After seeing ATOLL K and feeling that it's perhaps slightly better than its terrible reputation I decided to track down any Laurel and Hardy short just to remind myself if they were anywhere as good as I remembered them from childhood and the nearest one to hand was BEAU CHUMPS . After seeing it there was no doubt that ATOLL K was a weak film even though the comedy genius of Stan and Ollie shone through . Here they were on superlative form
The opening sequence is one of the funniest things I have ever seen and in the hands of anyone else it would have been either silly or embarrassing . Here however it had this slightly cynical viewer laughing out loud as Ollie tries to explain what levity means when the door knocks
Stan ( picking up phone ) Hello
Ollie: What are you doing ?
Stan: Someone's knocking on the phone
Ollie: See that's levity Stan: Hello - Mister Levity
Okay it might not sound laugh out loud funny on the printed page but you'll laugh your socks off as it plays out on screen
After this comedy escapade the duo depart to the French foreign legion in order to make Ollie forget a broken love affair . Why he needed to take Stan with him is never explained but we wouldn't have a story if he didn't and the laughs continue .Imagine if we had a present day film with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson where they joined the USMC and got sent to Afghanistan . It makes you appreciate Stan and Ollie the greatest comedy duo there has or ever will be
The opening sequence is one of the funniest things I have ever seen and in the hands of anyone else it would have been either silly or embarrassing . Here however it had this slightly cynical viewer laughing out loud as Ollie tries to explain what levity means when the door knocks
Stan ( picking up phone ) Hello
Ollie: What are you doing ?
Stan: Someone's knocking on the phone
Ollie: See that's levity Stan: Hello - Mister Levity
Okay it might not sound laugh out loud funny on the printed page but you'll laugh your socks off as it plays out on screen
After this comedy escapade the duo depart to the French foreign legion in order to make Ollie forget a broken love affair . Why he needed to take Stan with him is never explained but we wouldn't have a story if he didn't and the laughs continue .Imagine if we had a present day film with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson where they joined the USMC and got sent to Afghanistan . It makes you appreciate Stan and Ollie the greatest comedy duo there has or ever will be