TL;DR - I’d like opinions on how to find the best-resolution versions of videos. At the same time, I’d like you guys to consider watching the video I am seeking a better version of: John Cleese and Michael Palin praising the late stand-up comedian, Bill Hicks. (3:37)
Now for my horribly unclear writing:
Sometimes I’m looking for a video on YouTube and, if it’s a well enough known clip there’ll be 2, 3, or more versions of the same program/event/news clip etc. These can be of varying quality and resolution* and most people would like to see the best quality video they can.
How do you guys find those better quality videos? Many times I know that a higher resolution must exist but I can’t for the life of me find it. Sometimes it’s because the owner of the media rights has made YouTube take down the hi-res versions but doesn’t care about the low-res ones. Often they’re hard to find because you can’t always trust results from searches including “hi-resolution” or “2K” or “1080p” (see below).
I’d like to find a higher quality version of John Cleese’s Comedy Heroes. This was a 2009(?) non-fiction TV show in the UK with Cleese opining on his comedy heroes. Michael Palin also appears. The part I’m especially interested in is where he talks about Bill Hicks.
Cleese says:
“In the last decade there’s only one comedy hero who’s really thrilled me. Bill Hicks”
and:
“Hicks seems to me to be what Lenny Bruce was supposed to be but never was.”
This strikes me as extremely lofty praise especially as it comes from as accomplished a comedian as John Cleese. Despite having seen most every Bill Hicks clip that exists and being a big John Cleese fan I had never seen or heard of this until a week ago!
Sorry because my OP is as muddled as ever and my attention is having trouble so it might get a bit rough here. I hope you can understand my main points.
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I’d like to know what you guys do in a situation like this—your secret Google or YouTube search tricks that can find hi-quality video.
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I didn’t think of this when I started this but I think I also would just like anyone who’s interested to see (even if only lo-res) John Cleese (and Michael Palin) speak about a comic who was in rarified air; Cleese even compares him to Chaplin.
I’ve suggested many a Hicks joke or clip to many people (here too!) over the years. Some of the stuff I love and promote is, it must be said, tough to handle at times in it’s intensity. Plus, like so many decades old jokes and acts, some of his stuff wouldn’t fly today.
I’ve found acquaintances to be lukewarm on Hicks. They don’t think he deserves much praise and was just a shock comic yelling out insults.
I would wish THOSE people could give Cleese’s opinion the respect he’s earned, and look a few clips that Cleese specially selected. If you’re not a Hicks fan, watch this and maybe see it through John Cleese’s eyes for a few minutes.
Oh, One more note. I did find this link https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8af8f48c that somewhere on it had the whole program available to stream but then it told me I was “a sodding yank” and to run along.
don’t always trust the resolution YouTube says it is* because lots of folks upload 480p, 360p, or worse videos as 1080p or 2K videos because they know that lie will get them. more views.
**In these cases, YT isn’t lying, it IS technically a 1080p video but the YouTuber has uploaded a hi-resolution video of a low-resolution clip.