Eric Perlin
2008-04-25 12:28:04 UTC
The Little Rascals film "The First Seven Years" could be greatly enhanced by
music. I once watched it while playing a CD of Raymond Scott music and it really
enhanced it, particularly the scene when Wheezer was rolling downhill inside of
a huge pipe.
"They Go Boom" is a very funny and underrated L&H film, but it could be made
even better with the addition of a fitting music track. "The Perfect Day" was
made during the same period and also was originally released with no music;
however, the version usually seen today is from a 1936 re-issue with music
added. Music could enhance this film as much as it did "Perfect Day".
"The Hoosegow": Everything I just wrote about "They Go Boom" also applies to
this film.
"Beau Hunks": It's interesting that a music band that specializes is re-creating
Hal Roach film music is named after this film with no music track. I would love
to see "Beau Hunks" re-issued with a score added by the Beau Hunks.
"Their First Mistake": The deliberately campy melodramatic scene with Stan
wanting to leave Ollie with the baby would be so much better with some maudlin
music underneath. The various sight gags involving L&H trying to take care of
the baby would also go over even better with the addition of background music.
"Oliver the Eighth": Although it has a very funny scene with L&H being served an
imaginary dinner, and one of Stan Laurel's all-time funniest lines of dialogue,
on the whole this film is below-par, and a fitting music score could help.
There would be an obvious objection to releasing Hal Roach films in versions
that differ from how they were originally made. However, in many cases, Hal
Roach films were released without music scores only when they were falling
behind schedule and didn't have time to add music tracks. Both "Perfect Day" and
"County Hospital" were originally released with no music tracks, but today are
most frequently seen in later versions with music tracks added. "Blotto" and
"Brats" were re-released with alternate music tracks different from the
originals.
music. I once watched it while playing a CD of Raymond Scott music and it really
enhanced it, particularly the scene when Wheezer was rolling downhill inside of
a huge pipe.
"They Go Boom" is a very funny and underrated L&H film, but it could be made
even better with the addition of a fitting music track. "The Perfect Day" was
made during the same period and also was originally released with no music;
however, the version usually seen today is from a 1936 re-issue with music
added. Music could enhance this film as much as it did "Perfect Day".
"The Hoosegow": Everything I just wrote about "They Go Boom" also applies to
this film.
"Beau Hunks": It's interesting that a music band that specializes is re-creating
Hal Roach film music is named after this film with no music track. I would love
to see "Beau Hunks" re-issued with a score added by the Beau Hunks.
"Their First Mistake": The deliberately campy melodramatic scene with Stan
wanting to leave Ollie with the baby would be so much better with some maudlin
music underneath. The various sight gags involving L&H trying to take care of
the baby would also go over even better with the addition of background music.
"Oliver the Eighth": Although it has a very funny scene with L&H being served an
imaginary dinner, and one of Stan Laurel's all-time funniest lines of dialogue,
on the whole this film is below-par, and a fitting music score could help.
There would be an obvious objection to releasing Hal Roach films in versions
that differ from how they were originally made. However, in many cases, Hal
Roach films were released without music scores only when they were falling
behind schedule and didn't have time to add music tracks. Both "Perfect Day" and
"County Hospital" were originally released with no music tracks, but today are
most frequently seen in later versions with music tracks added. "Blotto" and
"Brats" were re-released with alternate music tracks different from the
originals.