Search - The Second City: First Family of Comedy on DVD

Movie Release: 2006 DVD Release: 02/20/2007 Format: DVD - Color Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 8 mins Studio: Acorn Media Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Theater, Film, TV & Radio, Sketch Comedy

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the comedy club that served as the genesis for SCTV and Saturday Night Live with this documentary originally shot for Canadian television and featuring interviews with an impressive array of history-making hosted by Dave Thomas, Joe Flaherty, and Scott Thompson. Few could have seen the remarkable future in store for a small Chicago comedy club that first opened its doors in December of 1959. Now comedy fans can see just how some of their favorite stars broke into the big time as rare archival clips combine with the memories of Dan Aykroyd, Paul Shaffer, Eugene Levy, Martin Short, and Catherine O'Hara to offer a visual history of comedy's defining force. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Originally produced as a three-part series for Canadian television (which may explain why the Toronto Second City company earns more screen time than the founding Chicago troupe), this tribute to the pioneering improvisational comedy theater gets a solid presentation for its DVD release. The Second City: First Family of Comedy has been transferred to disc in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the material looks fine on disc, certainly by the standards of a television news documentary. The audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo, and is crisp and clearly audible throughout. The interviews and performances are in English, with no subtitles or multiple language options included. As a bonus, extended interview outtakes are included from chats with Dan Aykroyd, Tina Fey, Martin Short and Dave Thomas recorded for this series. While some might be puzzled by First Family of Comedy's emphasis on Second City's Toronto sister company, it's a lively profile of a wildly influential chapter in the history of contemporary humor, and this disc serves the material nicely. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide