Customer Reviews

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 2 (Hit the Ice / In Society / Here Come the Co-Eds / The Naughty Nineties / Little Giant / The Time of Their Lives / Buck Privates Come Home / The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap)

5 star:		(64)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this set as I noticed it included my favourite A & C movie `Time of their Lives` which had never been available before on DVD. So to get 7 more movies for a price I would have happily paid for that was a great bonus.

The picture and sound quality of all of these films is outstanding and great care has been taken in perfect transfers from excellent, apparently original negative, 35mm material so it is a first class ride throughout. For A & C that is the only way to travel.

It seems a shame that some reviewers gripe about a lack of extra and should see it another way. You are buying one movie with 7 first rate features as extras - how about that for value? Remember you are paying less than $1.88 (or around £1) for each of these superb quality movies... I rest my case!

All of these series` discs play fine on my multi region players here in the UK. Even the slightest finger mark on a disc or dirty players can cause skipping and freezing (just a thought!).

In conclusion incredible value, superb quality set of movies which I recommend to anyone

Thank you, thank you, thank you to whoever at Universal opened the vault and released these gems on DVD.

I grew up with these movies and now get to share them with another generation.

This is good clean fun comedy that you won't be emabrassed to show to anyone. Never mean spirited or vulgar, just comedy like it was meant to be by two undisputed geniuses of the genre.

Buy this set and enjoy A&C all over again.


Now all I need is a box set of the A&C show from the 50's woth Hilary, Mr Fields, Mr. Bacciagalupe, Mike the cop and Stinky. I can't wait.

Some of the situations the Hollywood movie machine contrived as vehicles for their stars show their age, often badly. Many of the "chase" sequences" don't hold up at all. The runaway sailboat sequence in "Here Come the Co-eds" is an example of this. It has its moments. The close up shots of the live actors and the background footage they're superimposed on don't match each other. Details, things like wind moving fabric around, are missing. Often, the "halos" that were left around people when their images were superimposed over stock footage are still present. (It's still not always that easy to get rid of those perfectly even when with a still photograph. Ask someone who's done it.) The problems lie with the special effects. These were the state of the art in their time but are weak by current standards. This list goes on. Archival and stock footage (which was used a lot) is often grainy. Sometimes the resolution of pieces of film being matched is completely different. And so on ... Don't worry too much about all of this. Bud and Lou's comedy has too much too offer to let small technical issues stand in the way of enjoying what they did. The routines they inserted into their films are as fresh today as they were sixty years ago. The timing they had was impeccable; a lot of today's performers could learn from it. Some of the best performances of their routines captured on film are contained in this set. Every one shows how good their timing was. Watch and enjoy.

Hit the Ice ****

When Lou Costello walks into the door that bud Abbott just went through it's funny. When most duos do this it's not as funny, if it's even funny at all. That's timing. You turn on any of these movies knowing this is going to happen a lot. You expect it. You may even know it's coming. But, try to spot it coming. You can't. Their timing was that good. This film has a lot of hilarious sight gags. Lou walks into an inordinate amount of doors and walls. Watch Ginny Simms almost lose it when Lou realizes she's the one handing him his food. It was probably the closest thing to a take with her holding a straight face they could get. And the film contains a great version of "pack the grip".

In Society ***

Bud and Lou as plumbers: what trouble can they get into here? Watch and find out, but don't drink anything while the scene plays. It'll be coming up your nose when you break out laughing.

Here Come the Co-Eds ***

This one is a bit uneven. The comedy portions are excellent. Look for what's probably the best rendition of "Jonah and the Whale" on film. The basketball game is hilarious. What hurts the film are some it's musical segments. Evelyn Silverstone's (Evelyn and her Magic Violin) solo spot is fine-she was an excellent violinist-but Phil Spitalny and his All-Girl Orchestra perform material that's beyond dreadful.

The Naughty Nineties ****

"Who's on First" ...complete! The set was supposed to be silent for this. The cameramen couldn't do it. Listen for them laughing. The "mirror routine" is hilarious. And the chase at the end is zany and side splitting. One of their very best. This one is reviewed separately. It's that good.

