We may pine for Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine, the comedic and public faces of “Seinfeld” but I am still thankful for the wit and humor of Larry David.
Like "Seinfeld", the show works by cleverly weaving unrelated stories into that single ironic moment at the end of an episode that somehow brings everything together, all neatly tied up in a bright red bow. Again, being a big fan of "Seinfeld", you are so prepared for this to happen, just like Noah waiting for the great flood. It is a toss up whether this is either a good or a bad trait for a TV show to have. Good in the sense that it can potentially be very funny and bad because hey, been there, done that, next! "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is, to its credit, an able extension of "Seinfeld", darkly comical and weird at the same time. Better than "Seinfeld" it is not but I don´t think David is shooting for that goal. We may pine for Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine, the comedic and public faces of "Seinfeld" but I am still thankful for the wit and humor of Larry David.
"Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete First Season" comes in a 2-disc set with the following ten episodes:
Disc 1: "The Pants Tent", "Ted and Mary", "Porno Gil", "The Bracelet", "Interior Decorator", "The Wire"
Disc 2: "AAMCO", "Beloved Aunt", "Affirmative Action", "The Group"
Video:
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" is presented in its original full screen aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Quality-wise, the video transfer is quite good with fine details and sharp colors throughout all the episodes. Skin tones look natural enough although there are times when a little yellowness seeps into the skin palette. Overall there is very little to complain about the video. Three subtitle options in English, French and Spanish are included.
Audio:
Audio options include both English and French Dolby Surround 2.0. As the show is mainly dialogue-driven, nothing in the included non-discrete audio options preclude the show from reaching its potential. And the wacky musical score fits in perfectly with David´s nuttiness.
Extras:
This DVD set is perhaps a little thin on bonus features. However, it does contain the most important one, which is the one-hour HBO special that eventually evolved into this series. Anyone who missed it previously will be delighted to be able to see the show that started it all. In "Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm", apart from watching David´s preparations for his comeback to doing stand-up comedy, you will also find interviews with "Seinfeld" cast and crew members. Most of the current cast members of "CYE" (the series) are also present in this feature. It is great that HBO decided to include this fascinating show as a bonus feature. Next is a rare 30-minute Larry David interview conducted by Bob Costas. The interview concentrates on the making of the show and how the improv nature of it makes it as funny as it is. Rounding up this section is one audio commentary with Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines and director Bob Weide on the first episode, "The Pants Tent". It is an interesting listen as the participants talk about the early days of the show and also give various bits of information about the sets and the actors that appear in this first episode.
Packaging:
The packaging is quite innovative. On the outside, it looks like any normal 2-disc DVD box until you open up the single flap and find that there is no way to get to the discs! Examining it closely, I found the two disc trays holding the DVDs on top of each other slotted tightly into the box. So what do I do now? Push them both out? Scratching my head for a few seconds, I finally located a tab at the bottom inside of the outer box with the word, "Pull". Eureka! As I pull one tray out, I was amazed to see the other tray sliding out in opposite direction at the same time. Whether this simple contraption will last the continuous sliding as time goes by remains to be seen. One thing I can say though, is that it´s a nifty little gadget that is as out there as the show itself!
Film Value:
Given the eventual and critical comparisons between "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Seinfeld" by fans and critics alike, Larry David has written and produced a show that is about as Larry David as it can be. Both shows come from the same creative mind and you can´t change that overnight. Being on HBO, "CYE" has more latitude in terms of language, which leads to a larger pool of jokes that David can cull from. This is a definite advantage for the show. The only thing missing is the fantastic foursome from "Seinfeld" as it is rare to be able to find a group of permanent cast members that gels so well. As most of "CYE" is unscripted, some of the actors can sometimes come across as a little stiff and awkward. However, this is also a rare case where such negatives actually give the show an authenticity that is bound together by the documentary-like camerawork and Larry David´s dark and neurotic humor.
"Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete First Season" comes in a 2-disc set with the following ten episodes:
Disc 1: "The Pants Tent", "Ted and Mary", "Porno Gil", "The Bracelet", "Interior Decorator", "The Wire"
Disc 2: "AAMCO", "Beloved Aunt", "Affirmative Action", "The Group"
Video:
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" is presented in its original full screen aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Quality-wise, the video transfer is quite good with fine details and sharp colors throughout all the episodes. Skin tones look natural enough although there are times when a little yellowness seeps into the skin palette. Overall there is very little to complain about the video. Three subtitle options in English, French and Spanish are included.
Audio:
Audio options include both English and French Dolby Surround 2.0. As the show is mainly dialogue-driven, nothing in the included non-discrete audio options preclude the show from reaching its potential. And the wacky musical score fits in perfectly with David´s nuttiness.
Extras:
This DVD set is perhaps a little thin on bonus features. However, it does contain the most important one, which is the one-hour HBO special that eventually evolved into this series. Anyone who missed it previously will be delighted to be able to see the show that started it all. In "Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm", apart from watching David´s preparations for his comeback to doing stand-up comedy, you will also find interviews with "Seinfeld" cast and crew members. Most of the current cast members of "CYE" (the series) are also present in this feature. It is great that HBO decided to include this fascinating show as a bonus feature. Next is a rare 30-minute Larry David interview conducted by Bob Costas. The interview concentrates on the making of the show and how the improv nature of it makes it as funny as it is. Rounding up this section is one audio commentary with Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines and director Bob Weide on the first episode, "The Pants Tent". It is an interesting listen as the participants talk about the early days of the show and also give various bits of information about the sets and the actors that appear in this first episode.
Packaging:
The packaging is quite innovative. On the outside, it looks like any normal 2-disc DVD box until you open up the single flap and find that there is no way to get to the discs! Examining it closely, I found the two disc trays holding the DVDs on top of each other slotted tightly into the box. So what do I do now? Push them both out? Scratching my head for a few seconds, I finally located a tab at the bottom inside of the outer box with the word, "Pull". Eureka! As I pull one tray out, I was amazed to see the other tray sliding out in opposite direction at the same time. Whether this simple contraption will last the continuous sliding as time goes by remains to be seen. One thing I can say though, is that it´s a nifty little gadget that is as out there as the show itself!
Film Value:
Given the eventual and critical comparisons between "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Seinfeld" by fans and critics alike, Larry David has written and produced a show that is about as Larry David as it can be. Both shows come from the same creative mind and you can´t change that overnight. Being on HBO, "CYE" has more latitude in terms of language, which leads to a larger pool of jokes that David can cull from. This is a definite advantage for the show. The only thing missing is the fantastic foursome from "Seinfeld" as it is rare to be able to find a group of permanent cast members that gels so well. As most of "CYE" is unscripted, some of the actors can sometimes come across as a little stiff and awkward. However, this is also a rare case where such negatives actually give the show an authenticity that is bound together by the documentary-like camerawork and Larry David´s dark and neurotic humor.
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[release]11604[/release]