{"id":33383,"date":"2020-06-25T17:07:17","date_gmt":"2020-06-25T21:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=33383"},"modified":"2020-06-25T17:07:17","modified_gmt":"2020-06-25T21:07:17","slug":"laurel-hardy-the-definitive-restorations-blu-ray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2020\/06\/25\/laurel-hardy-the-definitive-restorations-blu-ray\/","title":{"rendered":"Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations [Blu-ray]"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Approaching Stan Laurel\u2019s 130th Birthday, from Kit Parker Films comes another in a vast library of shorts from Laurel and Hardy. For folks that love the pair of comedic performers and actors, \u201cThe Definitive Restorations\u201d is a great set with some of the best shorts from the legendary duo. I love Laurel and Hardy, and digging through this set allowed me some great laughs, and a glimpse in to a very talented pair of comedians that brought fun to the big screen. The shorts and two features included were remastered and further restored for this set, allowing them to clean up a lot of debris and imperfections and preserve a lot of the integrity of the original masters and reels. It\u2019s stunning to say the least, and contributes to an already worthwhile experience for comedy buffs and film collectors alike.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Presented by Kit Parker Films and The Sprocket Vault, there are two feature films, the very funny 1933 adventure \u201cSons of the Desert,\u201d and the 1937 Western comedy \u201cWay Out West.\u201d Along with the pair of feature films restored for a new generation, there are a slew of classic shorts from the comedy duo with the iconic Hal Roach producing. Among them there\u2019s 1929\u2019s \u201cBerth Marks\u201d (with original 1929 soundtrack and 1936 reissue soundtrack), 1927\u2019s \u201cThe Battle of the Century,\u201d which is accompanied with a new music track by Donald Sosin and is virtually complete and restored. There\u2019s the 1930 short \u201cBrats\u201d (with original 1930 soundtrack), the 1933 work time short \u201cBusy Bodies,\u201d the 1932 wacky circus adventure \u201cThe Chimp,\u201d the 1933 caper \u201cCome Clean,\u201d the hilarious 1932 adventure \u201cCounty Hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s the pre-code 1932 comedy \u201cHelpmates,\u201d another pre-code 1932 comedy \u201cHog Wild,\u201d the 1933 wedding farce \u201cMe and My Pal,\u201d there\u2019s the 1932 crime caper \u201cMidnight Patrol,\u201d the hysterical 1932 short \u201cThe Music Box\u201d where the pair try to get a piano up a large flight of steps. 1931\u2019s \u201cOne Good Turn\u201d is a fun adventure involving a mix up, 1932\u2019s \u201cScram!\u201d involves the pair as tramps looking for a place to sleep, there\u2019s the 1932 \u201cTheir First Mistake\u201d involving the pair chasing an infant around town, the 1932 fishing adventure \u201cTowed in the Hole,\u201d and finally there\u2019s 1933\u2019s \u201cTwice Two\u201d where the pair go drag playing a pair of married couples, and is the last film directed by frequent collaborator James Parrot.<\/p>\n

The \u201cRestorations\u201d set comes spread over four discs for Blu-Ray and six discs on DVD.\u00a0 There are Photo Galleries including Sons of the Desert Publicity Portraits, Scene Stills, Deleted and Candids, Posters and Publicity, Early Scripts, Dialogue Continuity, and Contracts and Documents. There are Press Sheet and publicity material for \u201cBattle of the Century,\u201d and looks at Stan and Babe in their Early Careers. There\u2019s a 1981 color interview with Anita Garvin, and a Spanish trailer for \u201cSons of the Desert.\u201d There are Photo Galleries for \u201cBerth Marks,\u201d \u201cBrats,\u201d and \u201cHog Wild\u201d including production stills, press sheet articles, music cue sheets, poster and lobby card art.<\/p>\n

There are Audio Interview excerpts from Randy Skretvedt (accompanied with photo galleries), along with interview excerpts with Billy Bletcher, actor, Joe Rock, producer, Hal Roach, producer, Anita Garvin Stanley, actress, George Marshall, director, Roy Seawright, special effects designer, Venice Lloyd, widow of cameraman Art Lloyd, Richard Currier, film editor, Bert Jordan, film editor, Walter Woolf King, actor, Lucille Hardy Price, Babe\u2019s widow Marvin Hatley, musical director (including performances of \u201cKu-Ku,\u201d \u201cHonolulu Baby,\u201d and \u201cWill You Be My Lovey-Dovey?\u201d) The Photo Galleries for \u201cCome Clean,\u201d \u201cOne Good Turn,\u201d :Helpmates,\u201d and \u201cThe Music Box\u201d includes production and candid stills, press sheet articles, poster and lobby card artwork, call sheets and production reports, and music cue sheets.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s the fascinating \u201cA Short History of the Hal Roach Studios\u201d and looks at various Supporting Players in the productions, Crew Members, and of course the various Studio Hijinks. There are also trailers for \u201cBeau Hunks\u201d and \u201cPack Up Your Troubles.\u201d There are photo galleries for \u201cThe Chimp,\u201d \u201cCounty Hospital,\u201d \u201cScram!,\u201d and \u201cTheir First Mistake\u201d including production and candid stills, press sheet articles, poster and lobby card artwork, call sheets and production reports, music cue sheets. There are also Snapshots from the 1932 UK Vacation, the segment \u201cBabe Hardy\u2019s Vim Comedies Scrapbook,\u201d and the fun segment \u201cL&H with Hollywood Friends.\u201d There\u2019s an interview with Joe Rock and Roy Seawright (both filmed by Randy Skretvedt, October 1981), and a 1950 Ship\u2019s Reporter interview with Babe Hardy.<\/p>\n

Among the Photo Galleries for \u201cTowed in a Hole,\u201d \u201cTwice Two,\u201d \u201cMe and My Pal,\u201d\u00a0 \u201cThe Midnight Patrol,\u201d \u201cBusy Bodies\u201d there includes production and candid stills, press sheet articles, poster and lobby card artwork, call sheets and production reports, and music cue sheets. There\u2019s the segment Catalina, July 1934, Portraits in Costume, Portraits out of Costume, a look at Laurel & Hardy and Golf, them during Special Occasions, and some Odd Publicity Shots. There are also the Original trailers for Babes in Toyland, The Flying Deuces, A Chump at Oxford, and Saps at Sea (usually packaged with \u201cBabes in Toyland\u201d on television airings).<\/p>\n

There is the bonus shorts \u201cThat\u2019s That: The Tree in a Test Tube,\u201d and photo galleries for \u201cWay Out West\u201d including Portrait Stills, Scene Stills, Candid Stills, Pressbook Articles and Artwork, Poster and Lobby Card Artwork. Original 1913 Sheet Music, Script and Synopsis, Dialogue Continuity, Music Cues, etc. Finally, there\u2019s a look at Stan in Retirement, and Marvin Hatley music tracks (from Sons of the Desert, Them Thar Hills, Way Out West, Block-Heads, A Chump at Oxford and Saps at Sea).<\/p>\n