I'm Back

[Brad Filippone]

I don't know how many of you remember me, I was a fairly frequent
poster here in years past. I've now re-subscribed to my various
usenet groups and so here I am!

I can now say I own every surviving Laurel and Hardy movie and that I
still don't like the ending of Midnight Patrol!

I also thought I'd mention this. Back in May I was performing a show
at the King's Theater in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. This theater
opened back in the 1920's and also doubles as a movie theater. While
standing in the lobby, my attention was drawn to an advertisement from
their first decade of operation which had a list of all movies playing
in the coming weeks. The name "Call of the Cuckoo" caught my eye as
part of one day's program, but then I noticed "Hat's Off" listed for
another day. My first thought was that a print of this long-gone (at
least as far as we know) film of Laurel and Hardy's was once in the
building where I was standing! Oh well, I hope the audience enjoyed
at way back when.

Brad

[Frank J. Lhota]

Post by Brad Filippone
I don't know how many of you remember me, I was a fairly frequent
poster here in years past. I've now re-subscribed to my various
usenet groups and so here I am!
I can now say I own every surviving Laurel and Hardy movie and that I
still don't like the ending of Midnight Patrol!

The ending of "Midnight Patrol" is very modern in a way. Consider all
those "South Park" episodes where Kenny was killed, or the many episodes
of "Sealab 2021" where the Sealab blows up. Fans of those shows don't
let minor details such as story continuity prevent them from enjoying
the next installment where things are (inexplicably) back to normal.

My least favorite L&H film endings are the ones that use the "It was all
a dream" cheater: "Oliver the Eighth" and "The Laurel and Hardy Murder
Case". "Hollywood Party" also used that cop-out ending, but the story
was such a mess that one should just be grateful for any finish!

Post by Brad Filippone
I also thought I'd mention this. Back in May I was performing a show
at the King's Theater in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. This theater
opened back in the 1920's and also doubles as a movie theater. While
standing in the lobby, my attention was drawn to an advertisement from
their first decade of operation which had a list of all movies playing
in the coming weeks. The name "Call of the Cuckoo" caught my eye as
part of one day's program, but then I noticed "Hat's Off" listed for
another day. My first thought was that a print of this long-gone (at
least as far as we know) film of Laurel and Hardy's was once in the
building where I was standing! Oh well, I hope the audience enjoyed
at way back when.

For decades, I've heard rumors that some archive or another has prints
of these films. One can always dream...

Post by Brad Filippone
Brad

--
"All things extant in this world,
Gods of Heaven, gods of Earth,
Let everything be as it should be;
Thus shall it be!"
- Magical chant from "Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi"

"Drizzle, Drazzle, Drozzle, Drome,
Time for this one to come home!"
- Mr. Wizard from "Tooter Turtle"