Laurel & Hardy

Is it as good as "Chaplin" was?

 

If you're only going to have one set, you could do a lot worse than the big UK box. It has almost everything minus a few films that IIRC weren't included for contractual reasons. It's bigger than it should be because it has colorized versions of many of the films, which most fans are probably somewhat less than interested in. It has all of the silent films, but the quality on those is pretty variable from film to film (and it's not due to the absence of higher-quality sources, as better elements for many of them were in existence when the box was compiled).

If the silents aren't essential to you, you may want to check this US set out instead:

https://www.amazon.com/Laurel-Hardy-Essential-Collection-Stan/dp/B005BYBZKY

 

I forgot about this thread! I ended up finding 16mm prints of every one I listed and several more! Spent around $1200!! And about 6 months ago I met up with my friend Josh who I mentioned in the above quote and we had a day and night of L&H on film. We only got through half so we're due for a follow up screening in the coming weeks. We're trying to time it up with the showing of the new Stan & Ollie film. Can't wait! I like watching them by myself but there's something about watching them with a fellow fan that just makes it ever funnier and special.

 

There is a smaller styled suitcase ( sticker) dvd box think it just has 10 films ( UK), nice presentation.

 

Don‘t know why Hollywood never gave them their own lavish biopic. Chaplin had Robert Downey Jr in it. Stan & Ollie is like a tv film in comparison.

 

BBC Radio special on the Laurel and Hardy British Tours.

Laurel and Hardy on Tour - BBC Sounds

 

BBC Radio Scotland - Stan Laurel's Glasgow

 

Great!!!
Thx

 

No.

 

Better than Chaplin?
That’s not to say Stan & Ollie‘s bad..I found it a bit sad, story wise, comes across as a BBC play in comparison with Richard Attenbourgh‘s movie.

 

Chaplin film was originally over 4 hours long,

 

That was really fascinating,

 

Free Thinking - Landmark: Laurel and Hardy's The Music Box - BBC Sounds

 

WOW!
Didn't know that....

 

STAN & OLLIE
Official Trailer
(2018) Laurel And
Hardy Movie HD

Looking forward to this.

 

Trailer more feel good factor.

 

You are so right - there is nothing like watching these with others! I’ve seen some of the silentsin movie theaters and it’s a really fun experience.

 

It reached no.2 in the charts. I always wondered how that song came to be released at that point in time. Well done to your dad.

 

Well, here’s another fine mess you got us into!

 

The U.S. "Essential Collection" is just the talkies, but the mastering and sources are better than the sets from Europe. HD scans as I recall, and every film has the original titles.

The only real nitpick I have is, because the M-G-M lion intros sometimes are cut back onto films that were missing them, some have the wrong audio or other discrepancies, like roaring where a fanfare should be -- sometimes you can hear the tail end of the fanfare after the splice. One even has the particular lion intro from the "Crane Twins" shorts added. But at least they are there. (Some are original, but not all.)

If that's the worst nitpick, they did a great job! Actually, I think reel 3 of "The Music Box" is from a dupe source because they misplaced the original, which was later found. It's still better than the UK transfer. The splice is still present during the song in "Way Out West," but again is less jarring than the European releases.

 

Thanks for the additional details - I'd heard that the Essential Collection had somewhat better image quality, but I haven't personally seen it. I have the UK set and the German Kinowelt sets, but never got around to getting the US set. Guess I should keep an eye out for a deal that will get me off the fence.

 

Apples and pears, I think.
The scope of 'Stan & Ollie' is smaller; it's very much about their friendship/partnership/business model and the tension between these factors. I found 'Stan & Ollie' far more involving and a nicer movie. But then I admire Laurel and Hardy more than any other comedian, to be honest.
A great movie and a bittersweet story!

 

Just to point out what you have in store if you want the silent L&Hs

The Lost Films of Laurel & Hardy: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1
DVD~ Stan Laurel

Price: $249.99
Ships from and sold by ........