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PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Adam Hills-Characterful and Joymonger: Live (2008)

Adam Hills-Characterful and Joymonger: Live (2008)

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Released 4-Dec-2008
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Details At A Glance

General		Extras
Category	Comedy	Alternative Version-AUSLAN version Featurette Featurette-Behind The Scenes Deleted Scenes
Rating
Year Of Production	2008
Running Time	99:34 (Case: 148)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Dual Disc Set	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu	Cast & Crew
Region Coding	4	Directed By	None Given
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Adam Hills
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Dual	Starring	Adam Hills
RPI	?	Music	None Given

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No	Miscellaneous
Subtitles	English for the Hearing Impaired	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

Adam Hills is probably best known, certainly in Australia, as the host of popular ABC-TV music quiz show, Spicks & Specks.However, he was a stand-up comedian long before that show started in February 2005. This is his second live comedy DVD , following on from Live in the Suburbs. This one is slightly strangely named Characterful and Joymonger which doesn't really make much sense until you realise that these were the titles of two previous sets of material he used at the Edinburgh Festival, which have been combined together into the one show on this DVD. The show was recorded last year at The Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne. The show is divided into two sections, Characterful (43:27) and Joymonger (56:07). There was obviously an intermission in the live performance between them.

This is a very funny show, better than the previous DVD which was pretty funny in itself. Adam is his usual relaxed and gregarious self, interacting well with the audience and managing to make fun of them in a non-threatening way. One of the interesting elements in this show is the addition of an AUSLAN sign language translator. This may seem like just a politically correct attempt to attract a particular audience however he uses the sign language translator as part of the act using her for comedy as well as just translating. Other topics include England, Canadians, reality TV, toilets of the future, the English language and surrealism in the first half. In the second half he also gets onto prostate checks, Steve Irwin, flying, terrorism, American, the Queen and his artificial foot.

An edited version of this show was shown on the ABC recently.

An excellent live show by a talented comic.

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Transfer Quality

Video

The video quality is very good.

The feature is presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio which would be the original aspect ratio. It is 16x9 enhanced widescreen.

The picture was quite clear and sharp throughout, despite some light graininess. Shadow detail is fine.

The colour was very good with no colour artefacts.

There were no noticeable artefacts.

There are subtitles in English for the hearing impaired which were clear and easy to read. There is also an option to have the AUSLAN signer permanently displayed on the screen in a white bordered box.

There is a layer change during the second half of the show which caused a significant pause.

*Video Ratings Summary*
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

The audio quality is good.

This DVDs contain one audio option, an English Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack encoded at 192 Kb/s.

Dialogue was clear and easy to understand which is all that really matters for a live comedy DVD.

The surround speakers were not used.

The subwoofer was not used.

*Audio Ratings Summary*
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

Disc 2

Audience Outtakes (20:50)

A large selection of audience interaction scenes (6 in all) from the same show as the main feature. There is certainly some funny stuff here and others he struggles to relate to. Definitely worth watching.

Backstage Shenanigans (13:41)

Follows Adam before the show, during intermission and afterwards as he warms up, tells stories, chats to friends and talks about his career. Quite interesting..

The Helpmann Awards 2007 (2:45)

Footage of Adam's mum accepting his award for Best Comedy Performance using a speech he wrote for her.

A Little Bonus from Cork (11:41)

A live show in Cork recorded by an audience member using Adam's camera. Funny stuff. 4x3

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

This disc is only available in Region 4.

Summary

A funny live comedy show by Adam Hills, host of Spicks & Specks.