The Lost Stooges

OldFred · **on:** February 27, 2009, 01:38:04 PM

Was able to get a copy of the 1990 VHS release 'The Lost Stooges'. Produced by Turner Home Entertainment and narrated by Leonard Maltin, it chronicles the Stooges pre-Columbia Pictures films with Ted Healy. It has clips from some of the features the Stooges & Healy appeared in, including 'Dancing Lady' and 'Meet The Baron'. The MGM shorts represented include 'Plane Nuts', 'Nertsery Rhymes' and 'Beer & Prezels'. It's a nice little collection that should be released on DVD.

Anyone else have this collection and what are your thoughts on it?

metaldams · **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2009, 03:01:12 PM

Saw this on TV years ago. I thought it was a great way for Stooge fans to watch the MGM footage without watching non-Stooge material they may or may not be interested in.

ThumpTheShoes · **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2009, 03:42:42 PM

I has the very best looking copy of Nertsery Rhymes I have ever seen. But it was missing the musical numbers, wasn't it?

Maltin's narration does intrude a time or two over some of the material but, on the whole, it's a very good documentary and collection of "rare" Stooge material.

If the shorts could be included in their entirety, I'd be all for a dvd release!

OldFred · **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2009, 07:11:08 PM

Quote from: ThumpTheShoes on February 27, 2009, 03:42:42 PM

I has the very best looking copy of Nertsery Rhymes I have ever seen. But it was missing the musical numbers, wasn't it?

Maltin's narration does intrude a time or two over some of the material but, on the whole, it's a very good documentary and collection of "rare" Stooge material.

If the shorts could be included in their entirety, I'd be all for a dvd release!

That's right, the musical numbers in 'Nertsery Rhymes' are missing. If these collection of shorts ever get released on DVD and they retain the Leonard Maltin narration, hopefully it'll be as a commentary track you can access through the DVD menu.

ArPharazon · **Reply #4 on:** February 28, 2009, 04:39:02 AM

I have the 3 Platinum Disc releases which have the surviving MGM shorts, as well as some of the animated stuff and a couple Shemp solo shorts. The quality is none too good.
Nertsery Rhymes has the musical numbers still in it and to me, they make no sense whatsoever. Completely disjointed with the rest of the short. I figure musical numbers were popular at that time, and they may have had to include something musical to get on film in the beginning, but these were (I believe) scenes from another MGM musical they just shoehorned into the short, unlike Women Haters where the musical aspects were a part of the story.
Beer & Pretzels and Plane Nuts were the best 2 of the 4 I have seen (The Big Idea being the 4th). Still interesting to see this early stuff.

OldFred · **Reply #5 on:** February 28, 2009, 06:10:48 AM

Quote from: ArPharazon on February 28, 2009, 04:39:02 AM

I have the 3 Platinum Disc releases which have the surviving MGM shorts, as well as some of the animated stuff and a couple Shemp solo shorts. The quality is none too good.
Nertsery Rhymes has the musical numbers still in it and to me, they make no sense whatsoever. Completely disjointed with the rest of the short. I figure musical numbers were popular at that time, and they may have had to include something musical to get on film in the beginning, but these were (I believe) scenes from another MGM musical they just shoehorned into the short, unlike Women Haters where the musical aspects were a part of the story.
Beer & Pretzels and Plane Nuts were the best 2 of the 4 I have seen (The Big Idea being the 4th). Still interesting to see this early stuff.

Leonard Maltin explains in the Lost Stooges that MGM would create a short in order to insert a musical number that was deleted from one of their musical features. The reason 'Nertsery Rhymes' was filmed in color was so it could match the footage from a discarded color MGM musical sequence.

[youtube=425,350]UhE5w2R0EfY[/youtube]

BeAStooge · **Reply #6 on:** February 28, 2009, 01:36:55 PM

Quote from: OldFred on February 28, 2009, 06:10:48 AM

Leonard Maltin explains in the Lost Stooges that MGM would create a short in order to insert a musical number that was deleted from one of their musical features. The reason 'Nertsery Rhymes' was filmed in color was so it could match the footage from a discarded color MGM musical sequence.

Reminder...

