"Atoll K" book gets US release March 30!

[cseguin]

"Laurel and Hardy's Final Film", Norbert Aping's fascinating book on
the making and marketing of Atoll K, is receiving a March 30 release
by McFarland Press in the US. It was previously released in German by
Schuren.

Having had a sneak preview, I can't recommend it enough. It's
meticulously detailed and sheds a whole new light on this muddled (if
noble) finale to Laurel & Hardy's career.

You can order it here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786433027/ref=pe_5050_8422950_pe_snp_027

Or read a bit more about it here:
http://crusoeland.blogspot.com/

[L***@hotmail.com]

For $45, it should come with a year's supply of hard boiled eggs and
nuts.

[Jimmy Fin]

Ever since I saw the creepy Atoll K photo in the back of the Everson book as
a kid, I have had a strange fascination with this film. It's an interesting
and strange failure. I look forward to the book.

Post by L***@hotmail.com
For $45, it should come with a year's supply of hard boiled eggs and
nuts.

[ScottO]

Post by Jimmy Fin
Ever since I saw the creepy Atoll K photo in the back of the Everson book
as a kid, I have had a strange fascination with this film. It's an
interesting and strange failure. I look forward to the book.

The movie isn't **that** bad, it's just that L&H both look old and sick in
the film (and, you know, they really weren't that old--mid to late 50's).

ScottO.

[Thomas Stillabower]

Hard Boiled Eggs & Nuts. Hmm.

And I've been yelling since I first commenced it, I'm against it.
Groucho Marx, Horsefeathers (1932)

[cseguin]

Post by L***@hotmail.com
For $45, it should come with a year's supply of hard boiled eggs and
nuts.

Trust me, $45 is a bargain for a book so deeply researched and
offering such a wealth of new insight into this fascinating blip in
the careers of Laurel & Hardy. To me, it's a must for true fans of
Stan & Babe and anyone interested in the history of film and how the
best of intentions can go awry.
Chris

[j***@joelibby.net]

Post by cseguin

nuts.

Trust me, $45 is a bargain for a book so deeply researched and
offering such a wealth of new insight into this fascinating blip in
the careers of Laurel & Hardy. To me, it's a must for true fans of
Stan & Babe and anyone interested in the history of film and how the
best of intentions can go awry.
Chris

Actually, this sounds great. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if this
turns out to be one of those "stranger than fiction" stories.

Are there any DVD versions of the movie out there besides the myriad
crummy versions of "Utopia?" A really good DVD would be welcome by
fans, I'm sure ... although on the other hand, Stan might look even
worse than he does in the other video versions I've seen!

See ya!
Joe Libby
www.joelibby.net

[Eric Perlin]

***@joelibby.net wrote:

} Are there any DVD versions of the movie out there
} besides the myriad crummy versions of "Utopia?" A
} really good DVD would be welcome by fans, I'm sure
} ... although on the other hand, Stan might look
} even worse than he does in the other video
} versions I've seen!

Video Treasures released a very good quality VHS version back in the 1980's,
when they exclusively released public domain films. I bought a copy for $10 and
still have it.

I know that there was a European edition which ran about 16 minutes longer. I
would like to see the longer version released in the USA.

Despite all its flaws, I hold the opinion that Utopia/Atoll K is not as bad as
it's been made out to be. (If I didn't like it, I would have erased over it by
now!)

As for Stan Laurel's physical appearance, it actually varies through the film.
He looks particularly sick and frail in most of the scenes on board the ship,
but looks considerably better in most of the island scenes. Oliver Hardy doesn't
look much different from how he looked in The Bullfighters.

Regarding the upcoming book: In my humble opinion, the story behind Atoll
K/Utopia seems to have been pretty well documented in Randy Skretvedt's "Magic
Behind the Movies" and Scott MacGillivray's "From the Forties Forward." Is there
really that much more of the story to tell? Enough to fill an entire book?

