Stan and Ollie

Discussion of the actors, directors and film-makers who 'made it all happen'
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JackFavell
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Re: Stan and Ollie

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They used to be more difficult for me to watch, but lately I've been trying to see beyond the health and age issues with my favorites. What I have noticed in the later ones is more reliance on magic, Stanley becomes more and more able to do things that just aren't possible, like lighting his thumb, pulling down shades that are only a shadow, etc. I haven't watched the really late ones much though.
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movieman1957
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Re: Stan and Ollie

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The boys are in Feb 4 at 9:40pm in "Tit for Tat." Nominated for best short film.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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JackFavell
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Re: Stan and Ollie

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Love Tit for Tat, though I would consider it maybe in my second tier faves, just because there are so many good Laurel and Hardy films. I've seen it twice in the last few years and it still is funny and very enjoyable. I love all the ones that have this basic premise - the little fight that becomes a big fight - I think Big Business tops them all, though.
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movieman1957
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Re: Stan and Ollie

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I really like "Big Business" too. I think part of the fun is how severe the destruction is to their car and Finlayson's house. What's more is everyone seems to have, under their anger, some joy in the destruction. The piano being torn up is a bit hard for me but I love it when they start chucking the vases out of the window and Ollie takes a shovel to them.

One little gag I like at the beginning is when after an unsuccessful attempt of a sale of their trees (are there any other kinds of attempt?) they get in the car and just pull around the corner to get to the front door of the other half of the duplex. (It took longer to tell it than to watch it.)
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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JackFavell
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Re: Stan and Ollie

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I like that part at the beginning too where they pull around to the front door.

There is something so great about the bending of things till they break, and the glee the boys and especially Jimmy Finlayson get out of the destruction, that's for sure. The thing that always works for me in their films is that you can see both sides. The movie starts with something we all hate, in this case, door to door salesmen (in my case it would be tele-marketers). We've all been in situations where we couldn't let something rest that was better off stopped - if we just used our brains instead of getting all hot about it, but instead we feel an injustice has been done to us and we go to far. I always feel guilty if I ream out a telemarketer, even though I feel my privacy has been invaded or they made me run to the phone when I had my hands dripping wet. I really like that everyone feels compelled to continue the argument... it's so very human. Whereas in real life things would escalate into physical brawling, this movie is more about one-ups-manship than about mean-ness or violence. The fact that more and more people show up for the fight just makes it funnier, watching them all run after to see what they will do next. :D

I like the shock on Jimmy's face when they cut the phone wire and how the boys just stand and watch as Jimmy rips the headlight off their car and throws it through the windshield. And that darn little tree in front of the door.
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movieman1957
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Re: Stan and Ollie

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Yes, that part I mentioned is in the beginning.

The thing I find funny about it is that is not their aggressive sales technique that starts it, as much as Finlayson thinks so, as much as it is the boys inability to keep things from getting caught in the door.

They are thorough in their destruction though. I agree that the crowd coming for what must be shock at first but quickly turns to entertainment. It's no use getting caught in it so they might as well enjoy it.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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movieman1957
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Re: Stan and Ollie

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To see if long held opinions are correct I took another stab at "The Big Noise." While far from their best I wouldn't exactly classify it as a "bomb" either. There are two ways to look at it. They either borrowed to liberally from their old films or the idea that some of their old bits showed up was a nice homage to their earlier work. Anyone familiar enough with the early work can have fun calculating the films from where the gags were borrowed.

The basic premise is the boys are hired as detectives to guard a secret bomb. Naturally, they they do fine in spite of themselves.

The best thing about it is that there are several scenes where it is just the boys. Whether they are recreating the bunk scene from "Berth Marks" or alone in their room where Ollie deals cards like Harpo did in "Animal Crackers" there is plenty of just them.

Another interesting commentary with Randy Scredvedt who apologized for having been so critical of the film in the past. It might be worth another look if anyone thinks it is their worst film.

BTW, another cameo from Francis Ford.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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movieman1957
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Re: Stan and Ollie

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Greenbriar Pictures blog has noted that the long lost missing reel from "The Battle Of The Century" has been found. I found an article

http://silentlondon.co.uk/2015/06/15/se ... pie-fight/
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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