Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations [Blu-ray] [2020] [NTSC]

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C. Fields, and Mae West, who were embraced as anti-establishment kindred spirits by college students during the Vietnam War era.

Without a doubt their most famous flick and the recipient of the first-ever Oscar for short film, this one is a hoot. Anita Garvin Interview: Stan’s ‘go-to girl’ who worked with Laurel and Hardy in both the silent and sound eras. Beginning as a 7-year-old in the early eighties (shut the fuck up, boomer – I still look younger than you), I’ve consistently had a bit of a personal connection with Laurel and Hardy. What this four-disc Blu-ray set may lack in diversity of extras, it more than makes up with the inclusion of commentary tracks for every last film, even That’s That, a clip reel created primarily as a gift to Stan Laurel.Bann explains in his commentary – also the highlight among the eight-plus hours of extras included with the collection – “Together with the still lost and deeply mourned ‘Hats Off’ (1927), this treasure has been the Holy Grail of silent comedy. Here’s a link to a fascinating three-minute segment of Scott MacQueen of UCLA talking about preserving Sons of the Desert: Sons of the Desert (1933) | Scott MacQueen. Not only does the picture clarity bring the shorts to life, but the sound is so fizzed up, the gags become brand new! Among the shorts are the Oscar-winning “The Music Box” (1932), in which the lads deliver a player piano up an impossibly long flight of stairs; “County Hospital” (1932), where Ollie is convalescing from a broken leg – until Stanley, bearing a bag of hard-boiled eggs and walnuts, visits, and “That’s That” (1937), a gag reel that longtime producer Hal Roach compiled for Stan’s birthday in 1938.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Bann, and 8+ hours of exclusive rarities including 2,500+ photos, posters and studio files, filmed/audio interviews and trailers. While Randy’s ‘Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies’ has over 1,000 rare photographs therein, I’m really pleased to note that many more appear in this release, being accompanied by many from the collection of historian Richard W Bann. Filmed in colour in October 1981; Amongst other tales, Rock tells of how Stan’s ‘partner’ Mae Dahlberg was hampering his career and how he put up the cash to ‘get rid of her!

At the beginning of 2019, my dad had an accident and ended up in hospice with a pretty grim diagnosis for his future.

In juxtaposing bursts of rapid-fire chaos, which inevitably unfolded around the duo, with extended and often delayed reaction shots and gags that are stretched out to (and sometimes past) their breaking points, Laurel and Hardy expanded and contracted time as a means of accentuating the uncanniness of both their verbal and visual ticks and the tempo of their comedic interplay. You can still see the quality of the print, but the details that you can pick up by listening are very worthwhile indeed.

Anyway, he gave me a great tip : “If you are familiar with the film (which you probably are), go straight to the version with the commentary”.

Love ‘Em and Weep,” in which double (and triple) take maestro James Finlayson stars as a pillar of the community visited by a gold-digging old flame, was remade as “Chickens Come Home” with Hardy, who portrayed a butler in the original, and Finlayson swapping roles. Speaking of stills – these discs feature the goldmine of photos, posters, candid shots, promo snaps, and even vacation pics… you name it, it’s in here. Thanks again for your efforts and those of your co-contributors, and for sharing so much of your collection. it was the Channel for those who don't know that was around Before Comedy Central existed and i fucking loved it and though it broke my heart when it went away there are so many shows from comedy central we never would have gotten had HA! Instead, the duo, in their seeming inability to function as a symbiotic pair, despite their repeated efforts to do so, elicit both our laughter and heartfelt sympathy.Once the MGM publicity department got a hold of it an ’leaked’ a schedule to the UK press, Stan and Babe had no chance of any real vacation time. Experience a Hollywood legacy like no other with our broad selection of DVDs and Blu-rays, allowing you to settle in, put your feet up, and absorb endless hours of comedy gold. My father introduced me to this comedy duo when I was growing up, focused mostly on their collection of shorts. What’s here is great, but, in particular, I hope to see more of their silent films represented on (hopefully) future sets – no one made the leap from silent to talkies better than these guys, but those silents need more love.