Topic: 34-36 thoughts

[falsealarms]

My DVD came today (2 days earlier than Amazon said) and there's not much more to be said for the quality of the
shorts... they are noticably better than they were on prior DVD/VHS releases. However, one
point that seems reinforced by these shorts, was that this is Curly at his best. Some may
be partial to the 40-41 era shorts, but there's something about these earlier shorts that make
them superior. Taking into account the Stooges shorts career as a whole, this 34-36
period still may represent them at their peak... I'm also partial to the 50-52 era Shemp
shorts, but they weren't quite as good as these were.

People agree?

[xraffle]

My DVD came today (2 days earlier than Amazon said)

Lucky you. For me, it is now one day earlier than Amazon's Delivery estimate and no dice. This is rediculous!

My original plan was to give a full review of this set with screen shots comparing the new prints with the old ones, but I probably won't since everyone here pretty much received the set already. All I'll do is just give a brief opinion on it.

[locoboymakesgood]

My DVD came today (2 days earlier than Amazon said) and there's not much more to be said for the quality of the
shorts... they are noticably better than they were on prior DVD/VHS releases. However, one
point that seems reinforced by these shorts, was that this is Curly at his best. Some may
be partial to the 40-41 era shorts, but there's something about these earlier shorts that make
them superior. Taking into account the Stooges shorts career as a whole, this 34-36
period still may represent them at their peak... I'm also partial to the 50-52 era Shemp
shorts, but they weren't quite as good as these were.

People agree?

I agree in a sense. All of my favorite Curly's are from this era, but I don't necessarily think this is their peak. Maybe some of their more memorable work, sure, but they hit their stride in the early 40s. I have always been partial to Shemp, so needless to see most of this era lie among my favorites.. but I guess comparing Shemp shorts to Curly shorts is like apples to oranges.

And if Shemp and Curly are apples and oranges, then Joe Besser must be a watermelon. Haha, I kid. I love Joe too.

Curly didn't fully become "Curly" until the early 40, IMO. I still like some of his "sick" shorts, too. Micro-Phonies is nearly 10 times as funny as some of the stuff he put out a few years prior; and Half-Wits Holiday stands to be one of the best remakes of a short.

Everybody's opinion is goint to differ on this one, but having been able to revisit some of the prime-Curly years.. I can say that it's no wonder the Boys captivated audiences for over 30 years.

[Wilson7777]

Hiya.

I haven't bought this yet, but I'm sure I will.  I wanted to make sure it wasn't some kind of cheap trick from Sony.  ie.  not remastering, bringing them out in colour, or some other garbage. =)

Did anyone watch Three Little Beers yet on the new release?  Did anyone notice if the one scene was cut up, like it is on the old release??

Thanks!

[xraffle]

Hiya.

I haven't bought this yet, but I'm sure I will.  I wanted to make sure it wasn't some kind of cheap trick from Sony.  ie.  not remastering, bringing them out in colour, or some other garbage. =)

Did anyone watch Three Little Beers yet on the new release?  Did anyone notice if the one scene was cut up, like it is on the old release??

Thanks!

The people here who have the set already said that everything is restored and unedited. All flaws seen on past prints have been fixed.

[ThumpTheShoes]

I've noticed, recently, while watching these early pictures that Moe tends to act quite alot like Ted Healy. Well, maybe not "noticed" but more specifically I have decided that it sure seems like that in my own opinion. There's alot of Healy's "Huh, huh huhh!" laugh, the "Whew!" and, at times, it's like Moe is even trying to sound like Healy. Hell, there's times when he even adopts the Healy "squint" (for lack of a better term) when reacting to someone else's nonsense. Not quite the tight-lipped Moe scowl, yet... not always, anyway!

And I'd swear that the hiccups girl in Men in Black is a direct lampoon of Bonny from the Healy/Stooge pictures. She had an unpleasant voice, did a goofy song, set up a corny joke that came outta left field and caused the Stooges to faint in frustration (as no doubt some people wanted to do when Bonny strolled onscreen). The only thing she didn't do was to dance badly. Now there's a good thing!

Also, I just noticed for the very first time, ever, that Curly is singing "You'll never know..." in Movie Maniacs, during his big scene as the lead female role in the Stooges-directed picture. Put that in your Stooge Routines page and smoke it!

