SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2 (1 Viewer)

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

I glad im not alone in agreeing on the women haters short.It really is out of place for a stooge short.If someone hasnt watched a stooge short in a long time, and when they buy the set , they decide to watch that first, theyll probably return the set, lol !

 

[Bob Furmanek]

The original 1953 35mm theatrical prints of SPOOKS were sepia-toned. This short was certainly composed for 1.85. I've seen it that way, and everything from the titles to the compositions is framed for the widescreen ratio.

You know, I never understood this debate about the merits of any Stooge short without Curly. I've always enjoyed Moe and Larry as much as the third member, and they didn't stop being funny in 1946.

I remember being at a midnight show revival of Stooge shorts back in the late 70's. A Shemp title came on and everybody started booing. However, after a few minutes they realized how funny it was and it went over better than some of the Curly shorts!

Let's give Moe and Larry some respect.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

It's also a recycled Abott & Costello gag from their film, "Here Come The Co-Ed's".

 

[Jack Theakston]

Well, it is what the director intended. Don't knock it until you've tried it, though-- the effect is actually rather pleasing.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Columbia also released their first 3-D feature (MAN IN THE DARK) in sepia-tone. It's a nice effect on the big screen, and lends itself quite well to the subject matter of SPOOKS.

That frame is a good example of the intended widescreen ratio. Is that taken from an original 1953 print, and can you post any other examples to show the composition?

 

[PaulP]

What about pre-1934 shorts? Are those available in restored form anywhere?

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Well said! For me, as long as we've got Moe and Larry, I'm a happy man. That's why I enjoy all the shorts, regardless of who's the third stooge.

 

[Scooter]

Little known fact about moi...when I was a kid I was an actor. Did a couple of films and one TV Special with some big names of the time:

Maureen O'Hara
Fred Clark
Frankie Avalon and Nancy Sinatra
Dick Shawn....

But..for a 10 year old, NOTHING beat being able to work with The 3 Stooges!!!

This was the version with Joe DiRita. WHAT A HOOT! I remember the first of the 3 I saw coming down the hallway, Larry.

Anyhow....I look forward to these discs.

 

[Matthew H]

I'll assume you're referring to their pre-1934 work in general, which was when they were with Ted Healy. There weren't any shorts produced then.. they had feature films (i.e. Nurtsery Rhymes, Soup to Nuts, etc.) and were featured in many movies of the era. Curly has appeared in a few shorts solo, Larry one, Shemp was a start after he left the troup when Curly replaced him, and Moe did early silent work which has been lost for eons. A lot of these are on some of the public domain discs floating around out there. Soup to Nuts was released not too long ago by Fox in a beautiul print, and most of their other stuff with Healy can be seen on TCM every so often..

As for Columbia, their stuff started in 1934 with Woman Haters. Columbia had a line of "musical novelties" in the mid-30s (you'll notice in the title card of Woman Haters it states that it's a "musical novelty"), and more or less was part of that.. Punch Drunks is of course where everything took off. The music heard in the title cards of Punch Drunks and Men In Black was recycled from other Columbia shorts of that era.. the Three Blind Mice theme wasn't first heard until 1938's "Flat-Foot Stooges".. Woman Haters always sticks out as an odd one, especially with the lovely Thelma Todd.. but Punch Drunks is so much better it makes up for it.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

Several of the Stooges' short films with Ted Healy have been released on (seemingly) countless public domain discs and VHS collections, as well as being bonus features on quality studio releases, like Warner's dvd of "Dancing Lady". Films like:

Plane Nuts
The Big Idea
Beer and Pretzels
Roast Beef and Movies (Two-strip Technicolor)
Nertsery Rhymes (can be found as faded Two-strip Technicolor and b&w)
Hollywood on Parade (Healy and the Boys are in this for just over 1 minute)

The few included on Warner discs are the best quality, while those bargain-basement titles may be edited, blurry, faded, or include a logo in the bottom right corner of the picture.

Check the extensive Videography section at Threestooges.net for titles and availability:
http://threestooges.net/videography.php

 

[Joe Lugoff]

To give credit to Moe and Larry ..... didn't they have the longest partnership in show biz history? And isn't it true there was never a bad moment between them?

I think even Larry recognized Curly's great contribution. I say that because something moved him to match Moe and Shemp's monetary contributions to their brother, after he had the stroke.

 

[Jack Theakston]

Come on, Bob, you know me better than that... would I present anything but?

But later... later...

 

[PaulP]

Thanks for that link, Robbie. I'll certainly be reading a lot today.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

For the record, the following 3 Stooge shorts had all newly filmed material which was photographed for widescreen 1.85 presentation:

SPOOKS (sepia-toned)
PARDON MY BACKIRE
GOOF ON THE ROOF
INCOME TAX SAPPY
SHOT IN THE FRONTIER
GYPPED IN THE PENTHOUSE
BLUNDER BOYS
HOOFS AND GOOFS
MUSCLE UP A LITTLE CLOSER
A MERRY MIX-UP
SPACE SHIP SAPPY
GUNS A-POPPIN' (brief 1.37 stock footage)
HORSING AROUND
OUTER SPACE JITTERS
QUIZ WHIZ
SWEET AND HOT
FLYING SAUCER DAFFY
OIL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL (brief 1.37 stock footage)

 

[jhro]

Scroll down for the back cover.

http://www.inthebalcony.com/

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Te backcover is actually better than the front cover, lol !

 

[David Deeb]

I can't wait for this set, but sadly, that picture doesn't appear to list any bonus features. :frowning:

 

[Joe Lugoff]

Come to think of it, you're right. And I thought there were going to be all of these superb bonuses.

As usual, I'm happy, but not entirely happy.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Just release each and every short through 1958, Sony, and I'll praise you.

 

[LaurenceGarvey]

"I'll assume you're referring to their pre-1934 work in general, which was when they were with Ted Healy. There weren't any shorts produced then."

Not true. They appeared in several shorts with Healy, and some of them are available on Warners DVDs.

"Shemp was a start after he left the troup when Curly replaced him"

Dunno what this means. I suspect you mean "Shemp was a star". He did star or co-star in several short subjects and a few Monogram pictures, but basically he was of course a valued supporting comic, and a very good one.

"Moe did early silent work which has been lost for eons."

I have seen at least one Moe short, "Give a Man a Job", a Depression-era peptalk musical that features Moe with one line!

Woman Haters always sticks out as an odd one, especially with the lovely Thelma Todd."

Thelma Todd is lovely, but is not in WOMAN HATERS. You're thinking of Walter Brennan, who played the conductor, no doubt.