I picked this up because I wanted the shorts included in this set. What this is is another collection of public domain films featuring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. I picked this one because it spread the content across six discs instead of cramming it into a few discs. You're not getting the classic Hal Roach shorts or features on here because those are still protected by copyright. Thus, I can agree that calling this "The Best of Laurel and Hardy" is a misnomer. Some of their best is in the Hal Roach catalog. Thanks to spreading the content across six discs, the films—while not remastered or restored versions—look fairly good for what they are. They're not starved for disc space. Most of these predate having Laurel and Hardy as a comedy duo and are silent films. Stan often played leading roles while Hardy often played secondary characters, but in some cases, played only bit parts. Disc 1 The Hobo (1917) Billy West film featuring Oliver Hardy The Lucky Dog (1921) Stan Laurel film featuring Oliver Hardy The Sawmill (1922) Larry Semon film featuring Oliver Hardy Mud and Sand (1922) Stan Laurel film White Wings (1923) Stan Laurel film Disc 2 Oranges and Lemons (1923) Stan Laurel film The Soilers (1923) Stan Laurel film Smithy/The Home Wrecker (1924) Stan Laurel film Short Kilts (1924) Stan Laurel film Kid Speed (1924) Larry Semon film featuring Oliver Hardy West of Hot Dog (1924) Stan Laurel film Disc 3 The Paperhanger's Helper (1925) Oliver Hardy film Hop To It Bellhop (1925) Oliver Hardy film Yes, Yes, Nanette (1925) James Finlayson film featuring Oliver Hardy The Wizard of Oz (1925) Larry Semon film featuring Oliver Hardy (This one gets put in with a lot of Laurel and Hardy public domain collections as Larry Semon in costume as the Scarecrow could easily be mistaken for Stan) Disc 4 Should Sailors Marry? (1925) Clyde Cook film featuring Oliver Hardy Enough to Do (1926) Clyde Cook film featuring Oliver Hardy (Directed by Stan Laurel) Thundering Fleas (1926) Our Gang film featuring Oliver Hardy Along Came Auntie (1926) Glenn Tryon film featuring Oliver Hardy Crazy Like a Fox (1926) Charley Chase film featuring Oliver Hardy Bromo and Juliet (1926) Charley Chase film featuring Oliver Hardy Disc 5 Hard Boiled Yeggs (1926) Billy West film (Oliver Hardy seems to appear in a bit part) Stolen Jools (1931) Featuring Laurel and Hardy in a cameo The Flying Deuces (1939) Laurel and Hardy feature film The Tree in a Test Tube (1943) Color propaganda film featuring Laurel and Hardy about the many uses of wood. Disc 6 Utopia (1953) Laurel and Hardy's final feature film, also released as Atoll K and Robinson Crusoeland Stan Laurel's home movies (1956) Black and white silent footage, capped off with a brief press interview with Oliver Hardy The real attraction of the package is the book packaging with a nice history of the duo's lives and careers plus a filmography. This alone makes it a nice addition to a Laurel and Hardy collection. It's loaded with nice photographs as well. Laurel and Hardy's silent films together for Hal Roach aren't readily available in Region 1 (United States/Canada), but if you can handle Region 2 PAL discs, they are available in two Dutch DVD editions, each with two discs. Afterward, you'll have more luck as most of their Hal Roach sound shorts and features were released in the Laurel and Hardy Essential Collection. "The Devil's Brother" and "Bonnie Scotland" are available on DVD from Warner Brothers, while "Babes in Toyland" (usually under the name "The March of the Wooden Soldiers") is available in many editions, including a couple Blu-Ray editions. "The Flying Deuces" is available on Blu-Ray as well (the UK disc from Network is Region Free and looks better than the VCI disc, which has some nice bonuses). When it comes to their post-Hal Roach films, "Air Raid Wardens" and "Nothing But Trouble" are also availabe in a two-pack from Warner Brothers, and their six Fox movies were released in two box sets as "The Laurel and Hardy Collection" and "The Laurel and Hardy Collection Volume 2." "Atoll K" was released on Blu-Ray in a Region B locked edition by the BFI. A large sampling of the Hal Roach material was recently released on Blu-Ray as "Laurel and Hardy: The Definitive Restorations." So while this set doesn't have the Laurel and Hardy classics you likely love, it does give you a nice peek at their careers before they were teamed up and a number of other public domain titles from their catalog. And the book packaging gives a nice little thing to read for fans. Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
All discs worked fine. I couldn't rate these 5 star because most of them had silent films which was a dissappointment. Only disc 4 and 6 had talking films on them which I enjoyed a lot. Is this a good value? Not really unless a person is looking for lots of silent old films.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
This set of films is well preserved and very suitable for the film history buff or someone who appreciates the History of American filmogrophy. The entertainers featured are American icons. While some of the films included are dated, they are highly representative of the noir and I am pleased to have made the purchase for my collection. These are hard to find.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
This collection has very early material not related to the classic L+H stuff we know and love. Interesting historically but takes work to watch.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Most of the films in this set are silent. Didn't ralize that when purchased and the early films were either Laurel or Hardy. I watch them when there's nothing else to watch. No matter tho they are still classics.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in DVDs & Blu-ray Discs
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on DVDs & Blu-ray Discs