Customer Reviews:
Ah, Raspberries.......2007-05-27
Those who have never seen the "Our Gang" series are better off buying the series.
I have read these two books about the series, so the film did not tell me anything I did not know.
"Darn Right, It's Butch: Memories of Our Gang the Little Rascals", by Tommy Bond.
"The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang", by Leonard Maltin.
If you have not read either of these books, and know nothing about the show's producer, and the actors in their later years, and are patient, this film will likely be of some interest to you. It is at a low price.
Fans are not buying this biography to see a lot of partial clips of the series, which we have already seen and already own, but expect something more. Unfortunately, clips of the series are most of the film. This biography would have been better with more biography instead of clips of the series.
This film does not show Spanky and Darla interviewed in their later years on the Mike Douglas Show. I would have liked greater depth about the actor's personal lives. The film leaves out biographies of some of the actors that I was interested in knowing about. The film does not have the behind the scenes stories I expected, because the film touches on everything briefly. This documentary has none of the charm, humor, and interest of the series, except by showing clips of the series.
This film lauds that it reveals Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney were not chosen for the Gang, because "they did not fit". I am a big fan of both actors. The film does not explain that they were both trained professionals, taught to sing and tap-dance, and had a professional style that did not fit with the real, untrained, kid-next-door, innocence of the kids of the Gang.
Jackie Cooper, one of the Gang, said that "Our Gang - Little Rascals" would never be successfully copied, because it was an era gone by. Television has taken away from children the innocence of the children of that era.
Buddy Ebsen had a dance scene with Shirley Temple in one of her films. He sent a message to her secretary to have Shirley come rehearse. Shirley showed up in a limo with staff, walked up to Buddy and asked, "are the dance steps set"? ("set" a professional term meaning all worked out, and ready to go) Buddy, replied, "Well, ah, no, not yet". Shirely responded, "call me when their set", and wheeled around with her staff, and drove off in the limo.
Alfalfa really was a hick from the hills, who occasionally sang off-key. Alfalfa and his brother really sang to audition for the producer in real life, as they later appeared in their first episodes, "Beginner's Luck" and "Lucky Corner". Yes, they did exaggerate Alfalfa's off-key singing later on, but it was born of reality.
The film does not say the Spanky got into Recreational Vehicle (RV) sales in his later years, and was very successful.
You are better off reading the biography books.
Requirement for Gang fans.......2004-03-09
This documentary on Our Gang is one of the best I've seen on the subject. Pretty complete in it's telling of little known info on the Gang and lots of rare footage to boot! There are scenes from the early silents that are seldom seen such as "The Champeen" (1923-forerunner to 1929's Boxing Gloves), "Monkey Business" (1925), Shivering Spooks (1926), Giants Vs. Yanks (1923), and so forth. Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison (RIP, 1912-1989), the original Gangster, is also given his just due here.
Along with obligatory footage of the Spanky and Alfalfa era, we also see a rare film of a 1937 reunion of the Gangsters from the silent and sound eras, including a fascinating scene with the adult Farina and the young Buckwheat introducing themselves.
The essence of the Our Gang Rascals is summed up when the narrator recalls that all adults recall something of the gang of friends they had as children, thus accounting for the enduring appeal of the Gang Rascals.
This is a good Goodtimes Video product, perhaps the best of their Gang compilations. However, there was an excellent Goodtimes Video called "Our Gang Comedy Festival 2" that featured some great scenes and some uncut silent episodes. Hopefully, this will be out on DVD soon. In the meantime, this DVD is a great companion piece to Leonard Maltin and Richard Bann's excellent book on this history of the Our Gang Rascals.
Fascinating.......2003-11-10
If you're a big fan of Our Gang/Little Rascals, you'll really enjoy this. It's basically a two hour documentary of sorts that covers the personal lives of most of the rascals, as well as the in's and out's of the series. I was surprised to learn what they did with their lives, what other projects they worked on, and also, sadly, how some of them passed away. For the price, it's a steal.
DVD:
- The Plays of William Shakespeare, Vol. 5 - The Merry Wives of Windsor
- The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
- The Secret (Original Edition)
- The Spirit of '76
- The Three Stooges - Funniest Moments II
- The Three Stooges - Goofs on the Loose / Stooged & Confoosed (Colorized / Black & White)
- The Ultimate Gift
- The Vice Academy Collection, Vol. 2
- Three Businessmen
- Travellers & Magicians
DVD
DVD
General
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang
Our Gang - Little Rascals Greatest Hits
Little Rascals, Vol. 1 & 2
Little Rascals Vols. 3-4
The Little Rascals Collector's Edition III
