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Summary: Laurel & Hardy Come To Fairyland and bring their fun Too!
Review: In their third film opera spoof.Stan And Ollie bring their unique comedy to fairyland and we're all the better for it.Here they not only fit into the Mother Goose fantasy motif'but they're also able to bring their unique approach to spoofing man's foilbels and maintain their childlike demenors.The plot of "March Of The Wooden Soldiers"(The film was originally released by Hal Roach Studios and MGM in the late fall of 1934 as "Babes In Toyland!")has the evil and lecherious mortage holder:"Silas Barnaby"(Henry Kleinbach Brandon)forcing "Mother Peep"(Flo Roberts)to have her daughter:"Little Bo Peep"(Charolette Henry)marry him as an alternitive to prevent "Barnaby"from evicting the members of "The Peep"household.When the poor old matriach is unable to pay her mortage bill.But "Stannie Dum & Ollie Dee"(L&H)spoil the villian's plans.When "Stannie"impersonate "Ms.Peep"(Ms.Henry)during "Barnaby's"nupuals.Angered at being made a fool.The vendictive "Barnaby"pignapps One of "The Three Little Pigs":"Elmer"(Angelo Russitto) and frames "Ms.Peep's"boyfriend"Tom Tom Piper"(Felix Knight)for pignapping the little guy.After Poor"Tom Tom"(Mr.Knight)is sent to the frightening relm of"Bogeyland"."Stannie & Ollie"Realize that "Barnaby's"evidence is a fake(The string of pork sauages that was found in "Tom Tom's"house is nothing more than a string of beef hot dogs!).They search The villian's basement and find:"Elmer"a prisoner.Bringing the little guy before "Old King Cole"(Kewpie Morgan)and his subjects.The angry mob chases after "Barnaby".Who escapes down the well in his backyard(Which is a secret entrance to "Bogeyland)"Stannie & Ollie"help "Tom Tom"and"Bo Peep"(Who went after her love)escape from "Bogeyland".But "Barnaby" soon takes command of "The Bogeymen Monsters".And launches an attack on "Old King Cole's"(Mr.Morgan's)relm of "Toyland!".But "Stannie & Ollie"Foil the villian with their armies of giant size toy wooden soldiers .Who march against "Barnaby's"Armada to the strains of Vic Herbert's"March Of The Toys!".The film is filled with great songs,music, an enchanting storyline,beautiful sets(made even more charming via the new process of Colorization),lovely costumes and the beloved comedy of L&H.For those families..who need to find the perfect family film for the holidays(and for those fans of this classic holiday musical comedy film.."Babes In Toyland!"the original 1903 Broadway stage production celebraites it's 100th anniversary this year!).This is the one movie to have in you VHS/DVD Collection.Bravo Stan And Babe! Kevin S.Butler.
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Summary: Holiday Time Favorite!!!
Review: Kids will love this movie (and older kids at heart). Toymakers Laurel and Hardy goofed up Santa's order and made an army of 6 foot tall wooden soldiers that windup and walk, but wait they save Mother Goose Land from the dreaded Boogiemen. Other stars include: Bo Peep, 3 Little Pigs, Tom Thumb, etc., etc. (actors in costumes, not animated) I can't find it on TV anymore. I bought the video!! Wonderful & Funny for the whole family.
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Summary: A great story from the Boys!
Review: Laurel and Hardy have enchanted me since I was 5. This film is one of there best because it takes there innocents another level. It touches everyone by the great setting. It is in Toyland, a place every child knew about when they were young. It reminds the viewers of the innocents and loving that you get as a child. The comedy is great. From Bogey men, to Santa Claus, this film has everything to offer. I highly recommend it to everyone. A holiday treat.
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Summary: Black and White ONLY!!!
Review: Love this film, especially at Thanksgiving. But as long as it's only available in the phony and insulting colorized version I won't touch it. This is a piece of art. Shame on those who tamper with this and other films. It's like someone drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa.
