Topic: What are the best Three Stooges films?

[Dolemite]

I'm putting together a few personal DVDs and it's been impossible to find which are truly the best.  My guess is that a DVD hasn't come out like this because with nearly 200 films, there's more of a market to put out compilations.

But let's face it, alot of their films were lame, and some were minor gems.

Any help, greatly appreciated.

[BeAStooge]

I'm putting together a few personal DVDs and it's been impossible to find which are truly the best. 

Videography...
The Three Stooges Collection Vols. 1 - 7

[curlysdame]

I'm putting together a few personal DVDs and it's been impossible to find which are truly the best.

But let's face it, alot of their films were lame, and some were minor gems.

If you feel that way, then you're probably not going to have much on that DVD you're trying to put together. 

[metaldams]

I'm putting together a few personal DVDs and it's been impossible to find which are truly the best.  My guess is that a DVD hasn't come out like this because with nearly 200 films, there's more of a market to put out compilations.

But let's face it, alot of their films were lame, and some were minor gems.

Any help, greatly appreciated.

Want a general consensus?  Go to imdb.com, search each individual short by name, and sort out by ratings and number of votes.  The regarded classics generally get the higher ratings.  What are they?  We're talking 190 shorts, really too many to say, but my personal favorite is A PLUMBING WE WILL GO.  Oh, and while you're here, this site has ratings to as voted by fans, though I don't think that section's as active as it used to be.

That said, my best of compilation or even the general consensus at imdb may not agree with your best of.  You know what they say about opinions - they're like.........well, they smell really bad, that's all.

[Benno1979]

I just figured it all depended on taste.  What one person thinks is classic another person might not be able to stand to watch.  My suggestion is to watch all 190 shorts and then make a call on what is the best of the best.

[3Stooges]

It's all just a matter of opinion, but my favorite is Dizzy Pilots. It's the first film I show anyone new to the Stooges.

[locoboymakesgood]

But let's face it, alot of their films were lame, and some were minor gems.

Why even bother at all?

[curlysdame]

Why even bother at all?

Lol, Locoboy.  I was gonna say something about that, too.  But I thought I'd keep my bitching to a minimum.   

[Dolemite]

You people are absolutely pathetic and completely childish.  If you look at any of the great screen comics (and the Stooges certainly don't fall into that category) you'll see that they all have great films, and misses.  Laurel & Hardy went straight downhill after they left Hal Roach, culminating in a terrible finale.  The Marx Bros. saw a decline after Thalberg died, finishing off with the unwatchable Love Happy.  W.C. Fields didn't always make something on the order of The Bank Dick.  There are 100 great lists of films, 100 great lists of comedies, and there are certainly Stooges shorts that are better than others.  If any of you had any intelligence, perhaps you would sight their "Del Lord" period as being a very productive one.  There is certainly a 10 best list of Stooges films.  Instead, you make infantile remarks.  The Stooges were very limited comedians of limited acting ability who benefited by having a strange, very different physical comic at one period:  Curly.  Larry couldn't act, Moe was not funny but just mean.  But if you're comparing them to a team as brilliant as the Marx Bros. were, then maybe you need an AA meeting.

But then, what did I expect of a board like this?  Who would be leaving posts on a board like this?  Assholes.

[metaldams]

You people are absolutely pathetic and completely childish.  If you look at any of the great screen comics (and the Stooges certainly don't fall into that category) you'll see that they all have great films, and misses.  Laurel & Hardy went straight downhill after they left Hal Roach, culminating in a terrible finale.  The Marx Bros. saw a decline after Thalberg died, finishing off with the unwatchable Love Happy.  W.C. Fields didn't always make something on the order of The Bank Dick.  There are 100 great lists of films, 100 great lists of comedies, and there are certainly Stooges shorts that are better than others.  If any of you had any intelligence, perhaps you would sight their "Del Lord" period as being a very productive one.  There is certainly a 10 best list of Stooges films.  Instead, you make infantile remarks.  The Stooges were very limited comedians of limited acting ability who benefited by having a strange, very different physical comic at one period:  Curly.  Larry couldn't act, Moe was not funny but just mean.  But if you're comparing them to a team as brilliant as the Marx Bros. were, then maybe you need an AA meeting.

But then, what did I expect of a board like this?  Who would be leaving posts on a board like this?  Assholes.

