8mm Forum: A question concerning Laurel & Hardy features.

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 05, 2008, 07:29 PM:

Joe Caruso (and the other lad looking for Laurel and hardy feature, Utopia.), brought up a question concerning this ...

Has anybody noticed any differences in thr Laurel and hardy features, comparing the UK feature prints and the american Blackhawk prints?

The reason why I ask is I remember a book on thier films from yeasr ago, and it stated in many occasions, scenes that were allowed in the UK, but due to the production code in america, could not be allowed. Are thier differences that anybody can idenify?

Posted by Jonathan Sanders (Member # 478) on July 06, 2008, 09:02 AM:

The UK Walton release of PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES certainly included the "kettles" sequence which was actually believed lost (except for a French dubbed version) when Randy Skretvedt published his highly regarded L&H survey in 1987. The Walton 8mm version had been around for maybe 20 years then! (Although other scenes were cut to conform to Walton's 6 reel standard for L&H features.) I've never seen the Blackhawk - did that have the scene?

The "kettles" scene was always cut on UK TV in the 1970s & 80s, presumably due to fear of imitation by children. Presumably for similar reasons, the entire hanging scene was censored from FRA DIAVOLO in some earlier TV showings over here. I also recall the light bulb crushed in Fin's mouth being axed from OUR RELATIONS. I presume all these deletions were made from reissue prints and/or specifically by TV stations. I don't know if the 8mm prints were affected.

Otherwise, the only other censorship I recall reading about were some of the bogeymen scenes in BABES IN TOYLAND. Were there other examples?

I've often wondered how Stan got away with bouncing around on a bed with Lola in WAY OUT WEST - well into the "Code" era!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 06, 2008, 06:10 PM:

Sadly Jonathan, I had bought "Pack Up Your Troubles", but never recieved it, so I wish that I could tell you, but can't.

Posted by Sam J. Clarke (Member # 1157) on July 11, 2008, 04:24 PM:

I just got a copy of PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES from eBay and it doesn't have the kettles sequence, everything else seems to be there though.

I never imagined Laurel and Hardy would ever be censored though, I thought they were something anyone could watch.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on July 11, 2008, 04:36 PM:

The sequence in WOW with the girl trying to get the deed, well folks, the film was a comedy spoof on westerns for the most part and The Boys' films were always clean, world-known and loved by millions, so scenes like this must be taken tongue-in-cheek, it's to laugh and abarring unnecessary analysis, that's really about it. I'm a SONS member and long-term collector of L&H films, now one could pinpoint alot of moments in these and other films with a quasi-questionable (raised eyebrow) slant, but my goodness, they all made us laugh. My nickel on it - Shorty

Posted by Tony Stucchio (Member # 519) on July 11, 2008, 06:12 PM:

Blackhawk's PACK is based on the Film Classics re-issue -- which removed the beating scenes, kettle scenes, as well as the first half of the scene where Stan reads the little girl a bedtime story. Also, the introductory shots of L&H in the park (When they can be seen from behind on the bench.)

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 11, 2008, 11:33 PM:

Joe, as a member of the "Sons", perhaps you can answer me a question concerning a censored L & H moment ...

I honestly don't know whether it was from a short or feature, but there was a scene where a fellow , (Not L & H, maybe Finlayson), is taking a bath. Stan or Ollie does something,
and it causes the bath tub to shatter, revealing a fully naked male bather in profile. I remember seeing a snapshot from the scene in a Old book which had all of L & H's films, (it was full O Pictures), and I've never seen it again!

How about it Joe, perveyor of vasts amounts of L & H lore?!

Posted by Mike Tynus (Member # 1108) on July 12, 2008, 02:11 PM:

I always got the feeling something was cut from the Storytime Telling scene as it starts abrubptly. Why on Earth would Film Classics trim that? Anyway, would anyone happen to know if the uncut version of PACK is on the fabulous L&H box set that's available on Amazon UK? I'm considering buying a PAL All Region DVD player just to play that set as it doesn't look like were gonna get anything more than what Hallmark has put out here in the States.

Posted by Tony Stucchio (Member # 519) on July 12, 2008, 05:03 PM:

Osi,

CALL OF THE CUCKOO with Max Davidson, cameos with L&H, Fin, and Charley Chase.

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