[j***@joelibby.net]

There is something strangely fascinating about ATOLL K, to be sure.
Under almost impossible conditions, Stan and Babe managed "to put
lipstick on a pig." They alone manage to make the film watchable. I
really know nothing about Suzy Delair beyond this film and a few
things I've read hear and there, but you wouldn't guess she was a
popular French film star from watching ATOLL K. To be fair, the crude
English-language dubbing undoubtedly hampers the outcome of Suzy's
performance.

And you are right, Stan looks OK, but not great, in most of the island
scenes. There are a couple of scenes where he also looks about the
same as in THE BULLFIGHTERS, if much thinner.

Since the film took a year to make, I'm willing to bet there's all
kinds of strange and amazing stuff that will be revealed in the book.
One thing I'd like to know about: Again referencing FORTIES FORWARD,
it seems part of the genesis of ATOLL K came from Stan's desire to
make a film of "How To Get A Driver's License." In ATOLL K, the scene
in the lawyers' office has a vague (VERY vague) resemblence to the
Driver's License sketch. I wonder if possibly Stan provided the
original scene, and the screenwriters "improved" it to the point that
much of Stan's version was eliminated.

See ya!
Joe Libby
www.joelibby.net

Post by Eric Perlin
Despite all its flaws, I hold the opinion that Utopia/Atoll K is not as bad as
it's been made out to be. (If I didn't like it, I would have erased over it by
now!)
As for Stan Laurel's physical appearance, it actually varies through the film.
He looks particularly sick and frail in most of the scenes on board the ship,
but looks considerably better in most of the island scenes. Oliver Hardy doesn't
look much different from how he looked in The Bullfighters.

[Ray Faiola]

I have a virtually complete 16mm original print, with the U.K.
territories title of ROBINSON CRUSOELAND and it is way more
intelligible and entertaining than the horrid US release. I also have
the German edition of Norbert's book and it is a massive tome. I
highly recommend getting the English language edition. As for a DVD,
the German disc is from a gorgeous complete 35mm print, though the
English soundtrack seems to be a composite from less than outstanding
materials. One of the things that has made the film intolerable is
the editing of UTOPIA and the awful dupe prints that have been
circulating for the past 30 years.

All in all, ATOLL K is well worth a rediscovery in its complete form.
It will never be a really good film but in many ways it is far more
interesting (and funny!) than NOTHING BUT TROUBLE or AIR RAID WARDENS.

[b***@earthlink.net]

The original English-language print (uncut, at 100 minutes) is titled
ATOLL K.

I agree with Ray, it makes more sense than the "standard" 82-minute
reissue in perpetual circulation. I wonder if Ray's print has the
ROBINSON CRUSOELAND main titles attached to an ATOLL K print, because
the 1952 release announcement from Franco-London listed ROBINSON
CRUSOELAND at 82 minutes. Maybe Franco-London issued the film in two
lengths for different markets, the same way Hal Roach issued A CHUMP
AT OXFORD. In any case, thanks and congratulations to Ray.

[cseguin]

To answer Eric's earlier question, Randy's and Scott's writings on
ATOLL K, wonderful as they are, only begin to scratch the surface on
this amazing story. I've read the English manuscript and have seen a
ton of the photos, and it's a truly fascinating book that provides an
in-depth look at Laurel & Hardy's status in Europe at the time, the
hopes pinned on this film by the European film industry, and exactly
how the best intentions can go totally off the rails. There's a lot
more to this story than the standard "Stan was sick, the crew was
inept and lazy, and it should never have happened".

Chris

Post by b***@earthlink.net
The original English-language print (uncut, at 100 minutes) is titled
ATOLL K.
I agree with Ray, it makes more sense than the "standard" 82-minute
reissue in perpetual circulation. I wonder if Ray's print has the
ROBINSON CRUSOELAND main titles attached to an ATOLL K print, because
the 1952 release announcement from Franco-London listed ROBINSON
CRUSOELAND at 82 minutes. Maybe Franco-London issued the film in two
lengths for different markets, the same way Hal Roach issued A CHUMP
AT OXFORD. In any case, thanks and congratulations to Ray.

