Topic: Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection

[fearlessfrizzletop]

The discs slide in an out easily in my package, not a speck of glue and not a scratch at all. I have ABSOLUTELY ZERO problem with the packaging, the discs, or the content of this set. It's exactly what L&H fans stateside have been begging for for years. If you don't like the packaging, buy a binder. But don't let the packaging sway you from getting this set.

[metaldams]

The discs slide in an out easily in my package, not a speck of glue and not a scratch at all. I have ABSOLUTELY ZERO problem with the packaging, the discs, or the content of this set. It's exactly what L&H fans stateside have been begging for for years. If you don't like the packaging, buy a binder. But don't let the packaging sway you from getting this set.

Cool, thanks man.  I'll probably receive it as a gift, (it will be high on my list, and bolded with extra stars).  I'll just be extra careful when handling the discs, but yeah, no way I'm letting this one pass me up.

I have the majority of these films in some form, some in better prints than others.  They have served me well over the years, but of course any fan would like one packeage with newly restored films.

....and the whole waiting years to see something new - 2 of the 40 Roach shorts I've never seen and as well as the majority of the foreign language stuff, so there'll be some films in general that I've never seen before.  Glad I waited, because I have something else to look forward too.

[falsealarms]

What I should have done a few years ago was buy a region-free player and the UK L&H set, which saw discs packaged in their own cases. Some W.C Fields films are only available in region 2 as well like Tillie and Gus, If I Had A Million, Follow the Boys.

I didn't have glue on mine, but two separate reports on Amazon surfaced from people who did. Also, while it's not a big deal to me, there's very limited captioning and subtitles on this thing (besides on the foreign films). For some, though, that's a big deal.

Blu's are more scratch resistant because of a coating applied to the playing surface. It's pretty hard to scratch a Blu Ray but it can happen.

[falsealarms]

Another report of receiving discs with glue on them: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/t/313141/vivendi-and-rhi-press-release-laurel-hardy-the-essential-collection/180#post_3865175

[falsealarms]

I've watched the first handful of shorts from disc 1, a disc that not come scratched or scuffed. Early impressions are that these shorts look better and crisper than I've ever seen them before. That being said, all these shorts have blemishes. But that's not the worst thing. There's a certain charm to watching 80 year old films that look their age, but not in a way that disrupts the viewing experience. A lot of work seemed to have went into these shorts and I hope the damage-prone packaging doesn't end up undermining that work.

PERFECT DAY has two viewing options, the original 1929 soundtrack or the 1937 re-issue soundtrack.

[falsealarms]

BLOTTO, one of my favorite L&H shorts, looks excellent. The scene at the club where they fool around with the bottle is probably the funniest thing (for me) they ever did -- especially when Stan knocks over the table trying to open the bottle. I had to rewind and watch that a few times.

[xraffle]

I don't blame anyone for getting upset about the packaging. To pay $65+ for a DVD set and to get crappy packaging that damages the discs is absolutely ridiculous. Couldn't they package this like the Honeymooners set and put them in a plastic book at least? It's not the best packaging, but at least the discs are protected.

[shemps#1]

I don't blame anyone for getting upset about the packaging. To pay $65+ for a DVD set and to get crappy packaging that damages the discs is absolutely ridiculous. Couldn't they package this like the Honeymooners set and put them in a plastic book at least? It's not the best packaging, but at least the discs are protected.

I can see why people are getting upset, but you have to play Devil's Advocate here. Referring back to the Citizen Kane Blu-Ray, I paid $60 for a Blu-Ray of the movie and DVDs of a PBS documentary and HBO film on the making of the movie (not counting the extra stuff. Those who spend $65 on the L&H set are getting a lot more bang for the buck, with what seems like most of the Laurel & Hardy canon in one set. $65 is not a very high price to ask for what you are getting if you are a big enough L&H fan (I'm not so I won't get it), in fact I'd go as far as to say it's pretty damn cheap all things considered and they could have gotten away with asking for a lot more. Perhaps to keep the price down they had to go with a cheaper packaging.

[falsealarms]

As far as LH, $65 is actually the current sale price at Amazon, BN.com, and maybe a couple others - list price is 99.99. Some online retailers, like Best Buy and DVD Empire, are asking in the $80's for it.

[shemps#1]

As far as LH, $65 is actually the current sale price at Amazon, BN.com, and maybe a couple others - list price is 99.99. Some online retailers, like Best Buy and DVD Empire, are asking in the $80's for it.

