Hog Wild

This is one of many Laurel & Hardy short features that show how much mileage the great comedy duo were able to get out of a single situation. After a somewhat slow opening sequence, Stan and Ollie have to install a radio antenna on Ollie's roof, and things quickly get "Hog Wild", as everything that can happen does happen. You can see a lot of the gags coming in this one, but they are still very funny, done cleverly and with expert timing. It gets even better as it goes along. This one is worth making a point to see if you are a fan of Laurel and Hardy.

After a painfully dull opening joke about a misplaced hat, HOG WILD turns out to be one of the best Laurel and Hardy shorts, in a brief amount of time able to spotlight all of the silly ingredients that made them so popular in the '30s.

Stan comes upon Oliver climbing a ladder to install a radio aerial at the request of his wife who wants to hear Japan.

Stan asks if he can help and from then on the film is one slapstick situation after another, with Oliver getting the worst of the deal and giving the camera his special glance of despair.

The rooftop happenings are funny enough but the finale with Oliver inadvertently being carried away by Stan's car while he's atop a ladder gives the ending a funny twist and some unexpected situations.

Summing up: Easily qualifies as one of their best shorts.

A lot of people consider "Way Out West" or "Sons of the Desert" or even "Flying Deuces" to be Laurel and Hardy's funniest film, but I consider this short to be the most amusing thing they ever did. From the simplest plot--Ollie and Stan try to hang a radio antenna--comes some of the funniest situations imaginable. Everything that could go wrong does, usually with Ollie blaming Stan, Stan getting emotional, and havoc ensuing. L&H had to turn out several shorts every year, so some are funny and others are indifferent at best. This time, all the elements came together wonderfully. Hopefully "Hog Wild" will wind up on DVD before they disappear. Someway, somehow, find this and watch it.

"Hog Wild" is not only one of Laurel & Hardy's best films, it's simply one of the greatest shorts ever made. Give the boys a simple situation, let 'em milk twenty minutes worth of inspired gags out of it and you have a damn near perfect comedy.

In this 1930s short, Laurel & Hardy are planning to put up an aerial, ("Mrs Hardy wants to get Japan!"). That is all there is to say about the story; what we get is Laurel & Hardy playing with tools, Ollie being pestered by his wife and a hilarious slapstick finale which manages to remain completely in character. With about 18 minutes of pantomime and 2 minutes of dialogue, "Hog Wild" represents Laurel & Hardy at their absolute best. And we know how good that is!

Oliver is having memory problems and is losing stuff which causes a fight with his wife. In a strop she demands he put up the aerial so her radio can pick up stations from Japan. Stan comes round and is enticed by the chance to hear Japan that he offers to help put the aerial up on the roof. However with two men on the job the chances of accidents doubles!

After a seemingly pointless and confusing start this short settles down to be a very enjoyable film that has good routines that sound basic but are very well executed and are, more importantly, very funny. The opening title card talks about Hardy losing his memory and Laurel never having had one to lose. There is then a short scene where hardy can't find his hat and then the whole amnesia thing is forgotten as the film moves to the aerial plot. It gets much better at this point and is very funny.

Although really it is simply a list of ways for one of the characters to fall down - it is done well and some of the bits are clever. The final sequence of the film is the best and must have been the most difficult to film. As always it is the delivery of the lead duo who make the material work (and last over decades). They do sterling work here – as always my favourite is Hardy. In this short more than others you can see him when he jumps up in frustration and points his fingers into the air – it reminds me so much of modern characters (such as George from Seinfeld) and it shows what an influence they have had.

Although on paper this doesn't sound that inspired I assure you that, if you enjoy the comedy of Laurel and Hardy, that you'll find much to enjoy here. But even if you are yet to discover them this is a fine example of their talents before they progressed from shorts into features.