Agee's Lost Films of Laurel and Hardy to be Released

[moviepas]

This long letter goes against Mr Agee's wishes for publicity that will kill the complete Hal Roach output DVD series. Shucks, that's just too bad. There is no way that anyone could issue all the Roach output, it just does not exist in its entirety as we all know and much is fragmentary, to say the least. I would say that any publicity of such a project is good publicity. So good on the publication of the Sept Agee e-mail.

If he says his good friend, whoever, at LOC let him have ALL their millions of feet of Roach negs & positives and 6 months reduced to 4 months to copy it all is farcical. Firstly, I would never let anyone take this away from LOC, UCLA etc & in that quantity. Even the archives with &/or/ without funding could never restore & copy even 1% of that footage he is claiming they have of Roach productions in that time frame. And him a loan restorer on his own admission. If this was practical all the archives would be devoid of nitrate originals unrestored or whatever long ago & maybe, just maybe, we would have some choice material that has been sitting in those world archives for decades, slowly deteriorating. Who is he kidding?

Then what about all those extra versions of L&H(foreign language) longer versions etc. So he found these & no one knew about these before? Where did the Universal series in UK get this footage that we call all already enjoy?

The bit about Image, if true, is typical of some companies & I have my own California media producer story going back to 1980. Image, by the way, used to have a monthly digest magazine that was a freebie that I got with my orders for laserdiscs from a little store in Lansing/MI. They were very vocal thru their editor that they were, definitely, never going into this new fandangled DVD disc business. Didn't take them long to change their mind.

My story was 1980 & I had been running my own retail shop with records etc since March 1978 & had been an importer/wholesaler of records, films etc since the early 70s. We also produced some LP records of nostalgic materials. In 1980 the guy working in my shop wanted to issue a couple o LPs of Al Bowlly rarities. We already done a some dance bands with customer/friends paying up for the LP of their choice of material & it worked well. So I had the mastertapes of two Bowlly releases, artwork(as films for making the plates) for the labels & covers & took them to LA in the Summer of 1980 on behalf of these guys. I was to meet the people at the old record plant in Burbank down the road from the Disney Studios. Disney had their records made there and an edition of the Mickey Mouse Club of the period took a trip down there with the young cast of the show. I saw over the old but automated plant and left the materials with the owner/manager. I was away from home 4 weeks & the day I arrived home there were two packages of tests(4or5 of each disc) from the plant & the matrix maker(the famed Cecil Spiller who was a wizard, apparently of this old material). We approved the material & nothing happened. Then they denied ever meeting me, didn't have the masters, artwork etc. Why would they, they said when they did not print covers etc, we are only record pressers. This was garbage & money had been paid over. In the end I had letters from some lawyer outside LA with all kinds of threats of suing & reiterating the plant's claim they had nothing, never made an discs samples etc. Funny how I had discs with their name stamped all over them & those from the mastering guy. The following year, at my expense, the guy in my shop went to the US & I asked him to go there but he got no joy & was asked to call back but he did not. His main aim was to go to Texas to see crooner Smith Ballew(also a minor film singing cowboy) whose style he copied. We later had the stuff redone & pressed at a plant with the MCA label contract in Australia in the same street as my shop. The reason for using USA was because the costs were a lot cheaper, exchange rate good & some were to be shipped to Mr Cohn's City Hall Records in 'Frisco who was a wholesaler/Exporter of jazz & whatnot. Fortunately we had the pressings for new masters & the original artwork for re-filming as I only took the films for the printing plates with me.

So that is the only point I could agree on but then, if we doubt this guy in the first place then this Image affair might be another Brothers Grimm story.

Although some seem to not want any other Roach material on DVD I have seen little other than Charley Chase, L&H & Our Gang(of which I have plenty of good prints on various DVDs in my collection & enjoy). I would like to see some of the Thelma Todd & Patsy Kelly material which I never recall seeing on TV here, or at least. I was unaware of it.

[LouieD]

So here we go. We are into November and I paid for this set on May 18th. I have heard no word from either Mr. Vecchio or Mr. Agee, so today I filed fraud reports and urge everyone else who got taken to do the same thing. You can fill out the forms on-line and send them in. (links provided by Bernie over at the Laurel & Hardy forum):


http://www.ic3.gov
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

http://www.boe.ca.gov/invest/salestax.htm
Report Suspected Sales Tax Fraud Activity in the State of California

https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/form ... laint.aspx
U.S. Postal Inspection Service Mail Fraud Complaint

VECCHIO, LOU
2344 E. KATELLA AVE
ORANGE, California 92867
United States
(949) 466-1091 Fax -- (714) 744-1548
[email protected]

www.elevenmemories.com
email: [email protected]

[Tommie Hicks]

I used to buy Roach/Agee VHS tapes through the a company whose name I think was The Nostalgia Merchant. While I was addicted enough to buy his single short VHS titles for $10, around 1999 or so Agee started selling tapes with two hours worth of material of Roach silent shorts called something like Laurel & Hardy and Friends. The first order I recieved without any problems, but when I made the final order for about $160 worth of tapes, I never heard from them again after I sent them the money. Their customer service number had been disconnected. I was infuriated, moreso because I did not get the tapes rather than losing the dough.

