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Stan & Ollie

Started by Keebleman, September 20, 2018, 01:17:51 AM

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Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: Bazooka on January 13, 2019, 10:00:17 AM
John C Reilly has no presence in the UK, Will Farrell despite being awful in almost all films is a massive name.

Yeah but Reilly can put in a decent performance when he's not titting about with the likes of Ferrell. That can't be a secret, he's been in a few popular PTA films and that.

For me Coogan in a film is a warning it'll be bad or mediocre more often than not.

The Roofdog

Quote from: cliggg on December 01, 2018, 09:39:12 PM
I saw the trailer for this when I was at the cinema last week and feel like I've seen the whole movie beginning, middle & end.

Saw it on Friday, it's definitely not a plot-heavy film but the extent to which every important scene was in that trailer was ridiculous.

Paaaaul

Quote from: sevendaughters on January 06, 2019, 09:10:07 PM
... it feels like A BBC Telemovie and turns a promising idea into a genteel mush.
I came here to say the exact same thing.
Laurel, Hardy and their wives are all played excellently, but the rest of the cast feels like it was there to do a period Dr Who Christmas special, or some other equally vacuous BBC production. Everything feels stagey, and it is ludicrously melodramatic.
When I watched the Spider-Man film the other week, I understood that there were in-jokes and references that I wasn't getting, but they were subtle and under-played so it didn't matter.. In Stan & Ollie, the references each come with the subtlety of a luminous sledgehammer.

It's not a terrible film, but it's not a very good one either.

Replies From View

A good review on Stan and Ollie from a very good blog:  https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2019/01/13/do-we-really-need-that-trunk-stan-and-ollie-reviewed/

Scroll down for reviews on all the real Laurel and Hardy films (with a couple of gaps).


Meanwhile, the Laurel and Hardy watch-along thread has reached 1928.  Join us if you haven't already:
https://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,69067.150.html

non capisco

I thought it was lovely. Completely bought the central relationship, thought Coogan and Reilly were both great, thought the recreations of the sketches were spot on (Reilly especially had Babe's comical howls of pain down pat). There was an especially tender moment during the final scene that I thought was beautifully done and wouldn't have worked if the film hadn't successfully laid the emotional groundwork for it. Yeah, enjoyed this a hell of a lot more than I was expecting to.

Quote from: Replies From View on January 13, 2019, 03:57:48 PM
Meanwhile, the Laurel and Hardy watch-along thread has reached 1928.  Join us if you haven't already:
https://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,69067.150.html

Shall do.

Avril Lavigne

Quote from: Maurice Yeatman on January 13, 2019, 01:14:24 AM
Are Reilly and Coogan as good as Barker and Castle were in Another Fine Mess?

I just watched 11 minutes of this and it felt about twice as long as Stan & Ollie.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Avril Lavigne on January 14, 2019, 09:26:54 PM
I just watched 11 minutes of this and it felt about twice as long as Stan & Ollie.

So about 20ft long?

Avril Lavigne

Quote from: St_Eddie on January 14, 2019, 09:40:04 PM
So about 20ft long?

Lovely work Mr. Edmond :) On a serious note though I did really enjoy the film, thought the tone, writing & performances were perfect, but I also feel kinda biased as someone who is just sick to the gills of every recent cinema experience being loud, CG-heavy action blockbusters.  I'd love for this movie to be successful enough to usher in a trend of more stuff in the same vein being made in amongst the seemingly never-ending output of Marvel & DC or Sony's unstoppable garbage blockbuster franchise factory.

Mango Chimes

I know this film recreates some classic routines – how do Coogan and Reilly handle the iconic Mmm, Babaloo Chocolate?

DrGreggles

Saw it today and really enjoyed it.
Struggled with Coogan as Stan. Not because of his performance, but purely down to him being unmistakably Coogan - which I know is unbelievably harsh.
Reilly was fantastic, and Stan's wife stole every scene she was in.
The Stan & Ollie routines were wonderfully done too.

the science eel

Quote from: Avril Lavigne on January 14, 2019, 09:26:54 PM
I just watched 11 minutes of this and it felt about twice as long as Stan & Ollie.

It's absolute rubbish!

Maurice Yeatman

Quote from: the science eel on January 14, 2019, 10:44:10 PM
It's absolute rubbish!

I wasn't being serious. I bought the Seven of One DVD and thought that episode sounded intriguing, but I was astonished at how inept it was.

non capisco

Quote from: DrGreggles on January 14, 2019, 10:25:57 PM
Struggled with Coogan as Stan. Not because of his performance, but purely down to him being unmistakably Coogan - which I know is unbelievably harsh.

I thought he did a largely decent job but there was one bit after they'd fallen out where Laurel is still trying to do comedy bits in normal conversation, Hardy's in a huff not having any of it and Laurel snaps "OH, FORGET IT!!!" in the voice of Alan Partridge.

