Product Description
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Nicknamed the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players," the original
cast of Saturday Night Live ignited a comedy revolution with
their mix of irreverent characters and satirical impressions of
political figures and pop culture icons. From the premiere of
this groundbreaking sketch comedy show on October 11, 1975, live
from historic Studio 8H in New York City's Rockefeller Center,
Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Chevy Chase, Garrett
Morris, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner launched themselves into
instant stardom and were often referred to as "The Beatles of
Comedy." Created by Lorne Michaels over three decades ago, few
other shows have had the cultural impact and relevance of
Saturday Night Live. Nowhere else can you see the complete first
season of SNL, featuring hosts George Carlin, Rob Reiner, Lily
Tomlin, Richard Pryor, Elliott Gould, Candice Bergen, or original
musical performances by Simon & Garfunkel, ABBA, Patti Smith
Group, Jimmy Cliff, and Carly Simon. And if you're curious as to
how the original cast was hired, check out the DVD bonus features
that include the screen tests of each performer.
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Saturday Night Live: The Complete First Season boxed set is much
more than the sum of its parts, in fact it's one of the most
significant TV DVD releases yet. This isn't just an 8-disc set
featuring 24 episodes of live sketch comedy, it's a big box of
zeitgeist. This really is the complete first season, mostly uncut
and complete with every musical act and short film intact (a few
bumpers and transitions were removed to make it flow better on
DVD). The first broadcast aired on October 11, 1975, hosted by
George Carlin and featured musical guests Billy Preston and Janis
Ian. At first, things seem a little raw: Carlin's opening
monologue is painfully unfunny, Chase's first at the seminal
"Weekend Update" is amusing but sloppy, and much of the cast seem
to be holding back. But the groundwork is all there, and soon in
subsequent episodes you can see it all start to come together
(especially with John Belushi who lets his simmering intensity
out to tremendous effect), proving that the first episode simply
belies the historic impact the show would come to have on popular
culture. Here you'll find the first airing of some of the many
skits that stayed famous over the years: the Land Shark, Samurai
Hotel, Chevy Chase's opening pratfalls and the impersonations of
Gerald Ford which would spin off into the proud SNL tradition of
presidential parodies.
The set is a very entertaining look at a significant point in TV
and American cultural history. It is so 1975, but that's a major
part of its appeal: did Chevy Chase really used to look that
young? Did a young George Carlin really used to look so old?
Check out Abba in those disco jumpsuits. And if you're a fan of
The Muppets, seeing them here on late-night TV making jokes about
getting drunk will blow your mind. Younger fans may not fully
understand just how groundbreaking this show was at the time. For
example, Richard Pryor hosting the seventh episode, which
includes the famous "Word Association" sketch. Back then, to have
a comedian of Pryor's reputation joking about drugs, sex, and
race on live TV was a tremendous risk (it's also gratifying to
see the obvious effect he had on the next generation of comics
like Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock), and it helped established the
show's cache as unpredictable and edgy. The DVD set is full of
moments like this and, like the show itself, it has its ups and
downs. Watching hosts like Rob Reiner (back when he was still in
his "Meathead" days from All in the Family), Madeleine Kahn, and
Desi Arnaz work their comedy chops with the cast are high points.
Whereas the infamous Louise Lasser episode, which is known for
being among the worst episodes in the show's history
not so
much. Still, it's entirely to Executive Producer Lorne Michaels's
credit that it's included here. It's a tremendous collection of
everything that gave birth to Saturday Night Live, and the seed
of what SNL would become, spawning many movies (not to mention a
few catch-phrases), launching the careers of many great
comedians, and providing TV viewers with some of the most famous,
and infamous, moments in broadcast history. And it all started
right here.
The set is packaged in a well-designed, sleek fold-out digi-pack
with every episode listed on the sleeves, with hosts, musical
guests, and the original air date. The special features include a
rare look at the cast members' original screen tests, and a 1975
TV interview with the cast. --Daniel Vancini