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

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While Randy’s ‘Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies’ has over 1,000 rare photographs therein, I’m really pleased to note that many more appear in this release, being accompanied by many from the collection of historian Richard W Bann.

There’s also a near-absence of grain in many of the shorts, giving them a slightly waxy, overly digitized look.

On this, Randy told me “That was not my preference, when I recorded and submitted my first commentary, it had the film soundtrack playing at a low level underneath my voice. Considering the over 100 films that they made over the years, this is a pretty small sampling (I mean, no Big Business, Tit for Tat, or Beau Hunks? However, in most cases they are so near to perfect that you really could think that they were just made last week!

The films look better than anyone has seen since the ’20s and ’30s, and the extra features are great.

There are also a couple of non-extras listed as extras (special thanks pages and several screens of text describing the multiple books that Randy Skretvedt has written on his favorite duo). There are so many of their 'full length films', as well as their many shorts, which are wonderful, it becomes impossible to say-One of Their Best', just because there are so many I can say that of. The entire presentation — including the restorations, commentary tracks, and gallery presentations are just awesome to behold.

In addition to movie reviews, Todd has written many articles for Home Theater Forum centering mostly on streaming as well as an occasional hardware review, and is a frequent guest on the Home Theater United podcast. org, one of the premier destinations on the web to discuss DVD releases from The Criterion Collection, Masters of Cinema, and other DVD production companies from around the world.Five years ago, though, a 16 mm reference print struck in 1956 was discovered in a private collection, and just in time, too. When my grandparents passed away years later as I was an adult, the only inheritance I insisted upon was that pair of statues. I’m not reviewing the Blu-ray rather I’m commenting on certain aspects of the films that are present in film prints and also visible in the Blu-ray. This set really does need to be seen to be believed and I hope that more Laurel and Hardy aficionados get the opportunity to see these versions sooner rather than later. While their madcap antics are steeped in the traditions of vaudeville, they established a comic rhythm that takes full advantage of the elasticity of cinematic time.

Maybe someday Criterion will do a Sons of the Desert that is more than slightly better than the DVD. But rest assured, the only mess you’ll be getting into is a huddled mess of uncontrollable laughter as you delve into the historical library of Laurel and Hardy. Bann, and 8+ hours of exclusive rarities including 2,500+ photos, posters and studio files, filmed/audio interviews and trailers.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! I did however notice a hair in the titles frame for The Music Box, but I point that out purely to prove I noticed it (! In Battle of the Century, a pie fight starts in the streets after Stanley hops in and out of the boxing ring. It was also common to not want to arrive to your seat before the lights went down for fear of seeing what you’re ACTUALLY going to be sitting in, but I digress from this digression.

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