OK, you want an "intelligent" opinion.  I say the Stooges best era was between 1937 - 1943.  Basically when Jules White and Del Lord were trading off shorts and Curly was healthy and at his peak.  After that, Del Lord shorts started losing steam and Curly got sick.  My two cents.  Then again, your original question wasn't open to intelligent conversation.  You simply asked us to help you with a compilation DVD, and like I basically said, opinions are like assholes, my version of crap might be your gold and vice versa, so seek out the answer yourself and enjoy your own compilation.  I'm not saying that to be rude, just how I feel about the question.

....and as far as your opinion on the Stooges, y'know, I actually WELCOME it.  Look, there are plenty of classic comedy fans who view the Three Stooges, as low brow, lesser than the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy, not worthy to shine Chaplin's big floppy shoes, etc. etc.  I personally agree The Three Stooges, for the most part, are not as cerebral as other comedians of the day (though food for thought: imagine if the Stooges worked for Roach and Stan and Ollie for Jules White), but damn it, that's why I love 'em.  They're an updated version of Mack Sennett with better pacing and funnier comedians.

Your opinion is welcome, and I look forward to debates if you're up to it.  All I ask is you please refrain from calling other board members assholes.  I'll let that go this time, but when you enter a Three stooges board and make negative comments about their films, you've gotta expect a little backlash, and honestly, I don't think people insulted you that badly.

[locoboymakesgood]

and honestly, I don't think people insulted you that badly.

I think I'm the only one that did and it wasn't even much of one, haha.

[HELLOLARRY]

Well I don't want to go too much off the mark here as everyone has an opinion. Personally I think the Stooges had two peak periods.  The first being 1936-1942.  Quickly off topic, has anyone ever noticed how in films like say IDLE ROOMERS, Curly seems to be very pale?  Was it just a makeup thing, my own goofy obersvation, or were things starting to happen to him.  You can tell in late '42 into '43, his voice starts having the tired sound that I have when I stay out too late.

OK...back on topic.  The second peak period is when Shemp returned and that was 1947 through roughly 1950.  Those films are very strong with a few dead ones.

With the sheer volume of films the Stooges made, a great deal of them are just ok or a little below ok, including several duds.  However any true hardcore fan of any group, actor etc. can find good moments in just about anything that person does (except for maybe Jerry Lewis's Way..Way...Out but again, I'm off topic)

Now I agree that if you throw something negative out there like you did, it doesn't make sense that you would post it on a board where you will get some backlash unless you're just being a wiseguy.   That being said, I personally don't think that L&H went downhill after they left Roach. There are these things that were written ages ago that still stick out there as law. There are a few Fox films of their's that I would watch before some of the Roach product.  I introduced an ex-girlfriends son to Laurel and Hardy with the (notorious) film 'The Big Noise'.  He loved it!  Personally I think it's one of their more solid films from the 40s. 

So these things are all objective and this Stooge community is filled with wonderful people who really have a passion for these guys. I'm not sure what your purpose is.  Maybe you can give an example of what you consider a 'gem' and what you consider 'lame'.  Again, one mans junk is another mans treasure but I'm always interested in what people think of certain films.

Regarding the labelling of people here? Well, you posted on the board too.

[stooge1029]

Dolemite I dont think you have the right attitude about the stooges to begin with. Moe is not funny just mean? How could someone that says this even be interested in putting together a best of collection.

[JazzBill]

Why did you join the site if you don't like the Stooges ? I don't care all that much for the Marx Brothers but I don't go to their fan sites and insult people. Seems like you're the one that needs to grow up.

[Dunrobin]

Why did you join the site if you don't like the Stooges ? I don't care all that much for the Marx Brothers but I don't go to their fan sites and insult people. Seems like you're the one that needs to grow up.

Dolemite decided to delete his account yesterday after posting his little tantrum above.  After reading Doug's reply to him I decided to wait a day to see if he would change his mind, but apparently he didn't so I've approved his deletion.

To answer Dolemite's original question, I would have suggested using our Filmography page to help decide, based on the popularity of the shorts.  All you need to do is go to "The Columbia Years" on the Filmography menu and sort the page by Average Rating in descending order (the little down arrow to the right of the column name), so the most popular are on top.  You can also change the number of results returned on one page by using the pull down menu at the bottom of the list; if you change it to 100, you get the Top 100 fan favorites.  Almost all of them get 4 out of 4 pokes; only a few at the bottom of the list get 3.5 pokes.  I'd say that makes a fairly reliable list to choose from.   

By the way, in the updated version of the site I am changing the rating system to go up to 10 pokes, instead of the current 4.  Everyone's current ratings will get adjusted automatically once I'm done.

[Dunrobin]

Interesting footnote to my comment, above:  I just noticed that 7 out of the top 10 favorites on this site are Shemp shorts.   

