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Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection (1938)

Stan Laurel , Oliver Hardy , -  |  NR |  DVD
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (248 customer reviews)

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Product Details

  • Actors: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Dick Van Dyke, Jerry Lewis, Tim Conway
  • Directors: -
  • Format: Box set, Black & White, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 10
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: RHI Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: October 25, 2011
  • Run Time: 1941 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (248 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B005BYBZKY
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,067 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Special Features

Select foreign language versions as Laurel & Hardy phonetically recite dialogue
Additional films of Laurel & Hardy guest appearances
Collectible, book, style packaging incorporating film guide
L&H Trailers: Pack up your troubles, A chump at Oxford, Saps at Sea
ON LOCATION WITH THE BOYS: TOUR FILMING LOCATIONS WITH INTERACTIVE MAP
A TRIBUTE TO LAUREL & HARDY

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Eternal pals and eternal antagonists, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the great partnership of movie slapstick. They finally get their DVD due with Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection, a 10-disc orgy of pratfalls, slow burns, and slap fights--in short, a collection that truly qualifies as a must-have for connoisseurs of comedy. The collection contains the sound films that Laurel and Hardy made for producer Hal Roach, the man who teamed the simpering English vaudeville player and the rotund American actor in the first place (although their laughs are evenly divided, Laurel was the creative force and chief gag-inventor of the duo). Their track record is proof that it isn't merely the jokes that make for comic success; it's the personalities of the comedians. Thus, Stan's dimwitted innocence and Ollie's perpetually exasperated reactions (raised to an exquisite art by Hardy's comprehensive glances at the camera, assuring the audience's complicity in his misery) are the essence of their success. Some films are great, some merely passable, but all stick blissfully to character. This is on glorious display through these Roach pictures, whether it's the boys sharing one small train berth in Berth Marks, executing their famous synchronized dance in Way Out West, or laboring to get that piano up a very steep flight of stairs in the Oscar-winning The Music Box.

The films look as good as movies from 1929 to 1940 can reasonably be expected to look. Included in the boxed set are seven foreign-language films (six in Spanish, one in French), shot in order to keep the duo popular in overseas markets, before dubbing made that goal easier. Fascinatingly, these films often extend the English-language films they are ostensibly adapted from, with different gags and plot turns--and it's fun to hear Stan and Ollie speaking in another language. Special features include a ho-hum 40-minute tribute with testimonials from fellow comedians (especially talkative are Dick Van Dyke and Jerry Lewis); an ""Interactive Map"" with Los Angeles location sites from their movies; three Roach shorts in which L&H pop up in cameos; and a 1942 short produced for the Department of Agriculture (another L&H cameo). A few (not many) films have commentaries that include the informed Laurel and Hardy buff Richard W. Bann; Sons of the Desert has a track with Tim Conway and Chuck McCann, who don't seem to know how a commentary track works but have a nice time watching the movie. --Robert Horton"

Product Description

Laurel & Hardy were one of the most critically acclaimed comedy teams of early American cinema. Their films produced by Hal Roach during the 20s and 30s defined their legacy, and are now available for the first time in a one comprehensive 10-DISC COLLECTION! This set contains films from Hal Roach library such as The Music Box (Academy Award® Best Short Subject), Brats, Hog Wild, Chickens Come Home, Sons of the Desert and Way out West to name a few. A special bonus disc features entertaining never before seen interviews from Dick Van Dyke, Jerry Lewis and Tim Conway, insightful commentaries, additional films and original trailers.

Customer Reviews

The DVD Essential Collection was well worth the wait and pricing. Loreen Oberson  |  71 reviewers made a similar statement
I just wanted to say that I, for one, am very glad that none of these films will be colorized. I know more about comedy movies than you  |  78 reviewers made a similar statement
Picture quality is excellent and the sound is as good as mono can be. D. Solomon  |  56 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
667 of 675 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
For two decades, most of the famous films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy have been off the video market, thanks to apathetic handling by the company then holding the rights. Now, finally, the rights have reverted to knowledgeable hands, and that means the boys are back.

