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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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 !

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

Depends on the footage. For example, all of the retread footage from TRIPLE CROSSED (which is from HE COOKED HIS GOOSE) is only long shots, so nothing is compromised. But, for the short period where they were retreading Shemp material with the stand in, there are a lot of close-ups, which do hurt. I'm pretty sure they realized this and that's why they relied less on older material shortly after Shemp died.


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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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?

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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

But later... later...

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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)

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

Scroll down for the back cover.

http://www.inthebalcony.com/

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

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

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

"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.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

That's actually correct. As a youth, Moe appeared in a number of shorts for Vitagraph Studios, including one with baseball great Honus Wagner. Unless someone finds a copy in their attic, those movies are permanently gone, having been destroyed when the Vitagraph studio caught fire.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

Just a guess, but I'm betting any extras will be in the last one or two sets, when many buyers will have the urge to skip the Joe Besser shorts. Extras will sweeten the pot a little.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

I'm rarely impressed by DVD covers. All that matters to me is the spine - can I read what's inside the box when it's crammed on the shelf?

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

I think it's time to whip out my Three Stooges Scrapbook and brushen up a little bit.. and I did mean Shemp was a star. Which he was (you can see his Filmography at ThreeStooges.net). I think correcting someone as small as something like that is a bit unnecessary.. and your comment of me confusing Thelma Todd with Walter Brennan is just plain ignorant. I don't mind being corrected, but there's a fine line between correcting someone and trying to make them feel like a total idiot because they don't know as much about things as you, or they have a few facts incorrect. I got Marjorie White confused with Themla Todd, which of course you obviously knew given the fact you knew the conductor's name but instead wanted to be pompous about it. Totally not called for. I don't know what it is with most of you older film buffs, but if someone doesn't know half the things you do it's like they're maroons. Don't bother rebutting this, because whatever your reply will be will no doubt be uncalled for as well, so I won't be reading it.

On topic then, the extras intend to be included with later releases. As of now Sony has no set-in-stone plans about the releases, but apparently they feel if they release just the Curly's with no bonus features they'll still sell relatively well. Sad, but it's true.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

I'm really excited that Sony seems to finally be doing right by the stooges! I stopped buying regular DVDs over a year ago in favor of high definition but I'll definitely be making an exception in this case (and also the Looney Tunes sets). I truly hope that Sony'll stick with it and release the entire series on about ten (or so) sets. In an age when just about every mundane TV series ever made is being released in lavish box sets, you'd think there'd be enough interest in the stooges to warrant similar treatment. I hope and pray that the owners of the Our Gang sound shorts and Laurel & Hardy sound shorts will follow suit in the near future.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

Since there are so many Stooges experts around...I'll try one of these:

What was the name of the short (and time period) in which the boys start-up a dog-washing service?

I saw this on TV probably 25 or 30 years ago and have wanted to see it again ever since!

On topic: I think I'll be supporting this set. If for no other reason than I've got a 17-year old son who I don't believe has ever been exposed to the humor of The Three Stooges. How can I send him off to college like that?!

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

Mutts to You and it came out in 1938 so it will be in volume 2.

Here it is in two 9 minute parts on You Tube.

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRNDh...elated&search=

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtKfI0Cfq0g

Ignore the title that the person wrote down you can actually see that it is called Mutts To You in the opening credits.

Good luck to your son in college and i hope he enjoys the Stooges as much as we do.

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

James:

Thanks a lot! That is excellent!

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

I am hoping we some how get the release of "The Captain Hates the Sea" out of this............

Re: SPHE Press Release: The Three Stooges Collection, Volume One: Years 1-2

No problem, Mike.