Why can't people like Paul Gierucki be in charge of this material?

[Paul E. Gierucki]

Thanks for the kind thought, Tommie. Restoring and releasing the L&H material would truly be my dream job as those comedies are among my absolute favorites.

While not exactly the same thing, our new company (CineMuseum LLC) is negotiating with Rob Stone to collaborate on a new L&H project. There are Arbuckle, Sennett and Keaton projects currently in production and I will soon be posting details of our maiden release.

More classic comedy in the pipeline!

-- PG

[WaverBoy]

Great news, Paul!

I noticed that your long-anticipated silent Our Gang set seems to no longer be mentioned on the Laughsmith site; could that be CineMuseum's maiden release? I looked for a website for your new company, but couldn't find one.

Also, is Laughsmith now officially defunct, with all new Gierucki-helmed releases to come out through CineMuseum? If so, I shall mourn the loss of the company name, one of the greatest ever.

[Paul E. Gierucki]

I do not wish to hijack the thread but will say this:

Laughsmith Entertainment is no longer affiliated with the Our Gang production initiated in 2005. Those raw materials are now the property and sole legal responsibility of Mackinac Media. Just what that company intends to do with the materials, if anything, is unknown.

Laughsmith Entertainment is alive, well and in good hands. I left the fold, however, in order to pursue other opportunities. I will share details in this forum soon.

[gjohnson]

I used to buy Roach/Agee VHS tapes through the a company whose name I think was The Nostalgia Merchant.

Did Agee run Nostalgic Merchant or did he start an off-shoot company for them?

Gary J.

[kndy]

Agee wrote:
So I ask you to do two things so we can finally get ALL of the HRS films
released: PLEASE keep this to yourself. Blabbing about it or posting this
copyrighted information somewhere could destroy this deal and you will NEVER
see Thelma Todd, Charley Chase, or any Boy Friends or All-Star Comedy on
DVD, much less the non-L&H feature films. And, please wait until I can go
back East and reach an agreement to receive your set. I know you have
waited a long time. I have always delivered for you as, according to what
the "Helpmates" members have told me, no one ever has before. I am
literally slowly dying because of my exposure to the nitrate and it's
resulting damage to my spine, which exposure was required for me to do this
work for you (and in 1986, no one knew this could happen to me).

Wow! I just read the letter and immediately, red flags everywhere. As for destroying the deal, if it was so sensitive and important, it should have never been written. At least give the customer the benefit of the doubt that they haven't been ripped off.

I'm sure he is receiving a lot of e-mail but the same e-mail of the delay could have easily been copied and pasted instead of avoiding any e-mail from customers and potential customers.

The whole e-mail was like reading those Nigerian scam e-mails targeted for the silent film community. Oh My....

Caveat emptor!

[WaverBoy]

Laughsmith Entertainment is no longer affiliated with the Our Gang production initiated in 2005. Those raw materials are now the property and sole legal responsibility of Mackinac Media. Just what that company intends to do with the materials, if anything, is unknown.

That is very sad news indeed.

[LouieD]

Another day, another nutty email from Lou:

I cannot apologize enough for the delay in the release of the set.
I appreciate your patience and this is not a scam.

The circumstances behind the delay in the manufacturing of the finished set
are an extreme nuisance.
I have had to take over the negotiations for Michael Agee and have been with
him every step of the way to expedite this Infinity/Amazon release of the
set to the public. Those of you who pre-ordered will get yours first.

The delays were beyond my control.
Diligent daily monitoring of the process has had no effect on the process
nor has it in any way been able to speed up the process.
I am closing negotiations this week to replicate the sets myself.

I am asking for your patience, I do expect a replication date soon because I
actually spoke to the manufacturer and have spoken to all parties involved
in this distribution.

Please be patient and understand I am doing everything I possibly can to get
your orders shipped.

[Scatter]

Good grief.

[kndy]

Hmm... wonder if you guys will get your sets before the year is over. It's the least they can do is give you that much info.

[Gaucho]

The language in that last email response from Lou reminded me of the countless assurances from the Lloyd Estate that his films were actually coming to DVD. How many years did that drag out?
At least in that instance, the discs finally did materialize. I hope that's the case here.

[Richard M Roberts]

The language in that last email response from Lou reminded me of the countless assurances from the Lloyd Estate that his films were actually coming to DVD. How many years did that drag out?
At least in that instance, the discs finally did materialize. I hope that's the case here.

Well, the Lloyd Estate wasn't taking monies in advance for sold copies of the set.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[LouieD]

Another email update from Lou:

I cannot apologize enough for the delay in the release of the set.
.....................The set is Finally in replication. I do not anticipate
any more delays; I am doing everything possible to have shipping
confirmations out in the next two weeks. Everyone will have their sets
before Christmas.

The circumstances behind the delay in the manufacturing of the finished set
are an extreme nuisance.
I have had to take over the negotiations for Michael Agee and have been with
him every step of the way to expedite this Infinity/Amazon release of the
set to the public. Infinity has been purchased by Super D and extended the
negotiation. Those of you who pre-ordered will get yours first.

