VideoVista covers rental and retail titles in all genres and movie or TV categories, with filmmaker interviews, auteur profiles, top 10 lists,
plus regular prize draws.
HOME PAGE
INDEX OF ALL REVIEWS
SEARCH THIS SITE
COMPETITIONS
FORTHCOMING REVIEWS
TOP 10 LISTS
INTERVIEWS & PROFILES
RETRO REVIEWS SECTION
ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTORS
READERS' COMMENTS
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
SITE MAP
LINKS
SUPPORT THIS SITE -
SHOP USING THESE LINKS
visit other Pigasus Press sites...
The ZONE - genre nonfiction
Soundchecks - music reviews
Rotary Action - helicopter movies
|
February 2010
Featuring: Russell Howard
director: Russell Howard
77 minutes (15) 2009
widescreen ratio 16:9
4DVD Region 2 retail
RATING: 8/10
review by James A. Stewart
|
Russell Howard: Live Dingledodies
Russell Howard is one of the hottest tickets in the UK comedy scene right now. The West Country performer is rarely off our TV screens with his
weekly appearances on the quite brilliant Mock The Week and his intriguing show Russell Howard's Good News on BBC3. Indeed, Howard
has created a place for himself near the pinnacle of UK comedians at just the right time. Comedy outlets have fared well in the global downturn
as people seek humorous alternatives to the dreary reality of repossessions, political vitriol aimed at anyone from who points can be scored and
unjust wars.
In Dingledodies (I have no idea what it means) Russell Howard releases his second DVD and a swift follow-up to critically acclaimed, and
simpler named, Russell Howard Live. Fans of the comedian will love the new release which was filmed as part of the 2009 tour of the same
name at the Brighton Dome. For those who have seen Howard on his many TV appearances a good number of the jokes will be familiar - moreso as he
is using a lot of the output in the current series of Mock The Week.
However, that doesn't take anything away from his excellent and irreverent approach to delivery. He is not a master of the crowd a la Billy Connolly
in the 1980s, or Richard Pryor before that, but he is nonetheless funny. The jokes and anecdotes come thick and fast as Howard bounces back and forth
between subject and time, with frequent trips to his youth and family a real feature, and his representation of his mum is always worth a chuckle;
in fact, I am torn between wanting my mum to be that mad and concerned about the potential for embarrassment if she were so.
Howard is at times lambasted for being sometimes fraternity in his humour. Live shows, for any comedian, tend to lift the veneer of TV acceptability
(except maybe Frankie Boyle who clearly doesn't care who he offends) and allows the stand-up to unleash their true coarseness both in language and
subject matter. For Howard, due to his clean-cut appearance the profanity can be a bit of a shock, it is not an overused vehicle and is generally
in context. Sure, some of the comedy is close to the bone but nothing that would have me covering my ears.
His subjects are whimsy and eccentric, his energy is abundant and at times his jokes very observational and incisive. I love hearing seemingly true
stories, the reconstructions of mundane interactions (his narrative of the conversation with a schoolgirl at the Darwin exhibition is classic) and
Howard really excels at landing these stories with great aplomb.
Dingledodies is a touch crasser than Russell Howard Live and certainly gives another dimension to his character from the one familiar
to licence payers. It is funny throughout with a few really laugh out loud moments.
DVD extras are of value with two Live At The Apollo shows and some entertaining interviews with fans.
|
|
|
