SilentComedyMafia.com

The long-lost, comprehensive 100 minute version of Laurel and Hardy's underrated last film, ATOLL K, will premiere on arte on January 1, 2012.

From arte's website:

"Die von ARTE gezeigte Version ist die bisher unveröffentlichte, restaurierte englische Originalfassung, die im Jahr 2010 in den USA entdeckt wurde. Die Ausstrahlung auf ARTE ist damit eine internationale TV-Premiere." ['The version shown on ARTE is the previously unpublished, restored original English version, which was discovered in 2010 in the United States. The broadcast on ARTE is thus an international television premiere.'] http://www.arte.tv/de/Programm/242,date=1/1/2012.html

On the occasion, let me plug my friend Norbert Aping's definite study on the making of the film, available for instance here: http://www.amazon.com/Final-Film-Laurel-Hardy-Marketing/dp/0786433027/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1324322855&sr=8-2

On December 28, 2011, this is preceded by a new German documentary on Laurel and Hardy, which promises to include the last home movie footage of Stan Laurel. A number of other L&H films, and a few selected Max Davidson comedies from Edition Filmmuseum's superb DVD release, will also screen in late December / early January.

Uli

Uli Ruedel wrote: A number of other L&H films, and a few selected Max Davidson comedies from Edition Filmmuseum's superb DVD release, will also screen in late December / early January.

Uli

A very BIG Thank You, Uli, for sharing your 35mm nitrate material on Max Davidson for that magnificent Filmmuseum release...a comprehensive collection of Max's existing Pathe and MGM shorts, fragments and all, was something unimaginable only a few years ago. Kudos to all the Mafiosi who contributed to the set...and to all those who bought it!

Norbert Aping's two books on Laurel & Hardy have an incredible amount of original research and are essential reading, I second Uli's recommendations...where else would one learn that Hitler enjoyed SWISS MISS (in 1938) so much that Goebbels obtained a print of WAY OUT WEST for him shortly afterwards?

Uli Ruedel wrote:The long-lost, comprehensive 100 minute version of Laurel and Hardy's underrated last film, ATOLL K, will premiere on arte on January 1, 2012.

Uli

So...has anyone been able to record this?

Richard Finegan wrote:

Uli Ruedel wrote:The long-lost, comprehensive 100 minute version of Laurel and Hardy's underrated last film, ATOLL K, will premiere on arte on January 1, 2012.

Uli

So...has anyone been able to record this?

We may NEVER know...

Ghost Dad

From what I can tell (I'll leave the final call to specialists such as Chris Segiun and Norbert Aping), this was NOT a long lost complete cut, but rather the known - if rare and not generally available - 98 minute, 16mm (or 16mm-looking...) version already described in detail by Norbert in his book. Apparently a DVD release is planned.

Uli

On January 30, 2013, BFI Southbank will screen the looong version (or, a long version? With this film, one never knows!) of Atoll K. Should be a fantastic opportunity to see the definitive version (favored by William K. Everson and exhaustively documented by Norbert Aping), in the English dub featuring the Boys' original voices, with proper Atoll main title, and in glorious, off-nitrate BW! Screened along with Grand Hotel, the 1932 L&H tour home movie, and introduced by Glenn Mitchell, and curators Vic Pratt and William Fowler.

Uli

AND... this just in, from my colleague Vic! Another rediscovery, another premiere for the January event at BFI:

News just in. We have an additional extra for the show in January: a recently recovered 3 minute film of The Boys, opening a Gymkhana in Eastwood Park, Scotland, 21st June 1947 (see photo of said event in AJ's British Tours book, page 126).
Amateur silent footage of them there and attending a dinner nearby. Not much clowning, alas, but Scottish hats and this'll be the first screening anywhere! Just come in, in an amateur collection…

Uli

The running time of the 35mm print has now been confirmed to be 98 minutes ... and yes, the vast majority of them quite delightful in my book!

By the way, NYU has William K. Everson's screening notes online here: http://www.nyu.edu/projects/wke/notes/titles/atollk.htm

Uli