DVD Review: Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection

Writer: Various
Director: Various
Cast: Johnny Carson, Ed McMahon
Rating: N/A
Studio: Respond 2, Carson Entertainment
Release Date: November 6, 2007

The Tonight Show is and will continue to be a staple in late night television viewing. In the past, it has been hosted by the likes of Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Jay Leno, and it is said that in 2009 Conan O’Brien will be taking Leno’s place. However, this box set, The Definitive Edition, deals specifically with one man who is known for controlling the show for over 30 years. Johnny Carson sat in the lead seat for years and it was a job he handled with grace, energy, and passion.

As a child, I used to sneak down into the family room and hide behind the couch so I could watch the show. Every now and then my dad would invite me onto the couch with him to watch it. I rarely made it through the show in its entirety before falling asleep. I think that’s why he would invite me on the couch with him. Being the bad liar that I am, I would usually fall asleep on the floor behind the couch before I would drag myself back to bed to stop from getting caught.

Now that Johnny has been off the show for some time, there have been several sets containing the best moments of the show. The problem is that in 30 years, you can bet there have been plenty of best moments. This set, labeled the “definitive” collection is said to contain the best moments of Johnny’s career on the nightly show. The question is, does this contain the very best moments of Johnny’s career or is this just another attempt at selling some more of Johnny’s memories on the show?

Release Information:
On, October 1, 1962, Johnny Carson took the reigns as the host of The Tonight Show. Carson was arguably the best late night talk show host to ever hit any network, past or present. In his 30 year time, he interviewed thousands of guests and performed nearly 2,000 shows before Jay Leno took over in the 90s. This 12 disc set, Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection offers a runtime of 1,102 minutes and includes some of the best moments of the show. Lovers of Carson can purchase Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection for $74.99 on Amazon.

The Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection Plot
Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection appears to be the best, single collection containing Carson-era Tonight Show memories. While many others have been made and it is likely that others will be made in the future, this collection has been labeled the definitive collection thanks to the amount of material that is available to you. It is not necessarily because it is complete or new in comparison to other collections of its kind.

Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection includes the 12 discs in a package that folds together neatly. The fold-out box is high quality and appears to be very nice. The outer material is made to look like the Tonight Show set’s main curtains. The show is actually the third longest running in history. It’s an amazing show that has offered both up and coming celebrities and established celebrities from all creative walks of life.

Whether you were a long time watcher or an occasional gazer based on who was on, Johnny rarely, if ever, disappointed. One of the best parts of the show was the fact that Carson was such an amazing entertainer. Today, watching Leno means that you cannot compare him to Carson. Otherwise, The Tonight Show pales in comparison and is no longer watchable. To be honest, I no longer watch. It doesn’t have much to do with the loss of Carson. It’s more of a leap into adulthood that has squelched all those late nights. However, receiving this set and being able to watch those moments that I remember as a child and a young adult, certainly make this set worth owning.

Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection is more of a collection of sets within one main set. So, rather than offer a blank analysis of what you receive, I have decided to split this review up and let you know about each individual set that is included in this collection.

Comedy lovers will delight when watching the set dealing with the number of comedians that graced the stage while Johnny was the host. Stand-Up Comedians is a two disc set that offers the main television debut of many of today’s most famous comedians. Some of my favorites in this area offer performances from Roseanne Barr, Drew Carey, and Jerry Seinfeld to name a few. While these names are common, there are some excellent performances by names you may have never heard or that are not as common as you would remember.

Most of the performances are from the 70s and 80s. There are a total of 20 performances; ten on each disc. While there are no special features on this set, if you are a fan of comedy, these performances will knock you off your feet.

The next set in the collection is called “Carson Country”. This part of the set includes 18 chapters that offer a very loose country theme. In this set, you will see everything from Carson singing western songs to interviewing farmers. This set is random, at best. While entertaining for the most part, it feels as if it was thrown together. The clips all have a loose theme, but nothing more than that. In this section of the set, there are a few special features including “Michael Landon’s Practical Joke”, “John Wayne Walk-On”, “Johnny Cash Kinescope”, “Invitation to the Couch”, and “Barroom Brawl”.

