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Six full discs of Mel, and somehow it's still not enough....
Shout! Factory / 660 Minutes / 1951-2012 / Unrated / Street Date: November 13, 2012
Mel Brooks movies have had a history of finding their way onto DVD and Blu-ray, but not until this multi-disc edition has the comedy master's TV material been made available in such a readily accessible way. In fact, The Incredible Mel Brooks is something of a revelation, a proof that while Mel might have a current reputation as a successful show businessman and an architect of beloved old-fashioned films, he earned his chops as one of TV's most outlandish and savvy talents.
The connecting factor of The Incredible Mel Brooks is how good it all is. Usually massive compilations like this weigh the good with the bad, yet while this set isn't without its missteps, for the most part, this is classic goofball comedy, presenting Brooks as a smart yet zany moralist, a guy smart enough to bring up important concepts but one who also knows that sometimes it's worth it to swing low to get a laugh.
In a nutshell, as a non-cinematic recap of Brooks' career, this standard-def compilation is seriously impressive. Technical quality wavers - when you have a career that spans fifty years, that'll happen - but if ever we needed proof that Mel is one of our greats, this release provides a round confirmation. Again and again, the comedian showcases his ridiculous and lovable attributes: he's the whip-smart doofus we've loved for so long.