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[Christoph Nestel]

Hello Ken,


How about the four films popular Broadway Stars Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson did for Universal in the 40s to release on DVD ?


I have to admit, that I have only seen HELLZAPOPPIN so far, as this is the only one which had a theatrical release in Germany. In my childhood it was rather often on TV and for its wit and great music I always loved it best with The Marx Bros. and Laurel & Hardy. So I'm very keen on introducing myself to the three other ones. Sadly I had to learn, that these films are not available at all in English-speaking countries, not even on video.


You have good connections with Universal and I guess that Universal regards the films just as these kind of wothless back-catalogue-titles one would be happy "to get rid them for release to anybody at all". Universal will never do them on their own. I think its injustice these films being neglected.


So Ken, aren't these just made exactly for Laureate and Laureate regulars ? All of these films have great swing and dance and feature top musicians of their day !


HELLZAPOPPIN (1941) is a totally crazy, fast-paced comedy with lots of wonderful music (Martha Raye, Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart). Famous for the greatest Lindy-Hop-sequence ever shot on film. Directed by H.C. Potter. You can watch it again and over again. I'm happy about my tape recording as sadly it hasn't been shown on German TV for more than 10 years.


Recently even Quentin Tarantino outed himself as a huge fan of CRAZY HOUSE (1943). This film features Count Basie and his Band, Marion Hutton, Paula Kelly and the Glenn Miller Modernaires and even Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce in a Cameo - as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson !


GHOST CATCHERS (1944) is a wild parody on the spooky dark old house movies, features Mel Tormé and has also lots of jazzy production numbers.


SEE MY LAWYER (1945) was the last film of Olsen & Johnson and also stars the Nat King Cole Trio. Directed by Edward F. Cline, who also did the two movies before.


These films would make a great box-set or, as running time is no longer than 75 to 80 minutes each, it also would be a good deal to do just twice two as double features in the way Universal does e.g. with the Bob Hope Tribute Collection on Region 1.


I don't know if there could be located any bonus for these films except of the trailers. Any kind of bonus would be great, but I think it's the most important to release them for home viewing at all ! Who else would like them to see on DVD, too ? And who else could bring them to DVD except of Laureate ?


Best,


Christoph

[Ken Barnes]

Dear Christoph,

You are absolutely right about the films of Olsen and Johnson. I have only seen HELLZAPOPPIN myself, but it had a craziness about it that was years ahead of its time. It was similar - in its anarchic humour - to the Marx Brothers but without being a copy. I've never seen their other films. One must assume that they were not successful. In fact, not even HELLZAPOPPIN - their only significant film - has not been issued on video.

I'm sure, as you point out, a good many of the visitors to this website would be interested in these films, but to justify a commercial release they would have to sell at least 3,000 copies. I wonder if this would be possible. I will certainly mention it to Universal and see what their reaction is.

Thanks for pointing this out.

Ken

[James LM]

Somebody has told the IMDB that a company called Teakwood Video (seem like a public domain affair) obtained the 'rights' for DVD distribution of their 1937 Republic picture "All Over Town". It is directed by James V. Horne (direcor of many Laurel and Hardy features up until then) and written by Jerome Chodorov, who died two days ago vaged 93.

[Ken Barnes]

Thanks, James, for this interesting information - and for identifying the creative people associated with it. I did mention Olsen and Johnson to someone at Universal and it was greeted with a deafening silence. It might be a good idea to keep an eye on this rare release. If it achieves any success, it would be worth trying Universal again. After all, they have done very well recently with Abbott and Costello. So who knows ?

[yugpudekcufa]

Teakwood Video is a BOOTLEG outfit - they do NOT own the rights to at least half of the films they "distribute", plus they're quality is GARBAGE. Please do NOT support thieves like these.

[Christoph Nestel]

I was lucky to snap CRAZY HOUSE via ebay these days. Despite the fact that it is of course an off-air-copy on DVD-R from American TV with an ugly logo superimposed the film, quality was quite good. I liked the film so much, that I've decided to do a little review to arouse more interest in Olsen & Johnson.


WARNING: THE FOLLOWING TEXT MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS !


