Complete 2000 Year Old Man [Box set, Import]

THE COMPLETE 2000 YEAR OLD MAN is a collection of 4 different comedy albums featuring the improvised works of Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. The albums included with the set are: "2000 Years With Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks", "2000 And One Years With Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks", "Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks At the Cannes Film Festival", and "Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks: 2000 And Thirteen".

"2000 Years With Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks" is one of the greatest comedy albums of all time. It was pure genius in its day and the comic spark heard on the album remains just as funny today as it probably did when it was firs released.

"2000 And One Years With Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks" is my favorite album out of the set. The 2000-Year-Old Man makes a return appearance on the album, but I find the "Two Hour Old Baby" sketch and "Psychiatric Society" to be more hilarious. "Watch the eyes."

"Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks At The Cannes Film Festival" is my least favorite album in the bunch. Maybe its because the album is parodying European sensibilities, I don't know, but the sketches here are just not as funny as the ones on the other albums.

"Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks: 2000 And Thirteen" brings back the 2000-Year-Old Man after nearly a decade of absence. The entire sketch is one long interview between the Reporter (Reiner) and the 2000-Year-Old-Man. I kind of wish there were some other sketches here, but there's enough hilarity to keep one interested.

The set includes a booklet that explains how the 2000-Year-Old Man came to be and the transcript of and interview between Saul Kahan and Reiner and Brooks. What's so fascinating about this whole collection is that none of it was rehearsed (except for parts of 2000 & 13 because Brooks was so scared to do the character again). The 2000-Year-Old Man was born out of improv. Reiner and Brooks make a great comic duo and have gone on to become some of the most powerful people in show business. This set of albums is a wonderful tribute to the character that made their careers.

There may not be any funnier or more astonishingly inventive comedy records made during the 20th century than these. The routines were largely improvised, on the spot. That's a dangerous activity, and many are the bodies that have littered its shoals. Reiner and Brooks were almost preternaturally well-matched. Brooks could spin more wildly, achingly hilarious changes on a single line or word than one human being should be allowed, while Reiner (maybe the best second banana ever) is always right there with him. They seem to anticipate each other's every move, yet nothing ever feels rehearsed. Some of the humor has dated, some of its is too topical to be understood by everyone, but the best of it (which is most of it) is still screamingly funny. Phrases like, "Keep away from my eye!", "Don't sit and tear paper," and "Keep ya going 'til suppa" - non sequitors out of context - are permanent parts of the lexicon used by my best friend and me since we first heard these essential gems two decades ago. If I don't pull these recordings out and listen to them at least once a year, I don't feel fully alive.

Before Mel Brooks (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein) and Carl Reiner (The Man With Two Brains, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid) had established themselves as successful comedy directors they were writers for The Sid Caesar show. "The 2000 Year Old Man" was created during breaks in writers meetings where the two would entertain the others by imrovising a questions and answers scenario. Brooks played a man who has been alive for the past 2000 years and Reiner his interviewer. We get to hear the real stories about Jesus Christ, Joan of Arc, Robin Hood as well as tips on how to live longer (who better to tell you than a 2000 year old man!) and snapshots of coffee house life, movie directors, artists and lots more. Brooks is truly gifted at thinking on his feet despite Reiner occasionally trying to trip him up when he contradicts himself or backs himself into a comedic corner. The playfulness between them as they try to make each other laugh is a joy to the ears and it's great to hear a comedy duo that has aged so very well alongside so many of their dated peers. This four CD box set contains almost all of the recorded material available of this outstanding example of comedy improvisation and an accompanying booklet provides ample background information and interviews.