MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Dec 9, 2008 9:41:06 GMT -5
So recently, they came out with a great DVD--the complete Hal Roach Little Rascals collection, covering his 80 short films. I guess there was more Little Rascals after him, so I suspect the Froggy/Mickey era is not there.
But the true classics are.
The important part of this set is that the collection is completely uncut.
That means that a lot of stuff that was taken out for broadcast television so they could do commercials, is back in there.
It also means the stuff that was cut out so that they could be racially sensitive--was put back in there.
No better example of this so far can be found than in the first episode where the pre-Buckwheat black kid is dealt a stunning blow.
The 5 kids were all orphans. One of them was getting adopted. But his sister was not. He was happy to be getting adopted by a rich lady, but missed his sister, and of course, she missed him.
The rich lady was sitting around with all her lady friends and makes the foreshadowing statement that they should adopt kids too.
So at the end of the episode, the lady adopts the sister, and each of the kids, one by one, gets adopted by one of the lady's friends.
Until they get to the black kid, who kindly asks one of the white ladies to adopt him.
She flat out tells him no.
So the kid walks off to the corner crying and whining to Petey the dog.
He is overheard by the maid, who would be a stereotype of the day, and of course, adopts him.
What's really interesting about this stuff is that while a lot of this would be shockingly racist by today's standard, it was not the case. In fact, this was probably the first venue where you saw black and white children playing together as equals.
Good stuff.
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Post by thecaptain15 on Dec 9, 2008 9:48:19 GMT -5
Styme...
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Dec 9, 2008 10:18:18 GMT -5
That kid was even pre-Styme, and even before Buckwheat was introduced as a girl. The episodes I'm watching are basically first generation stuff. Just got to the episodes where Jackie was introduced. There was one episode where the black kid was just being ridiculously lazy. He had his sister or girlfriend (unclear), bring him everything, and was too lazy to even put a straw to his mouth. Funny shit. And the other day I saw one I actually recognized. I think this was the first episode with Chubby. Before that, the leader was a freakishly fat kid named Joe. The episode involves Chubby and Joe fighting over a girl. It turned into a boxing match. First they were pals, sharing a soda, but then the girl came along and they started fighting over who would get her a soda of her own. I guess the girl get Chubby a chubby. That was actually a funny scene as they were both hustling to get to the soda truck, and attempted to slow the other's progress. This included ripping each other's shorts, so they had to run in their underwear. Anyway, Farina, the aforementioned unadoptable black child, and another one of Little Rascals, were boxing promoters. Seeing the mess with Joe and Chubby, and seeing an opportunity to make some money, they promoted the boxing match. Problem was Chubby was too scared to fight, and Joe never got mad (unless you messed his hair). The promoters promised each fighter that the other would take a dive in the second round, and of course, each wanted the other to do it. Hilarity ensued. This early stuff is great, though I am looking forward to my favorite episode as a kid--the one where they introduced Spanky.
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Post by Chris on Dec 9, 2008 12:39:23 GMT -5
Styme wore that bitchin hat!
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Dec 10, 2008 8:57:41 GMT -5
I wish I wasn't the only one who has this set.
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Post by MSBNYY on Dec 12, 2008 9:02:25 GMT -5
So I've watched a few more. Still in the preStymie era.
The black kid has the best lines when you can understand them (the sound quality isn't that great).
I have reached the Jackie era.
Some highlights--
In one episode, they were performing a Shakespearean play, and flubbing the lines. It was terrible until the last few minutes, when these bullies started throwing food at them. By the end, a full fledged classic pie-fight broke out.
I don't understand why, but watching a 75 year old pie fight is always funny. What was truly cool, was they they added the special effect of slow motion when the pie was in mid air.
In another episode, we got to see some good old fashioned illegal child abuse.
Jackie, who later went on to play Perry White in the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, had the hots for Mary. So he's doing everything he could to make it happen.
At first, he follows the advice of a cop, who tells him to be like a caveman. Well, she ends up kicking his ass.
Then, he tries to go home and get his suit, so he can look good and put on the moves.
His mom tells him no because that's his Sunday clothes, but his granny gives him a suit she made for his dad when his dad was little.
So Jackie is pimpin out, and ready to show off his little rascal, when some 9 year old begins the old cockblocking maneuver, trying to score that 7 year old ass for himself.
At first, Jackie is mad, but a bit reluctant to fight, since he is 9, and Jackie is 8. Jackie, the smaller of the two, feels the odds are not in his favor. Mary decides that the two should duel for her.
So she does the safe thing and brings out two sharp swords. And duel they do. The 9 year old cockblocker is winning throughout, and the hilarity was in the melee and ruckus, highlighted by several kids getting stabbed in the butt. Stabbed.
The black kid found himself almost getting killed several times accidentally.
The climax was when Jackie had enough with the swords, and finally decided to throw down and flash dukes. In fact, I believe he actually said, "put up your dukes."
Jackie proceeded to kick the living shit out of the 9 year old. And here's the child abuse part.
The 9 year old's dad shows up, and steps in. Does he break up the fight? Nope.
