http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/113http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041412/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0jje7GB7cyMWatch THE GHOST TALKS in the link above
My work schedule is strange and always flucuates. I've had Thursday's off the majority of the summer, and since I have either friends or family plans this weekend, I'm getting this week's review in early. THE GHOST TALKS is to this point the lowest rated Shemp short on threestooges.net and continues to be for a while. Look, I'm a hopeless fan boy, so I enjoy the majority of these things to some extent, THE GHOST TALKS being no exception. It's also not one of the better Shemp shorts, but it once again falls into the comfort food category for me. Three characters I know and love and a haunted house setting in black and white that satisfies the old horror fan in me.
Speaking of the horror setting, I love the mise en scene of this thing (I just used a fancy French term correctly in a Three Stooges review. I hope you guys are at least half as impressed with me as I am of myself). The castle looks great, and the lighting of this short is excellent. Love the way the castle windows reflect on the walls whenever there's a lightning strike. Yeah, it's cliched like most of this short, but it's a cliche I like, gosh darn it, so that's what I mean by comfort food.
Comically, my favorite part by far is Shemp's "Desmond of the Outer Sanctorum" (howdy to said poster if he's reading this), speech. A fun slice of ham from Shemp, and the topper is when he looks in the mirror and is scared of his own reflection. I also enjoy Larry speaking to the spirit in French and Irish and his little scare reaction. Another comfort food gag - whenever there's a three piece table that closes, and the middle piece is missing, closure is not satisfied until someone's head gets caught in the middle space and subsequently crushed. Thank you Moe for doing us the honors.
Yes, the rest of the short is cliche. Frogs getting in hats making them jump. The ever trusty bird in the skull gag. Tons of scare reactions. Hey, whatever, works on a rainy and cloudy day off from work such as today. There's a reason why I'd rather watch THE GHOST TALKS today than GONE WITH THE WIND. Oh, and then there's Lady Godiva herself. She of young beauty, long legs, and great enthusiasm (well, OK, batting .667 is still better than Ty Cobb can claim). Yes, the boys act like cartoonish lugs at the sight of a beautiful woman, make of that what you will.
It's a muggy and lazy day, THE GHOST TALKS does the job just fine. Admittedly not one of the better Stooge shorts, but I love Stooge shorts in general, so still enjoyable for a guy who can review 113 of these things weekly and plans to soldier on. 1949 is upon us, my friends.
8/10