Itzhak

Chernick's documentary about Israeli American violin master Itzhak Perlman (b. 1945) dwells mainly on the artist's present-day endeavors: rehearsing, performing, recording, teaching, traveling, cooking, walking the dogs while seated in his four-wheel electric mobility scooter, practicing Judaism, and getting along beautifully with his wife and family. Stills and footage from past events—including his childhood and introduction to the United States via The Ed Sullivan Show when he was 13; early performances; awards; and home movies—somewhat fill in his background. The film supplies generous amounts of classical music but also shows Perlman enjoying Irish fiddling and klezmer entertainments. Some viewers may not recognize all the names dropped, but appearances by Billy Joel and Alan Alda will be appreciated. Descriptive audio for the blind is included but no SDH captions. Extras include a rehearsal with Joel and a sketch from Comedy Central's Oh Hello.