[Susan Foreman]

'Laurel & Hardy: Year Two' (1928) - Blu-Ray pre-order available from Flicker Alley direct - UK$32.00

Release date: October 29

"Following their initial pairing in early 1927, Laurel and Hardy ended their first year on top. Their success moving into 1928 galvanized the efforts of everyone at Hal Roach Studios (including famed director Leo McCarey), who proudly upped their game in support of the winning comedy duo. Whether wreaking accidental havoc as a two-man band, doing battle against one another as millionaire and butler, or even becoming grave robbers for a mad scientist, Laurel and Hardy prove in their second year that they have what it takes to not only win over audiences in the twilight of the silent era, but generate enough momentum to make a successful transition to "talkies" in 1929.

Although their names are synonymous with the very idea of comedy, few of the original negatives for Laurel and Hardy?s early silent work survive, elements only available from scattered sources throughout the world, often in substantially less than pristine shape. It took the team at Blackhawk Films four years to gather all surviving film elements, to meticulously compare them shot by shot, and to complete the best digital restorations possible. Today, these beloved shorts look as new as they did nearly a century ago.

Featuring all new restorations sourced from best available materials contributed by archives and collectors around the world restored by Blackhawk Films and FPA Classics, this comprehensive deluxe Blu-ray 2-Disc collection features their ten 1928 films as a team and additional films from the Hal Roach Studios that showcase their final solo short film appearances, as well as the shift from silent films to films featuring music and synchronized sound effects.

Shorts on the Laurel & Hardy: Year Two set include:"

• Leave 'em Laughing
• The Finishing Touch
• From Soup to Nuts
• You're Darn Tootin'
• Their Purple Moment
• Should Married Men Go Home?
• Early to Bed
• Two Tars
• Habeas Corpus
• We Faw Down

"Each film features a newly recorded score from some of the best silent film composers working today, including Neil Brand, Antonio Coppola, and Andrea Benz. The release is curated by film historians and Laurel and Hardy specialists; Randy Skretvedt, Dick Bann, Serge Bromberg, and Eric Lange."

Special Features and Specs:

• Audio Commentary Tracks - For each film by historians and authors Randy Skretvedt and Richard Bann
• Exclusive, Rare Audio - Featuring Anita Garvin, Thomas Benton Roberts, and Hal Roach, from personal interviews conducted by historian Randy Skretvedt
• Additional Musical Scores - Alternate audio options, including fully restored original 1928 Vitaphone tracks on Habeas Corpus and We Faw Down
• Laurel & Hardy On-Location in Year Two - A video essay by historian John Bengtson on selected location exteriors
• Eve's Love Letters (1927) - One of Stan Laurel?s final solo films, directed by Leo McCarey and written by Laurel himself, from rare 35mm elements
• Galloping Ghosts (1928) - Two surviving fragments of a rare solo Oliver Hardy comedy
• A Pair of Tights (1928) - A short starring Anita Garvin and Marion Byron, who were teamed to try and replicate the success of Laurel and Hardy
• George Mann's Home Movies - From behind the scenes of Hal Roach Studios, including the filming of Should Married Men go Home?
• A Complete, 20-minute Interview - By Tony Thomas with Stan Laurel, recorded in January 1959, the year after Oliver Hardy's death
• Film Specific Image Galleries - Containing original publicity materials, press reviews, and rare production stills
• Souvenir Booklet - Containing a new collection introduction by Serge Bromberg and Eric Lange; A look at the supporting players and other creative personnel in the world of Hal Roach Studios by historian Sara Imogen Smith; A new essay exploring the development of the Vitaphone sound-on-disc system in 1928 by Randy Skredvedt; and comprehensive notes on each film
• English SDH Subtitles
• Blu-ray Authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion
• All Region Encoding (A,B,C)
• Region: ALL REGION
• Directors: Leo McCarey, Clyde Bruckman, Edgar Kennedy, Emmett J. Flynn, James Parrott
• Language: Silent (English Intertitles)
• Length: 212 mins