2009
If you've never been a fan of "Jackass" before, "Jackass: The Lost Tapes" is not going to convert you. It's simply more of the same.
Of course, that's good news to the "Jackass" faithful who made the MTV show into a pop-culture (or should that be poop-culture) smash and turned two feature films into bona fide blockbusters. "The Lost Tapes" collects material that was once broadcast, but has never seen DVD before. That's 104 minutes in total, which is enough to fill a movie, yet retains the low-fi feel of the TV series.
For one thing, it's rather scattershot, with an abnormal number of quick, throwaway bits among the 90-ish in total — so brief, they don't merit a title. Some of these involve Bam Margera jumping off roofs into bushes. It's not funny the first time, the second, nor the third.
Luckily, there's much better material elsewhere, even if the overall program lacks a "oh, my gosh, c'mere, you gotta see this!" moment. I smiled throughout, but only laughed out loud a few times. One entailed Johnny Knoxville carrying a dead alligator around town that still looked alive. Another had Ryan Dunn pelted with streams of chopped-up food as it shot out a wood chipper, while a third depicted the adventures of something called "Night Monkey."
The faint of stomach would do well to steer clear of Dave England's vomit omelet and milk-drinking contest segments. You've been warned.
All in all, "The Lost Tapes" is recommended, but not essential. Extras include a compilation of Knoxville's opening-show stunts with his signature line, "Hi, I'm Johnny Knoxville and welcome to 'Jackass!'" Certainly, this is the best DVD of the year —? nay, the decade — in which you witness someone defecating on a golf green. —?Rod Lott