The delays were beyond my control. Diligent daily monitoring of the process
has had no effect on the process nor has it in any way been able to speed up
the process. I am closing negotiations this week to replicate the sets with
Ambient Entertainment. I will have an agreement this week. ........ The
agreement is made and replication has begun

I am asking for your patience, I do expect a replication date with Ambient
and a shipment date that will be in this month November.
......................................As stated above you will have your
sets before Christmas.

Please be patient and understand I am doing everything I possibly can to get
your orders shipped.

[Jim Roots]

Yadda yadda yadda....


Jim

[Scatter]

I guess it's fitting that this is playing out like a Perils Of Pauline type serial. Just when the set is to be crushed by the oncoming train, in swings Lou to rescue it from certain destruction on the tracks of production............cradling it in his arms as he rushes it to a Post Office near you.

However, there is always yet another jump-cut interrupting the journey to your mailbox showing the DVD set dangling from a tree branch over a yawning chasm, or afloat an ice patch racing toward a mighty waterfall (and always with the manufacturer wearing a black hat and twiddling his handlebar moustache in delight as doom grows imminent).

Tune in next time to see how Lou snatches the DVD set from certain destruction (while heroically racing against the forces of eeeeeeeeevil determined to keep your pre-paid DVDs from reaching you)!!

I know he promised your sets before Christmas, but I'm eagerly awaiting the next jump-cut into peril. Cue the organ!! Save us Lou!!

[Rob Farr]

Another email update from Lou:
[snip]
The set is Finally in replication.
[snip]
I am closing negotiations this week to replicate the sets with
Ambient Entertainment. I will have an agreement this week. ........
[snip]
The agreement is made and replication has begun
[snip]
I am asking for your patience, I do expect a replication date with Ambient
and a shipment date that will be in this month November.

Hmmm. Either the set is "in replication", or negotiations are still ongoing regarding when replication will begin, "replication has begun", or there will be a replication date in November (only 12 hours left!). Take your pick...lots of options to choose from!

[rollot24]

After somebody else actually receives their set, THEN I will order one.

[Mike Gebert]

I found at least three Ambient Entertainments online, none of whom look likely to be a replicator.

[jessica]

All it takes to get a company to run off DVDs is to pay them. No drawn out "negotiations " needed. As someone who knows next to nothing about this set, is is allegedly licensed from Hallmark/Halmi or whoever owned L&H these days?

[Mike Gebert]

I suspect the negotiating involves a little stumbling block called "payment in advance."

I believe it's supposed to licensed from Richard Fineman who had the silents in the Lost Films of L&H set. But I wouldn't regard anything here as certain, including "and" and "the."

[Rob Farr]

I found at least three Ambient Entertainments online, none of whom look likely to be a replicator.

Ya know, I first read that as Amblin' Entertainment and thought it was pretty cool that Steven Spielberg was involved.

[Dirwuf]

Someone in the Laurel and Hardy Forum says that they have finally received their set...

[LouieD]

Wow! I just read it. Hopefully mine is in the mail too. Here the pic they posted:

[radiotelefonia]

Wow! I just read it. Hopefully mine is in the mail too. Here the pic they posted:

The pic means nothing. The guy should have posted a picture of himself with at least one DVD.

[LouieD]

OK, kiddies. My 12 DVD's of the Agee Laurel & Hardy set from elevenmemories have arrived. It was a LOOOOOONG time since I had ordered them and here is my initial reaction with some pics. Keep in mind that the discs have NOT been viewed yet, these are just my thoughts right out of the box. First off the stuff was packed pretty well:



Other pictures have shown only 11 discs but there are certainly 12 in the package I got:



First thing, they are all in slim cases. The artwork has all been printed out on a copy machine or laser printer and IS NOT like what you would see on a commercially produced DVD. Some of the images on the front and back are out of focus but all of the printed words are clear. The final disc even has a small, red banner across the image stating "ILLUSTRATION TO BE PLACED", which means to me, this is not the final artwork:



The discs themselves appear to have been legitimately pressed, but do not appear to be "silver" discs. They are goldish in color which to me kinda look like a DVD-DL and although they have matrix numbers at the spindle hole, there is no mention of a manufacturer or presser. Also, all my discs have a pretty generic look to the printing, almost like "test" discs:



All of the discs have finger print marks around the spindle which means they were all put in by hand. I'm happy to have the set finally, but what do I do if there is a defective disc?? This set all looks pretty amateur to me and have seen better artwork on some bootlegs floating around. I don't know if this is the final set as "Lou" will be selling them, but I certainly would NOT pay $150 for this thing if I ever saw it in a store or convention the way it looks now. Any questions I can answer, let me know.

[rollot24]

Please post reviews once you start watching them.

[LouieD]

Please post reviews once you start watching them.

I can but I didn't get the original series of DVD's so if there is something that was supposed to be upgraded that you want me to look at first, let me know.

[rollot24]

Please post reviews once you start watching them.

I can but I didn't get the original series of DVD's so if there is something that was supposed to be upgraded that you want me to look at first, let me know.

No, just a general review re: picture quality etc.
Oh, is Battle of the Century included?
Thx