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Author
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Topic: Chickens Come Home (1931) Laurel and Hardy
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Joseph Randall
Master Film Handler
Posts: 437
From: Wyckoff, NJ, USA
Registered: Jun 2015
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posted July 13, 2015 01:58 PM
Blackhawk print on 1972 Eastman film stock
Super 8 sound, 600 feet
One of the best Laurel and Hardy shorts, this is a remake of their silent LOVE'EM AND WEEP (1927.) This one has grown in reputation over the years by fans, having been unfairly maligned in a few books published in the 1960s on the boy's films. (Charles Barr called it "a dud.")
There's plenty of info online about the plot, so let's get to the print. This is not one of the better Blackhawk prints. It is a bit dark and dupey looking, which is surprising since L&H prints from 1972 are generally above average to excellent. The sound on mine in bass-heavy, and is not as crisp and clear as I'm accustomed to with Blackhawk prints. I don't have the original box, but this certainly would have been delivered in a pink Eastin-Phelan box on 2X400' reels.
Curious if anyone else has seen a Blackhwak print of this in Super 8? If so, how was it?
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Timothy Ramzyk
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 220
From: Milwaukee,WI,USA
Registered: Nov 2006
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posted July 16, 2015 01:31 AM
I had a Super 8 Blackhawk. It's true that it was a little contrasty, but not by any means bad. I bought my print used, and the first reel had a faint "ticking" on the soundtrack that only I seemed to notice, but I did notice it. I assumed it was unique to my print.
It's one of there most underrated, and one of their rare three-reelers running a whole half-hour.
The Vivendi Entertainment DVD set has a nice print of the US cut, but also offers a rather incredible nearly 4 reel version of the Spanish Language cut, which a guarantee will shock the uninitiated.
Spoiler, Spoiler, Spoiler
During the the party scene at Oliver Hardy's house we are treated to entertainment not in the US cut, the weirdest of which is Hadji Ali, a man who literally consumes then projectile vomits tumblers of water, stones, and fire for Ollie's guests. I kid you not, and it's the real deal!
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Gary Crawford
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 979
From: Manassas, VA. USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted July 17, 2015 07:48 AM
Yes..the quality of Blackhawk films from the Hal Roach material varied greatly. And sometimes it changed on the same subject when new preprint was acquired. I remember being disappointed with my print ...standard 8 sound (1965 or so) of Way out West.
it was as if someone had put a coating of Vaseline on the printer lens or something. Gray scale was fine, but no detail.
A few of the Our Gangs and Charlie Chases also looked like that.
Then, you'd get Scram or Going Bye Bye....the super 8 prints of those are really nice, at least the prints I got were.
And it was odd..and has always puzzled me that most all of the silent era films they put out, even when original preprint was in bad physical shape, were very sharp and did not have that fuzzy look to them at all. The Larry Semon comedies ...at least the ones I have, look better than almost any of the much later sound Laurel and Hardy's and such. Quality of preprint is so vital to making decent prints.
Even Niles, often vilified for terrible quality, was able to turn out some excellent prints when they had good pre print and weren't duping others' dupes. Their Invisible Ghost and Meeting at Midnight and a few others were very good.
Each day that goes by lessens the chances of finding good original preprint material or 35mm prints of those Laurel and Hardy's , such as Chickens Come Home. And of course, now there would not be any new prints for collectors even if better preprint was available. Rather sad, I think.
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Joe Caruso
Film God
Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted July 18, 2015 03:15 PM
Super 8 CHICKENS is finely done - I can boast about Blackhawk, being a leading collector - True, some of the other shorts were a bit washed (HOG WILD, MEN O WAR as for instance) - BLOTTO, CHICKENS, MURDER CASE, BE BIG, OLIVER THE 8TH, ANOTHER NICE MESS,BEAU HUNKS and MUSIC BOX, all the longer ones were of sharp quality - Shorty
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