[Matt Barry]

"cseguin" <***@rogers.com> wrote in message news:31152bc7-e22d-47f6-8f30-***@p25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
To answer Eric's earlier question, Randy's and Scott's writings on
ATOLL K, wonderful as they are, only begin to scratch the surface on
this amazing story. I've read the English manuscript and have seen a
ton of the photos, and it's a truly fascinating book that provides an
in-depth look at Laurel & Hardy's status in Europe at the time, the
hopes pinned on this film by the European film industry, and exactly
how the best intentions can go totally off the rails. There's a lot
more to this story than the standard "Stan was sick, the crew was
inept and lazy, and it should never have happened".

Chris

Post by b***@earthlink.net
The original English-language print (uncut, at 100 minutes) is titled
ATOLL K.
I agree with Ray, it makes more sense than the "standard" 82-minute
reissue in perpetual circulation. I wonder if Ray's print has the
ROBINSON CRUSOELAND main titles attached to an ATOLL K print, because
the 1952 release announcement from Franco-London listed ROBINSON
CRUSOELAND at 82 minutes. Maybe Franco-London issued the film in two
lengths for different markets, the same way Hal Roach issued A CHUMP
AT OXFORD. In any case, thanks and congratulations to Ray.

I always felt Skretvedt's book was a bit harsh toward the later films. Not
that I think they are on the same level as the Roach films, of course. In
fact, some of them are downright hard to sit through. But they still deserve
an in-depth look to better understand where things went wrong.

[Eric Perlin]

"Matt Barry" wrote:
} I always felt Skretvedt's book was a bit harsh toward
} the later films. Not that I think they are on the
} same level as the Roach films, of course. In fact,
} some of them are downright hard to sit through. But
} they still deserve an in-depth look to better
} understand where things went wrong.

You're correct. However, an in-depth look at the later films has in fact been
done, and very well, in "Laurel and Hardy: From the Forties Forward" by Scott
MacGillivray. Get yourself a copy of this book.

[Ray Faiola]

Post by b***@earthlink.net
I wonder if Ray's print has the
ROBINSON CRUSOELAND main titles attached to an ATOLL K print, because
the 1952 release announcement from Franco-London listed ROBINSON
CRUSOELAND at 82 minutes.

My print BEGAN as the 82 minute ROBINSON CRUSOELAND (completely
different cutting than the U.S. UTOPIA). I have since filled it out
with a combination of mostly original and some dupe footage until I am
missing only a couple of short sequences.

A friend of mine has a complete 16mm ATOLL K, a reversal of Bill
Everson's Kodak original.

I also have a 16mm print of the UTOPIA trailer and one of the original
French souvenir booklets. Oh, yeah, and the French sheet music!

[j***@joelibby.net]

Post by Ray Faiola

 I wonder if Ray's print has the
ROBINSON CRUSOELAND main titles attached to an ATOLL K print, because
the 1952 release announcement from Franco-London listed ROBINSON
CRUSOELAND at 82 minutes.

My print BEGAN as the 82 minute ROBINSON CRUSOELAND (completely
different cutting than the U.S. UTOPIA).  I have since filled it out
with a combination of mostly original and some dupe footage until I am
missing only a couple of short sequences.
A friend of mine has a complete 16mm ATOLL K, a reversal of Bill
Everson's Kodak original.
I also have a 16mm print of the UTOPIA trailer and one of the original
French souvenir booklets. Oh, yeah, and the French sheet music!

Wow, that's cool, Ray! I never realized there was so much more to
ATOLL K! I think it would be great if a complete, remastered DVD of
ATOLL K (not UTOPIA!) were made available, with some of your finds
added as bonus items. Well, I can dream, can't I?

See ya!
Joe L.

[Jimmy Fin]

Indeed that would be a great DVD. Has anyone ever determined how much L&H
footage is missing from the 82 minute version? I seem to recall the Everson
book stating that the UTOPIA edit was missing some of the best gags.

