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Michael Agee's long-awaited The Lost Films of Laurel and Hardy: The Definitive Edition is finally to be released at a pre-order discount of $120 for just a couple of weeks. The damndest thing is Agee's autobiographical essay, which has to be the most wrenching, soul-bearing confessional ever committed to what is essentially an advertisement. Add to this the weird misspelling of "Definative" on the cover art(!) and such statements as "Their First Mistake" being the last of L&H's two-reelers...well, I hardly know what to make of this.

Well, it contains HATS OFF.

The shooting script, anyway.

Bob

Interesting they have included Chase's "The Way of All Pants" which I was to believe only one reel of two survived.

Probably the same abbreviated bit of "The Way of All Pants" that is an Easter Egg on the earlier set.

Bob

I noticed the spelling error as well

Beware the shaggy dog ....

And if you read the part about Image cancelling the contract and Agee's decision to "eliminate the middle man" and sell directly through Amazon, I have to wonder if we're talking DVD-Rs here.

He's also charging sales tax (?) and $20 shipping which brings it up to $150. I'd like to know if it's DVD-R before I order. I think I already have just about everything on it anyway. Anything on there new?

Sounds like a great deal. I've been wanting to purchase L&H but everything is oop and expensive but it looks like this is a pretty solid release with also non-L&H titles - Charley Chase, Our Gang, Edgar Kenned-Leon Errol Comedies.

But I also want to know if these are DVD-R...

Rob Farr wrote:And if you read the part about Image cancelling the contract and Agee's decision to "eliminate the middle man" and sell directly through Amazon, I have to wonder if we're talking DVD-Rs here.

The main clues, such as they are, are the following:

And, you will receive the set as soon as they are pressed–two months before anyone else, in around 30 to 45 days. When we ship the 4,000 units to Amazon, they will ship your 400 units to you.

The second sentence seems to imply that the 400 sets are part of the full run of pressed discs. But the first sentence states that they'll be received two months before "anyone else," presumably those who order full price from Amazon. That seems to imply that Amazon is going to wait two months after receiving their shipment before putting them on sale. Raises more questions than it answers.

I definitely want the set, but if the 400 are DVD-R and the full prices pressed, I'm willing to pay the extra.

Either way, many, many thanks to Mr. Agee!

This is a puzzle to say the least. I can't see Amazon keeping goods on their shelves pre-ordered or not for that length of time, the space is too valuable to have goods clogging the warehouses. That they are to be shipped by Amazon for this direct order to the guy is interesting. Although there are a number of Marketplace items for DVDs that are shipped direct by Amazon and not by the seller. Good news to the buyer in that case. Then we have 500 pre-order titles then we start talking 400 who took the other 100 copies??!!!

I tried to copy the essay material, but it would not copy either direct or Copy/Paste. I defeated one of these last week on a page somewhere but this one would not work.

The items are similar to the Universal 21-disc box from UK(must get the set to get the Disc 21 bonus stuff). That set I talked about in a post last week(Amazon .co.uk). This is now available at half the great price I paid for mine a year or so ago. And the VAT comes off that outside the EC & a much better exchange against the pound. The extra stuff on the this new lot is mostly available elsewhere and some on the old Laserdiscs. Like the Our Gang items and Fiesta(color 45mins, not the MGM title with Esther Williams). I have or had some Trouble with Father(Stuart Erwin Show) on 16mm and some on DVD. I used to get 16mm TV station prints(with ads) from Gaines16 in LA but he died and the business gone now. The other material as extras I don't believe I have.

The colorizing bit connects HRS with an Australian investor/speculator who died in Spain escaping laws to put him on trial for fraud. His wife came back to Australia later and expected people to like her(Pixie) but she harbored a fugitive, Robert Skase for several years. The same guy almost had the old MGM sold up and dismantled at the time and we had the Italian living in France whose Pathe Communications were just as bad.

Then there is the late Robert Youngson comedy documentaries and the story goes he got material in nitrate etc from Hollywood and did his editing in NYC placing the loaned material into a haphazard storage company warehouse in NYC where it deteriorated. Amongst the is material was the supposed complete Battle of the Century. The story was that Youngson never bothered to restore the rare material he had borrowed. But what is true, anymore.

I give Amazon a go and see if they have any information. I am in regular contact with them for one reason or another. Might get something.

Just reading that line again about Amazon shipping, I hope they don't ship 400 sets to me if I order!!!!!

Looking at the line-up, only TWO out of the 12 discs contain the material that one is ostensibly buying the product for.

I've got a better idea. How about marketing a two disc set called "The Lost Films of Laurel And Hardy" that costs, say... $25?

Doug Sulpy wrote:Looking at the line-up, only TWO out of the 12 discs contain the material that one is ostensibly buying the product for.

