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

Looks and sounds fantastic.

Most releases of Laurel & Hardy films over the years, whether they be from the old Video Classics or Blackhawk collection, were taken from 16mm print masters that had long been over-used. As a result, the VHS releases I grew up with in the 90s had a rather cable-tv feel to them.In recent years, the old Hal Roach Studios films have traded hands multiple times and have been kept in storerooms with little to no care. On top of that, Laurel & Hardy's films were redistributed so many times and the negatives used so much between the late 40s-80s, that it resulted in their Roach films looking ancient compared to their Fox films--made only 9 years a part in most cases.In 2011, we finally got the Digital Restorations of all their sound Roach films that Hallmark had owned, which included every sound short and all but 2 Roach features. The digital releases were restored from the original 35mm negatives as much as humanly possible. Still, they show wear and tear. But were the best release of Laurel & Hardy's films to date.Now here we are with this release. A 4K/HD restoration of two features of multiple short subjects taken from the original negatives. Again, these aren't perfect restorations, bit they are as perfect as we will get for multiple reasons.Hal Roach didn't take care of his films the way MGM, Fox, Universal, or Columbia did. And he sold the rights to those films to studios and people who took even less care than he did, with few exceptions. MGM owned Our Gang, and two Laurel & Hardy movies. Because of the lack of care, the films fall into disrepair. It's why some Laurel & Hardy shorts look like they weren't even filmed in the same decade as Moe, Larry and Curly--when they were!This is a fine restoration, and the best we've had of the boys' work so far. I only hope that Kit Parker films restores the rest of the Laurel & Hardy catalogue--including their silent films.

I really loved watching these restored films on blu-ray. Since they were remastered up to 4K resolution it would have been nice to see them get a UHD 4K disc release as well, which brings me to part two of this review, which isn't really a review at all, but more of a suggestion to the publisher in hopes that they see it. When can we expect the rest of the Laurel and Hardy films restored? There are still a great many titles missing and it would be wonderful to see them in a complete collection, in chronilogical order, with a Play All feature: "Unnaccustomed As We Are - Utopia". ( I realize the FOX Features would likely not be part or possible in this and I don't think anybody would complain about that.) The one thing I didn't like about this particular release was how they handled the commentary. It is great to have the commentary, don't get me wrong, but in the case of The Music Box the commentary ran longer than the video. In this case they just tagged on a black screen that read, "Commentary Continues" It feels a little awkward when you just want to watch the video without the commentary. I know I can easily press the menu button and go back, but if they ever decide to do a release with a Play All feature hopefully they will provide the video with commentary in the Extras so they can leave off the Commentary Continues screen during a normal viewing. I think this would have been best even with this release. I am hoping a Complete Collection is in the works. I remember initially the DVD's were released with a few titles before they moved forward with the complete set. Hopefully we get a Complete Series again with everything restored. I realize that will mean some of our titles our double-dipped, but still a complete set would be wonderful. I would just consider this one a trial for a donation to fund a complete series issue. If my dream for a Complete Collection comes true I hope they add a Play All feature and release it in UHD 4K disc format as well.

These films are more than 90 years old. The quality of restoration is nothing short of amazing.

Wow. I,ve never seen those unforgettable jewels in such a wonderful quality. Crystal clear and in my opinion the best quality i've seen with the great masters of Slapstick Mr Laurel and Hardy. My compliments

This review refers to the 2020 blu ray collection from MVD Visual. At this point I've watched "Way Out West" and "Towed in a Hole".First, Laurel and Hardy are great. I dare you to watch one of their shorts for the first time and not laugh out loud. The usually open up amusingly enough, but then things spiral out of control until they reach a sustained crescendo. Trust me, your belly will hurt by the end of this workout!Five stars for the content. The sources are from 35mm prints and they look like they were great sources. Five stars for the sources.Three stars for the digital processing. They took what probably looked like museum prints and tried to make them look like they were filmed with digital cameras from the early 2000s (OK, high-end digital cameras, but digital nonetheless). Anything that the computer decides is a "detail" gets enhanced, and anything the computer decides isn't a detail gets smoothed over. That includes every last speck of film grain.Guys, these are films from the thirties. They're supposed to look like films from the thirties. The major studios used really good cameras with really good lenses and really nice black and white film stock to make these movies. They don't need your help. The shifting black-and-white film grain of a first-generation nitrate print is a thing of beauty, and you made it look like a low-bit-rate video.Granted, you'll not notice the processing once things get rolling in each film - you'll be too busy laughing. But it's a shame that this is probably the only time these films will be available in high-resolution video, and we have to put up with this sub-par processing on them forever. It's like laminating the Mona Lisa.Four stars overall, but this could have been a grand-slam if they had just left the films alone.

This bluray set was a replacement & it came complete.I received it within two days, very fast & efficient service.Many thanks!

