[Anthony Neilson]

Derek - thanks for the Laurel and Hardy info. Great news but now I'm confused. I WAS going to go for the Dutch Box Set. I'm sure it'll be cheaper than the 20 discs planned by Vision video ; but if they're using transfers that compare to the Kinowelt ones and are likely to have a good range of extras, I'll hold out for them. Got any advice ?

BTW, sorry to thread fart, folks. If you'll let Derek answer me, I promise never to do it again ! And the Marx Bros. set is VERY good news.

[Derek_McL]

Thanks Anthony. On the Laurel and Hardys I suppose it depends on how much you want extras and how desperate you are to get them on DVD. I'm a big fan so I've already got a pretty good collection of their sound shorts from DVD recorded broadcasts, the Kinowelts and previous UK discs.

If I was starting now I would get the Dutch set no question. The transfers I believe are all derived from the same restored masters of the now sadly defunct Kirchgroup : all the official discs I've got have the same intros with Laurel and Hardy's photo and a little bit of info about the restorations. So I think the actual presentation of the films will be the same.

Personally I can do without extras (I can't really think of a good, comprehensive Laurel and Hardy documentary off hand, not sure you'd get audio commentaries on the shorts so looks most likely you'd get bonus solo shorts but I'm just speculating) and the Dutch ones are definitely coming with concrete dates etc. Maybe more likely to have audio commentaries on titles like Way Out West so I suppose you could always wait for the British discs for the features.

I think its quite cool as well that they are arranging the sound shorts in chronological order of release. Then as you say the price is great : I'm kicking myself a bit actually -all Stan and Ollie's sound shorts for about £40 : the Vision DVDs will probably be £20 RRP. I really think for people looking for classic film comedy the Dutch set is the best value DVD set ever including these Abbott and Costello Universal sets. Hope that helps.

[DeeF]

There is one scene in A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA which is as good as anything the Marx Brothers ever did.

It's in the hotel room, and Harpo and Chico are switching hiding places between the closet and the trunk.

[Anthony Neilson]

Derek - there WAS a great BBC doc on Laurel and Hardy years ago, do you remember ? It ended with them doing At The Ball That's All, and it was quite moving. Brought a tear to my eye !

[Derek_McL]

Not sure about that Anthony. The most recent documentary was in the Living Famously series which had some reasonable stuff in it but relied too much on just public domain clips of poor quality. According to the Laurel and Hardy Encyclopedia there was a programme in the early 70s in the Omnibus strand which had access to most of the Roach product. That was called "Cuckoo" and sounds like the best documentary to me but its never been repeated.

There is a compilation film of mostly Laurel and Hardy talkies which ends with "At the Ball That's All". The narrator calls Stan and Ollie quite appropriately two funny gentlemen and two funny gentle men. I don't know if that rings any bells Anthony.That film was called The Crazy World of Laurel and Hardy and it was made in the mid 60s.

There have been excellent docs on Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields but I have yet to see a really good study of Laurel and Hardy's film-making art.

To get back to the thread : good to see some new documentary material on the Marx Brothers for the new discs.I'm wondering is anyone still alive who appeared in Opera or Races ? It would be good to hear from Kitty Carlisle or Maureen O'Sullivan if they are still living.

[Steve...O]

Quote:

It would be good to hear from Kitty Carlisle or Maureen O'Sullivan if they are still living.

Maureen O'Sullivan = RIP

Kitty Carlisle Hart = still thriving and active in her early 90's. An amazing woman who still looks wonderful. She was interviewed in a recent TCM documentary on pre-code movies and I saw her picture last year in a magazine featuring older celebrities. She was 93 at that time and looked decades younger.

Steve

[Anthony Neilson]

OK - my last word on Laurel and Hardy, I promise.

Derek - the OMNIBUS doc is the one I'm talking about. I was a kid when I saw it. I'll bet the BBC has got it somewhere.

Anyway - will you start a new thread if you hear more on the Vision discs ?
Thanks.

[Jay E]

Artisan will be releasing the last Marx Brothers' film Love Happy on June 15th for $14.95. This is probably their worst film but it has a couple of funny moments, primarily from Harpo (it's pretty much his film).