Gilda Live
(1980/Warner Archive DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C Extras: D Film: B-
Gilda
Radner is a great comic talent who has been forgotten more than I and other
fans might like. Her feature film career
did not work very well and her Saturday Night
Live work cannot be available enough, but one film she made that is
inarguably good (maybe he best) is only just now coming out on DVD many years
later than it should. Making it odder,
the film was directed by no less than Mike Nichols (The Graduate) and is one of his least-seen films. Now, Warner Archive, the on-line exclusive
arm of Warner Home Video has issued Gilda
Live from 1980.
A
nicely-filmed version of her Broadway show of the same name directed on stage
by Producer Lorne Michaels, it is a solid filmed record (versus analog
videotape from TV) of some of her best characters from the original SNL and is a terrific show that holds
up very well for its age. Of course,
Miss Radner is joined by some other familiar faces (even a pre-David Letterman
Paul Schaffer) and the in-between segments are of Don Novello as Father Guido
Sarducci.
But it is
Radner who shines as the center of just about every skit and though it was not
the big hit it should have been in theaters at the time, it is a priceless records
of a dynamic, ingenious talent lost far too soon. Her Roseanna Roseannadanna was iconic, while
Candy Slice, a constantly drinking & drugging punk rock singer practically
straight out of the original CBGB’s is ahead of its time. That’s Paul Schaffer announcing her, future
film music composer Howard
Shore and one-time
boyfriend and great guitarist G.E. Smith (also an SNL alumni) in her backing band.
Then here is her “girl group” Rhonda & The Rhondettes; a real riot
and many others. If you have the SNL
sets, this is a must-own DVD. If you
have never seen it, it is a must-see for anyone serious about comedy.
The show
had a long list of great writers including Radner, Shafer, Alan Zweibel and the
late Michael O’Donoghue (Mr. Mike’s
Mondo Video is reviewed elsewhere on this site) who also died too soon from
that bas%#$! cancer. It is an event that
should be rediscovered when some of the most important comic talents of all
time came together and created a golden moment for everyone to see.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image was shot all on stage in 35mm film and looks
pretty good here in what seems to be a new transfer. I would have liked it to be sharper and I did
see this back in the day in 35mm in theaters, so I know how good this can look. Maybe a Blu-ray will eventually be
issued. Director of Photography Ted
Churchill eventually moved onto becoming one of the early and most prominent
Steadicam operators in the business on films like The Shining, The Right Stuff,
Ghostbusters, Scrooged (O’Donoghue’s last major scripted film) & Scorsese’s The King Of Comedy and panaglide
operator on the likes of Risky Business
and Purple Rain. This was a very talented man and here, he
makes what could have been a bad-looking film of a stage show come alive and
really capture the energy all around.
His record and his knack with the camera speaks for itself.
The Dolby
Digital 1.0 Mono is a little weaker and more disappointing than I expected,
especially since music is a prominent feature of the film. There are sadly no extras.
You can
order this and other Archive releases at this link:
www.warnerarchive.com
-
Nicholas Sheffo