The film starts out with a kind of carnival parade and we learn Olsen & Johnson are back in town on their way to the Universal lot for the sake of making another movie. But Universal won’t surrender too easily and barricades the whole studio. After a huge panic (involving a skittle-alley, a skunk and Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson) O&J are finally shot directly into the producer’s office in a huge cannon. The anteroom sectertary is so scared, that she just jumps right into her desk having a nervous breakdown („Shy little figure, isn’t she...?“). Remembering the disaster of HELLZAPOPPIN too well, the producer prefers to go (literally) through the wall. At the Grand Hotel (after having a clear argument with hotel clerk Franklin Pangborn and shooting down his flying writing set in the lobby) O&J find a finance without any money. So with the help of a „Studio Rental Corporation“ now they simply establish their own production company („Miracle Productions – if it’s worth seeing – it’s a miracle“).


This is only the beginning of what turns out to be the most hilarious spoof of movie business in a movie business movie. When finally a reel of footage of the finished work is stolen by saboteurs at the sales premiere, the gap must be filled in by live performances. At the end Chic shots the lovers on the spot with MG-salves: „This is gonna be one movie without a happy ending!“


This is defintely no mainstream at all and never ever was at time it was made. It has no plot but wow – it has a whirling speed and drastic gags even the Marxes could dream of. Dances and musical production numbers are extraordinarily well staged (including the Count Basie Band flying around on stage with the help of special effects photographer John P. Fulton) and mixed in a perfect blend with dialogues and situations of complete anarchy. The musical program includes:


„I’ve got those total unemployment“, „I could be a great singer“ (Cass Daley)
„There goes that song again“ (Leighton Noble and his Orchestra)
Medley: „Moonlight Serenade/Baby won’t you please come home/I’ll see you in my dream“ (Marion Hutton and the Modernaires)
„I’m jealous of the moon that shines above“, „Someday“ (Martha Tilton dubbing for Martha O’Driscoll)
„;My Rainbow Song“ (Martha Tilton, Marion Hutton and the Modernaires)
„The Tropicana“ (Ramsay Ames and her Tropicanans, Count Basie and his Orchestra)
„Rigoletto“, „Catch that train“ (Delta Rhythm Boys)
„The Donkey Serenade“ (Allan Jones)
„Crazy House“ (Chorus)
„Pocketful of Pennies“ (Martha Tilton, Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Delta Rhythm Boys, Marion Hutton and the Modernaires, Leighton Noble and his Orchestra, Count Basie and his Orchestra)
Solo Dances by Tony & Sally De Marco and Chandra Kaly and his Dancers


Also watch out for Gale Sondergaard, Lon Chaney jr. and much more cameos.


Now what do you wanna know more ? What are you gonna watch better ? It’s hard to believe that the O&J movies are so poorly known and rarely shown today. You simply won’t find any movies with more cult potential made throughout the 40s. My copy is hosted by Quention Tarantino who also can’t help praising the work of O&J. Wouldn‘t have guessed I’d share the same film taste with Tarantino one day - O&J even manage to become this come true.


The following site offers some music clips from HELLZAPOPPIN and GHOST CATCHERS in the real player format:

http://www.return2style.de/home_eus.htm

(choose EXTRAS on the left and then the section SWINGSTYLE MOVIE-CLIPS within the opening menue). These clips show exactly the fun and swing CRAZY HOUSE is like to watch. I guess CRAZY HOUSE even manages to become an improvement over HELLZAPOPPIN. I’d love to see GHOST CATCHERS and SEE MY LAWYER as well.


AvenueOne, an Australian Public Domain company, finally has put HELLZAPOPPIN on DVD. I'd have liked to get a copy, but the prices folks are willing to pay at ebay for a PD (!) DVD just to get O&J... thats prohibitive expensive for a PD DVD I guess:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6406830582&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6408572927&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6404625135&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1


I’ve been collecting classic movies for many, many years now (more than 2000 tapes recorded by myself) and thus I dare to judge: you simply won’t find much greater stuff within the Universal library than the four O&J movies; especially if you go for Swing. So come on Ken, think it over, this would be the best films you may aquire for a Laureate DVD presentation (Universal won’t do it itself). Hope the review arouses much more interest and curiosity by other forum visitors now, too.


Best, Christoph