I watched this as a young boy, and it was my first introduction to the bygone but beautiful genre of silent comedy, particularly the talented duo of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. While silent movie star Charlie Chaplin earned himself a place in history as a film pioneer with both comedic and dramatic tales, Laurel and Hardy set themselves a solid reputation as one of the earliest and best comic couples in film history.
When you watch a silent film (particularly a comedy), you need to keep in mind that it's an early form of cinema from a less complicated and crowded era. There won't be any dialogue, and there won't be any deep theme or philosophical/political commentary, just a set of scenes performed with skill and passion (particularly gags). I myself learnt to appreciate the simplicity of actors performing a basic but entertaining feature. And Laurel and Hardy were one of the best at simple entertainment, as this feature shows.
The feature is a cross between a documentary and an archive collection, featuring clips from Laurel and Hardy's best 1920s silent films, with clips from a few unrelated silent films that pad out the feature (though maybe they should have used more Laurel/Hardy features instead). With this kind of feature you just have to sit back and watch and enjoy yourself.
The narration in the feature goes on for longer than needed with some unnecessary commentary, but otherwise does an adequate job. The original soundtrack that accompanies the feature is a wonderful ragtime symphony that does justice to the gags Laurel and Hardy perform.
It makes a great introduction to Laurel and Hardy and I recommend it to anyone who's a fan of their work.
When you watch a silent film (particularly a comedy), you need to keep in mind that it's an early form of cinema from a less complicated and crowded era. There won't be any dialogue, and there won't be any deep theme or philosophical/political commentary, just a set of scenes performed with skill and passion (particularly gags). I myself learnt to appreciate the simplicity of actors performing a basic but entertaining feature. And Laurel and Hardy were one of the best at simple entertainment, as this feature shows.
The feature is a cross between a documentary and an archive collection, featuring clips from Laurel and Hardy's best 1920s silent films, with clips from a few unrelated silent films that pad out the feature (though maybe they should have used more Laurel/Hardy features instead). With this kind of feature you just have to sit back and watch and enjoy yourself.
The narration in the feature goes on for longer than needed with some unnecessary commentary, but otherwise does an adequate job. The original soundtrack that accompanies the feature is a wonderful ragtime symphony that does justice to the gags Laurel and Hardy perform.
It makes a great introduction to Laurel and Hardy and I recommend it to anyone who's a fan of their work.