This DVD contains;

Hats Off documentary

The Flying Deuces (suprisingly before the main presentation there is a trailer for Robert Youngson's Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's)

Utopia

If you're a casual fan who is intending to purchase this DVD purely for Flying Deuces and Utopia films alone, then please don't bother since the picture quality of both these films is absolutely dreadful (much better copy is available for viewing elsewhere).

However, if you're a Laurel and Hardy enthusiast, this DVD has a couple of redeeming features that does make it a wothwhile proposition...

First is the Hats Off documentary - this hour long presentation is a remarkably accurate biography about the life and times of Laurel & Hardy. The boys' early years are well documented here and there are some very nice images / photographs of young Stan and Ollie. Notably, however, there is a distinct lack of footage that ties in with the early film years and Hal Roach Studios period (presumably copyright / cost prevented the documentary producers from using such archived material) and so the viewer is instead treated to footage of early Chaplin (would have been nice to see some Stan Laurel solo material here), interspersed with scenes from the Flying Deuces and various Laurel and Hardy props. Things improve as the boys' latter years are covered; there's footage from the 1947 / 1952 U.K. tours, discussion about the This Is Your Life television programme, some really nice shots of the museums in Ulverston & Harlem as well as great views of Stan and Ollie's memorial plaques. The narration by Liam Dale is well done but the background music used throughout most of the documentary is can be annoying though.


It is also suprising to see the full trailer for Robert Youngson's Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's (good picture quality) before the Flying Dueces presentaion which is not available on Orbit Media's Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's DVD itself.

The DVD is worth puchasing for these two items alone.