This phenomenal set contains all the talkie Hal Roach Laurel & Hardy material not controlled by Warner Brothers or MGM, which is to say it’s the majority of Stan & Ollie’s Roach output, and by default, the crown jewel in terms of US-released Laurel & Hardy DVD collections. Late October however brought “The Essential Laurel & Hardy” DVD collection from Vivendi Entertainment. One exception was the official MGM/Sony DVD release of “ Babes in Toyland/March of the Wooden Soldiers” in a crisp black and white print with the original titles.

While other DVDs have been released in the past featuring Roach material, they have either been of an inferior quality (like the ill-conceived Hallmark and Artisan releases utilizing TV prints with added music and fade-outs for commercial breaks that never appeared in the original theatrical prints) or very good but limited in content (the “TCM Archives: Laurel & Hardy” from Warner Brothers).

As die-hard Laurel & Hardy fans know, the team spent most of their careers at the Hal Roach Studios, and this is where their masterworks were created. It’s been a great year to be a Laurel & Hardy fan due primarily to an event that has been long-in-coming: a DVD set of the team’s classic sound shorts and features that is worthy of their legacy. Especially if you live on the East Coast. And right now is a great time to be a Laurel & Hardy fan in America. For those who came in late: Laurel & Hardy are my all-time favorite movie comedians.

Essential laurel and hardy collection