Totally Bill Hicks
Comprising of candid interviews with friends and family and a televised version of the comedian’s final UK performance, at the Dominion Theatre, London in 1993, Totally Bill Hicks is a fitting testament to what proved to be one of the most honest and controversial voices in the stand-up comedy world. The first half, It’s Just a Ride is an insightful documentary concerning his early life and career with clips from old performances; the second half, Revelations, demonstrates his boundless energy and conviction, launching vitriolic and outrageously funny attacks on politics, social standards and the dark flipside to the American Dream.
Those who are easily offended should stop reading now: this DVD is not for you. If however you are eager to see sharp, intelligent, no-holds-barred comedy with more than a little social commentary, I can’t recommend this enough. Described as the ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Comedian’, Hicks had a natural gift to pick out the things that are wrong in the world and tell it to his audience straight; if he’d ever heard of the concept of political correctness he obviously paid it no attention. While some may be discouraged from watching because of this, others will find his brutal and crude honesty refreshing. Successful stand-up is difficult enough but to throw politics and unpleasant home truths into the mix and still have an entire theatre in stitches is a rare talent indeed.
Even though the material is over a decade old the subject matter has lost none of its relevance or power. Considering the fact that some of his rants concern a certain US president by the name of George Bush, it’s probably just as topical as it always was. While many of Hicks’ sketches concern American people and American issues, this particular show contains a few things about British life that are quite unexpected and above all right on the mark. This highlights not only his sharp observation but the fact that greed, ignorance and hypocrisy are worldwide problems.
Because Hicks made a very clear point of speaking honestly and not giving a damn about what those in power (or anyone else for that matter) thought of him, it’s sadly no surprise that he never really had as much mainstream success as many of his contemporaries; for a comedian so well respected by those who had seen him in action, there are not many recorded performances available on DVD. Totally Bill Hicks is a great introduction to the life and work of a unique talent whose career was cut so tragically short.
In Summary
Rude, crude, outspoken, scathing and shocking, Bill Hicks’ style of humour is not for the faint of heart. His performances were always as thought-provoking as they were funny and this DVD shows not only his swansong performance but the background to his career, told by those who knew him best. The material contained here is not just a shining example of clever and original stand-up comedy; it will leave a lot of food for thought concerning the society we live in.
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