I've got a better idea. How about marketing a two disc set called "The Lost Films of Laurel And Hardy" that costs, say... $25?

That's if you have everything else already, if not, then I think this is a good buy.

Mr. Agee's post from the Laurel and Hardy forum in April 2005:

" I am preparing a boxed set which will signal, after 21 years, the end of
my Laurel and Hardy work / obsession. It will feature all of the pre-1929
shorts plus many, many more--the "bonus material" accounts for at least
150% of the running time of the ten previously-issued DVDs. All done in
the hi-def manner I have been trying to explain is the way to do these
things, not copy dupe negatives or fine grains and ship them to Germany.
I shall let the results speak for themselves. It was originally to fill
23 DVD's but I felt it would have to be sold too dearly, so I am planning
to release same on one dozen double layered (in some cases double sided)
discs. And I will release every short extant with either of the Boys with
Charley (yes--it is NOT spelled Charlie" except in Film Classics land) or
other solos. And, just so you will know I read and take to heart your
musings in various fora, the presentation will be strictly chronological,
from LUCKY DOG forward. (Is there a single bootleg guy in the country who
has not stolen my restoration of Everson's print on that title and called
it his own??) So you might watch SECOND 100 YEARS then go straight to the
remaining footage of NO MAN'S LAW and see Hardy trampled by a horse (Rex!)
then go back to CALL OF THE CUCKOO. I initially opposed this, but my
friend Trevor in Ireland suggested it and I re-thought--why not. The
other 150% of stuff is brand new. Six or eight Hal Roach Streamliners.
Charley Chase. Maybe Mabel Normand. Uncut version of THE DENTIST
(because I have it and someone should release the damned thing as Field's
planned it should be without all the edits). This is the original
Paramount release are in there. Over a dozen OUR GANG silents and a few
talkies. Almost 18 Edgar Kennedy/Leon Errol shorts from R-K-O, made by
that entire Boy Friends company that S. S. Van Keuren laid off. A Roach
1941 feature. Over a dozen original Silent OUR GANG comedies. Several
episodes of the HRS show THE TROUBLE WITH FATHER from the early 1950's (we
only have 135 episodes in our library--why doesn't someone run these on
TV??) The amazing US Army Signal Corps short about how they made movies
for the Army--all filmed inside HRS. You can explore all of the
departments at the studio and see how things worked. Amazing film.
Raising the colors on the porch will still could be seen the name "Hal
Roach Studios". Of course, there's a VERY special documentary closing the
program for which you will die. A book included will show scores of full
color posters, and biographical info will be included. This is a huge
undertaking and I hope you can support it. LAUREL AND HARDY: THE
DEFINITIVE EDITION is the working title, and I am (foolishly?) hoping for
Christmas. Incedently, we are applying some very expensive technology to
the masters once finished (oh yes--all the missing stuff is being
replaced, and I just found the original European camera negative of
SLIPPING WIVES, our one remaining poor-grade title which is currently
being transferred to hi def. So this should be well worth the wait and
the purchase. Region "0" as is all of our stuff (except when some lab
genius screws up "out of habit").

This could take a year but I hope folks continue to support the current
ten DVD's. They will become collector's editions after this new group of
discs is released and they have several things that won't make the cut to
the new collection.

We have completely redone FLYING DEUCES from our 35mm British nitrate
print, completely cleaned it up, and it is a knockout. Even UTOPIA and
TREE IN A TEST TUBE (which I cannot stand to watch due to the age of The
Boys but the two films are necessary to the "Complete" anything...) have
been cleaned up and look much better than they deserve!

Honest to God, you won't believe what this new technology means to what we
are doing here. Hopefully, you will see for yourselves. But, always,
thank you so much for your loyal support. Best, Michael Agee
([email protected]) "

Thanks to Bruce Calvert for the original post.

amazon.co.uk has the Universal 21-DVD L&H set on sale at the moment at the amazing price of $54 including shipping to the U.S. (Of course these are Region 2-4 PAL DVDs, so one would need an all region player to view them in the USA).

David Shepard

If WE FAW DOWN is not featured with its original soundtrack... that big text quoted above is a waste of time.

More Agee posts:

http://www.laurelandhardy.pwp.blueyonde ... chset.html


and a review of the Universal 21 disc set:

http://www.laurelandhardy.org/newDVDREV.html

DShepFilm wrote:amazon.co.uk has the Universal 21-DVD L&H set on sale at the moment at the amazing price of $54 including shipping to the U.S. (Of course these are Region 2-4 PAL DVDs, so one would need an all region player to view them in the USA).

David Shepard

As I said on another thread a few weeks back, I recently purchased the 21-disc L&H set from Amazon.co.uk at the bargain price David stated. Handsomely boxed, it's a mixed bag and I would recommend it only for the talkies. The silents are a mess and the various colorized titles give colorization a bad name (irony intended!). Most annoying are the listing for "restored version" of titles that look atrocious. But at that price, you'd still be getting a bargain even if the set were limited to the talkies.