This 10-disc set includes most of Laurel & Hardy's talkie shorts and features produced by Hal Roach between 1929 and 1940. These are among the funniest comedies ever made, as many vintage-film buffs will agree. Laurel & Hardy were often capable of carrying the action almost entirely by themselves: BRATS has Stan and Ollie as themselves and their own sons (with giant sets and trick photography); THE MUSIC BOX is the Oscar-winning featurette with the boys as the world's worst piano movers; HELPMATES has Stan helping Ollie to clean house after a wild party; THEIR FIRST MISTAKE has our heroes adopting a baby; TOWED IN A HOLE has them rehabbing a boat; BUSY BODIES turns them loose in a carpentry shop. You'll see dozens of examples of how inventive they were with pantomime and dialogue. Their short subjects were so successful that they branched out into full-length features, including their famous hits WAY OUT WEST and SONS OF THE DESERT, the prison comedy PARDON US, the "gypsy" comedy THE BOHEMIAN GIRL, the hour-of-sight-gags BLOCK-HEADS and SAPS AT SEA, and several others, including both versions of A CHUMP AT OXFORD (the standard 63-minute print of 1940, and the 42-minute, differently edited "streamliner" released in 1943). The supporting casts read like a who's-who of familiar faces: Edgar Kennedy, Billy Gilbert, Charlie Hall, James Finlayson, Mae Busch, Anita Garvin, Walter Long, Harry Bernard, Eddie Dunn, Daphne Pollard, and a host of others. You'll be laughing through 58 L & H comedies.

The wonderful news about this set is that the DVDs have been remastered in high definition, from the original surviving 35mm film elements. They are NOT taken from RHI's tape transfers that aired on AMC in the 1990s, or the broadcast masters prepared in 1986 for TV's "Laurel & Hardy Show" (some of which are still playing on TCM, and often in shortened form). The DVD producers went back to the source materials, meaning that the vintage Laurel & Hardy comedies have never looked or sounded better. The DVD producers have taken some pains with the restoration: picture and sound have been cleaned up digitally; most of the subjects feature the attractive, seldom-seen original titles; and even individual shots cut short in current prints have been restored to their original lengths.

In the early days of sound films, before the advent of voice dubbing, some American producers made international versions of their films, with the actors speaking each foreign language phonetically. Laurel & Hardy made several of these multilingual versions, and seven of them are included in this set. These versions offer some surprises, with many of the "American" gags extended, and even some entirely new scenes unique to the continental prints.

This set differs from the European 21-disc set in that the silent films and the colorized TV editions have been omitted, which cuts the disc space down to a manageable and economical 10 discs. The total running time averages out to a little over three hours per disc, perhaps not the ideal compression rate but about par for the "double-feature" DVDs on the market today.

The set also includes some two hours of bonus features, of special interest to Laurel & Hardy admirers. THE TREE IN A TEST TUBE is gorgeous, in excellent color, and appears to be a first-generation video copy from the U. S. Government source (except for the main title, the source print appears to be uncirculated). The team makes cameo appearances in ON THE LOOSE, ON THE WRONG TREK, and WILD POSES, and all three shorts are included in their entirety.

Print quality on the titles I've seen is superior to any previous video release. For a sample, I went straight to the traditionally battered and bruised titles to check the quality. COME CLEAN, which is usually seen in murky, contrasty prints, is here in much-improved condition, from 35mm with the original main titles. PARDON US, the boys' first feature, is the longer, pre-release preview print, with original main titles and in much better shape than usual (the song "Lazy Moon" has none of the patchwork repairs we're used to seeing). THEIR FIRST MISTAKE is seen at last with the full, original title sequence intact. HOG WILD has usually been seen in slightly soft focus; the video version is an improvement. Keep in mind that some of these 58 comedies won't look like they were photographed yesterday because the negatives have been consulted far more often than is customary. Theatrical reissues, TV revivals, and home-movie reprints have caused the 35mm materials to be run through printing machines again and again over the years, with wear and tear showing in the copies. It is a tribute to the DVD producers that they found and used superior archival materials for this set, and many of the "shopworn" subjects have been upgraded.

Collectors will appreciate many new versions of old favorites. PERFECT DAY is seen in its familiar 1936 form, and (surprise!) in its original 1929 form without the music track. BRATS is also seen with alternate music tracks (but curiously, the "1930" version has vintage-1937 reissue titles, even though the original titles are known to exist). PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES is the longer, original-release print; it includes some unpleasant domestic-abuse scenes that were removed for reissue, but it also includes a longer version of the "Three Bears" bedtime-story sequence.

Bottom line: this long-awaited release is the best boxed set of comedies offered in years. Ideal for family viewing, and these timeless classics can be enjoyed over and over again. Laurel & Hardy are true masters, and you won't be disappointed.