This site's Filmography contains entries for each Stooges film, including THE LOST STOOGES (1990). Each of the MGM films discussed in Maltin's documentary also has its own entry, with additional information on the musical sequences inserted into some of the productions, specifically, the feature films from which the scenes were edited. Links to indexes of past issues of The Three Stooges Journal featuring Rich Finegan's research on the history of those musical numbers are also provided.

locoboymakesgood · **Reply #7 on:** March 01, 2009, 04:59:42 AM

I'm curious as to how those early technicolor prints lasted as long as they did. I know nitrate disintegrated quickly as it was, but weren't films shot in color on nitrate even more prone to turn to dust?

The reason I ask is that about 10 years back, one of the annual Three Stooges Festivals a local theater that was from the early 20th century showed an actual print of Nertsery Rhymes, and was surprised.. of course I'm guessing it was transferred to another medium at that point, but still shocking that intact prints (complete at that) were still around to be "saved" in the 80s or whenever it was that it was discovered.

ArPharazon · **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2009, 10:14:44 PM

Wasn't Hello Pop lost due to it being done in the same technicolor style?

BeAStooge · **Reply #9 on:** March 02, 2009, 08:00:24 AM

Quote from: ArPharazon on March 01, 2009, 10:14:44 PM

Wasn't Hello Pop lost due to it being done in the same technicolor style?

2-strip Technicolor has nothing to do with it.

Film was on nitrate stock until the early '50s, whether B&W or color. It degrades with age and is highly flammable (nitrogylcerin). MGM experienced several storage fires in the 70s, including one at the Eastman House archive library. Some other [improper] storage units allowed the nitrate to decompose to paste and dust. Many of those losses were not labeled or cataloged.

The classic MGM collection was extensively re-cataloged after Turner Entertainment bought it in 1986, and has gone thru even more upgrading and cataloging since its 1996 acquisition by Warner Brothers.

HELLO POP never turned in any archival search, domestic and foreign. It is presumed to be among the unlabeled fire and decomposition losses.

curlysdame · **Reply #10 on:** March 02, 2009, 11:04:16 PM

Quote from: BeAStooge on March 02, 2009, 08:00:24 AM

2-strip Technicolor has nothing to do with it.

Film was on nitrate stock until the early '50s, whether B&W or color. It degrades with age and is highly flammable (nitrogylcerin). MGM experienced several storage fires in the 70s, including one at the Eastman House archive library. Some other [improper] storage units allowed the nitrate to decompose to paste and dust. Many of those losses were not labeled or cataloged.

HELLO POP never turned in any archival search, domestic and foreign. It is presumed to be among the unlabeled fire and decomposition losses.

God, what a shame that is! A fire is one thing, but to let x amount of films just waste away due to poor storage... what a crime. Brent, since you're the go-to-guy, I'm curious: is there any kind of list of the known films that were lost?

ArPharazon · **Reply #11 on:** March 03, 2009, 03:27:17 AM

As much of a crime as the BBC intentionally erasing tapes for various reasons?

BeAStooge · **Reply #12 on:** March 03, 2009, 09:26:17 AM

Quote from: curlysdame on March 02, 2009, 11:04:16 PM

is there any kind of list of the known films that were lost?

Tens of thousands are lost, among all the studios. Approx 75% of films pre-1950, with the majority from the silent era... estimated 50% of 1920s feature films, and more than 90% of all films 1890s - 1920s.

National Film Preservation Foundation

FineBari3 · **Reply #13 on:** March 03, 2009, 10:25:33 AM

Quote from: BeAStooge on March 03, 2009, 09:26:17 AM

Tens of thousands are lost, among all the studios. Approx 75% of films pre-1950, with the majority from the silent era... estimated 50% of 1920s feature films, and more than 90% of all films 1890s - 1920s.

National Film Preservation Foundation

Here is a nice list that was compiled of the top 50 lost films http://www.filmthreat.com/blog/?p=965

I am quite interested in film preservation, and that would be my dream job, if only I could find one!

curlysdame · **Reply #14 on:** March 04, 2009, 04:23:52 PM

Brent and Mar-Jean -

Thanks for all the info. I can't wait to look at it in more detail!

metaldams · **Reply #15 on:** March 04, 2009, 05:56:00 PM

As a fan of silent film, it's quite heartbreaking how much is no longer with us.

