDs.
- Nicholas Sheffo
