Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

Legendary standup artist Don Rickles—a pioneer of “insult comedy”—is a true showbiz legend, as any one of a plethora of top stars interviewed for this documentary will tell you, including Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Jay Leno, Robin Williams, and Chris Rock. All of these luminaries and many more sing the praises of “Mr. Warmth,” who parlayed his aggressive style and Borscht-Belt sensibility into a five-decade career highlighted by innumerable engagements in Las Vegas and hundreds of appearances on late-night talk shows. Directed by John Landis (The Blues Brothers), Mr. Warmth combines heartfelt testimonials together with vintage film clips, although more recently shot footage only serves to remind us that the octogenarian comic has, quite understandably, lost a little of his edge. Presented on a double-disc set, DVD extras here include lots of outtakes and deleted scenes. A strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (E. Hulse)