The Ultimate Collection is a series of three discs that are broken into volumes. Volume One offers highlights from the 60s-70s and the 70s-80s. Volume two offers highlights of the 80s and 90s, along with “Johnny Goes Home”. Finally, volume three is comprised of “5.21.92″ and “The Final Episode”. This set allows you to see various lists of things that occurred in this time frame. The lists include celebrities, comedians, and even animals that were on the show. This offers a wide range of footage, some of which is old enough to appear in black and white.

Volume one includes performances and appearances by Jay Leno, David Letterman, Dean Martin, Bob Hope, George Gobel, and Ed Ames. Animal lovers will enjoy Joan Embery’s performance. The Carson monologues on this volume are reminiscent of some of his funniest moments. The second volume offers plenty of comedy sketches, monologues, and various guests from the 80s and 90s. This disc features appearances by Bette Midler and Robin Williams, two of the last guests to appear on The Tonight Show while Johnny was the host.

Finally, volume three includes the final episodes hosted by Carson. This disc is a personal favorite because it is nice to see the emotion and interest that Carson had for the fans and for his job, even after all of the years that he was on television. The final episode offered Carson giving a speech to the crowd that was touching.

In this volume you will see the speech and several highlights that occurred throughout the years. Some of the people you will see in volume three include Joan Crawford, Raquel Welch, Elizabeth Taylor, and Madonna. There are some special features on these volumes that include cast biographies, the show’s history, award information, scripts, and other similar features.
The remaining six discs are a series of clips and performances called Timeless Moments. Considering these moments are taken from 1,800 shows, you can expect a pretty diverse lineup of offerings. Many of the clips appear to be from later in Carson’s career though there are some moments that happened prior to the 1980s. These discs do not offer special features on them, but the clips make the set worthwhile.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
As Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection is a compilation of all of Johnny’s best moments throughout The Tonight Show you can be certain that there is not going to be a static type of video presentation on these discs. While some of the picture quality is stellar, others offer washed out colors and grainy spots that unnerve you to no end. With the type of set this is, I suppose that is to be expected. None of the video is so bad or distracting that you cannot watch. It was filmed well enough or cleaned up enough to provide an enjoyable quality.

The same can be said of the audio for these discs. Some of the audio is noticeably better than other areas. Some spots need some volume toggling, while other areas sound perfect. For the most part, this area is fine and makes watching this set easy enough.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
It is hard to list all the special features that come with Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection. Part of the reason for this is because there is no special features disc that comes with the set. Instead, the various sets that were put together have some special features on them. Most of the discs do not contain special features. However, there are some featurettes, biographies, and skits that were not originally part of the show.

These things are a nice addition to the collection though they are not anything that appeared to be worthy of the “definitive” label. I would have expected some commentaries and retrospectives. However, I can understand why these things were overlooked.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection is not the end all be all set for Carson collectors. In fact, if you have purchased other sets you might want to skip this one because it’s likely that you already have the material in your collection. However, if you are a new Carson collector or want the set rolled up in the lovely packaging that is offered here, the $74 price tag is not altogether offensive for what you receive.

This set will make a nice addition to someone’s collection if they do not own any of the other sets being offered. However, I highly doubt that this is the last collection for Carson fans, and that means that as definitive as it is right now, one day they will have a more complete set for the masses.

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Heeere’s Johnny – The Definitive DVD Collection, Johnny Carson, Ed McMahon, Doc, Sketch Show, Interviews, The Tonight Show, 12 Disc Set, Television, DVD Box Set Review

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Written by Chuck - Visit Website
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I am a Southerner, proud and true. At 37 years old, I've learned enough of life's lessons to know that nothing is as it seems in the beginning. I live in South Carolina with my dog, Big Blue and my son, Hunter. I enjoy watching NASCAR, writing short stories, riding on my ATV, and a drinking a cold beer with friends in front of the television.