-Th

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Kadora

[Justin T]

I've noticed, recently, while watching these early pictures that Moe tends to act quite alot like Ted Healy. Well, maybe not "noticed" but more specifically I have decided that it sure seems like that in my own opinion. There's alot of Healy's "Huh, huh huhh!" laugh, the "Whew!" and, at times, it's like Moe is even trying to sound like Healy. Hell, there's times when he even adopts the Healy "squint" (for lack of a better term) when reacting to someone else's nonsense. Not quite the tight-lipped Moe scowl, yet... not always, anyway!

And I'd swear that the hiccups girl in Men in Black is a direct lampoon of Bonny from the Healy/Stooge pictures. She had an unpleasant voice, did a goofy song, set up a corny joke that came outta left field and caused the Stooges to faint in frustration (as no doubt some people wanted to do when Bonny strolled onscreen). The only thing she didn't do was to dance badly. Now there's a good thing!

Also, I just noticed for the very first time, ever, that Curly is singing "You'll never know..." in Movie Maniacs, during his big scene as the lead female role in the Stooges-directed picture. Put that in your Stooge Routines page and smoke it!

-Th

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   In
Kadora

I agree with you Thump, Moe was def using alot of Ted's bossiness in the early shorts. Later on he developed his own take on being "the boss".

Curly was humming that? I'll pay more attention when I re-watch the short on the new DVD.

[Curley91]

My only current thought for the '34-'36 set:

IT HAD BETTER COME SOON!!!!!!!!!!  I'M GETTING REALLY IMPATIENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

However, I will definetly be adding more posts in this thread once I can view all the shorts in pristine quality. 

[Jimmie Adams]

Well, today Hitler and Stalin must have enjoyed a glass of ice water beacause after  eight years of the DVD era, Sony/Columbia have finally released the Stooges' shorts to DVD in the proper fashion.

Good Bad news for me, I went to three Wal-marts today and they had all sold out since the 30th.  Circuit City and Borders were out, but I finally picked up a copy at a place I loathe, FYE.  I have only watched a couple so far but they all look great.

I am content.

[xraffle]

My only current thought for the '34-'36 set:

IT HAD BETTER COME SOON!!!!!!!!!!  I'M GETTING REALLY IMPATIENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

However, I will definetly be adding more posts in this thread once I can view all the shorts in pristine quality. 

Oh, so I'm not the only one who is waiting and waiting for their set to arrive. Rediculous ain't it? I find it so rediculous that I'm about to jump off a window right now.

[JH24]

I just finished watching the last of the 19 shorts and i have got to say the quality is fantastic.

Hopefully Sony doesnt take too long to release volume 2.

[Moe Hailstone]

After watching the first six, I can say that any Stooge fan will love this set.  Even though I've seen these shorts plenty of times, a few of them had new footage to me since the ones that I saw on TV were cut for commercial space.  Also, since the image is so clear it's fun to look around the set to see things that you might not have seen before.

[JazzBill]

I wasn't going to post on this topic because it's pretty much been "beaten like a dead horse". But after viewing the new Dvd's, I have to say that I'm very pleased at the job Sony did. It's hard to believe these shorts are over 70 years old.

[Hammond Eggar]

I wasn't going to post on this topic because it's pretty much been "beaten like a dead horse". But after viewing the new Dvd's, I have to say that I'm very pleased at the job Sony did. It's hard to believe these shorts are over 70 years old.

Amen to that, JazzBill.  I watched a few minutes of Uncivil Warriors on my parents' HD TV, and was greatly amazed at the picture clarity of a film 72-years old.  This set is simply incredibile.  I'm still gradually making my way through the entire set, but have watched most of disc one.  If this set is as successful as it appears to be, then there's no doubt that we'll get future volumes.  There's also little doubt that Sony would wait a great deal of time in between each release.

[locoboymakesgood]

I watched All the World's a Stooge from one of the older compilation discs today, and wow, what a horrible transfer. It was shaky almost the whole time.. I think it ranks pretty close to the old Pain In the Pullman releases, I mean it's just awful. That's one of my favorite shorts, and it was damn near impossible to even watch today.

I hope the same restoration is used on the later sets, because ATWAS needs it bad.

[skeit]

Truly enjoyed the new releases...after watching old tapes of the TBS marathons and various early 80's retail versions, this new issue is fantastic.  Hopefully, they continue on releasing the rest of the shorts. 

[JH24]

Funny how volume 1 just came out a few days ago and i am already dying for volume 2. Perhaps i watched volume 1 too quickly?

There was word of a set every two months but that is too fast and volume 2 would be out in January, i am thinking more along the lines of every 3 months (in a month and a half they can announce volume 2)...