[xraffle]

Dolemite,

If you're reading this, TV.com has a nice list of "Top Episodes" based on ratings people gave.

Here is what they currently list as the top 10:

1- A Plumbing We Will Go
2- Healthy, Wealthy, and Dumb
3- Three Little Sew and Sews
4- False Alarms
5- Cookoo Cavaliers
6- Hoi Polloi
7- Violent is the Word for Curly
8- How High is Up
9- No Census, No Feeling
10- Gents Without Cents

But since this website is where most of us stooge fans hang out, you'll probably get a better, more accurate result from Dunrobin's post.

[Dolemite]

Answered prayers, a list!  Moe Larry Cheese!

Sorry, but the Stooges were never as good for me after I had to stop smoking dubie. 

Perhaps it's time to revisit them.

What a curious list; for some reason, it seems to be in reverse order, couldn't figure out why the episode I remember most fondly, where they were plumbers, was at the bottom. with a rating of 9.9.  Maybe they consider that one of their best?

[xraffle]

Oopsie! Made a big boo boo on my post above. TV.com had their top episodes in reverse order, so my list was all wrong. I revised my post. Looks much better now, but I'm a bit shocked how "Gents Without Cents" made it to the Top 10. I thought that was one of the weaker shorts.

[metaldams]

Hey Dolemite, nobody said you had to be a fanboy.  If you don't like 'em as much as you did when you smoked, no problem.  There are days I'd rather watch Keaton or Fields myself, it all depends on my mood.

I already mentioned my favorite is A PLUMBING WE WILL GO, my other two faves being HOI POLLOI and AN ACHE IN EVERY STAKE.  The top 100, according to imdb.com (the best movie site on the web, bar none), is as follows.  Sorry, I copy and pasted this list and it may appear sloppy, but you get rank, title, rating, and number of votes.  Like I also mentioned in my first post, this very site you're on has all the shorts rated and reviewed as well.  Rob was a little more detailed in his post.