Avril Lavigne

Quote from: non capisco on January 14, 2019, 11:58:30 PM
I thought he did a largely decent job but there was one bit after they'd fallen out where Laurel is still trying to do comedy bits in normal conversation, Hardy's in a huff not having any of it and Laurel snaps "OH, FORGET IT!!!" in the voice of Alan Partridge.

I remember the scene and I didn't think that at the time, but to be honest any unexpected Partridge is a bonus as far as I'm concerned.

non capisco

Also the bit where Stan gets a telegram from Bill Oddie.

Glebe

Quote from: non capisco on January 15, 2019, 12:06:54 AMAlso the bit where Stan gets a telegram from Bill Oddie.

"If you need any problems solved in a wacky manner, Mr. Laurel... anytime, anyplace, anywhere!"

popcorn

I don't know anything about Laurel and Hardy. Yesterday I watched the famous Way Out West dance. I don't understand what's meant to be funny or charming or impressive about it. It's just a pair of blokes poncing about.

What am I missing? I mean this in the best possible faith, I'm ignorant. I'd like to know why this bit is so beloved. Is it just sweet? Is it lovely if you know their characters or something?

the science eel

I think you've answered your own question there. I find it moving, too.

As to why it's moving (I filled up when I saw it recreated in the film), I'm really not sure.

I've always liked it because it's a charming little dance routine in a very unexpected place. I think it also tells you a lot about their characters, whether you're familiar with them or not, that they have the pure joy in them that they can suddenly lose themselves in this little dance routine when they're supposed to be in the wild west. Cowboys all around them and they break into the daintiest dance routine because they neither can help it nor really care what anyone thinks of them.

neveragain

Yes, it's all about the context and how out of place it is.

Re: Coogan's accent, I didn't think it slipped too badly but Stan did turn into Dr. Terrible when saying, "Ah yes, the Eiffel Tower..."

Replies From View

Quote from: popcorn on January 15, 2019, 01:56:14 AM
I don't know anything about Laurel and Hardy. Yesterday I watched the famous Way Out West dance. I don't understand what's meant to be funny or charming or impressive about it. It's just a pair of blokes poncing about.

What am I missing? I mean this in the best possible faith, I'm ignorant. I'd like to know why this bit is so beloved. Is it just sweet? Is it lovely if you know their characters or something?

This post makes me sad.

Dex Sawash


Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: popcorn on January 15, 2019, 01:56:14 AM
I don't know anything about Laurel and Hardy. Yesterday I watched the famous Way Out West dance. I don't understand what's meant to be funny or charming or impressive about it. It's just a pair of blokes poncing about.

What am I missing? I mean this in the best possible faith, I'm ignorant. I'd like to know why this bit is so beloved. Is it just sweet? Is it lovely if you know their characters or something?

Yes, of course it's lovely, funny and sweet if you know their characters. I mean, you obviously realise that, so why even posit the question?

popcorn

I thought it might be one of those "it's famous because at the time it was a technical marvel" things or something, like how everyone was amazed by Citizen Kane having ceilings.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley


Replies From View

Quote from: popcorn on January 16, 2019, 06:04:09 AM
I thought it might be one of those "it's famous because at the time it was a technical marvel" things or something, like how everyone was amazed by Citizen Kane having ceilings.

Please watch 'Sons of the Desert' and 'Way Out West' in their entirety before trying to draw any more conclusions about Laurel and Hardy.  Watching isolated clips isn't going to help you understand the love people have for their work.

DrGreggles

Quote from: Dex Sawash on January 16, 2019, 12:34:10 AM
Cheer up



It always cheers me up anyway.
I even like this, and I usually hate that kind of thing.
If I'm in a shit mood I'll always watch Stan & Ollie* to lift my spirits.

*The Muppet Show too

Rolf Lundgren

The film was very polished and had some good performances but it was missing an interesting story. It felt like the third act of a film rather than one in it's own right. Their time in the UK was largely uneventful, possibly because it really was, and the drama that was added to it was either not worth adding or resolved immediately.

It's very pleasant to watch but it's underwhelming and isn't the great biopic that deserves to win tons of awards. Coogan and Reilly are both great in it though and get those characters just about right.

Replies From View

I think the experience of making Atoll K could make for a compelling drama, with the hopes pinned on it, their deteriorating health, the immense let down of the entire project, but it would probably be quite depressing.

Wet Blanket

Quote from: Replies From View on January 16, 2019, 07:08:10 PM
I think the experience of making Atoll K could make for a compelling drama, with the hopes pinned on it, their deteriorating health, the immense let down of the entire project, but it would probably be quite depressing.

I found it pretty depressing as is, and wonder why they chose such dismal period of their career to celebrate on film, although I suppose that's become the archetype for such biopics, to concentrate on the shitty back end of success.

I think a better film would have explored their fractious relationship with Hal Roach at the height of their fame and the schism that led to Laurel walking and Hardy being pared with another sidekick, rather than shoving all that in the first five minutes and then following it with 90 minutes of 'you used to be popular but you're not anymore, how sad.'

I could see they were going for bittersweet as we watch a heavily sweating Ollie push through that famous dance routine without dying, but I just felt sorry for him.