Wasn't there a question about where I got Citizen Kane for $60? I bought it retail locally; I can't use Amazon because I don't have a credit card at the moment. My main gripe isn't the price for the set (you do get quite a bit and the transfer is excellent) but that there isn't a cheaper option to just get the movie (which I would have done had the option been there).

Going back to L&H, with that metric fuckton of stuff you got I think that even $100 is a cheap price for it. That's a lot of Laurel & Hardy there!

[metaldams]

[quote author=shemps#1 link=topic=4366.msg36902#msg36902 date=1320013177

Going back to L&H, with that metric fuckton of stuff you got I think that even $100 is a cheap price for it. That's a lot of Laurel & Hardy there!
[/quote]

I think a good analogy is this.  It's like complaining you're having sex with Cindy Crawford (or whatever your fantasy of choice may be) because she stormed into your bedroom wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt instead of something skimpier, and forgetting the fact that - well, she's Cindy Crawford, and you're about to have sex with her, and all it cost you was a reasonably priced dinner. 

$65, $80, even $100, whatever, I agree with Jim.  This is a LOT of films, and a lot of GREAT films, and a lot of great films that have been unavailable for too long, and it's a good price for what films are being offered.  If I need to buy a few cheap plastic cases to better store them, so be it, the Laurel and Hardy collection is comedy gold, and I'm just thankful it's finally out there.  If these films are wearing sweatpants instead of a garter belt.........I mean in cheap sleeves instead of secure cases, life's not perfect, and you sometimes just have to let the good outweigh the bad.

[falsealarms]

Best Buy (and BB only) has had a "digibook" edition of Kane for 34.99 - the Blu of the movie and the documentary. No swag and I don't think the TV movie from the UCE is in there.

[shemps#1]

Best Buy (and BB only) has had a "digibook" edition of Kane for 34.99 - the Blu of the movie and the documentary. No swag and I don't think the TV movie from the UCE is in there.

Now that is something to complain about. Stupid Best Buy Exclusive mumble mumble...

[xraffle]

Sure, you're getting a lot of content, but if the content can't be watched because discs are getting damaged due to the poor packaging, that $60 "cheap" price tag doesn't mean a thing to me and it going to just piss customers off. Scratched/damaged/glued discs are unacceptable. Other sets can be priced cheap and still have half-decent packaging.

The Laurel & Hardy set is approximately 33 hours, 10 discs. It's $60.
The Honeymooners Lost Episodes Set is 50 hours, 15 discs. It's $80.

I would say The Honeymooners set is also contains a lot of bang for the buck at an insanely cheap price, but the packaging is more acceptable there. If MPI can afford a more protective package and still keep their set a low cost, I'm not sure why RHI couldn't do the same.

And I know in another thread, we were talking about getting TV shows on DVD cheaper. I remember falsealarms was able to get each season of Seinfeld for only $7.99 each. With that price, you can buy the entire series of Seinfeld for about $65. That's also a lot of bang for the buck and the packaging on the Seinfeld set is pretty good because each disc is house in their own slimcase, just the the stooge sets.

But honestly, if a better packaging is going to jack up the price another $10-20, then so be it. I'm sure people would rather pay $70-80 for a better packaged set than to pay $60 for a set that contains damaged discs.

[xraffle]

I think a good analogy is this.  It's like complaining you're having sex with Cindy Crawford (or whatever your fantasy of choice may be) because she stormed into your bedroom wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt instead of something skimpier, and forgetting the fact that - well, she's Cindy Crawford, and you're about to have sex with her, and all it cost you was a reasonably priced dinner. 

But at least you got to have sex, right.

If a cheap set is packaged poorly and I can still watch it, then it's all good. I have no right to complain. But like what others have said, some of the discs are unwatchable because the discs are either damaged/scratched or have glue on them.

I'm all for cheap packaging if it saves me money just as long as the content doesn't get damaged. I stated in another thread that I bought the Sanford and Son series for only $24 and ended up with a cheaply packaged set. I didn't complain because my discs were not damaged. So, I was cool with it. But this L&H set, it looks like most people are ending up with damaged discs. And I think that is what most people are upset about.

[metaldams]

But at least you got to have sex, right.

