The Silver Screen Oasis

I recorded The Music Box yesterday and had a great time watching... then watched again when my daughter got home from school. She had to ask what the big thing was that Ollie knocked over when he fell through the door (he then stepped on it and it exploded) - it was the radio.

I really like the touch of the horse casually drinking from the fountain as Billy Gilbert comes up the stairs to his front door.

Two things really caught my eye...or ear as the case may be... I was wondering if they dubbed in the sounds of the piano jangling around - it reminded me of Fibber McGee and Molly's closet, because in certain scenes the piano sounded like a piano being dropped, but in others for special emphasis, it sounded like a giant crate full of bells.

The other thing I noticed was the absolutely perfect timing of Billy Gilbert's hat as it bobbled and bounced down the stairs, then dropped into the perfect specific spot in the street and was run over.

I watched it with Joe on Sunday. Joe is 5 and laughs at all the right bits, I thought the same thing about the radio, it was enormous. I was more interested in where it was filmed, I have two brilliant books called Silent Traces and Silent Echoes by John Bengston, he has gone back to were Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin made their movies and photographed what the area looks like today. It's fascinating, I wish he'd do one with the Laurel and Hardy films because they often film outside the studio.

Wikipedia has a posting for "The Music Box." Oddly enough a few pictures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Music_Box

Try this one. It is from a L&H "Sons Of The Desert" tent. (Chapters of their appreciation society.) It has some locations.

http://www.wayoutwest.org/locations.html

Thank you Chris, it's great to be able to see the steps today and cheering to see that someone has put up a sign to commemorate the location of the steps. I really love seeing how places appear in the past and comparing them to how they look today. I have a couple of books about my home town and love to flick through the pictures of how we used to live, it's comforting some how.

Are you a history buff, by any chance, Alison? I really like seeing the history of those L&H locations, and have found out some interesting things about my town too.

I have seen many of their movies - I don't pay attention to their titles of their movies ... these two charming, delightful, and witty duos - have always have place in my heart. I've seen many of their movies and I watched a lot of them on American Movies Classics. When, I do get a chance ... my troubles goes away, laughter fills my soul, and most importantly they entertain me with joy and respect. I love these guys, long with Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and many others like W.C. Fields they make you feel good all over.

I love these two guys ... I'm hard of hearing ... all you need a good set of eyes, pay attention to their wonderful mannerisms, enjoy the fast pace of comedic action, and most importantly - all their movies they speak so clearly and with distinctive tone that brings great joy in my life - Especially Oliver Hardy ... I can hear him well.

I love all their movies - I have no particular favorites - they are all Number 1!

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy - What a Combo!

It's kind of late but at 3:30pm ET on TCM the boys are being shown in "Air Raid Wardens." it's a late film in their career so it is probably average at best. But if it's been awhile or you are looking to see them all then here's a chance.

I was wondering if I should attempt to watch it with Alice... I remember feeling sad watching it years ago, but now that I am closer to old age, I don't mind seeing the boys get older. I am appreciating all things toward the end, like the later Thin Man eps, or yesterday's Crime Doctor series. However, if the movie isn't up to snuff, I'd rather not watch it.

Nothing they did after "Saps At Sea" was all that good and some of them were downright awful. I remember one of my Maltin type books rated their movie "The Big Noise" as a "bomb." "Atoll K" or "Utopia" as it is sometimes called is really hard to watch because Stan had been very sick right before they shot it and he looked awful. Ollie was really big and it was hard to concentrate on what they were doing because of the way they looked.

It depends on how "complete" you want to be about their films.

When you begin to worry about their helath during stunts, it's time to stop watching.

For those who might be interested, here's a link to an article about Stan Laurel and his final years in Santa Monica:

http://tinyurl.com/3kutmb9

Enjoy!

Lzcutter - thanks for sharing this. I loved reading it. Its has great photos of Stan Laurel.

Van Dyke has written about his relationship with Stan and they became very good friends in his last years.

Only joined recently and had a chance to read this thread - so it's nice to read all the views on L & H - as a young lad my mother worked as an usherette in the "Theatre Royal" in Portsmouth, UK [ the one used in Ken Russells - The Boyfriend" ] so I had plenty of opportunity to see all the old stars before TV came along - I remember seeing L & H on stage in the Theatre Royal when they did their tour of the UK - but was not really old enough to appreciate who they were - i have seen many of their films since and consider them the greatest duo of all time !!

Their humour was based on good clean fun - no smut or inuendos - and IMO the one thing [amongst many] that set them apart - was Ollies ability to look directly into the camera lens and immediately involve the whole audience in his frustration - you felt part of their films - it was as though you were taking part with them rather than as an onlooker.

Lewis and Martin - Morecombe and Wise - good in their way but not a patch on L & H - will we ever see their like again - sadly I don't think so.

My mother is still alive today and in her nineties - one of her possessions that will pass to me is her autograph book of the period spent at the Royal - including Laurel and Hardys autograph - a prized possession!!

The autograph on the opposite page is by the late Roy Castle - who when signing said it was an honour to sign opposite them.

Bilbo

Those are some wonderful memories, Bilbo! How lucky you and your mother are!