He holds Jackie so his son can hit him!!!
And the comedy ending was when Granny came out and went Ninja on the dad, kicking his ass.
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Post by Chris on Dec 12, 2008 12:48:42 GMT -5
Welcome to the club Balls....I wish I wasn't the only one with the White Shadow DVDs.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Dec 26, 2008 8:43:31 GMT -5
Balls will be doing flips and spins....I now own this DVD set. My Secret Santa came through in the clutch. HOWEVER, I am not sure when I am going to catch up to you, Balls, as this move is getting in the way, and we are way behind on things.
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Post by MSBNYY on Dec 26, 2008 10:16:03 GMT -5
You're not THAT far behind me. I think I'm up to the second episode on the second DVD. You can catch up easily.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Dec 26, 2008 10:37:55 GMT -5
I dont think I will even be starting to watch The Little Rascals for another couple of weeks.
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Post by MSBNYY on Dec 26, 2008 10:48:27 GMT -5
I'm going at a slow pace. Even then it would take little time with a little effort.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jan 31, 2009 0:39:24 GMT -5
So Balls, you'll be happy, this is part of my weekend Amazon order. I wanted to get this book, to read as an accompaniment to the DVD. The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang (Paperback)Bann and Maltin uncover the history of Hal Roach Studios' brainchildren, known today as "The Little Rascals", originally known as Our Gang. This book is the definitive authority. The authors have gone to great detail in covering the history of this film series and it's endless cast of kiddie actors, including Spanky, Buckwheat, Alfalfa, Stymie, Wheezer and others including Jackie Cooper, probably the most successful of the series' child actors, who grew up to be one of the most influential directors in Hollywood during the Advent of TV and Baby boomer era. Scores of interview material (including interviews with Hal Roach who just died in 1992, and Stan Laurel) are included in this hefty paperback volume, worth more than the list price!
Most of the book is dedicated to the 220 or so short subject films (and one major motion picture) of Roach's Rascals, from Our Gang's inception with their first silent two-reeler in 1922 with Pathe (I believe) to the final MGM sound one-reeler film during the War (WW2) in 1944. Uh-huhhhh! That's a lot of celluloid over a 22 year period! The film documentaries are divided into 3 sections: The Silent Years (Pathe and Hal Roach Studios), The Sound Years at Hal Roach Studios (The "Talkies", Our Gang's Golden Era), and the MGM years (when The Rascals really declined).
You can find out all you need to know about the Little Rascals in this book by Richard Bann and Leonard Maltin (of Entertainment Tonight). This book is a must for comedy buffs who love the black and white era of film
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Feb 2, 2009 7:44:17 GMT -5
Sounds like a good book. I have been distracted with my Bosom Buddies DVD, so I haven't watched LR in awhile, but I'm ready to hop back on.
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Post by Jason Giambi on Feb 2, 2009 8:24:27 GMT -5
yum yum eat em up
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Feb 25, 2009 11:11:34 GMT -5
Slowly but surely, I'm still working my way through this Little Rascals set. I'm on Disc 3 now, and we have had the introduction of the legendary Spanky.
I always thought that the episode "Spanky," was his debut, but it wasn't. He debuted 2 episodes before. Given that he was just 3 at the time, it was tough to sometimes understand his lines, but I'm guessing they realized very fast they had a star in the making. In his second episode, which took place on a train, they had a special shot at the beginning that said, "featuring Spanky," which never happened before.
In that episode, Spanky basically kept punching this guy in the face. It was hysterical.
Finally, I watched the aforementioned "Spanky," which I remember as one of my favorite episodes as a kid. Though not the funniest episode I've watched recently, it was pretty funny.
On a side note, Stymie was also hysterical in his early episodes. He had some of the funniest one liners ever, and usually, each delivery was followed by a funny grin.
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Post by Chris on Feb 25, 2009 11:48:38 GMT -5
Spanky reminds me a lot of Jesus....and Superman.
We only see him as a toddler, barely able to speak....and then we seem him again when he's probably pushing double-digits in age and able to scheme and plot.
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Post by MSBNYY on Feb 25, 2009 12:09:46 GMT -5
Not exactly, he does seem to stick around according to the episodes I have. According to wikipedia, there was only a brief period where he wasn't involved from ages 3-14.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Feb 25, 2009 12:15:44 GMT -5
Get the book, Balls, its all explained.
I just watched an old movie with a midget in it from that time period. He mumbled his lines, and had a kids voice. Could not understand him, it got me mad.
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Post by MSBNYY on Feb 25, 2009 12:16:48 GMT -5
What's all explained?
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Post by Chris on Feb 25, 2009 12:20:53 GMT -5
Wait he's absent from 3 to 14?
That's hardly a brief period...or did I misunderestimate the post?
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Post by MSBNYY on Feb 25, 2009 12:44:51 GMT -5
You misunderestimated. He was absent for a short period of time in that era, but he was a fixture for the most part for those 11 years. At some point around 1938, he was off the Little Rascals as they looked for a new Spanky-type. They ended up just hiring him back.
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