George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head (1986) (TV)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Rocco Urbisci

Writers:

George Carlin (concert material)
George Carlin (writer)

Release Date:

2 May 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Legendary comedian George Carlin tackles some of his favorite subjects along with his brand of comedy and humor. |

Plot Keywords:

Concert | Oil Drum | Stand Up Comedy

Cast

George Carlin	...	Himself / Mike Holder
Rick Ducommun	...	The Bad Guys
Anthony James	...	The Bad Guys
Vic Tayback	...	The Bad Guys
Adam Rich	...	Billy
Lyle Talbot	...	Pops
Vic Kaplan	...	Menage a Trois
Sandy Bell	...	Menage a Trois
Lisa Onodera	...	Menage a Trois
Lisa Long	...	Chorus Girl
Tamara Barkley	...	Chorus Girl
Margaret Lenzey	...	Chorus Girl

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Company:

Carlin Productions

Quotes:

[about auto racing, during his bit about sports]
George Carlin: Let me put it this way: when else am I going to see a twenty-six car collision and not be *in* the God damn thing?

Movie Connections:

Featured in George Carlin: George's Best Stuff (1996) (V)

A short B&W film, NOT to be confused with the actual "Playin' With Your Head" stand-up routine

"The Envelope" is a short film written by and starring George Carlin. It was included at the start of George Carlin's fifth HBO special, "Playin' With Your Head". It serves as a tremendously long (and anti-climatic) lead-in to the stand-up performance. Any VHS or DVD copy of "Playin' With Your Head" will also include "The Envelope" at the start. It's hard to think of it as being anything more than a long amusing intro inserted to lead into the actual stand-up comedy performance. But since IMDb lists it as a separate piece, here's my take.

The short film is set as a stereotypical 1930-40s detective story. It's presented in black & white and has bits of the expected slow jazz music, albeit with synthesizer saxophone instead of real brass. Carlin plays Mike Holder, the gumshoe hero. As expected there are dames, henchmen, an attempted murder, and a chase scene. It's hard to say much more without describing the story in full.

"The Envelope" doesn't really have any laughs. In that sense it reminds me of like the SNL skit "Don't Look Back In Anger" where an elderly John Belushi looks over the graves of other cast members. Not comedy, not Oscar-winning; just a comedian having fun trying something else.