‘Laurel and Hardy: The Definitive Restorations Volume 2’ Blu-ray Review
On my personal Mount Rushmore of comedy duos, you’ll find The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello, Martin and Lewis, and naturally, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Their influence has rippled through generations; countless comedians have borrowed, built on, and been inspired by the timeless charm of Laurel and Hardy. Their brand of silliness, warmth, and perfectly timed chaos is truly immortal. Now, Kit Parker Films and MVD Visual have teamed up once again to preserve that legacy, bringing newly restored editions of Laurel and Hardy’s classic short films to Blu-ray. Years ago, fans were delighted by Laurel and Hardy: The Definitive Restorations Volume 1. Like many, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the follow-up, and the wait is finally over. Laurel and Hardy: The Definitive Restorations Volume 2 has arrived, a two-disc Blu-ray set featuring eight of the duo’s finest shorts, beautifully restored in 4K.
- Men O’ War (1929) – On shore leave from the Navy, seamen Stanley and Oliver want to treat two attractive single girls to a glass of soda in the park but only have enough change for three sodas. ***
- Perfect Day (1929) – The boys and their wives are preparing for a drive to a Sunday picnic but infighting is ruining their plans and a sudden feud with a next-door neighbour completes the disaster. ****
- Blotto (1930) – Stan fakes receiving a telegram so he can go to a club with Ollie and a bottle of his unsuspecting wife’s liquor, but she overhears his plans. ****
- Another Fine Mess (1930) – Two homeless vagabonds hide out in a vacant mansion and pose as the residents when prospective lessees arrive and try to rent it. ***
- Dirty Work (1933) – Hired to sweep the chimney at Professor Noodle’s house, the boys wreck the living room and end-up in the mad scientist’s laboratory where they interact with a rejuvenation potion. ***
- Going Bye-Bye! (1934) – After testifying in court against a dangerous criminal, the boys plan to skip town, but the criminal escapes prison and comes after them. ***
- Them Thar Hills (1934) – Stan and Ollie take a trip into the mountains (‘the high multitude’) so that Ollie can recover from gout. Bootleggers have dumped their moonshine in the well from which the boys sample their ‘healthy’ mountain water. ****
- Tit for Tat (1935) – After the events in Them Thar Hills (1934), Stan and Ollie encounter their old nemesis, whose grocery shop is next to their home-appliances store. Nobody can let bygones be bygones, and a war breaks out. Will those tit-for-tat battles ever end? ***
These shorts have been transferred to Blu-ray in 1080p and are presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The audio tracks are English LPCM 2.0 tracks. The transfers are from newly remastered 4K scans from the original 35mm nitrate films, which means these shorts are crisp and clean with no damage to the prints that I could see. Jeff Joseph/SabuCat and UCLA Film & Television Archive, and the Library of Congress deserve a huge thank you for the amazing job in these restorations. These Laurel and Hardy shorts never looked better.
In addition to 8 wonderfully restored classic comedy shorts, this great second volume Blu-ray set has some very cool bonus features, including:
- Previously lost SILENT versions of Blotto and Brats with scores by accompanist Andrew Earle Simpson
- Alternate audio tracks for Perfect Day, Blotto, and Another Fine Mess
- Rare trailers for Pardon Us, Fra Diavolo, Bohemian Girl, Our Relations, and Swiss Miss
- Galaxy of Stars (1936) – An MGM promotional film for foreign exhibitors!
- Recently rediscovered SHIP’S REPORTER (1952) featuring both Laurel & Hardy
- THIS IS YOUR LIFE: LAUREL & HARDY (1954) from 35mm kinescope negative
- There Goes My Heart trailer and outtakes of the Roach Studios backlot
- Commentary tracks from authors Richard W. Bann and Randy Skretvedt
- Galleries of fascinating studio stills, scripts, posters, lobby cards, and other archival materials
- An exclusive interview with Hal Roach, the legendary producer behind the magic
- A full colour booklet with rare photos, original production information, restoration notes, and more!
The importance of Laurel and Hardy to the history of comedy is undeniable, and The Definitive Restorations Volume 2 only reaffirms that fact. The pristine image restoration and generous slate of bonus features, including a beautifully produced booklet and a full episode of This Is Your Life, make this set an essential addition to any classic comedy collection.
***** 5/5
If you love Laurel and Hardy and you enjoyed the first volume of The Definitive Restorations Blu-ray, then you absolutely must own Laurel and Hardy: The Definitive Restorations Volume 2. Order your copy from Amazon now.
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