Anybody got a copy of LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT?

OldFred · **Reply #16 on:** March 04, 2009, 06:37:27 PM

Quote from: metaldams on March 04, 2009, 05:56:00 PM

As a fan of silent film, it's quite heartbreaking how much is no longer with us.

Anybody got a copy of LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT?

Turner Classic Movies a few years ago did a reconstruction of this lost film using surviving stills with story descriptions and dialog from the original script. It was as close to an imaging of the film we can get at this time unless there is an intact print of it in some vault somewhere. A sound version of the movie was remade by director Todd Browning years later titled 'Mark of the Vampire' starring Bela Lugosi.

metaldams · **Reply #17 on:** March 04, 2009, 07:06:42 PM

Quote from: OldFred on March 04, 2009, 06:37:27 PM

Turner Classic Movies a few years ago did a reconstruction of this lost film using surviving stills with story descriptions and dialog from the original script. It was as close to an imaging of the film we can get at this time unless there is an intact print of it in some vault somewhere. A sound version of the movie was remade by director Todd Browning years later titled 'Mark of the Vampire' starring Bela Lugosi.

I actually have the Lon Chaney set the stills restoration is on. Noble idea, but not worth watching an entire film of stills. I think the stills idea works a bit better in GREED because it's half stills and half actual footage. Still frustrating at times, but mainly because GREED is obviously such an amazing movie (that's begging for a DVD release).

As for MARK OF THE VAMPIRE, I'm probably one of the biggest Lugosi fans you'll ever meet. Lionel Barrymore owns that movie, though. He delivers his fans the tastiest slice of ham they will ever eat. Friggin' hysterical!

Bud_Jamison · **Reply #18 on:** May 07, 2010, 07:58:27 PM

In 1983 I saw a near perfect color print of Nertsery Rymes in a theatre in Evanston Illinois with "The Big Idea", & "Beer and Pretzels" Since then the other 3 prints I have seen on video or TBS have all been pink, faded copies.

archiezappa · **Reply #19 on:** May 14, 2010, 05:04:53 PM

Quote from: Bud_Jamison on May 07, 2010, 07:58:27 PM

In 1983 I saw a near perfect color print of Nertsery Rymes in a theatre in Evanston Illinois with "The Big Idea", & "Beer and Pretzels" Since then the other 3 prints I have seen on video or TBS have all been pink, faded copies.

I have a DVD collection of the Stooges from Goodtimes Home Video which shows a few clips of that near perfect color print of Nertsery Rhymes. I don't understand why I don't have my grubby fingers on a copy of that! Why can't they release it like that? I mean, it's one of the extremely few legitimate color films of Curly Howard. (and Ted Healy, for that matter)

godofthunder · **Reply #20 on:** May 25, 2010, 02:36:31 PM

HI,

I WOULD LIKE TO GET A SHORT STOOGES'S FILM NAMED: TIME OUT FOR RHYTHM.
CAN YOU HELP ME?

THANKS,

falsealarms · **Reply #21 on:** May 25, 2010, 02:53:06 PM

Quote from: godofthunder on May 25, 2010, 02:36:31 PM

HI,

I WOULD LIKE TO GET A SHORT STOOGES'S FILM NAMED: TIME OUT FOR RHYTHM.
CAN YOU HELP ME?

THANKS,

Not commercially available. Best bet is to tape it off TV if it airs or look for a bootleg on ebay, etc.

Check out our VIDEOGRAPHY

Stooge-Adam · **Reply #22 on:** June 05, 2010, 04:30:44 PM

I used to own this tape back when it came out. But sadly, as a child I didn't take the greatest care of my tapes and it no longer exists.

UncleBobOLink · **Reply #23 on:** June 08, 2010, 11:00:20 PM

Does anyone know where I can find Nertsery Rhymes... IN COLOR... on DVD...... I would love for them to release all the Feature Films in one set... or they could release Have Rocket Will Travel... with THAT, and now that ALL the shorts are on DVD, I could die happy