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

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I’m no video or audio expert (I prefer to smell my way to HD), but I can say that, as someone that has seen these works in endless formats (as long as your definition of “endless” is about 6 or 7) over the years, I can say that they have never looked or sounded better. 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. With all the bonus material jam-packed into this collection, it a set suitable for everyone from the casual viewer to the die-hard fans. I don't know what went on in the other threads and if I am not allowed to offer an opinion on my own forum then go ahead and delete this. It became clear upon their teaming up that their contradictory physiques and personalities complimented each other perfectly.

When I first became a real Stan and Ollie enthusiast, one could occasionally see them on TV, at a rare projected screening or at a meeting, after the Sons of the Desert took off in the UK. We previously used to have some sections where we listed movies by the year they were released, which you can still look through: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2011-14, 2006-10, before 2006. What is thick DNR I'm guessing non technical people like me wouldn't ever notice if that's even a bad thing? Incredibly informative and often pretty personal, these are well worth a listen, particularly those by the enthusiastic Skretdvedt.Note however, Randy’s commentary of That’s That helps it massively; turning it from a jumble of unconnected clips to what it is; confirmation of source; who is in it and many more things I wouldn’t have thought of looking for. And I’m embarrassed to say how many viewings of Mel Brooks’ “ Blazing Saddles” it took before I caught the “laurel . Just to whet your appetite even more, the collection also includes two feature films: 1933’s “Sons of the Desert” and 1937’s “Way Out West. The sound is not so good in parts and there are a few cuts mid-sentence, but interviews like these, recollections of folk ‘who were there’, are extremely rare and are therefore both unmissable and thoroughly fascinating. Without a doubt their most famous flick and the recipient of the first-ever Oscar for short film, this one is a hoot.

The chronological set ends triumphantly with “Putting Pants on Philip” and “The Battle of the Century,” two of their best silent shorts and which Laurel considered the first two proper Laurel and Hardy films. Of course, this only scratches the surface when it comes to Laurel and Hardy’s output, but it’s a fine primer, containing some of their best work. And it’s during Hardy’s perpetual fourth-wall-breaking glances and gestures that we get a sense of his perpetually escalating frustrations not only with Laurel’s bumbling, but also with the absurdity of the action that the audience bears witness to alongside him. 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. They all have their fair share of hiss, some more than others, but there are no instances of crackle or dropouts.A pair of veteran film actors, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy became prevalent figures in the world of comedy cinema during the 1920s to the mid-1940s, releasing over 100 films – encompassing both short and feature-length pictures. There is still visible print damage in the form of speckles and occasional lines, but in no way do these detract from the enjoyment. It includes new scores from some of the best silent film composers working today: Neil Brand, Antonio Coppola, Eric le Guen, and Donald Sosin. Two features and 17 shorts, including the legendary pie-fight silent film "The Battle of the Century," making its video debut and nearly complete for the first time in over 90 years!