Blu Ray Review: Laurel and Hardy – The Definitive Restorations – Volume 2

If one owns a complete set of Laurel and Hardy films on DVD and is satisfied with having collected a comprehensive overview of their work, one might casually overlook releases like these Definitive Restorations.  This is not a good idea.  Each of these releases are important additions to any collection that purports to be comprehensive. This latest release from Kit Parker Films is filled with these important additions.

On the first disc of this two disc set, the immediate revelation is a newly restored print of Men O’War (1929).  According to an accompanying booklet, this film had been printed from poor dupe materials since 1947 as that is all that was available.  With current technology, elusive materials were able to be restored so that the film now is sharper, centered properly, has crisper sound, and presented very closely to how it would have looked upon its initial release. 

Some of the 1930 talkies were also released as silents for overseas theaters not yet equipped for sound.  Official silent versions for Brats and Blotto appear on this collection for the first time.

Further materials include the original Vitaphone soundtrack for The Perfect Day, dialog and effects soundtracks for Blotto and Another Fine Mess,   restored prints from better elements for the films Going Bye Bye, Them Thar Hills, and Tit for Tat.  And each film has a commentary track by Laurel and Hardy expert Randy Skretvedt or Hal Roach expert Richard W. Bann.

Some of the extras on these discs include 1952 interview footage with both Stan and Ollie during their touring years, a 1936 promo film with Stan, Oliver, and James Finlayson, a backlot interview with Hal Roach from the 1960s, original trailers for the films The Bohemian Girl, Our Relations, and Swiss Miss, as well as trailers for the German version of Pardon Us and the British version of Fra Diavolo. 

This is a wealth of material for Laurel and Hardy fans, offering a great deal of rare footage, enhanced versions of longtime favorites, and fascinating extras that expand the scope of our appreciation for the boys, and for Mr. Roach. 

 Along with the aforementioned Men O’ War, this reviewer was especially fascinated by the official silent versions of Brats and Blotto. I have watched these films for most of my life (Brats was the first Laurel and Hardy movie I ever saw – around 1962 or so), seeing them as silents offered a different perspective, allowing me to appreciate the visuals more deeply than ever before. 

The Definitive Restorations is aptly titled, and this disc belongs in any library or research center.  For Laurel and Hardy fans, your collection is incomplete without it.

The two disc set can be purchased at this link:  LAUREL/HARDY