Screen Time

SCREEN TIME Only the best survived ‘The Comedy Store’

JIM KEOGH

One of my favorite moments from the opening episode of “The Comedy Store,” Showtime’s docuseries about the famed L.A. club that incubated some of the world’s best-known comics, is watching David Letterman get uncomfortable. During an interview with the late-night legend, host Mike Binder asks Letterman about a stand-up bit he once did involving a local TV sports anchor who reports news of a murder while delivering the night’s baseball scores. Letterman winces and insists he doesn’t want to rehash what he clearly believes to be inferior material. He finally relents and delivers a brief summary of the gag, but it obviously pains him.

Binder conducts about a dozen sit-downs with stand-ups, populating this retrospective with plenty of raw reactions from the men

NEW ON DVD

KATIE FORAN-MCHALE TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE AMC series reappear in the top new DVD releases for Oct. 13.

“El Camino: A Breaking Bad

Movie”: The last time we saw Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) at the end of “Breaking Bad,” which aired in 2013, he was fleeing the massacre at the Brotherhood compound initiated by his former partner in crime, Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who died in the process.

In “El Camino’s” opening flashback, Jesse and a not-yet-dead Mike (Jonathan Banks) discuss what they would do with their lives if they could successfully get out of the game, with Mike planting Alaska as a fantasy for Jesse’s hypothetical escape. The film follows the immediate aftermath of Jesse’s escape from the compound, with the help of old friends Skinny Pete (Charles Edward Baker) and Badger (Matt L. Jones), to flee from authorities and find vacuum repairman/”disappearer” Ed Galbraith (Robert Forster, who died on the same day the film was

and women who clawed for stage time in what became a crucible for emerging talent. Regular Comedy Store performers Louis Anderson and Howie Mandel recall repeatedly released).

After all the trauma Jesse endured for five seasons, it’s nice to see the character get the story he deserves, written, directed and produced by “Breaking Bad” creator and head writer Vince Gilligan. It’s wholly unnecessary, but it’s fun, and the combination is oddly satisfying.

ALSO NEW ON DVD OCT. 13

“Bad Mothers”: Australian mystery series follows five women involved with infidelity and murder.

“Broil”: After making a shocking discovery about her family, a teenager’s (Avery Konrad) lifeline may be a culinary-inclined assassin (Timothy V. Murphy).

“Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite!”:

The fight between cats and dogs reignites after a tech evildoer uses frequencies only the pets can hear and manufactures drama.

“The Good Witch: Season 6”:

The Hallmark Channel fantasy series continues as Cassie (Catherine Bell) and Sam (James Denton) host a suspicious houseguest.

“The American West, Season

1”: Documentary series explores the history of the U.S. transformation being dismissed by Johnny Carson’s talent scout as unsuitable for “The Tonight Show” (Mandel eventually went on to appear 22 times). Fellow comedian Jeff Altman laments how his unwillingness to develop new stand-up material — he scolds himself for being lazy — coupled with a disastrous stint on the short-lived 1980 network variety show “Pink Lady and Jeff” left his career bruised and bleeding. (Please allow me this opportunity to indulge in one “Pink Lady” detour. In the show, Altman was paired with two Japanese singing stars who spoke English phonetically. The banter was next-level bad. In the “Pink Lady” clip shown in the documentary, a tuxedoed Altman informs his glamorous costars that in America finding a romantic partner is easy because we have “computer dating.” To which a Pink Lady haltingly replies, “Oh, you date a computer?”)

Always, a comedian had to pass after the Civil War.

“Doorman”: An ex-soldier (Ruby Rose) must protect her family from a group of sinister thieves.

“Requiem for a Dream”: The 2000 film starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly is being released in 4K Ultra HD for its 20th anniversary.

“Vikings Season 6: Vol. 1”: The History channel drama’s sixth season follows King Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) as the leader of Kattegat, and Ivar (Alex Hogh Andersen) and Ubbe’s (Jordan Patrick Smith) erstwhile quests.

OUT ON DIGITAL HD OCT. 13

“DC Showcase – Batman:

Death in the Family”: Animated film serves as a prequel to “Batman: Under the Red Hood.”

“The Dance”: A couple (Irene Esser and Gabriel Aguero) hide secrets from each other. In Spanish.

“Fatima”: A group of Portuguese children sees apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1917, leading to challenges by officials.

“Seized”: An ex-special agent (Scott Adkins) must take down a gang to save his son. the charisma test of Comedy Store owner Mitzi Shore, who appraised new talent with a keen and unfeeling eye. If she didn’t like your style, you were done. Mitzi was the nightclub equivalent of Mickey the boxing trainer ordering Rocky Balboa out of the gym because he’s a bum and will always be a bum.

There are, of course, exuberant moments recaptured. How could there not be when so many of these comics not only went on to stardom but helped helped shape popular culture for a generation? Whenever one of the Comedy Store regulars earned a spot on “The Tonight Show,” the other performers would crowd around the club’s black-and-white television to watch. One of them, Jay Leno, would eventually take over for Carson. In his interview in the documentary, Leno divulges his secret to a successful stand-up career: Once you’ve conquered an audience with your best stuff, don’t stick around.

“Sibyl”: A therapist (Virginie Efira) becomes too interested in an actress patient’s (Adele Exarchopoulos) life, drawing on her as writing inspiration. In French.

“The Wall of Mexico”: A rich Mexican American family builds a wall around their property to stop passersby from taking their water. Stars Jacson Rathbone, Esai Morales and Marisol Sacramento.

“When the Storm Fades”:

Docudramedy follows the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.

OUT ON DIGITAL HD OCT. 16

“Alone”: A killer (Marc Menchaca) hunts a woman (Jules Willcox) who escaped from his clutches in the Pacific Northwest wilderness. Look for it on DVD and Blu-ray Oct. 20.

“Don’t Look Back”: A woman grappling with past trauma experiences a supernatural being that stalks her.

“Love and Monsters”: Postapocalyptic action rom-com follows a man (Dylan O’Brien) fighting monsters for miles in order to reach his girlfriend (Jessica Henwick).

“Monochrome: The Chro-

mism”: In a black-and-white world, Move on to the next club and keep experimenting, keep refining.

I most enjoyed the surprises found in “The Comedy Club.” Who knew that Michael Keaton was a successful stand-up before he landed a career in movies, or that the biggest draw back in the day was none other than Jimmy J.J. Walker, aka Kid Dy-No-Mite? Or that Freddie Prinze, enraged that the newest heartthrob, John Travolta, had supplanted him on the cover of Tiger Beat and other teen mags, went to Travolta’s apartment and fired three arrows into his door with a crossbow?

Prinze was troubled, and died young from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1977. The film shows a parade of his fellow comedians emerging from the church after his funeral — shocked, grieving, but no less ready to go on stage whenever

‘El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie’ a fun ride

Familiar faces from a beloved

Mitzi asked.

Aaron Paul stars in “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.”

those who begin to show color are hunted.

“The Secrets We Keep”: A woman (Noomi Rapace) kidnaps her neighbor (Joel Kinnaman) after she’s convinced he committed crimes against her during World War II.