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Lynch and Luis meet the Little Rascals

November 19th, 2008 at 02:25pm Will Pfeifer

Over at his excellent Some Came Running blog, writer Glenn Kenny discusses the brand new Our Gang boxed set and discovers that the classic comedy shorts — specifically the early ones and, even more specifically, the 1930 short “Pups is Pups” are more than just movies about little kids getting into mischief, they’re surrealist mini-masterpieces fit to sit on the shelf next to the works of David Lynch and Luis Bunuel.

That above shot from “Pups is Pups,” for instance, is the sort of thing Kenny says looks like a landscape from Lynch’s ERASERHEAD — and he’s right. The old Our Gang shorts are full of those sort of moments — plus, they’re darned funny to boot.

Man, I gotta get my hands on that DVD collection. I want my daughter to grow up watching the oddball antics of Depression-era scamps just like her old man did when he was a kid.

Bonus trivia question: Can anyone name the former Little Rascal who actually co-starred in a David Lynch movie?

Entry Filed under: Classic movies

6 Comments Add your own

1. Lurid Chief | November 19th, 2008 at 3:34 pm

I’ve watched part of the first disc with the earliest stuff from the collection (circa 1929) and those vintage shorts really are amazing. Quite a few were never in any of the syndication packages that I saw on TV when I was a squirt. “Lazy Days” is amazing, too–gotta love that Farina!

I’m not looking forward to the arrival of Alfalfa later in the set–I’m not as much of a fan of the later, slicker installments. And don’t even get me started on “Froggy” and the rest of the MGM gang . . . !
2. Will Pfeifer | November 19th, 2008 at 3:38 pm

I’m with you, Chief. Alfalfa’s never been one of my favorites. I like the early Spanky shorts, when he was Dickie’s younger brother, and I’ve always like the Jackie Cooper era, with Miss Crabtree, Chubby and Wheezer. I’d say my favorite actor was Stymie, who was always funny and knew how to deliver a line. (He shows up in episodes of SANFORD AND SON, believe it or not, usually billed by his real name, “Matthew Beard.”) As for Froggy, Mickey and Janet? Forget it! Those are terrible (and thankfully, not on this set).
3. Mack | November 19th, 2008 at 3:48 pm

That would be Robert Blake, Mr. Will.
4. Will Pfeifer | November 19th, 2008 at 4:30 pm

That’s right, Mack. One of the few adult actors to find success after life as a Rascal, but one of the worst child actors from the actual series. (Jackie Cooper also had a long, long post-Our Gang career.)
5. Mack | November 19th, 2008 at 11:21 pm

I remember seeing Jackie Cooper a ton on tv as I was growing up. Whenever I watch the first SUPERMAN movie, I get an extra nostalgic feeling (not in a creepy way, of course) with his appearance.
6. echo4charlie | November 20th, 2008 at 11:35 am

I’m with will. Stymie always made me laugh (as did Buckwheat). It seemed like the secondary characters always “upstaged” the primary ones.