UPDATE: Here's a list of the actual content, as reported by Lou Lumenick for the New York Post:

DISC 1:
UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE 1929
BERTH MARKS 1929
MEN O' WAR 1929
PERFECT DAY 1929 [original 1929 track]
PERFECT DAY 1936 [reissue with musical score]
THEY GO BOOM 1929
THE HOOSE-GOW 1929
NIGHT OWLS 1930
LADRONES (Night Owls, Spanish) 1930
BLOTTO 1930

DISC 2:
LA VIDA NOCTURNA (Blotto, Spanish) 1930
BRATS 1937 [reissue, new LeRoy Shield musical score]
BRATS 1930 [original score of stock jazz-band records]
BELOW ZERO 1930
TIEMBLA Y TITUBEA (Below Zero, Spanish) 1930
HOG WILD 1930
THE LAUREL-HARDY MURDER CASE 1930
NOCHE DE DUENDES (The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case & Berth Marks, Spanish) 1930
ANOTHER FINE MESS 1930

DISC 3:
BE BIG! 1931
CHICKENS COME HOME 1931
POLITIQUERIAS (Chickens Come Home, Spanish) 1931
LAUGHING GRAVY 1931
LES CAROTTIERS (Feature: Be Big! & Laughing Gravy, French) 1931

DISC 4:
LOS CALAVERAS (Feature: Be Big! & Laughing Gravy, Spanish) 1931
OUR WIFE 1931
PARDON US (Feature, extended version) 1931
COME CLEAN 1931
ONE GOOD TURN 1931
BEAU HUNKS 1931

DISC 5:
HELPMATES 1932
ANY OLD PORT 1932
THE MUSIC BOX 1932
THE CHIMP 1932
COUNTY HOSPITAL 1932
SCRAM! 1932
PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES (Feature) 1932
THEIR FIRST MISTAKE 1932

DISC 6:
TOWED IN A HOLE 1933
TWICE TWO 1933
ME AND MY PAL 1933
THE MIDNIGHT PATROL 1933
BUSY BODIES 1933
DIRTY WORK 1933
SONS OF THE DESERT (Feature) 1933
OLIVER THE EIGHTH 1934
GOING BYE-BYE! 1934

DISC 7:
THEM THAR HILLS 1934
THE LIVE GHOST 1934
TIT FOR TAT 1935
THE FIXER UPPERS 1935
THICKER THAN WATER 1935
THE BOHEMIAN GIRL (Feature) 1936

DISC 8:
OUR RELATIONS (Feature) 1936
WAY OUT WEST (Feature) 1937
SWISS MISS (Feature) 1938

DISC 9:
BLOCK-HEADS (Feature) 1938
A CHUMP AT OXFORD (42 min.) 1940
A CHUMP AT OXFORD (Feature, 63 min.) 1940
SAPS AT SEA (Feature) 1940

DISC 10:
SPECIAL FEATURES
A Tribute to Laurel & Hardy
On Location with the Boys: tour of set locations and interactive map
Laurel & Hardy Guest Appearances
Laurel & Hardy Trailers
Was this review helpful to you?
204 of 209 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Must-Own For Comedy Fans August 12, 2011
Format:DVD
Laurel and Hardy were the funniest comedy duo of all time. Their films are just as hilarious today as they were when they were made.

This set has many of their greatest films, and is accurately called "The Essential Collection" but not "The Complete Collection".

A complete collection at this point in time is impossible, as a small handful of earlier L&H films are missing or partially missing.

The rights to L&H films are owned by various companies, and two of their full-length features ("The Flying Deuces" and "Utopia") are in the public domain and owned by everyone.

To obtain as complete a collection of L&H films as is currently possible, I highly recommend buying, in addition to this set:

* the TCM 2-disc set of "The Devil's Brother" and "Bonnie Scotland"

* the Legend edition of "March of the Wooden soldiers"

* both box sets released by Fox Home Video of all six films Laurel & Hardy made at the Fox studio

* the Warner Home Video single-disc release of "Air Raid Wardens" and "Nothing But Trouble"

* the best copies you can find of "Flying Deuces" and "Utopia", both of which are available by a multitude of companies in widely varying quality.

Laurel and Hardy made a number of silent films between 1927 and 1929, and most of these were released on DVD a number years ago in 9 volumes. These are now out of print, and a set of all 9 volumes currently costs about $700, which is far out of most people's budgets. So, to obtain as complete a collection as possible, wait for these films to be re-released or buy them on VHS.

As for "The Essential Collection", each film is restored to the best condition possible, and many of the L&H films that exist in more than one version have both versions included. (European versions sometimes had more footage or alternate endings.)

Although colorized versions of several Laurel & Hardy films have been done, none are included here, which I think is good because including colorized versions along with the black & white originals would have resulted in a much larger, bulkier and pricier set.

There are approximately 50 films included in this collection. (Thank you, Scott MacGillivray, for listing the contents in your review!) While some are better than others, all of them are good. If you're not familiar with Laurel & Hardy's work, don't worry about deciding which film to watch first. You can pop in any disc in the set at random, and you're sure to see a great comedy.
_______________________________________

Edit: The first version of this review erroneously mentioned an Image edition of "March of the Wooden Soldiers". No such version exists; I had meant the Legend edition. I edited this review to correct my error.

