Way Out West on TCM

[unknown]

I'm surprised no one has commented on today's showing of Way Out West on
TCM. They finally lost the old Colorizaton, Inc. print. Today's bore the
Lion's Gate logo, and it looked absouletly gorgeous. Sharpness, contrast,
and framing were all just about perfect. Just a few scratches here and there
kept it from being completely perfect.

[Hal Erickson]

Post by unknown
I'm surprised no one has commented on today's showing of Way Out West on
TCM. They finally lost the old Colorizaton, Inc. print. Today's bore the
Lion's Gate logo, and it looked absouletly gorgeous. Sharpness, contrast,
and framing were all just about perfect. Just a few scratches here and there
kept it from being completely perfect.

Yes, I caught and recorded it. I've seen better prints, but this is about as
good as you're likely to get on American TV at this time.
Now, can TCM go to work on getting a decent print of OUR RELATIONS, to say
nothing of complete uncut prints of PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES and SWISS MISS?

--Hal E

[Mister Levity]

I have seen much better prints also, especially the pristine European
DVDs that are out. There's lots of scratches and splices in it. TCM
has had this newer version for about a year or more though. It isn't
all that complete either. It's missing a chunk of footage after Stan
and Lola slip under the bed. Here the bed bounces about two times and
cuts away. It should continue several more times.

If you look closely you will notice this black and white print is what
was prepared for computer coloring back in the 80's, as the splices,
scratches and missing footage are in the same places.

I agree TCM really needs to hound RHI for a better broadcast video of
OUR RELATIONS. The one they have is utterly a disgrace. Looks like
Hellmark merely copied an ancient worn out VHS copy and sent it to
them-complete with Nostalgia Merchent opening logo.

At least the edited Laurel and Hardy Show versions of PACK UP YOUR
TROUBLES and SWISS MISS look better. But would be nice for TCM to get
complete versions of them.

[Matt Barry]

Post by Hal Erickson

Post by unknown
I'm surprised no one has commented on today's showing of Way Out West on
TCM. They finally lost the old Colorizaton, Inc. print. Today's bore the
Lion's Gate logo, and it looked absouletly gorgeous. Sharpness, contrast,
and framing were all just about perfect. Just a few scratches here and there
kept it from being completely perfect.

Yes, I caught and recorded it. I've seen better prints, but this is about
as good as you're likely to get on American TV at this time.
Now, can TCM go to work on getting a decent print of OUR RELATIONS, to say
nothing of complete uncut prints of PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES and SWISS MISS?
--Hal E

What's missing from the SWISS MISS print they showed? I saw the one they ran
in April 2005 and it looked complete to me.

[Hal Erickson]

Post by Matt Barry

Post by Hal Erickson

Post by unknown
I'm surprised no one has commented on today's showing of Way Out West on
TCM. They finally lost the old Colorizaton, Inc. print. Today's bore the
Lion's Gate logo, and it looked absouletly gorgeous. Sharpness, contrast,
and framing were all just about perfect. Just a few scratches here and there
kept it from being completely perfect.

Yes, I caught and recorded it. I've seen better prints, but this is about
as good as you're likely to get on American TV at this time.
Now, can TCM go to work on getting a decent print of OUR RELATIONS, to
say nothing of complete uncut prints of PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES and SWISS
MISS?
--Hal E

What's missing from the SWISS MISS print they showed? I saw the one they
ran in April 2005 and it looked complete to me.

It wasn't. It was the 65-minute cutdown prepared in 1985 for THE LAUREL AND
HARDY SHOW. Missing scenes included
Walter Woolf King's first song ("Yo ho di o-laydee"), the chef's threat to
skin Stan and Ollie alive if he ever caught them hanging around the heroine,
the "vocal" part of the "I Can't Get Over the Alps" number, featuring W.W.
King, Eric Blore and chorus,
and various bits and pieces throughout. The film's actual running time is 73
minutes.
Granted, it wasn't badly edited--but it WAS edited, and I'm something of a
completist when it comes to L&H.

--Hal E

[thebobster]

If they were going to edit SWISS MISS, they could have at least cut
the "Crick Crick Crick Hear the Cricket" song. :)

Post by Hal Erickson

Post by Matt Barry
What's missing from the SWISS MISS print they showed? I saw the one they
ran in April 2005 and it looked complete to me.

It wasn't. It was the 65-minute cutdown prepared in 1985 for THE LAUREL AND
HARDY SHOW. Missing scenes included
Walter Woolf King's first song ("Yo ho di o-laydee"), the chef's threat to
skin Stan and Ollie alive if he ever caught them hanging around the heroine,
the "vocal" part of the "I Can't Get Over the Alps" number, featuring W.W.
King, Eric Blore and chorus,
and various bits and pieces throughout. The film's actual running time is 73
minutes.
Granted, it wasn't badly edited--but it WAS edited, and I'm something of a
completist when it comes to L&H.
--Hal E- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

[Eric Perlin]

"thebobster" wrote:

} If they were going to edit SWISS MISS, they could
} have at least cut the "Crick Crick Crick Hear the
} Cricket" song. :)

I agree. "Swiss Miss" is one of few L&H films that could be _improved_ by some
editing. Mainly, by eliminating most of the scenes in which L&H are off-screen.

