8mm Forum: Top 10 Our Gang/Little Rascals shorts

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Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on November 09, 2013, 11:00 AM:

Hey- The T & J thread gave me an idea for this, as its always been my favorite short films series to collect.

There is something so unique and special about the Hal Roach "Our Gang" shorts. Despite their age, most of these shorts have aged very well.

The 1930 to 1938 era seem to be the most popular with audiences. I have most of these on film. These are my few nominations to go into the top 10 catagory:

-Hi Neighbor (Go-cart/fire engine race)
-The Pooch (Pete goes to the pound)
-Teacher's Pet (Mrs. Crabtree introduced)
-Hide & Shriek (Gang trapped in a "dark-ride" haunted house)

Please add to list!

James.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 09, 2013, 11:19 AM:

-Hook and Ladder: the Gang fights a fire with home made fire apparatus. (personal favorite)
-Bored of Education: Alfalfa Sings!
-Birthday Blues:WeeeeeWowwwww!

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on November 09, 2013, 03:36 PM:

Only got one Our Gang Super8 film, but the print quality as with the content is very good.

"Anniversary Trouble" from 1935.

Posted by Zechariah Sporre (Member # 2358) on November 09, 2013, 03:44 PM:

There are quite a few I have never seen but a few of them I really like are
Hide & Shriek
Pigskin Palooka
Mail & Female

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on November 11, 2013, 02:23 AM:

My favorite picks.

Fly My Kite, Schools Out, Little Daddy, Pups are Pups, Love Business, Free Wheelin' Birthday Blues, Teachers Pet, Shivering Shakespeare, The Pooch, Fish Hooky, Bedtime Worries, Dogs is Dogs, Forgotten Babies, Moan And Groan, Wild Poses, Hi Neighbor, The First Round Up, The Lucky Corner, For Pete's Sake, Shiver My Timbers, Mush and Milk, Shrimps For A Day, Mike Fright.

The Kid From Borneo, Free Eats, When the Wind Blows, Readin' And Writin' , Spanky, A Tough Winter, The First Seven Years, Bear Shooters, Sprucin' Up,Bouncing Babies.

Choo-Choo! (1932) - Historically significant. The Gang trades places with orphans to take train ride. The Orphan Train shuttled orphans across the USA up until 1929.

Anniversary Trouble, - With Hattie Mc Daniel,

Big Ears- Off beat comedy. Wheezer looks for attention and drinks toxic fluids to bring his bickering parents together.

Hook And Ladder , A Lad' & A Lamp, Mama's Little Pirate, Beginner's Luck, Little Sinner.

Our Gang Follies of 1936, Our Gang Follies of 1938, Bargain Day

Hide And Shriek, Roam'n Holiday, Second Childhood, Arbor Day, Little Sinner,

Pay As You Exit, Spooky Hooky, Night 'N' Gales, Feed 'em and Weep, Reunion In Rhythm

Glove Taps, Hearts Are Thumps, Roamin' Holiday,

Came the Brawn

Two Too Young, The Pigskin Palooka

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on November 13, 2013, 04:55 PM:

OK Michael... I think you just listed the WHOLE SERIES [Wink]

.

James.

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on November 13, 2013, 09:55 PM:

James,

You've got that right. [Smile]

I tried to place them into categories, and that is practically impossible.

My all time favorites are at the top and the rest are equally as good.

There are some that I can pass on, and have not listed.

Posted by Marshall Crist (Member # 1312) on November 13, 2013, 11:22 PM:

I'm awfully partial to HIDE & SHRIEK

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on November 13, 2013, 11:42 PM:

I prefer the early films directed by Robert Mc Gowan. There is a quaint, charming appeal with the story, acting and direction.

I love The Spanking Age, which is the silent predecessor to Dogs is Dogs.

Every film buff needs to have the Leonard Maltin book in their home library: Our Gang, The Life and Times of the Little Rascals.

Posted by Michael Mc Dermott (Member # 3820) on November 14, 2013, 01:08 PM:

Like them all, but these 3 I really like. A LAD AN'A LAMP, FREE WHEELING and THE POOCH.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on November 14, 2013, 02:40 PM:

Hook and Ladder was the first Little Rascals movie that I purchased and, like Steve, it is my personal favourite. The Blackhawk S8 print is stunning.
Runners up- Glove Taps, For Pete's Sake, and Moan and Groan

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 14, 2013, 04:18 PM:

Yes,

"Hook and Ladder" was kind of a happy accident for me. When I was a kid I loved the one where the gang makes their own fire engine and races the snooty rich kid down the hill. I bought "Hook and Ladder" thinking it was that film, only to find out I was actually thinking of "Hi Neighbor!".

I have "Neighbor" too now, but prefer "Hook and Ladder". Agreed, beyond being a great story it is probably the best quality Blackhawk I have.

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on November 14, 2013, 04:53 PM:

Thanks guys for all the responses.

LOL Michael- Thats ok Mike, I have many favorites as well [Smile]

.

Steve- Back in the 70's, I had a fellow-collector friend in school, and he had made the exact same mistake of purchasing "Hook & Ladder" thinking it was "Hi Neighbor"! I believe "Hi Neighbor" was a later Blackhawk release (late 70's), so for a time only Hook & Ladder was available and the mistake was probably a common one.

James.

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on November 14, 2013, 10:27 PM:

Paul,

The quality on Moan and Groan is stunning on my print. Your's too? It looks like 35mm.

I know Jerry Tucker, the rich kid from Hi Neighbor, Sprucin' Up, Our Gang Follies of '36, and he's the nicest guy around.

He's also Jr. Tracy; Dick Tracy Serial.

Posted by Marshall Crist (Member # 1312) on February 20, 2014, 11:41 PM:

Having seen all the sound Rascals and most of the later silents, I recently picked up a collection of the earlier silents and started plowing through those. One that really grabbed me is SEEIN' THINGS. Farina eats too much, falls asleep and has a crazy dream. It has some pretty wild special effects. Wish this one was on Super 8.

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on February 21, 2014, 09:33 AM:

As far as the quality of these Blackhawk Little Rascal prints, I feel that these particular Blackhawk titles are the highest quality image, looking at least as good as the highest quality 16MM print-

Hook & Ladder
Night & Gales
Pups is Pups
Little Pappa
The Pinch Singer
Free Wheeling
Love Business.

As far as audio quality, Blackhawk prints almost always have very good quality, although every now and then one might have sub-par sound.

James.

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on February 21, 2014, 09:29 PM:

I recommend Moan & Groan Inc. because it has the same sparkling

35mm quality as Hook and Ladder.

Maybe it was with my prints but I was disappointed in the quality of Roam'in

Holiday, Washee Ironee, and Mike Fright.

Mike Fright is a hilarious short but the most disappointing because of its dupy quality

and horrible recorded sound track made it not worth keeping. It was on par in watching a low

grade duplicated VHS tape recorded in the slowest mode.

[Frown]

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