If a cheap set is packaged poorly and I can still watch it, then it's all good. I have no right to complain. But like what others have said, some of the discs are unwatchable because the discs are either damaged/scratched or have glue on them.

I'm all for cheap packaging if it saves me money just as long as the content doesn't get damaged. I stated in another thread that I bought the Sanford and Son series for only $24 and ended up with a cheaply packaged set. I didn't complain because my discs were not damaged. So, I was cool with it. But this L&H set, it looks like most people are ending up with damaged discs. And I think that is what most people are upset about.

Well, if discs are damaged, that's an issue.  Are "most people" ending up with damaged discs, or is this a few in the vocal minority?

Of course, there should be zero damaged discs, the same way Cindy Crawford should always have all four limbs intact.

[shemps#1]

Well, if discs are damaged, that's an issue.  Are "most people" ending up with damaged discs, or is this a few in the vocal minority?

Of course, there should be zero damaged discs, the same way Cindy Crawford should always have all four limbs intact.

Cindy Crawford could have all limbs amputated, I'd still fuck her.

X, your comparison to Seinfeld is not apt. I'm sure there have been many MANY more copies of Seinfeld moved then there will be Laurel & Hardy. I'm also sure it's a safe bet to say the Seinfeld DVDs have been sold in the millions and that helps make the Seinfeld DVDs cheaper (not to mention they have been out longer). I also have to side with Doug here, a couple of people on internet message boards are not "most people". I'd venture to say that "most people" got their DVDs in fine condition.

[xraffle]

That's true. I really can't compare an old release to a new release, especially when the old release has sold in millions, like you said.

Well, if most people are getting their discs in fine condition, then I guess it's ok. But from the looks of those Amazon reviews, it looks to me like a lot of people are getting damaged discs. But of course, that's not a valid evidence for me to use because it's a possibility that the people with the damaged sets are the main ones that are reviewing as people tend to only speak up when they're outraged.

But still, I'd rather pay more for a better packaged set. But I guess RHI thought they could entice more customers by cheapening the packaging so they can slap on a cheaper price tag.

[metaldams]

Cindy Crawford could have all limbs amputated, I'd still fuck her.

It would be kind of funny if she'd threaten to bite my ankles like the Black Knight in Monthy Python and the Holy Grail.

[xraffle]

Take a look at this Amazon review...

Having taped the Hal Roach Specials last year on TCM, I was very disappointed with this set. What is being advertised as restored seems to be nothing more than remastered. The picture on most of the shorts still shakes and moves. Editing marks, splices, edits, dirt, etc are still there. Actually, the prints from TCM are in better shape than this. I love the films, but this collection will not replace what I taped off of TCM. The same is true for the Little Rascals shorts. If you want to see restored and not just remastered, compare these shorts and films to what SONY did with the Stooges shorts. I was expecting Laurel and Hardy to come close to that restoration. Very disappointed...Very!!!

[shemps#1]

I looked at some of the reviews and even though there are a few people bitching about the packaging (as is their right) including false (either that or someone took what he wrote here and copied it there) there are also people who like the packaging and some that are also taking the package haters to task for taking too many stars off of their reviews for packaging. It's actually very interesting.

[xraffle]

Right now, the packaging doesn't concern me as much as the fact that these have not been restored, assuming that reviewer is telling the truth. I was expecting this to be a definitive set where you get all these L&H films all restored, just like what we got with the stooges.

I probably will pick up this set anyway when the price drops. I'm not a L&H fan, but I would like to become one.

[falsealarms]

We'll probably have to wait at least 10 years for a truly restored L&H collection. UCLA has only begun restoring the films.

I have a long way to go before I finish this big set, but most of it looks decent enough and some look better than that. Given the neglect these titles have seen over the years, that's probably the best case for now. My only gripe with this set is the packaging. I haven't gotten to any of my noticeably scuffed/scratched discs yet.

You'll probably like Laurel and Hardy. I've only been into them for a few years, but they're high on my list of classic comedy acts. Obviously not tops (Stooges) but its a race for second between them and W.C Fields.

http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/support/laurel-and-hardy

[xraffle]

Just saw this at J&R for a sale price of $75. Looks like Amazon has the best deal on this.

[falsealarms]

Just saw this at J&R for a sale price of $75. Looks like Amazon has the best deal on this.

Last week and again this week, with a coupon code, it can be had for $56 + tax at bn.com.

Code E9A4D3D reportedly expires on 11/7.