In my humble opinion, similar improvements could also be made by editing some of
the subplot and musical footage out of Abbott & Costello's "Buck Privates" and
the Marx Brothers' "A Day at the Races."

[Hal Erickson]

Post by Eric Perlin
} If they were going to edit SWISS MISS, they could
} have at least cut the "Crick Crick Crick Hear the
} Cricket" song. :)
I agree. "Swiss Miss" is one of few L&H films that could be _improved_ by some
editing. Mainly, by eliminating most of the scenes in which L&H are off-screen.
In my humble opinion, similar improvements could also be made by editing some of
the subplot and musical footage out of Abbott & Costello's "Buck Privates" and
the Marx Brothers' "A Day at the Races."

I can see your point, but as a film purist I'm against any sort of trimming
to accommodate contemporary tastes
(that's how we lost most of the Little Rascals footage in the 1970s TV
showings!)

Also: DAY AT THE RACES could arguably stand some pruning, but BUCK PRIVATES
is so much a "time capsule" of the months just prior to December 7, 1941
that I'd hate to lose any of it. And which musical numbers would you cut?
Not "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", I hope! It's prime Andrews Sisters, and I'm
thankful that it's preserved on film.

--Hal E

[j***@joimail.com]

On Mar 1, 4:10 pm, "Hal Erickson" <***@execpc.com> wrote:
BUCK PRIVATES

Post by Hal Erickson
is so much a "time capsule" of the months just prior to December 7, 1941
that I'd hate to lose any of it. And which musical numbers would you cut?
Not "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", I hope! It's prime Andrews Sisters, and I'm
thankful that it's preserved on film.
--Hal E- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

I wholeheartedly agree; besides, this simple, "corny" B picture made
millions for Universal and catapulted Abbott and Costello to stardom.
Why in heaven's name would you even consider touching a frame of it?

See ya!
Joe L.

[Eric Perlin]

***@joimail.com wrote:

} I wholeheartedly agree; besides, this
} simple, "corny" B picture made millions
} for Universal and catapulted Abbott and
} Costello to stardom. Why in heaven's name
} would you even consider touching a frame
} of it?

Abbott & Costello's footage throughout this film is EXCELLENT. The trouble is,
the scenes in-between which focus on some kind of boring love story involving
secondary characters.

If I was able to make an edited version of Buck Privates for personal use, I
would retain EVERY MINUTE of A&C footage, and most of the Andrew Sisters
footage, but there is still some utterly boring subplot footage which I
personally think should have been scrapped back in 1941.

This is just a hypothesis of what I would do with a PERSONAL copy of this film.
I would not keep anyone from seeing the complete 85-minute version.

FWIW, a local station in the New York area used to run A&C movies every Sunday
morning throughout the 1970's and 1980's, and every film shown was hacked down
to 70 minutes (except for just one, which already ran only 70 minutes and was
probably shown unedited).

I kind of wish I had worked as the station's film editor during that period. If
I was forced to cut the films anyway, the first thing to go would be the non-A&C
footage. Of course, it would be impossible to chop 13 minutes out of "A&C Meet
Frankenstein" or to chop 17 minutes out of "Here Come the Co-Eds" without doing
major damage.

[Larc]

On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:45:46 -0500, Eric Perlin
<***@SPAMSUCKSintergate.com> wrote:

| ***@joimail.com wrote:
|
| } I wholeheartedly agree; besides, this
| } simple, "corny" B picture made millions
| } for Universal and catapulted Abbott and
| } Costello to stardom. Why in heaven's name
| } would you even consider touching a frame
| } of it?
|
| Abbott & Costello's footage throughout this film is EXCELLENT. The trouble is,
| the scenes in-between which focus on some kind of boring love story involving
| secondary characters.

I'm sure it's probably just me, but I don't find that A&C have aged particularly
well. I loved them when I was a kid, but now find myself checking my watch
rather often when watching one of their films. And it's not only the extraneous
matter causing that. L&H on the other hand are still fresh to me after all my
years of seeing them. Maybe that's at least partly because A&C (particularly
Lou) seem to be "straining" a little too much, whereas L&H slip into their roles
as they would into a pair of comfortable old shoes.

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§

[Mister Levity]

Post by Larc
I'm sure it's probably just me, but I don't find that A&C have aged particularly
well. I loved them when I was a kid, but now find myself checking my watch
rather often when watching one of their films. And it's not only the extraneous
matter causing that. L&H on the other hand are still fresh to me after all my
years of seeing them. Maybe that's at least partly because A&C (particularly
Lou) seem to be "straining" a little too much, whereas L&H slip into their roles
as they would into a pair of comfortable old shoes.
Larc

Rest assured it's not just you. I feel the exact same way. Laurel and
Hardy are still the best ever because their comedy flows so naturally
and smooth from their easy going characters and deliberate pacing.

