David Pickard wrote:
PS. I'm still hoping to live long enough to see a complete print of 'The Second 100 Years'!
Seeing a complete THE SECOND 100 YEARS has always meant a great deal more to me than finally watching Reel Two of THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY.
It was another of our great Capos, Rob Farr, who years ago confirmed my suspicions that Blackhawk's version was missing numerous shots when he generously sent me the film's cutting continuity.
A digitized copy of YEARS was shown last month in Bonn, Germany and earlier this month in Munich, thanks to another dedicated film historian and Hal Roach authority, Stefan Droessler (curator of the Munich Film Museum and the driving force behind that essential Max Davidson DVD set issued several years ago).
Stefan's restored version of THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY played last Christmas season on the ARTE channel. There's always a possibility that THE SECOND 100 YEARS will eventually end up there as well. Better still, wouldn't it be nice to have a newly restored set of Laurel & Hardy's silent shorts issued? (I'm starting to sound too greedy so I'm stopping now!)