This DVD is a re-release of Williams' stand-up special Off The Wall; the special originally aired on October 27 in 1978 on HBO as part of their series of uncensored stand-up comedy specials, and it's the rawness of the material and Williams' delivery style that makes this so good.
There are moments when he breaks off jokes mid-sentence as he realises he'd rather use that later. There's genuine improvised hilarity when he goes to mop his brow with a serviette and then somehow changes tactic to turn it into a pick-up line joke.
His style is much less refined than it is today, more of a stream of consciousness rather than a structured set. This gives you a feeling of genuine connection to the comedian, as opposed to simply watching it all like a television show. Sometimes the lines work, the situations line up perfectly and punchline after punchline frenetically falls out of Williams' mouth.
Other times, it seems a little awkward or forced or too far off topic. And in one of these moments, Williams actually stops himself mid-joke and talks to the crowd: "Oh no, I've lost you. I've gone too far, too early, too quick. I'm in the land where nothing's funny now." And so he reads the crowd perfectly, regains the energy and momentum, and it's the realness and authenticity of the man that makes him so appealing as a comedian.
The style of delivery is different to today, the punchlines are rawer and the flow of jokes can be a little inconsistent, but Williams is inimitable and the laughs far outweigh the slower moments.
