Following the huge success of the 1927 set released last year, Eureka Video have come up trumps again with a second double set of Blu-Rays of Laurel and Hardy’s complete output from 1928. (To read the review of Laurel and Hardy- The Silent Years (1927) click here….) Steve Wells dives in deep to review this latest box set to be released.
This era shows how they were changing, gradually moving towards the comedy style the world would fall in love with. While their previous shorts were mostly gag after gag in short succession, they started using longer setups towards the payoff, so although there were fewer laughs per film, they were still as brilliantly effective as previously seen.
While the previous set featured 15 shorts, mostly starring Stan or Ollie, with the other in supporting roles, here they are co-headliners, officially the double act that would endure for decades. There are only ten films this time around, but the focus is on quality, not quantity, which makes this such a worthwhile addition for fans and collectors.
The films themselves have been sourced from various libraries, some taken from dupe negatives, some taken from 16mm prints, the only sources still available. The picture quality ranges from watchable to outstanding. Either way, these are the best they are going to look, so it’s just good that they haven’t been lost over time.
The special features are the icing on the cake here. Each film includes the optional extra audio commentaries, with contributors ranging from film historians to the host of the Laurel & Hardy Podcast. All are informative and worth a listen. I listened as I watched the films for the first time and found them deeply enriching – offering small observations that I might have missed and production trivia.
A video essay by silent film accompanist Neil Brand, lasting 22 minutes, is another highlight, examining this specific year of their output, comparing the past to their future and foreshadowing the arrival of sound just around the corner.
United We Fall runs for 76 minutes and is an absolute joy. An in-depth look at the films in this set, exploring their significance to their other works, including recurring gags, running jokes and supporting cast members. It also features audio clips of interviews, that were restructured by Stan and Ollie impersonators, something I only realised during the end credits. It also points out that some of the subtle risqué humour went unnoticed when they were released.
A Tribute To Robert Youngson is 19 well-spent minutes, looking at the career of the man responsible for compiling feature-length, vintage silent comedy anthologies and introducing them to new generations in the decades to come. I remember watching The Golden Age Of Comedy and Laurel & Hardy’s Laughing 20s on TV in the 1970s, and they were probably my first encounters with silent slapstick humour, which I still love.
Continuing from the previous set, there are four 8mm cut-down versions of some of the films here. With just that sound of a projector motor, they run between 2-7 minutes each. The picture quality is a bit muddy, but they are a nice addition, especially for those who remember watching them this way before the dawn of home video.
The Limited Edition extras are, as before, an exclusive slipcover plus a booklet featuring film notes written by Paul Merton and essays by Imogen Sara Smith and film historian Sheldon Hall. Unlike many other booklets, this is well worth a read—making an early purchase all the more rewarding.
As before, Eureka have brought out another fantastic set. The only thing lacking is a Play All option, which means having to navigate the Main Menu for each item, but that’s just a minor gripe for one of this year’s standout home entertainment releases.
FILMS – 10 PICTURE – 7 AUDIO – 7 EXTRAS – 10
Review by Steve Wells….
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