Very happy with the item thanks

"The Battle of the Century-Die Schlacht des Jahrhunderts", liegt hier nach fast 90 Jahren, wieder fast komplett vor.Er hat gegenüber der Fragment-Lauflänge von ca. 12 Minuten, jetzt eine Lauflänge von ca. 22 Minuten nach Pal-System und wie hier nach NTSC-System, 27 Minuten.Leider wurde ein Rauschfilter verwendet, für die Restaurierung und das Bild glattgebügelt.Somit ist das Bild von der ARTE-Ausstrahlung besser, da hier noch Filmkorn und mehr Schärfen-Konturen vorhanden sind.Die englischen Inserts kann man schnell selber übersetzten.Der zweite seltene Kurzfilm ist "That's That" von 1938, der seltene alternative Szenen aus "Laurel and Hardy Murder Case", beziehungsweise auch Outtakes aus anderen Kurzfilmen und dem Langfilm "Sons of the Desert" enthält.Dieser wurde extra zu Stan Laurels (geboren: 16.06.1890) Geburtstag, am 16. Juni 1938, so zusammen gestellt.Es ist also ein zusammengestellter Kurzfilm mit einer Rahmenhandlung.Diesen gibt es bisher, auf keiner deutschen DVD oder Blu ray.Auf dem 6-DVD-Set gibt es zudem sehr seltene Trailer (Beau Hunks, Pack Up Your Troubles, Sons of the Desert, Way Out West, Babes In Toyland, The Flying Deuces, A Champ In Oxford, Saps At Sea), Bildergalerien mit selten Setfotos, alternativen Szenenfotos, Kinoaushangfotos u.v.m., Audiokommentare und Interviews.Zum Inhalt:DVD 1: "Sons of the Desert", "The Battle of the Century" (wieder fast komplett)DVD 2: "Berth Marks", "Brats" (plus alternativer Soundtrack), "Hog Wild"DVD 3: "One Good Turn", "Helpmates", "The Music Box"DVD 4: "The Chimp", "County Hospital", "Scram!", "Their First Mistake"DVD 5: "Towed In A Hole", "Twice Two", "Me And My Pal", "The Midnight Patrol", "Busy Bodies"DVD 6: "Way Out West", "That's That", "The Tree In A Test Tube" + als besonderer Schmankerl 12 originale Music-Tracks, ohne den Dialogen von der streng limitierten LP "Marvin Hatley – Music for Laurel & Hardy (and Friends)"Es sind nur zwei Langfilme enthalten.Da fehlen so einige großartige Filme, aber die gibt es ja schon auf anderen DVDs und Blu rays.Für mich als Komplettsammler, war also diese Collection unverzichtbar und nun habe ich auch fast alle Trailer zu den Laurel & Hardy-Langfilmen, auf DVD.Neben den Kinowelt/Studiocanal, Warner, Fox und MGM-DVD/Blu rays Collections, ist diese hier eine weitere Fortführung, mit bisher unveröffentlichtem Material des berühmten Duos Laurel & Hardy.Fehlen nur noch "Hats Off! - Hut ab!" von 1927 (eine Zusammenstellung der Filmfotos, des Fragmentes wäre auch Wünschenswert-zu sehen auf YouTube), das Stan Laurel-Kurzfilmfragment "Monsieur don't care' (1924)" : 7 Minuten hat man bisher gefunden, "When Knights Were Cold (1923)" ebenfalls mit Stan Laurel, das Langfilmfragment plus Rekonstruktion aller Fragmente und Fotos, mit der komplett erhaltenen Tonspur (kann auf YouTube besichtigt werden) von "Rogue Song-Banditenlied" von 1930, mit Stan und Ollie in ihrem ersten und einzigen Farb-Langfilm. "No Man's Law" mit Oliver Hardy und James Finlayson, aber ohne Stan Laurel, ein Western von 1926, den es leider nur in schlechter Bildqualität und zensiert auf DVD (Dick und Doof-die komplette Sammlung) gibt. Auf YouTube kann man eine unzensierte und restaurierte Version besichtigen."Pick A Star-Sternschnuppen" von 1937 gibt es leider nur auf einer DVD-R von Warner-Brothers- Archive und auf einem gepressten Medium, der DVD "Laurel and Hardy Triple Feature", hier heißt Pick A Star "Movie Struck", einem alternativen Titel (siehe meine Rezension dort-ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000O75GEE)."Hollywood Revue Of 1929", gibt es leider nur auf einer DVD-R, von Warner-Brothers-Archive und wartet noch auf ein gepresstes Medium.Drei Trailer fehlen mir noch "Swiss Miss" (habe ich leider nur mit Eingangskommentar und mittelmäßiger Bildqualität), "The Bohemian Girl" und "Block-Heads".Wäre Wünschenswert wenn sich ein Label dieser Filme und Trailer noch annimmt..Fazit: Tolles 6-DVD-Set, das von mir 5 Sterne bekommen hätte, wenn man die Bildqualität nicht so übertrieben bearbeitet hätte.Wie heißt es so schön: Weniger ist oft mehr...

Una serie di DVD rimasterizzati in modalità 4k ma visibili in ogni lettore DVD o Blu-ray e di ottima qualità. Alcune comiche di culto che non si trovavano da anni come "La battaglia del secolo" ed altri classici visibili con ottime immagini. Un cofanetto imperdibile.

Bought this to see the amazing restoration work that was done. These old comedy's are gems