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Author
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Topic: Big Business (Laurel & Hardy) 1929 Blackhawk
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted October 24, 2008 07:14 PM
I haven't done a review for a good while, and I was watching my super 8 print of this again, and I laughed just as hard!
This was one of Laurel and hardy's last silent shorts, and would certianly rank among the lads absolute best, silent or sound, and that says a lot.
Luearel and hardy, this time around are Christmas tree salemen, (out of season, of course; it's the boys way of "getting ahead" of the competition).
(By the way, this is the same apartment complex that Laurel and hardy live in, in "Sons Of The Desert", look at it carefully!)
The first house they go to is less than receptive. Our hero's are undaunted, and thier next perspective customer is none other than the hot tempered, ever reliable James Finlayson, (at his absolute best in this short).
James doesn't want a tree. The lads feel that they just need to sell a little harder. James not only isn't buying, but begins a tit for tat fight against our boys that escalates to outrageously hilarious results. Our lads, piece by piece, demolish James's house. James, on the other hand, piece by piece, demolishes the lads car AND thier stock, which leads to the funniest moment in this classic short (in my opinion), when James in an apparently mad rage, wrestles on the ground with a tree that he is ripping apart limb by limb. It is priceless!
A cop eventually gets involved, noticing the ever larger crowd of on-lookers. The lads unfortunately get on the cops bad side,(which is never too hard for our boys!).. Fade out.
This print by Blackhawk is hard for even them to top. I have both the early standard 8mm edition from Blackhawk AND an early super 8 copy from, yep, Blackhawk. How do you identify an earlier super 8 copy from Blackhawk? As a general rule, the image on film will have the darkened image, that you would see on the opposite edge, encroaching on the sprocket area.
The image is incredibly sharp for even Blackhawk's Laurel and hardy's. This doesn't show a shade of being dupey. The film grain is very clean and the contrast to this print is magnificently balanced, with every grey tone really registering.
I understand that Blackhawk re-released this short in they're last days during either the early or later 1980's and it's supposed to be quite good. I'll still stick with this beautiful early super 8 print.
Even people who are not into silent films, can't help but laugh at this film. If you don't have this film yet in your collection, except no substitutes! Get a Blackhawk print of this, but make it an early super 8 or standard 8mm print!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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