The Final Film of Laurel and Hardy

A Study of the Chaotic Making and Marketing of Atoll K

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by Norbert Aping

Type

Studies

Subject

One Film > Utopia

Keywords

Laurel & Hardy, film making

Publishing date

2008

Publisher

McFarland & Co

Language

English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 280 pages
7 x 10 inches (18 x 25.5 cm)

ISBN

978-0-7864-3302-5

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Book Presentation:
The remarkable story behind the planning, development and marketing of Laurel and Hardy’s ill-received final film, Atoll K, has been little explored. Details on the script development, cast, crew, locations, and even basic information on running times and release dates have been sketchy at best since the film’s 1951 release.

This work reconstructs the circumstances surrounding this unusual international co-production (Atoll K was a French-Italian film with English-speaking stars). Through lost documents detailing the film’s production and funding, previously unreleased behind-the-scenes photos, and a rare interview with French movie star Suzy Delair, the author explores the continuous changes to the film’s script during its chaotic production and the final marketing of the film’s many different versions (Atoll K was also released as Robinson Crusoeland in the United Kingdom and as Utopia in the United States). Several appendices detail alternative sequences and cut scenes in various versions of the film and include French box-office reports from 1951 to 1952 as well as a complete filmography.

About the Author:
A retired district court judge and director from Buxtehude, Germany, Norbert Aping has published books on Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin and slapstick television.

Press Reviews:
"a wealth of photos and many interesting new facts…outstanding…very thorough…essential"—Rogue Cinema; "may be the best researched film history book I’ve ever read"—National Board of Review; "fascinating"—edgeboston.com.

See the publisher website: McFarland & Co

See Utopia (1951) on IMDB ...