Little Giant ****

Bud is splendid as the film's villain. He makes himself very easy to dislike. This film is more heart warming than hilarious though. That's not to say it isn't funny. Some parts are very funny. The sudden explosion of sales Lou has and his colleagues reaction to it is hilarious. He still surprises viewers constantly with the klutziness he gave to all his characters. And he proves himself as a dramatic actor. His character is one of life's victims and he's one who doesn't deserve to be. When his heart breaks the viewers' hearts break as well.

The Time of Their Lives ****

Bud has dual roles again, this time as both the hero and villain of the piece. He's brilliant in both roles. It's a good example of why Lou felt he was worth 60% of the money the team earned. He really was that good. As for Lou, well who else could be convincing as a ghost who can't figure out how to pass through walls? This film is another good example of why this pair is still finding new generations of fans.

Buck Privates Come Home ****

This film is all heart. The boys try to help a war orphan (not an unrealistic problem) but can't succeed on their own. Look for some touching scenes between Lou and the little girl and count on some fun while the film pokes fun at excessive authority. And enjoy some of the routines. Setting a table will never be the same again.

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap ***

This one features Marjorie Main of Ma and Pa kettle fame. She was a good comedienne and a good match to play opposite Bud and Lou. The funniest scenes in the movie are where she tries convincing (coercing) Lou into marrying her. His responses to everything she does are classic. Unfortunately some of the scenes where Lou gets to throw his weight around seem forced. Who's at fault there is hard to say but it looks like a decision made by the studio.

A perfect compliment to the first volume and a must have to any A&C fan (and at a better price than vol 1). This should keep you up in laughter for hours (however, I do not know of the quality of the video transfer).
Disc 1 - Hit the Ice,
In Society,
Here Comes the Coeds,
The Naughty Nineties.

Disc 2- Little Giant,
The Time of Their Lives (my personal favorite),
Buck Private Come Home,
The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap,
A&C Meet Jerry Seinfeld.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the laughter...

The boys are back with a second set of eight films from 1943 to 1947. They are on two double sided DVD's with two films on each side. And if you like the boys, these are good films (not their best).

***Hit the Ice - Bud and Lou are on the run and end up at a resort in Sun Valley. They get jobs at the resort but the crooks follow. The film ends up with a typical but still funny ski chase.

**In Society - Bud and Lou are two incompetent plumbers who are called to fix a noisy toilet at a society home during a costume party. They and their female taxi driver friend are mistaken for guests and are invited to a weekend in the county for the unveiling of a painting called "The Plunger". When the painting is stolen, the boys find it. Very typical and not that funny.

***Here Comes the Co-ed's - Bud and Lou are employed at an all girl college and kaos ensues. Of course, the college has financial woes and in the end, the boys save the college.

***Naughty Nineties - Bud and Lou's version of Show Boat. Bud is a bad actor and Lou is the bumbling stagehand. The river boat captain loses it to gamblers who turn it into a crooked casino. Bud and Lou come to the rescue with what is becoming their typical chase scene (but this time it works perfectly.) Also, they perform "Who's on First".

****Little Giant - Lou is his typical simpleton who aspires to be a great salesman. He leaves the farm and goes to the big city and gets a job as a door to door vacuum cleaner salesman for a company run by a corrupt Bud. After a disastrous day Lou is exiled to the Fresno office run by Bud's twin brother who is honest. By accident, Lou becomes the salesman of the year and returns to Los Angeles in triumph. And of course, he uncovers the dishonesty going on, good Bud takes over and Lou returns to the farm and marries his sweetheart. Very atypical fare and it works.

****The Time of Their Lives - Lou and Marjorie Reynolds are revolutionary patriots killed by accident, branded as traitors and cursed to remain bound to the property until they are proved patriots. Modern day, the mansion is restored and the new owners have moved in. Ghosts Lou and Marjorie try to find the letter that will prove them patriots and set their spirits free. Bud is the man who helped brand them traitors in the past and his distant relative in the present who helps prove them patriots. This is one their better fares as it different from the typical fare.

****Buck Privates Come Home - The war is over and the boys are coming home (with a little French orphan - who speaks perfect English!). When she faces deportation, the boys and their friends hide her. They only thing missing is the Andrew Sisters!