Post by Ray Faiola

Post by b***@earthlink.net
I wonder if Ray's print has the
ROBINSON CRUSOELAND main titles attached to an ATOLL K print, because
the 1952 release announcement from Franco-London listed ROBINSON
CRUSOELAND at 82 minutes.

My print BEGAN as the 82 minute ROBINSON CRUSOELAND (completely
different cutting than the U.S. UTOPIA). I have since filled it out
with a combination of mostly original and some dupe footage until I am
missing only a couple of short sequences.
A friend of mine has a complete 16mm ATOLL K, a reversal of Bill
Everson's Kodak original.
I also have a 16mm print of the UTOPIA trailer and one of the original
French souvenir booklets. Oh, yeah, and the French sheet music!

Wow, that's cool, Ray! I never realized there was so much more to
ATOLL K! I think it would be great if a complete, remastered DVD of
ATOLL K (not UTOPIA!) were made available, with some of your finds
added as bonus items. Well, I can dream, can't I?

See ya!
Joe L.

[Eric Perlin]

"Jimmy Fin" wrote:

} Indeed that would be a great DVD. Has anyone ever
} determined how much L&H footage is missing from the
} 82 minute version? I seem to recall the Everson
} book stating that the UTOPIA edit was missing some
} of the best gags.

For what it's worth, Randy Skretvedt's book said the exact opposite: that the
editing actually improved the film, because most of the deleted footage was
dreary stuff involving the romantic leads.

Of course, I would very much like to see the most complete version available and
judge for myself.

[MJ]

I seem to recall the Everson

Post by Eric Perlin
} book stating that the UTOPIA edit was missing some
} of the best gags.

I think that's nothing more than wishin' and a-hopin' fantasy. How
would it make any sense at all (even to the French) to delete anything
entertaining in an otherwise dreary film like that? We've all seen
cutting-room-floor material of a lot of films over the past decade or
two, and it almost always was the right call. Most often, it was a
running time issue. Sure, some great stuff was hacked out, but that
stuff was from great films to begin with. "Atoll K" was a (nice) mess
right from the start. I'm sure that the best parts ...and I use those
words loosely.... were left intact.

-MJ

[b***@earthlink.net]

Post by Jimmy Fin
I seem to recall the Everson

Post by Eric Perlin
} book stating that the UTOPIA edit was missing some
} of the best gags.

I'd suggest reading "Forties Forward" -- the full 100-minute version
is described in detail there, including the Laurel & Hardy scenes that
were cut for UTOPIA.

[m***@yahoo.com]

The original "Atoll K" negative has got to be somewhere, doesn't it?
I can't imagine that it was hacked up to make the English-language
releases. I want to see a complete version with out the dubbing--put
in subtitles instead. It will look more artsy and exotic that way,
anyhow.

Post by b***@earthlink.net

Post by Jimmy Fin
I seem to recall the Everson

Post by Eric Perlin
} book stating that the UTOPIA edit was missing some
} of the best gags.

I'd suggest reading "Forties Forward" -- the full 100-minute version
is described in detail there, including the Laurel & Hardy scenes that
were cut for UTOPIA.

[Eric Perlin]

While we're talking about Atoll K/Utopia, I would like to point out that there
has been an even more heavily edited version of this film. The 82-minute
"Utopia" was cut down to 65 minutes when it was included in the syndicated
"Laurel and Hardy Show". That means that a total of 35 minutes was removed from
the original 100-minute version, or about a third of the film!

[j***@joelibby.net]

So, just wondering: Has anyone been able to get their hot little hands
on this book yet?

See ya!
Joe Libby

[MJ]

Post by j***@joelibby.net
So, just wondering: Has anyone been able to get their hot little hands
on this book yet?

I tried to order it yesterday from Amazon. They would only allow me to
PRE-order it. I'm not sure why I have to pre-order a book that has
supposedly been out for about a week. I'm guessing that it's still in
line at the printer's shop. My psychic powers indicate to me that this
book is not destined to make the Bestsellers List, so it's being
planned as a small run. Small runs have to wait in line.

-MJ