[Eric Perlin]

Larc wrote:


} I'm sure it's probably just me, but I don't find
} that A&C have aged particularly well. I loved
} them when I was a kid, but now find myself
} checking my watch rather often when watching one
} of their films.

A&C's talents were generally showcased better on their TV series than their
feature films anyway.

For those who are not diehard A&C fans who might want to consider seeing only
A&C's very best, I would recommend the 76-minute compilation called "Hey
Abbott!" Most of A&C's all-time best routines are included. If you are going to
limit yourself to just one A&C selection, this would be the one. Even this
collection is flawed, however. The "Mudder and Fodder" routine is not included,
and Milton Berle's material between clips is incredibly lame.

I agree with you that L&H were in great form in practically everything they ever
appeared in.

[Matt Barry]

Post by Eric Perlin
} I'm sure it's probably just me, but I don't find
} that A&C have aged particularly well. I loved
} them when I was a kid, but now find myself
} checking my watch rather often when watching one
} of their films.
A&C's talents were generally showcased better on their TV series than their
feature films anyway.
For those who are not diehard A&C fans who might want to consider seeing only
A&C's very best, I would recommend the 76-minute compilation called "Hey
Abbott!" Most of A&C's all-time best routines are included. If you are going to
limit yourself to just one A&C selection, this would be the one. Even this
collection is flawed, however. The "Mudder and Fodder" routine is not included,
and Milton Berle's material between clips is incredibly lame.
I agree with you that L&H were in great form in practically everything they ever
appeared in.

"Hey Abbott" was what got me hooked on Abbott and Costello. I had seen a
couple of their lesser films before and didn't care that much for them, but
the routines showcased in "Hey Abbott" were absolutely brilliant. I have
since bought the 4-volume collection of their Universal stuff, much of which
is quite good (especially their wartime musical comedies). I think alot of
their work holds up surprisingly well-there is a lot of energy behind it and
it has a good pacing for the most part. Unfortunately, I think their later
post-war stuff isn't as strong (although they made probably their best film
at this time-A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN, and I thought MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN was
surprisingly funny too).

Has anyone seen their MEET THE KEYSTONE COPS? This was an interesting
premise and features some good silent-comics in bit parts.

[Hal Erickson]

Post by Matt Barry

Post by Eric Perlin
} I'm sure it's probably just me, but I don't find
} that A&C have aged particularly well. I loved
} them when I was a kid, but now find myself
} checking my watch rather often when watching one
} of their films.
A&C's talents were generally showcased better on their TV series than their
feature films anyway.
For those who are not diehard A&C fans who might want to consider seeing only
A&C's very best, I would recommend the 76-minute compilation called "Hey
Abbott!" Most of A&C's all-time best routines are included. If you are going to
limit yourself to just one A&C selection, this would be the one. Even this
collection is flawed, however. The "Mudder and Fodder" routine is not included,
and Milton Berle's material between clips is incredibly lame.
I agree with you that L&H were in great form in practically everything they ever
appeared in.

"Hey Abbott" was what got me hooked on Abbott and Costello. I had seen a
couple of their lesser films before and didn't care that much for them,
but the routines showcased in "Hey Abbott" were absolutely brilliant. I
have since bought the 4-volume collection of their Universal stuff, much
of which is quite good (especially their wartime musical comedies). I
think alot of their work holds up surprisingly well-there is a lot of
energy behind it and it has a good pacing for the most part.
Unfortunately, I think their later post-war stuff isn't as strong
(although they made probably their best film at this time-A&C MEET
FRANKENSTEIN, and I thought MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN was surprisingly funny
too).
Has anyone seen their MEET THE KEYSTONE COPS? This was an interesting
premise and features some good silent-comics in bit parts.

Interesting premise, inadequately performed. The silent comics you mention
are barely visible, and have practically nothing to do.
Even Mack Sennett (in a cameo) looks bored. The climactic car chase is good,
but it could have
been performed by any comedy team from Olsen and Johnson to Brown and
Carney.

Beyond that, the film (allegedly set in 1912) has so many stupid
anachronisms that I find it impossible to watch.

--Hal E

[Mister Levity]

Post by Matt Barry
Has anyone seen their MEET THE KEYSTONE COPS? This was an

interesting

Post by Matt Barry
premise and features some good silent-comics in bit parts.
--
Matt Barry

ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS is one of their all time
best. My favorite of all their features. Very funny, loaded with
terrific sight gags and the climax is great.

Abbott and Costello's movies got better after 1949 because all those
dumb musical numbers and romantic sub-plots were eliminated and the
features of the 1950's are all about Bud and Lou, which is for the
better.