This loving tribute to Gene Wilder celebrates his life and legacy as the comic genius behind an extraordinary string of film roles, from his first collaboration with Mel Brooks in The Producers, to the enigmatic title role in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, to his inspired on-screen partnership with Richard Pryor in movies like Silver Streak. It is illustrated by a bevy of touching and hilarious clips and outtakes, never-before-seen home movies, narration from Wilder’s audiobook memoir, and interviews with a roster of brilliant friends and collaborators like Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, and Carol Kane. Remembering Gene Wilder shines a light on an essential performer, writer, director, and all-around mensch.

For in-depth thoughts on Remembering Gene Wilder, please see my colleague Phil Walsh’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Remembering Gene Wilder comes to Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber with a stellar HD master which presents this movie exactly as necessary. This feature is a mixture of newer interviews along with older clips and pictures to help round out the story of this iconic performer. The talking head interview segments look mostly crisp and clear with natural skin tones and some very detailed facial features. A few of the shots with close-ups of Mel Brooks reveal some digital artifacts that may be inherent to the source.

Nearly all of the filming locations appear to be controlled, so there are not any major swings or downturns in quality. The older footage appears to be derived from the most stable existing source, but some of it looks a bit rough. The colors featured in the footage have a surprising sense of nuance to them. The transfer does not showcase much else in the way of digital nuisances. We are pleased to have a proper HD release for this title.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray disc comes with both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that captures every element without issue. This is primarily an interview showcase with a ton of great stories to complement the vintage clips. Dialogue is in the spotlight up front in the center channel as you get these anecdotes relayed in a controlled environment. The pleasant score and other musical moments from the film come through with consistent fidelity as they wonderfully fill the room. The surround sound presentation makes the space more three-dimensional as the music washes over you. There were no digital anomalies or other issues spotted. This track is in top form. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Additional Interviews: An array of additional insights are provided that did not make the final cut but are a treasure trove of great material.

- Mel Brooks (11:15)

- Harry Connick, Jr. (4:28)

- Burton Gilliam (5:15)

- Carol Kane (2:19)

- Ben Mankiewicz (5:26)

- Peter Ostrum (6:24)

- Karen Wilder (2:18)

- Alan Zweibel (4:25)

Trailers: The nearly three-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Remembering Gene Wilder is not a revolutionary documentary in structure, but it provides a well-rounded overview of one of our greatest comedic minds. Through new insights from those who knew him best and archival interviews with the man himself, we get a clear but loving portrait of the man. Kino Lorber has released a Blu-Ray featuring a solid A/V presentation and some fun additional interviews. The film is worth seeking out if you have even the slightest affection for Wilder. Recommended

Remembering Gene Wilder will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on June 11, 2024.

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

Disclaimer: Kino Lorber 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.