7 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Laurel and Hardy, the world's most famous comedy duo, attempt to reignite their film careers as they embark on what becomes their swan song - a grueling theater tour of post-war Britain.
Starring: John C. Reilly, Steve Coogan, Shirley Henderson, Danny Huston, Stephanie HyamBiography | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy probably imagined that their legacy would live on in some form or fashion long after their deaths, but they may never have considered that a movie would be made about them some 80 years after their professional peak. Director Jon S. Baird's (Filth) Stan & Ollie is a dual-subject biopic about one of the great comedy tandems in Hollywood history, the slender Laurel and the rotund Hardy, focusing less on their talents and performances -- though their acts both on stage and on the screen are certainly central to telling their stories -- and more on the men under the costumes, men whose bond is built and and tested through time, whose sharing of fame and fortune and professional hard luck has seen them share much the same life trajectory. These are men who have found platonic soul mates in one another. It's a well-crafted and exceedingly well realized production that will appeal to audiences intimately familiar with the duo or those who simply recognize the names in passing as part of days long gone by.
Ollie & Stan.
Stan & Ollie's 1080p transfer is in good working order, presenting the digitally sourced material with steady, reliable accuracy. That pertains to detailing and color alike. The movie's period textures come alive with robust density, including those that make up stages, hotel rooms, and other locations seen throughout the film. Costumes are revealing, showcasing fine fabric and stitch definition in close-up. Skin details are excellent, with special note of the seamless prosthetics Reilly in particular wears in the movie. While seams are hidden, the Blu-ray does reveal the spongy "fat" qualities and applied skin details quite nicely. Colors are a little warm, reflecting a slight period adjustment. Skin tones are healthy and black levels are consistently deep. A little noise expectedly creeps into the image during lower light scenes but is the only "blemish" on an otherwise fine presentation that satisfies from end-to-end.
Stan & Ollie's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is front-heavy with scant surround usage and nothing of prominence. Essentials are presented with perfectly acceptable clarity, whether music, effects, or dialogue. Crowd applause and laughter, environmental city details, and the like enjoy satisfying and scene-complimentary clarity but the lack of a more immersive stage does mean the listener never feels fully drawn into the world, at least sonically. Dialogue is the primary audio component, though, and placement and prioritization are just fine.
Stan & Ollie contains a few featurettes, a cast & crew Q&A, deleted and extended scenes, and a trailer. No DVD or digital copies are included.
This release does not appear to ship with a slipcover.
Stan & Ollie is the second recent film in which John C. Reilly has played the second-billed character in a two-man "&" titled show, this one being a good bit better than the other. Both he and Coogan are terrific as the classic comedy duo Laurel & Hardy, bringing a depth, heart, and soul to the characters because they build them from those inside qualities first and allow them, and some amazing prosthetics, makeups, and costumes, to help them define the characters secondarily on the outside. This is a terrific little movie that is not to be missed. Sony's Blu-ray delivers high end video, solid audio, and a few good extras. Highly recommended.
2017
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