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Paramount Studios presents

Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again (2004)

"My wife and I, we love watching, like, Dateline, 20/20, those shows. But you know how every week they will feature a disease? No matter what the disease is, my wife has it. She just watches it going, 'I've got it.' I'm like, 'You do not have testicular cancer!'"- Jeff Foxworthy

Stars: Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White, Larry The Cable Guy
Director: C.B. Harding

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (mild language, risqué humor)
Run Time: 00h:54m:42s
Release Date: 2004-12-07
Genre: comedy

Style
Grade
Substance
Grade
Image Transfer
Grade
Audio Transfer
Grade
Extras
Grade
B B+BB D-

 

DVD Review

Taking a cue from the successful Kings of Comedy tour, Southern-fried humorist Jeff Foxworthy organized a similar road trip with some of his funny-bone brethren that played to packed houses. Like the project that inspired it, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour spun off a cinematic effort of its own that played to high ratings on cable's Comedy Central.

Like a good meal in the South, nothing beats going back for seconds. Paramount Studios puts another helpin' of belly laughs on our plate in the form of Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again, the second concert film by this highly entertaining quartet of comedians.

In the lead-off slot is Texas native Bill Engvall, the disc jockey turned comedian whose genteel but bitingly funny takes on subjects ranging from married life to finding the humor in everyday situations has put him in a league with his peer and good friend Foxworthy (co-starring on the latter's first network sit-com), with a number of best selling albums and the rare feat of a gold record for the music-enhanced version of his trademark comic hook, "Here's Your Sign". In his newest routines, Engvall ruminates about the adjustment period in his long marriage with kids leaving the nest and why it's probably not a good idea to swap quality time getaway ideas (a whale viewing trip for her, a Saturday morning of huntin' for him); learning how to spot signs when your lady is "in the mood."

As sarcastic and brooding as Engvall is congenial and next-door-friendly, Ron White is perhaps the most underrated of the quartet. Looking like the end result of an unreported dalliance between Alan King and Brett Butler, the cigar chomping, drink swigging funnyman known to fans as "Tater Salad" is a little more upbeat nowadays in the wake of his recent marriage, but still hasn't lost his sardonic way with anecdotal stories ranging from a run-in with a pushy fan praising the entertainment value of Garth Brooks to the difficulties of dropping old rodeo riding habits in the middle of lovemaking.

Next is Collar co-organizer Foxworthy, who keeps getting better with age, with evidence in the form of his best-ever material including a rant against prescription drugs that culminates in a tongue twisting rundown of side-effects that makes memorizing the lyrics to We Didn't Start the Fire seem easier by comparison. And what would a Foxworthy appearance be without a little gentle ribbing of his wife and in-laws: a countrified version of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (one of Mrs. Foxworthy's faves) that segues into a clever twist on his trademark redneck jokes ("If you're a man and you cannot remember the last time you had sex, you're either gay...or married"); and the inanities of looking after your in-laws in their golden years, including a gut-busting recollection of Foxworthy's hearing-deficient mom making an extremely audible comment about a cross-eyed man standing alongside daughter and son-in-law while waiting in line at the movies.

Closing the festivities is the enormously popular Larry The Cable Guy, whose rural-tinged stream of consciousness delivery must be seen and heard to be believed, full of twists and turns (quick one-liners, tightly timed stories, etc.) completely at odds with his slow, good ol' boy drawl makes for one of the most impressive new comedians I've seen. Though a lot of the material makes you wince, you cannot help but laugh at a man who claims if the women's shorts at Hooters get any skimpier, they'll have to order more hair nets.Yikes!

Rating for Style: B
Rating for Substance: B+

 

Image Transfer


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 One Two
Aspect Ratio1.85:1 - Widescreen 1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratioyes no
Anamorphicyes no


Image Transfer Review: A nice stage backdrop combined with terrific lighting on the performers and their enthusiastic Denver audience adds up to a really nice transfer; fantastic sharpness to the point of being able to spot distinctive faces in the farthest rows during shots from behind the stage.

Image Transfer Grade: B
 

Audio Transfer

 LanguageRemote Access
DS 2.0Englishyes
Dolby Digital
5.1
Englishyes


Audio Transfer Review: Of the two audio options, the 5.1 wins by a hair, but aside from a little bit ambience in the rears, there's not much difference due to the fact that the fronts and center do most of the work. Workman-like but effective soundtracks.

Audio Transfer Grade:

Disc Extras

Static menu
Scene Access with 0 cues
Subtitles/Captions in English with remote access
Packaging: Keep Case
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: dual

Extras Review: Rather than rant over no extra goodies, how about my best attempt at a Jeff Foxworthy inspired joke: If you think DVD is an advanced form of a sexual disease your mama warned you about, you're probably not a videophile.

Thank you. Thank you. I'll be at the Cummings Georgia V.F.W. this Sunday. Y'all come!

Extras Grade: D-
 

Final Comments

Forget pharmaceuticals for depression. Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again provides a side-effect-free, side-spitting alternative for the blues (and although insurance won't cover it, it's dang cheaper).

Jeff Rosado 2004-12-07