The Feature:

Filmed over a few nights in Boston, MA, David Cross' Bigger And Blackerer is the first stand up release from the comedian in quite some time. Cross has risen to some substantial popularity since he started on Mr. Show with Bob Odenkirk way back in the mid-nineties, having dabbled in feature films (Run, Ronnie, Run!), network television (Arrested Development, and book writing (I Drink For A Reason) - he's even done lots of voice acting in movies and even video games. He proves here, however, that he's still more than capable of delivering in front of a live audience

The performance starts off with a bizarre intro in which a kid in a bald cap sporting black rimmed glasses comes out, introduces himself as David Cross, and then spouts profanity at the crowd. It's amusing, if bizarre. Cross himself comes out afterwards and almost immediately stops the show to inquire as to why a deaf man is signing to the audience and how he's able to do it effectively if he's not watching David and reading his lips. It turns out he's just there, hanging out, telling his own jokes to whatever deaf people might be in the crowd that night. Once we get past this, however, Cross hits his stride as he rips into junkies and shares some interesting stories about his own experiences with drugs and what it was like for him living near a methadone clinic for a few years.

From here, Cross gets political, which is where this release will polarize audiences. He launches into his thoughts on the Tea Party movement and the anti-Obamacare movement, criticizing those who opposed it by stating that 'American has a long standing tradition of voting against its own self interests,' If you lean towards the right, there's a very good chance you'll take offence to his impersonation of a hard right standing redneck, paranoid that Obama wants to kill his grandparents, complaining that the President hasn't even met his grandparents and reassuring us that they are nice people. Keeping in mind that this material was shot in the fall of 2009, you can see how it's all pretty topical and why Cross would want to go there. He also makes some perfectly valid points and rightfully rags on some of the screwy double standards that seem to exist in those with that type of mindset.

Cross, of course, follows politics with religion, talking about what it must be like to grow up as an Orthodox Jew ("No choices, ever.") but he also takes some well aimed pot shots at Catholicism, Scientology and Mormonism. Cross' thoughts on religion are pretty well known so it shouldn't surprise anyone that he treats it all like a fairy tale, but he's at least able to stay clever about it and again, make some valid points. The rest of the show is a bit all over the place, covering topics ranging from bizarre anti-date rape propaganda and drink testing, to Anne Frank, to his own experiences acting out on an airplane (which got him no laughs at all) to venturing into an adult video store and being fascinated by a video called My Ass Is Haunted (a fine Evil Angel release starring gonzo queen Belladonna for those interested in learning more) - which gives him the opportunity to act out what he figures the feature must be like.

Cross is a smart guy and this comes across quite often in Bigger And Blackerer. His politics and leanings are definitely left of center and that could alienate potential viewers who don't necessarily see the humor in the subjects that he tackles, but if you're open minded enough, you're sure to find some good laughs here. You don't have to be a liberal to appreciate Cross' work (though it definitely helps), as he spends as much time on non-political subjects here as he does political ones, and on top of that he's just a funny looking guy (particularly when sporting the hipster beard he wears here, which he of course insists is not a hipster beard but merely 'just a beard.'), making it easy to laugh at his jokes and also at his presentation. He's condescending and smug at times, maybe a bit too sure of his take on things, but you kind of expect that from him at this point and he plays the part well. He mixes up equal parts insight and barbed attacks/intentionally shocking material pretty effectively and as such, Bigger And Blackerer turns out to be well worth a watch. The performance is periodically disjointed and it doesn't always flow perfectly - likely a result of it being shot over a few different nights - but more often than not what's here works. The content won't change your mind if you're not already a fan of his work and he's playing to his strengths and likely towards his audience's expectations as well, but he does a good job of it and if nothing else, he periodically makes you think.

The Video:

Bigger And Blackerer is presented on DVD in a 1.78.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that generally looks just fine. There are a few spots where the harsh stage lights suck out some of the detail but generally the picture is sharp and colorful. There aren't any problems mpeg compression artifacts, nor should there be given the feature's running time, nor is there any obvious edge enhancement to note. Print damage is a non-issue and overall the picture quality, while hardly mind-blowing, is perfectly fine.

The Audio:

Audio options are offered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. There are no alternate language tracks or subtitles provided. There isn't much going on in the surround channels in the 5.1 track, basically just some laughter and audience response, and as such the track is pretty much geared completely to the front of the mix. Dialogue is easy to follow and always easily discernable and the levels are well mixed. There aren't any problems here, it all sounds pretty good.

The Extras:

Sub Pop have included four deleted scenes that clock in at roughly thirty minutes or so shot during the same time frame as the content used to put together the feature. Topics covered here include Dane Cook, more political bits, and other goofy pop culture minutia. Some of the material is pretty funny and if you dug the feature, check out the deleted bits. There are also some live clips from Cross' performance in Seattle from 2004 that looks like it was shot covertly with a hidden camera or something. It's on an angle and half the time, Cross isn't even in frame. The content is amusing enough, however, so it's worth watching once.

Aside from that, there are menus and chapter stops and inside the digipack cover there's a fold out poster of the DVD's cover art.

Overall:

Those who don't already appreciate Cross' sense of humor won't be swayed by Bigger And Blackerer but his fans will eat it up. His knack for skewering everyday stupidity and poking fun at the far right result in some clever material mixed in with some of the goofier humor that he also handles fairly well. It's not always laugh out loud funny, but it periodically is and for most that'll be enough. If you're a fan of his work, you can consider this one recommended.

Ian lives in NYC with his wife where he writes for DVD Talk, runs Rock! Shock! Pop!. He likes NYC a lot, even if it is expensive and loud.