It might be because I'm British, but Laurel and Hardy were two entertainers that I was aware of as far back as I could remember, but had never seen a single thing they'd been in. They were iconic, and even having not seen any of their films I knew them by sight enough to be able to identify them in some rather shoddy looking merchandise. They're giants of cinema, and I always wanted to try out something of theirs. The Eureka Masters of Cinema release, Laurel & Hardy: The Silent Years - 1927 presented me with my first opportunity to do so.
The release brings together fifteen silent shorts, from their very first film together on to the 'official' birth of their partnership. As such, this is a perfect place for anyone like myself to start their Laurel and Hardy experience, as well as a great addition to collections for long time fans.
The first film in the set is The Lucky Dog, and sees Stan Laurel taking the centre stage as a young man down on his luck and facing a number of personal woes. Most of these are physical in nature, such as when he's almost hit by a pair of moving trams, or when his landlady swings her broom at his head. However, things begin to look up for him when he catches the eye of a young woman; but her jealous boyfriend and a mugger, played by Hardy, means it'll be anything but easy for him. I'd heard that silent movies were stunt filled and packed with spectacle, and this film demonstrates that, opening with Laurel taking a dive into the street. It also uses some on screen animation and extra graphics here and there that give things a bit of extra flair. It's a fun introduction to the genre, and the characters themselves.
45 Minutes From Hollywood is the pair's second film together, and they're still not the headliners that they'd become, with both of them playing supporting parts here. The film is fun enough, but does stand out as something a little unexpected as the two men you've bought the set to see never even appear in the same frame together. It's hard to really say this is a Laurel and Hardy movie, and it's more a film they both happen to be in, but as a piece of their history it's decent to have along. The next film, Duck Soup, feels more like what I've come to understand their movies to be, as the two of them are actually paired on screen for the first time in a substantial way. The two of them are acting in the ways I expect, with Laurel displaying his iconic grin, whilst Hardy slips into the role of the more physical one of the two. It's early days still, and it's not quite there yet, but this really feels like the genesis of what they'll become known for.
As the films progress, we see this pattern, with the two of them briefly coming together before another movie has them doing other things. You can tell that the winning formula hasn't quite been seen yet, and the times when they're together in the earlier movies feel more coincidence than planned, but as you work your way through the films there's a definite shift to the iconic duo we know, and by the end it's a Laurel and Hardy that most people would recognise.
The films collected here showcase a decent range of what silent movies had to offer, and many of them are still as humorous and entertaining as they were back in the day, with the practical stunts and effects being incredibly charming despite how basic some are simply because this was the early days of filmmaking, and you can see the craftsmanship and experimentation on screen in front of you. Even separate from Laurel and Hardy themselves, this set offers an enjoyable look at what films of the 1920's were offering audiences.
Considering that the films here are almost 100 years old they're presented really well. Most are in black and white, though a few have a slightly different tone to them depending on what filter was used at the time. Because of the age there are times when there are dips in visual quality, and some films can alter from scene to scene, but considering the age and technology from the time none of them are too bad, nor is anything here unwatchable. It's likely the best versions of a lot of these films that most people will have seen. The discs do include some new audio for the films, however, with the music having been newly created for this release; which considering most films of the time had live music in theatres rather than a soundtrack isn't too surprising an addition here.
Each of the films also comes with an audio commentary featuring experts on film of the era, as well as Laurel and Hardy in particular. These were informative and entertaining, and offered me a decent amount of insight into each of the films as well as their backgrounds. There's also a bunch of other features, including interviews with experts on silent movies, alongside archival interviews and recordings.
Having come to this set fresh, with no history with these entertainers I was unsure how much it would grab me or entertain, but the films are presented so well, with tons of extra context and information, that it made for an educational and enjoyable experience. But for fans of the actors it's likely going to be a must buy. Yes, you've probably already seen these movies before, but you'll not have seen them looking this good.
No comments:
Post a Comment