Rank  Title  Rating  Votes
1  No Census, No Feeling (1940)  8.4  150 
2  In the Sweet Pie and Pie (1941)  8.3  172 
 Who Done It? (1949)  8.3  130 
4  A Plumbing We Will Go (1940)  8.2  344 
 Micro-Phonies (1945)  8.2  234 
 I'll Never Heil Again (1941)  8.2  170 
7  You Nazty Spy! (1940)  8.1  259 
 An Ache in Every Stake (1941)  8.1  191 
9  We Want Our Mummy (1939)  8.0  147 
 Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise (1939)  8.0  136 
 Three Little Beers (1935)  8.0  230 
 Three Hams on Rye (1950)  8.0  59 
13  Idiots Deluxe (1945)  7.9  122 
 Violent Is the Word for Curly (1938)  7.9  246 
 How High Is Up? (1940)  7.9  140 
 Crash Goes the Hash (1944)  7.9  121 
 From Nurse to Worse (1940)  7.9  108 
 They Stooge to Conga (1943)  7.9  117 
 Pop Goes the Easel (1935)  7.9  211 
 Time Out for Rhythm (1941)  7.9  22 
 Punch Drunks (1934)  7.9  381 
22  The Captain Hates the Sea (1934)  7.8  306 
 Goof on the Roof (1953)  7.8  87 
 Ants in the Pantry (1936)  7.8  199 
 Fuelin' Around (1949)  7.8  67 
 Dizzy Detectives (1943)  7.8  149 
 Dopey Dicks (1950)  7.8  91 
 Hoi Polloi (1935)  7.8  260 
 Half-Wits Holiday (1947)  7.8  165 
 Pardon My Clutch (1948)  7.8  64 
 Hold That Lion! (1947)  7.8  130 
 Boobs in Arms (1940)  7.8  150 
 Yes, We Have No Bonanza (1939)  7.8  147 
 Tassels in the Air (1938)  7.8  145 
 Loose Loot (1953)  7.8  63 
 Grips, Grunts and Groans (1937)  7.8  196 
 Heavenly Daze (1948)  7.8  98 
 Three Sappy People (1939)  7.8  150 
39  Scrambled Brains (1951)  7.7  76 
 A Snitch in Time (1950)  7.7  79 
 Slaphappy Sleuths (1950)  7.7  62 
 All Gummed Up (1947)
...aka Sweet Vita-Mine (1947)  7.7  95 
 Slippery Silks (1936)  7.7  138 
 Disorder in the Court (1936)  7.7  720 
 If a Body Meets a Body (1945)  7.7  151 
 Crime on Their Hands (1948)  7.7  118 
 Three Arabian Nuts (1951)  7.7  92 
48  Studio Stoops (1950)  7.6  79 
 A Pain in the Pullman (1936)  7.6  152 
 A Ducking They Did Go (1939)  7.6  184 
 Loco Boy Makes Good (1942)  7.6  114 
 Dizzy Doctors (1937)  7.6  182 
 Squareheads of the Round Table (1948)  7.6  106 
 The Hot Scots (1948)  7.6  97 
 Healthy, Wealthy and Dumb (1938)  7.6  150 
 Uncivil Warriors (1935)  7.6  156 
 Movie Maniacs (1936)  7.6  158 
 Dutiful But Dumb (1941)  7.6  148 
 Playing the Ponies (1937)  7.6  121 
 Three Little Pirates (1946)  7.6  145 
61  Idle Roomers (1943)
...aka The Three Stooges Meet the Wolf Man (1943)  7.5  137 
 Three Smart Saps (1942)  7.5  121 
 Mummy's Dummies (1948)  7.5  88 
 Termites of 1938 (1938)  7.5  112 
 Spook Louder (1943)  7.5  152 
 Horses' Collars (1935)  7.5  172 
 Men in Black (1934)  7.5  427 
 The Sitter Downers (1937)  7.5  125 
 Cash and Carry (1937)  7.5  136 
 So Long Mr. Chumps (1941)  7.5  105 
 What's the Matador? (1942)  7.5  110 
 Vagabond Loafers (1949)  7.5  87 
73  Goofs and Saddles (1937)  7.4  131 
 No Dough Boys (1944)  7.4  121 
 Pardon My Backfire (1953)  7.4  60 
 Scotched in Scotland (1954)  7.4  69 
 G.I. Wanna Home (1946)  7.4  88 
 Matri-Phony (1942)  7.4  103 
 Blunder Boys (1955)  7.4  88 
 Three Little Pigskins (1934)  7.4  300 
 Pardon My Scotch (1935)  7.4  167 
 Cookoo Cavaliers (1940)  7.4  118 
 Punchy Cowpunchers (1950)  7.4  87 
 Phony Express (1943)  7.4  97 
 Gents in a Jam (1952)  7.4  95 
86  Cactus Makes Perfect (1942)  7.3  128 
 Dizzy Pilots (1943)  7.3  161 
 Three Little Twirps (1943)  7.3  73 
 Even as IOU (1942)  7.3  71 
 Wee Wee Monsieur (1938)  7.3  129 
 Calling All Curs (1939)  7.3  142 
 Hula-La-La (1951)  7.3  64 
 Higher Than a Kite (1943)  7.3  108 
 Back from the Front (1943)  7.3  114 
95  Fright Night (1947)  7.2  134 
 All the World's a Stooge (1941)  7.2  155 
 Three Little Sew and Sews (1939)
...aka Three Goofy Gobs (1939)  7.2  105 
 Corny Casanovas (1952)  7.2  74 
 Spooks! (1953)
...aka Tails of Horror (1953) (USA: 3-D video title)  7.2  107 
 I Can Hardly Wait (1943)  7.2  142 

[Dolemite]

I remember as a kid when Officer Joe Bolton (WPIX Ch. 11 in NY) got Moe to come on, he didn't look like a very happy guy, and there was something a bit odd about a man that age with that kind of haircut.

I also remember my brother and I going to the movies to see the Stooges for the first time on the big screen and being devastated that it wasn't Curly.

[Rich Finegan]

I'm a bit shocked how "Gents Without Cents" made it to the Top 10. I thought that was one of the weaker shorts.

I've always liked it more than some because of the music in it, but I think the reason it's a fan favorite and rated so high on that list is because it includes the Niagara Falls routine.

[stooge1029]

I posted a while back that I think we should start a topic where everyone just posts their top 10 stooge shorts and we can rank them based on which were included the most in peoples top 10. Its hard to determine the consensus for best stooge films using a 4 or even 10 star(poke) rating because so many episodes will be tied, just look at the lists posted above. It will take a lot of time and consideration but Im going to try to put together a top ten over the next couple days.

[Apple Skin on Inside]

Men in Black, Uncivil Warriors, , Hoi Polloi, Punch Drunks, False Alarms & Women Haters

[stooge1029]

Appleskin why are all your favs from the first three years of the stooges at columbia? They really came into their own around 38 ... doing a top ten is harder than I  thought especially since I discovered some great Shep shorts I kinda overlooked. When I was younger I was all about Curly. Top five Curlys are A Plumbing We Will Go, How High Is Up?, An Ache In Every Stake, Dizzy Pilots and Boobs in Arms.