Addendum: To find the direct links to the above-mentioned Laurel and Hardy films, please click "Comments" and see the comment I posted on December 15th, 2011.
Was this review helpful to you?
96 of 97 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Laurel and Hardy Never Looked Better October 25, 2011
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I just received this set today, and I am very happy with it. I have the 20 disc set from Europe, and I can tell you that these 10 disc remasters are far and away the best prints of these films that I have ever seen. There are no reissue titles. All have their original titles opening with Leo the MGM lion. Extras are fun and informative, especially the second commentary track on "Hog Wild." Picture quality is excellent and the sound is as good as mono can be. There was concern in one review that the image was cropped for widescreen. That is not the case. All of the films are in their original aspect ratios of 1.33:1. There is some concern about the packaging, which overall I find attractive. However, the discs do reside in sleeves that you need to slide out, and could cause minor scratches. I also had two discs that had tiny glue spots on them, that I was able to remove fairly easily, and the discs played fine.
Aside from that little caveat, I highly recommend this set. As a lifelong Laurel and Hardy fan, I couldn't be happier with the quality of these prints. Incidentally, I have purchased all of the available Laurel and Hardy films over the years, on every format from VHS to Laser Disc to DVD, and I can assure you, Laurel and Hardy have never looked better on home video.
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect set
What makes this nearly perfect, but not quite there, is the lack of the silent shorts, but I believe those were done out of another studio, so I guess that will have to wait for... Read more
Published 6 days ago by ANT
5.0 out of 5 stars No Better
This has all of the great shorts that Stan & Ollie made. Brings back great memories. I watched these with my Grandfather many moons ago, and with my Son years ago. Read more
Published 6 days ago by letsplayguitar
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent collection
Great comedy from the bygone days. Film quality is superior to what you see on TV. These guys are hilarious!
Published 11 days ago by Boulet, M
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice collection
I was a kid in the 1960s watching L&H on TV. In the 70s I collected them on 8mm film. For me this is the best quality I've ever seen of their talkie movies. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Jay Skotcher
5.0 out of 5 stars 10/10
Perfect set. Has the classics that all kids should grow up with and enjoy, just like I did. Classic humour
Published 20 days ago by matt reenock
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars, but many L & H Feature Films are missing
I agree with other reviewers about the quality of this set being excellent. I am glad to have it. It exceeds the fine quality of a more complete collection of Laurel and Hardy/Hal... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Classic DVD and CD Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars ROFL with Laurel and Hardy!
I have always loved Laurel and Hardy. The dvds are in great shape and wonderfully remastered!
Laughter is the best medicine and L & H prove this maxim with each dvd. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bennet R O'Neil
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect gift for the Laurel & Hardy fan!
If you, like me, collected all the 'odds & ends' of video compilation, then DVD compilations; you know the quality was a hit & many misses. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Robert L Wall
5.0 out of 5 stars great!
This collection is a must have for all those who love classic comedy. there are some foreign language episodes in this collection but most of them are hilarious and really put you... Read more
Published 1 month ago by nancy
5.0 out of 5 stars Very glad I made this purchase!
I've had my eye on this set for over a year, and when it was recently on a special discount I purchased it. I'm so glad that I did! It's such a treat to watch this classic team. Read more
Published 1 month ago by saskrs
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Topic From this Discussion
Laurel and Hardy Silent Collection?
There was a nine-volume set of Laurel & Hardy's silents released years ago, but it's now out of print. Used copies are available, but they're not cheap:

http://www.amazon.com/Films-Laurel-Complete-Collection-Volumes/dp/B001AS8VY8/ref=sr_1_11?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1365571323&Read more
Apr 9, 2013 by Eric Perlin |  See all 2 posts
Missing Short
This box set only collects the sound films. Hopefully there will also be a box set of the silent classics like Big Business!
Feb 23, 2013 by Douglas Decker |  See all 3 posts
Terrible video quality Be the first to reply
Item under review ??
I don't know - when the set was released over a year ago there was a recall to fix the disc sleeves because they scratched the discs, but I heard they fixed that. Now, who knows:-(
Dec 16, 2012 by Jeremy |  See all 2 posts
Packaging??
I bought a little CD case at the local dollar store with soft fabric sleeves and put all the discs in that for safe removal and storage. The image quality of this set is amazing and I think for the price this is a "must have" for any L&H or classic comedy fan.
Nov 5, 2011 by Movie Buff in LA |  See all 9 posts
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