*****The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap - Lou gets credited with killing a bad guy but then is forced to marry his widow and be responsible for her children. Marjorie Main of Ma Kettle Fame plays the widow and gives a great performance. Bud plays a con artist that is conned into overseeing that Lou upholds his obligation to the widow and her family.

DVD Extras

Production Notes and selected Trailers. These are not worth wasting you time on.

Putting all these movies together in one collection is a stroke of genius IMHO. I'm amazed at the picture quality of these vintage movies. I owned many of them on 8mm as a kid and now get to enjoy the full length editions (some of which I have never seen all the way through). "Hit the Ice" has always been a favorite of mine and starts off this series well. I still haven't seen all eight, but it's like unlocking a time machine for this A&C fan. No complaints here.

I loved all the movies. My favorites being The Naughty Nineties, and In Society. I remember all of them from when I was a child, and they were wonderful to get to watch all over again on DVD. I didn't notice any quality issues with my set, I must've gotten lucky this time around.

I was just reading that Vol 3 comes out on 8/3/04
Featuring:
Disc 1:
Meet Frankenstein
Mexican Hayride
Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff
In the Foriegn Legion

Disc 2:
Meet the Invisible Man
Comin' Round the Mountain
Lost in Alaska
Go to Mars

I can't wait to add those to my collection. Abbott and Costello are my favorite comedians of all time.

When I was growing up, Sunday morning routine was going to church, then watching Abbott & Costello. I wanted my children to experience this pair, so they could see how funny simple comedy is without the vulgarities or sexual innuendo. They still crack me up, and I was happy to see my kids splitting their sides with laughter, just like I used to do when I was their ages.

This is a great deal, to get 8 movies at this price, so I got all 3 volumes. DVD's work fine. They fit 2 movies on each side, and each movie has Production Notes in the menu, so you get a historical appreciation for each film.

Because the movies are on both sides of the DVD, they can't print anything on either side, so they printed the disc and side information around the little hole in the center of the DVD (it'll have "Disc A, Side 1", for example). Its a little hard to read, so you need to have enough light and hold it close. The information in the box tells you what movies are on which disc and side.

The DVD with "The Naughty Nineties" has the most complete version of "Who's On First", and its so funny, you can hear the studio crew laughing in the background.

We all know Abbott & Costello, so no more praise needs to be done for their movies. Well... sure it does!!! It's just like you remember going to the movies for a nickel ;-) or on Sunday mornings with your parents/grandparents. The movies have not changed one bit, and they are still the exact same as I remember them. OUTSTANDING job by the studios to release these. (Now I wish they would release Charlie Chan. That is another story.)

The only downside to this release, is the DVD themselves. There are two DVDs, with two movies on EACH side. I don't like this. With the "normal" DVD, the top can get scratched, and it will still play. (The laser uses the bottom.) With this style, scratch the top, and you lost two movies. They should have put them on four discs instead of two.

Also, I have heard that people have had problems playing these DVDs. I did as well; however, I have to admit, I don't have a top or mid line player. Mine is a basement bargain, and it may be the cause, though, it does play other movies with out problems. Sometimes when I put it in, it reads the movie and other times it does not. Just have to fiddle with it to get it going. And on some, I noticed the color fades in and out. That could be the DVD of the movie itself.

Other than that, I am quite thrilled with this release, and I do hope they release all of the Abbott & Costello films, clips, etc soon. And while the studios are reading: Release Charlie Chan and The 3 Stooges!!!!

Abbott and Costello are as pure an example of the American burlesque comedy tradition as ever made it into the wider popular culture. Their films are a priceless warehouse for broad comedy of the "straight man/patsy" school, and that's reason enough to own this package. While the films on volume one in this series are superior to these titles, eight films for the price of one make this an unbelievable bargain. Hardcore fans will want to check out "Meet Frankenstein" and the available episodes of their very characteristic TV show for more laughs and a deeper glimpse into the kinds of routines that made your grandfather laugh. While Costello is terrific, the real revelation of watching these films is how brilliant Abbott was -- perhaps the greatest straight man ever, and certainly undervalued by those who think punchlines exist without set-ups. Recommended.