Gilbert Gottfried rose to fame in the 1980’s thanks to his brash stand-up act and personality. Now, after decades of flying solo in both his work and in his personal life, Gilbert has shockingly reinvented himself as a family man.

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Video Quality

Gilbert comes to MOD Blu-Ray in its original aspect ratio from a rock-solid HD master. The film is largely comprised of new candid interview footage along with excerpts from various film clips, news appearances, and televised roasts interspersed for context. The footage from the older material can be inconsistent depending on the source, but most of it looks pretty good. Every archival element seems to be the best option available at the time when the movie was completed with most looking pleasant.

The newly filmed interview footage looks as impeccable as you hope modern HD footage to look depending on the shooting location. The transfer avoids issues with compression artifacts, banding, and other digital anomalies. The colors captured on film are natural and vibrant as they bring the complexity of the hues to the forefront. The newer interview segments are saturated with detailed facial features and natural skin tones. Black levels are largely deep and allow for a robust amount of detail in shadowy corners. Gravitas Ventures has treated this one pretty well.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a straightforward DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that presents the film perfectly within its sonic ambitions. The filmed conversations are the headline component of the feature, and you never have any issues discerning anything. While the quality of some archival interviews and clips can be inconsistent, the track flows with clarity and strength. Some locations deliver a decent amount of texture with ambient sounds placed carefully in the rear channels, but it is not a knockout in this regard. The music flows through with care as it envelops the room with stellar fidelity. The audio track is exactly what this film needs. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided on this disc.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Neil Berkeley and subjects Gilbert Gottfried and Dara Kravitz provide a commentary track that is extremely entertaining and illuminating. You get great behind-the-scenes insights and additional stories that are a riot.

A Very Gilbert Halloween: A three-minute look at Gilbert’s kids getting prepared to go out for Halloween and Gilbert talking to them from the road.

Life On The Road: A four-minute piece that gives you a glimpse at the grind of working on the road.

Meeting Dick Van Dyke: A minute-long look at the two legends meeting one another.

The Long Cruise: A three-minute video of Gilbert and Dara interacting on a cruise ship with one another.

When You Walk Through A Storm: A minute-and-a-half-long peek at Gilbert fighting to win over an audience on stage.

Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Gilbert is a rewarding look at a legendary comedian who rarely let his public persona slip to reveal the tender man he is at heart. It is terrific to hear from all of his fellow comedians about his place in the comedy scene and the unusual tendencies that made him stand out. Yet, it feels even more rewarding to see Gottfried at home with his wife and children. There is so much to the man beyond his unmistakable voice and outrageous comedy, and every moment is a gem to witness. The documentary is especially well constructed and thorough while never feeling overstuffed. As a comedian, Gilbert Gottfried was not for everyone, but hopefully everyone can respect the man behind the legend. Gravitas Ventures has released a new MOD Blu-Ray that features a top-notch A/V presentation and some nifty special features. We have sadly lost the comedian in recent years, but this film is an excellent tribute to his legacy. Highly Recommended

Gilbert can be purchased on Blu-Ray directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Gravitas Ventures has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.