Reviewed By Jason LockardWhen you say the name Hal Roach most people probably think The Little Rascals. But Hal Roach produced many great films beyond just that group of kids. One of his favorite things to do was "streamliners". These were features with shorter run times to accommodate movie houses, as well as cut production costs.
Classic Flix has been giving classic film fans some amazing releases in the last few years. Well, in the 1940s Hal Roach produced a series of army-inspired comedies. Now Classic Flix is dedicating the Streamliners Collection Volume 1 to these 40s series. Let's take a look at this collection.
****=Don’t Miss it!
***=Worth a look.
**=An Ok way to spend some time.
*=You haven’t missed anything.
Tanks a Million (1941) When Dorian “Dodo” Doubleday gets drafted into the Army, his photographic memory quickly gets him promoted to sergeant, much to the dismay of all those around him, especially Sergeant Ames. ***
Hay Foot (1942) The hilarity continues at Camp Carver as Colonel Barkley mistakes Dodo as an expert marksman, and plans to teach braggarts Ames and Cobb a lesson via his newfound “best shot in the Army”. ***
About Face (1942) Wanting to paint the town, a broke Sergeant Ames suddenly becomes Doubleday’s pal when he learns that Dodo has just won a wad of cash in a radio contest. ***
Fall In (1943) Dodo is up for a promotion and Ames is out to prove that he’s the better man, but they soon join forces as a spy ring is discovered right under their noses. ***
Yanks Ahoy (1943) Called to special duty overseas, Dodo and Ames board a naval vessel and soon learn of a saboteur’s plot to blow up the ship. ***
Here Comes Trouble (1948) Now civilians, police reporter Doubleday and police officer Ames set their sights on busting up an organized crime ring that’s terrorizing the city. **
These comedies are hilarious. They run between 44 and 59 minutes each. The stories are well written and masterfully shot. And they move along at such a great pace that before you know it they are over and your ready for another adventure.
Willam Tracy and Joe Sawyer lead an amazing cast in this film series that includes James Gleason, Margaret Dumont, Noah Beery, Jr., Douglas Fowley, Elyse Knox, Frank Faylen, Jean Porter, Marjorie Lord, Veda Ann Borg, Charles Lane, Betty Compson and Joan Woodbury.
As for the DVD transfers these films look and some absolutely stunning for films that are over 80 years old. They are presented in the original full-screen format. In aspect ratios 1.33:1 and 1.37:1. The audio is Dolby Digital 2.0. All films are in glorious black and white except for the final film which was produced in color. Now there are some slight specks of dirt in the prints, but I think they look remarkably beautiful.
Now as amazing as it is to have the all six films on DVD. There is a bonus teaser trailer for the complete Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly collection. Another amazing comedy set from Classic Flix and the Hal Roach studio system.
So if you love military comedies or just classic comedies as a whole. This collection is a must-own one. I can not recommend this one enough. You can get a copy at MVDshop.com or Amazon.com.
Offensive Material: Nothing
Audience: Families
Genre: Comedy
Length: Almost 5 Hours
DVD Value Rating: A
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