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Summary: MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS (DVD)
Review: March of the Wooden Soldiers (Babes in Toyland) is one of a few Laurel and Hardy features in which Hal Roach lost ownership. Over the years it has been reissued and mostly cut in the process on the grounds of the Bogeymen sequences being too grim or to remove some or all of the songs in a misguided attempt to concentrate Stan and Ollie`s scenes. It is only fairly recently that a complete pristine master has been produced and superbly computer colourised now looking better than it has for decades. In its original form it is the best of the Laurel and Hardy operettas and, with its detailed studio created fantasy sets, is the most elaborate of all of their features. The colour version is so carefully effected that it gives the appearance of an early Technicolour film providing an extra dimension and depth reinforcing a more credible Mickey Mouse and the Three Pigs which was not quite achieved in black and white. Stan Laurel once said that his only regret about this film was that it had not been made in colour. This is probably the only Laurel and Hardy film to really benefit and be enhanced by an accurate colorisation. The film is a successful attempt to appeal to all ages. It is interesting to note that Disney granted permission to use Mickey Mouse and the Three Pigs together with their theme song. Perhaps `Toyland` may just have given Walt some inspiration for his first Disneyland. In fact Disney studied this film quite closely and remade it under the original title `Babes in Toyland` with obvious mimics of Stan and Ollie, but it was a poor, jazzed-up, shadow of the original. This version produced by Goodtimes Video, NY is very good. The picture quality and definition are excellent with superb colour rendering for a colourised movie. The sound is unfortunately the original mono track and somewhat flat. Nevertheless, it is good to see a high quality complete version including the original opening MGM titles which, oddly, is missing from the UK version of the film released by Eureka Video. There are some interesting and unusual extras such as the original theatrical trailer a short (1.5 mins) probably 16mm silent home movie of Stan and a 3.5 min sound interview of Ollie. The extras are of varying quality due to the source material. Overall this DVD presents a good quality, excellent value, version of a delightful, enduring minor classic. ROBERT C GRAHAM (UK)
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Summary: I hate color on dvd - March of the Wooden Soliders.
Review: My favorite is March of the Wooden Soldiers since i was kid. I do not like COLOR!!! I hate that. I want to black and white chirstmas... It is beautiful old classic black and white. The color is not great. I won't buy this dvd.
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Summary: LAUREL AND HARDY FOREVER
Review: On the far end of the musical movie spectrum is the colorized Laurel and Hardy "MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS" from Goodtimes Home Video at a great price. As adapted from Victor Herbert's operetta "Babes in Toyland," there's more of the Holiday Spirit in this 1934 classic than in most of the insipidly lame attempts of movies and TV to exploit the holiday season. Dum (Stan) and Dee (Ollie) are Santa's toymakers preparing for the big delivery on Christmas eve. Mother Goose and nursery rhyme characters are all over the place and Stan and Ollie are in constant trouble ("Is that 100 six-foot toy soldiers or 600 one-footers?") Silas Barnaby, (remember "the meanest man in town"?), Bo Peep (she's being forced into marriage by Silas or he will evict Bo's mom, who is in fact The Old Woman In The Shoe). And there's Tom Tom the Piper's Son (Ms Peep's true love) and the big finale with the creepy attack of the Bogeymen. This classic has been cleaned up, digitally remastered and colorized and looks about as perfect as the best of old style children's book illustrations and I bet Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy themselves would want this one in color. It's certainly no sacrilege. This is one beautiful, Fauvistic fever dream of a movie. A weirdly mesmerizing family treat. Laurel and Hardy forever! Let's all love each other, OK?
Rating:
Summary: LAUREL AND HARDY FOREVER
Review: On the far end of the musical movie spectrum is the colorized Laurel and Hardy "MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS" from Goodtimes Home Video at a great price. As adapted from Victor Herbert's operetta "Babes in Toyland," there's more of the Holiday Spirit in this 1934 classic than in most of the insipidly lame attempts of movies and TV to exploit the holiday season. Dum (Stan) and Dee (Ollie) are Santa's toymakers preparing for the big delivery on Christmas eve. Mother Goose and nursery rhyme characters are all over the place and Stan and Ollie are in constant trouble ("Is that 100 six-foot toy soldiers or 600 one-footers?") Silas Barnaby, (remember "the meanest man in town"?), Bo Peep (she's being forced into marriage by Silas or he will evict Bo's mom, who is in fact The Old Woman In The Shoe). And there's Tom Tom the Piper's Son (Ms Peep's true love) and the big finale with the creepy attack of the Bogeymen. This classic has been cleaned up, digitally remastered and colorized and looks about as perfect as the best of old style children's book illustrations and I bet Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy themselves would want this one in color. It's certainly no sacrilege. This is one beautiful, Fauvistic fever dream of a movie. A weirdly mesmerizing family treat. Laurel and Hardy forever! Let's all love each other, OK?
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Summary: Laurel & Hardy
Review: One of a few movies I would own, b&w version only!
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Summary: Laurel & Hardy's classic "Babes in Toyland" restored at last
Review: Originally released in 1934 as "Babes in Toyland," this film is far and away the best of the Laurel & Hardy operettas. The evil Barnaby (Henry Brandon), wants to force the lovely Bo-Beep (Charlotte Henry) to marry him. Towards this end Barnaby banishes Bo-Beep's beloved Tom-Tom (Felix Knight) and attempts to take over Toyland with his demon army. Fortunately, Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee, the assistants of the Toymaker (William Burgess), save the day with the help of the marvelous giant-sized Wooden Soldiers. Based on the operetta by Victor Herbert (several songs are omitted), this film was directed by Gus Meins and Charles Rogers, and is much superior to the Disney version that ended up replacing it on television. You will find less slapstick than usual in a Laurel & Hardy film, but the boys are better integrated into this musical than any of there others and Brandon's Barnaby is deliciously wicked. Fortunately "March of the Wooden Soldiers" has been restored and is now available so it can become the classic it deserves to be.
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