I have all of the "Lost Films" L&H DVDs, the several Charley Chase discs that have been released and sets of silent Our Gangs and Kennedy and Errol shorts. I'm wondering what is in this set that I don't already have. Is there anything on here that is not out there already?

I just got a reply from Amazon abut this set and they say that this item is a from a third party and they don't guarantee the safety of the payment or delivery. The item is a Sponsored link from Clickriver.com which is offered by A9.com, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon.com. Clickriver is an advertising program that allows businesses to advertise services that complement the selection on Amazon.com. So as I have most of the items I am not sure that I need this set but... perhaps the money might be better spent on more Warner Archive releases from the same period.

If my sources are to be believed the only thing new here is LOVE 'EM AND WEEP mastered from 35mm for the first time.

On the original so-called L&H LOST FILMS set, the Chase short THE WAY OF ALL PANTS, some stated that this was the only remaining footage, yet more footage is evident in THE FURTHER PERILS OF LAUREL AND HARDY.

For those interested in rare L&H, Looser Than Loose has a series "The Larger World of Laurel & Hardy" which I own several of, as well as a series of Roach dvd-rs. Here's a link:

http://www.looserthanloose.com/

Bob

I never had the opportunity to get the Lost L&H and by the time I wanted to get them, they are now oop and expensive. So, I welcome this release especially if footage/music that is meant to be there is now there.

I know the mention of the book but these posts were made in 2004-2005, so not sure how much relevance it has now.

I was really considering in getting the Universal set which is a great deal but after reading some of the reviews, for its price (Esp. now) and what is offered is great but I've held out for years in hopes for something better to come along.

So, I'm guessing this will be the ultimate final release from Mr. Agee we will ever see right?

Tommie Hicks wrote:If my sources are to be believed the only thing new here is LOVE 'EM AND WEEP mastered from 35mm for the first time.

My further exploration of the 21-disc UK L&H set revealed a few pleasant surprises. LOVE 'EM AND WEEP is an excellent print, and SUGAR DADDIES on the same disc is just about as good. How good? Well, the LOST FILMS OF L&H spoiled me with many titles being taken from the original camera negatives but these two titles are only marginally inferior to that gold standard. I realize now that I had better check out all the silents in this set before dismissing them as poor quality.

Another advantage to the Silents in the UK (and German) sets is the excellent soundtracks by the Beau Hunks for many of the shorts. They are a bit repetitious, but individually they sound great and go well with the films. And they are certainly less repetitious then the one vintage soundtrack that Lost Films of Laurel and Hardy used for almost every short in the set.

Man, the poor guy. And he's STILL putting this out, after all he's been through. I'm surprised there isn't a bit more compassion shown for Michael in this thread, instead of obsessing over a typo.

Any one ordered & received this set yet? I forgot about for a month or so but started ready a book on the shorts published by Past Times(I know the author via another blog from England) I got and I remembered that I had seen nothing in this site for a few weeks. It is still listed as $120 plus shipping and about pirates offering inferior sets.

I have ordered but not yet received this set. I ordered in large part just to support Michael Agee in this effort. I recognize what a Herculean task this is and I am giving them the full 8 weeks they asked for before bugging them about their progress. I hope this all comes out well.

I bought that 21-DVD set from zavvi.com a year or so back, and my daughter (for whom it was a gift) was thrilled to death. (And Katelyn, like her mom, is one hell of a fussbudget.) Excellent quality, wonderful price, and as comprehensive (I guess) as you can get nowadays. Having said that, may I ask what is included in Michael Agee's collection that is not in the British set?

Are we referring--in part--to that long out of print several volume set put out by Richard Feiner's Hal Roach Studios about 15 years ago?

I saw them when they came out and was disappointed in the dupey print quality of some of the silents, advertised as "from 35mm camera negative"

I noticed many of that distributor's other releases also uses that hyperbole, but the viewed content wasn't all that fantastic quality.

Still, there were gems in the set...

John Soister you will be pleased to relate to your "Fussy Budgets" family that the price is almost give away now less the VAT on top of that(17.5% extra off). I got mine when it got to about half of that today. It would have be even cheaper to buy today because the Australian dollar is oodles better now against the UK pound sort of like it was in the late 1970s when it was at a giveaway rate.

There are other great bargains to be had at Amazon.co.uk in lots of stuff and box sets are to the fore in these 50-80% prices. As an example I have ordered for a friend the 16 DVD set of Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes to land here under A$50. The Harold Lloyd set with all those films and shorts & other stuff is at throwaway price and I should have mine today or tomorrow. This has a c1930 feature not in the earlier US set. Good prices from Amazon.de also at this time.[/list]