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Polar Blair's Den Menu PageThe one area of filmed entertainment that is grossly overlooked is the video-only program. These aren't movies, and they aren't television shows, so they don't get a lot of coverage. Video specials become obscure and are soon forgotten. Many of these gems on VHS and DVD get quite hard to find as the years go by. These specials aren't always documentaries. Sometimes they are comedy videos, music events, or things that can't be easily described. The video special almost always makes for interesting entertainment. I'd like to share my knowledge with you about certain titles I've enjoyed over the years.
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Comedy
Documentary
COMEDY
Bubba Goes
Hunting- Format: VHS. Year: 1995. Time: 23
minutes. Publisher: Buckmasters. About: Jim Varney
(of "Ernest" movies fame) stars as dimwitted redneck hunter Bubba in
this mock hunting video. The Buckmasters company produced this
and other "Bubba" videos as part of their Young Bucks line for
children. This is EXACTLY like an Ernest show. If you love
Jim Varney as Ernest, you'll enjoy him as Bubba!
Carl Hurley: Might as Well Laugh!- Format: VHS. Year: 1996. Time: 56 minutes. Publisher: Carl E. Hurley/Cowcumber Productions of Kentucky, Inc. About: Carl Hurley is a stand-up comedian who is really more of a humorist in the way of Will Rogers. He has one of the neatest Southern voices to listen to. Hurley is just a funny guy with completely clean humor for all ages. He's a very likable fellow. Very clever material and excellent delivery. This video program is well-filmed.
Granny: That Funny Old Lady- Format: VHS. Year: 1995. Time: 82 minutes. About: This was recorded in 1995 at the Center for Performing Arts in Pipestone, Minnesota. This VHS was the video debut for Dorothy "Granny" Stager. I believe she released only two VHS programs. I was surprised to find that her comedy really can appeal to people of all ages, and not just senior citizens. Although she isn't crazy funny like George Carlin, Larry the Cable Guy, and people like that, Granny IS very witty. Stager is a genius in the way she develops and delivers a humorous story. Her Granny character plays up to her Norwegian heritage, and makes good comedic use of the accent. I enjoyed it. This concert event is also very well-filmed and edited. Easy to watch and listen.
Jeff Foxworthy 2: The Return of the Incomplete Deer Hunter- Format: VHS. Year: 2001. Time: 66 minutes. Publisher: Realtree Outdoors. About: This is a mock-hunting video. It's a series of gags and comedy sketches that includes Jeff Foxworthy and a funny supporting cast. Very funny! Filmed as professional as a TV sketch comedy series.
Wayland Flowers & Madame: An Evening at the Backlot- Format: DVD. Year: 2007. Time: 70 minutes approximate. About: This is a rare, and I do mean rare, recorded performance of Wayland Flowers with his legendary raunchy puppet character Madame. It was recorded on VHS in the late Fall of 1977 at a nightclub called the Backlot Cabaret in New York City. Wayland also brings other entertaining puppets to the show including: Crazy Mary, Mr. Macklehoney, and Jiffy. Crazy Mary is a deranged mental patient, Mr. Macklehoney is a love-starved old man, and Jiffy is a sassy black woman. The audio and video quality isn't the best; the publisher of this video is very upfront about all of this, so you're not getting screwed. The performance is top-notch. I like the fact that the producer of this program put in various title cards to tell us what's going on; very professional. This makes up for the less-than-perfect picture and sound. You can still see and hear everything with the performance, but the sound is often muffled and don't expect HD digital remastering. It is what it is: A very funny comedy performance, preserved on DVD for its historical value. This video is for adult audiences ONLY. Extra: A read-only (not filmed) biography of Wayland Flowers.
Yakov Smirnoff: I Bet You Never Looked at it That Way!- Format: VHS. Year: 1998. Time: 59 minutes. Publisher: Comrade in America, Inc. About: This was recorded at Yakov Smirnov's own What a Country Theatre in Branson, Missouri. Yakov puts a good budget into his show so you'll see quite a spectacle. He doesn't do this "on the cheap". The video is very well-produced. On top of that, he's just a likable, funny Russian-born comedian who is fiercely proud of being an American. This is a family show.
Carl Hurley: Might as Well Laugh!- Format: VHS. Year: 1996. Time: 56 minutes. Publisher: Carl E. Hurley/Cowcumber Productions of Kentucky, Inc. About: Carl Hurley is a stand-up comedian who is really more of a humorist in the way of Will Rogers. He has one of the neatest Southern voices to listen to. Hurley is just a funny guy with completely clean humor for all ages. He's a very likable fellow. Very clever material and excellent delivery. This video program is well-filmed.
Granny: That Funny Old Lady- Format: VHS. Year: 1995. Time: 82 minutes. About: This was recorded in 1995 at the Center for Performing Arts in Pipestone, Minnesota. This VHS was the video debut for Dorothy "Granny" Stager. I believe she released only two VHS programs. I was surprised to find that her comedy really can appeal to people of all ages, and not just senior citizens. Although she isn't crazy funny like George Carlin, Larry the Cable Guy, and people like that, Granny IS very witty. Stager is a genius in the way she develops and delivers a humorous story. Her Granny character plays up to her Norwegian heritage, and makes good comedic use of the accent. I enjoyed it. This concert event is also very well-filmed and edited. Easy to watch and listen.
Jeff Foxworthy 2: The Return of the Incomplete Deer Hunter- Format: VHS. Year: 2001. Time: 66 minutes. Publisher: Realtree Outdoors. About: This is a mock-hunting video. It's a series of gags and comedy sketches that includes Jeff Foxworthy and a funny supporting cast. Very funny! Filmed as professional as a TV sketch comedy series.
Wayland Flowers & Madame: An Evening at the Backlot- Format: DVD. Year: 2007. Time: 70 minutes approximate. About: This is a rare, and I do mean rare, recorded performance of Wayland Flowers with his legendary raunchy puppet character Madame. It was recorded on VHS in the late Fall of 1977 at a nightclub called the Backlot Cabaret in New York City. Wayland also brings other entertaining puppets to the show including: Crazy Mary, Mr. Macklehoney, and Jiffy. Crazy Mary is a deranged mental patient, Mr. Macklehoney is a love-starved old man, and Jiffy is a sassy black woman. The audio and video quality isn't the best; the publisher of this video is very upfront about all of this, so you're not getting screwed. The performance is top-notch. I like the fact that the producer of this program put in various title cards to tell us what's going on; very professional. This makes up for the less-than-perfect picture and sound. You can still see and hear everything with the performance, but the sound is often muffled and don't expect HD digital remastering. It is what it is: A very funny comedy performance, preserved on DVD for its historical value. This video is for adult audiences ONLY. Extra: A read-only (not filmed) biography of Wayland Flowers.
Yakov Smirnoff: I Bet You Never Looked at it That Way!- Format: VHS. Year: 1998. Time: 59 minutes. Publisher: Comrade in America, Inc. About: This was recorded at Yakov Smirnov's own What a Country Theatre in Branson, Missouri. Yakov puts a good budget into his show so you'll see quite a spectacle. He doesn't do this "on the cheap". The video is very well-produced. On top of that, he's just a likable, funny Russian-born comedian who is fiercely proud of being an American. This is a family show.