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Funnyman Bill Hicks is as cynical and controversial as ever, tackling head on issues such as pornography, religion, war and motrality. No hidden agenda for Mr Hicks, seen here performing at the Centaur Theatre during the comedy festival in Montreal, Canada.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Clamchowder
Format:VHS Tape
This, for me, is the definitive Bill Hicks performance. I will not waste your time (or mine) eulogising the late, great Mr Hicks. It has been done before by more gifted and authoritative writers than myself. Suffice to say that I have been a fan of Bill Hick's ever since the time of his 'One Night Stand' show. I was lucky enough to see him live once in the UK and have devoured any and all material of his I have come across. For me this performance is Bill at the peak of his powers, firing on all cylinders, hitting every target right in the bullseye.
Great though his audio CDs are, in order to experience the full Hicks effect, and in order to appreciate his complete mastery of the stand-up form, you have to *see* the performance. You have to witness him pace the stage during the lulls in his act, as he marshals his forces for another onslaught. Wait with the audience, breath held, for whatever happens next. Witness the passion, the power, the theatrics, the master at work.
Seeing a Bill Hicks performance is a lot like seeing a rock concert, and not just in the obvious ways. Yes there is noise, and sweat, and swearing, and sex, but more than that you will see him play many of the same tunes. The old material is at least as satisfying as the new because each time he plays it it's different. There's a new twist, new timing, new language, new emphasis. Sometimes it's better than last time you heard him play it and sometimes it's not as good, but it is always compelling to watch.
This recording is Bill at his best. A man who's time had come, a master of his craft performing that craft in front of an appreciative audience at the greatest comedy festival in the world, and loving it.
Wherever you are Bill this is how you will be remembered! Oh, and tell Yul Bryner I said 'Hi'!
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Bill Hicks was a hilariously funny man and if you haven't come across his stuff before then this will blow your socks off. From UFOs to the debate between drugs and alcohol to the Kennedy assassination and the first Gulf War, nobody is safe from Hicks anger and wit. If you're already a Hicks fan then ignore this DVD and go out and find yourself the VHS version of this show.
Its not the recording quality that annoyed me although it is bad. The producers have put a disclaimer on the start of it explaining that a copy of this performance was hard to find and the quality of one chapter in particular is poor. I don't care if it looks fuzzy, an overweight bespectacled Hicks prowling a dark stage with a microphone is not visually stimulating even in the best definition. You buy it for his material and delivery, not his choice of turtleneck.
What does spoil this DVD is that its a different and poorer performance of the same show released in the 1990s on VHS. Both were recorded at the same comedy festival but clearly on seperate nights. The material is similar but lacks some of the punch, some jokes are toned down or missed out, Hicks is not on the top of his game. Why the producers could not remaster the VHS version I don't know. Enough people seem to own one. If they're really stuck they can borrow mine. But I'd like it back afterwards so I can enjoy a master at work
Its not the recording quality that annoyed me although it is bad. The producers have put a disclaimer on the start of it explaining that a copy of this performance was hard to find and the quality of one chapter in particular is poor. I don't care if it looks fuzzy, an overweight bespectacled Hicks prowling a dark stage with a microphone is not visually stimulating even in the best definition. You buy it for his material and delivery, not his choice of turtleneck.
What does spoil this DVD is that its a different and poorer performance of the same show released in the 1990s on VHS. Both were recorded at the same comedy festival but clearly on seperate nights. The material is similar but lacks some of the punch, some jokes are toned down or missed out, Hicks is not on the top of his game. Why the producers could not remaster the VHS version I don't know. Enough people seem to own one. If they're really stuck they can borrow mine. But I'd like it back afterwards so I can enjoy a master at work
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This is a fantastic video and Hicks was a fantastic comedian. What he sets out to do with his comedy is to highlight and disrupt the hypocritical and bigotted views that much of the world holds as...TRUE. He skips from war to drugs to sex and to music with a dry wrath cutting away at the weeds of falsehood that have grown up around the reality...'The Elite Republican Guard.' 'Non smokers die every day.' and 'Drugs have done good things for us' are just a few of the gems that await anyone watching Relentless. Bill was a comedy genius while he lived, now he is another dead hero...making us laugh and, as equally important, making us think...Buy this video and learn like a blind man to see again...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
We miss Bill!
The Bill Hicks' range of CD's cover more material but this is still a helluva good way to introduce audiences to the genius that was Bill Hicks. Read more
Published 2 months ago by The Colonel
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Greatest comedian that has ever lived
This DVD is not the premier show ever performed by Hicks. It does however contain many humourous parts and will keep you entertained. Read more
Published 3 months ago by L.D
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Positive LSD Story Perhaps.
As I sadly never managed to obtain a VHS copy of "Relentless" I gladly snapped this up on DVD upon it's release. Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2009 by Stayve
4.0 out of 5 stars
Editing = shocking
Recorded in Canada and advertised as a 75 minute dvd, this only runs for 60 minutes. Any Hicks fan will find plenty to laugh at here and it is worth the asking price even though it... Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2009 by Billy Ray Cyrus
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest stand-up comedians ever, Bill Hicks remains somewhat scarce as far as releases. Read more
Published on 16 July 2008 by dynamitekid156
2.0 out of 5 stars
buyer beware
True to say that this is a great and iconic performance that had me watching open mouthed when it was first broadcast (my first experience of Hicks) but, that said, this is indeed... Read more
Published on 8 April 2006 by "robyeatman"
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Bill Hick's finest recorded performances.
One of the best Bill Hicks performances on either video or CD. His delivery, timing, wit and sardonicism are all spot on, probably thanks to the fact his material for the show was... Read more
Published on 8 April 2006
1.0 out of 5 stars
Why is this version so poor?????
I'm as massive Bill Hicks fan - and I have this on a 10 year old VHS video. I've been waiting for the DVD for a long while... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2006 by tarangere
5.0 out of 5 stars
Relentles - finally digital!!
I was given RELENTLESS as a present on VHS several years ago and had never heard of him. As soon as I watched him I loved him (in a manly way) and immediately started pressing the... Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2006 by Mr. Mark Obrien
5.0 out of 5 stars
That much over used word...Genius but in this case it,s true
In a perfect world there wouldn't be a need for someone like me to urge other people like me to buy "Relentless" But then if the world was perfect there wouldn't really be a need... Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2006 by russell clarke
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