Moronika
General Boards => Stooges DVD/VHS/Home Video => Topic started by: BeAStooge on September 22, 2014, 06:27:43 PM
-
"Classic Shorts From the Dream Factory Vol. 3 (http://shop.warnerarchive.com/product/classic+shorts+from+the+dream+factory-+volume+3+1000534935.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=fn)" available from The Warner Archive on Sept. 23. The MGM shorts of Ted Healy & His Stooges, including HELLO POP.
(https://threestooges.net/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hometheaterforum.com%2Fuploads%2Fpost-319748-0-14824000-1411424696.jpg&hash=77cff64fc77686a6d148380cebeadfc3fe50fa29)
-
It was bound to happen eventually. I have all these shorts except one (I'll give you one guess which it is), on some older DVD about 10 - 15 years ago that's LONG out of print, but I'll pick this up.
-
I'd expect the prints on the Warner Archive set will be a definite improvement over the mom-and-pop releases of many years ago.
I think this set is worth picking up just for HELLO POP! considering it was just a few years ago that ever seeing it looked bleak at best. I've yet to see HELLO POP! but at least I'll finally have it.
I've seen all the other shorts on there, and BEER AND PRETZELS is comfortably the best. It feels more like what the Stooges would go on to do at Columbia.
-
I'd expect the prints on the Warner Archive set will be a definite improvement over the mom-and-pop releases of many years ago.
I think this set is worth picking up just for HELLO POP! considering it was just a few years ago that ever seeing it looked bleak at best.
Of the other shorts on there, BEER AND PRETZELS is comfortably the best. It feels more like what the Stooges would go on to do at Columbia.
I'm sure they will be an improvement, but I'll say it this way. The MGM shorts have always felt like minor Stooges to me, and if HELLO POP was not found and they simply included restored versions of the other MGM's, I'd save my money and be happy with what I have. I'm even approaching HELLO POP with trepidation because I don't want to be over excited and then let down. I hope HELLO POP proves me wrong, but like I said before, I'm thinking it will be a curio for me.
-
I'm sure they will be an improvement, but I'll say it this way. The MGM shorts have always felt like minor Stooges to me, and if HELLO POP was not found and they simply included restored versions of the other MGM's, I'd save my money and be happy with what I have. I'm even approaching HELLO POP with trepidation because I don't want to be over excited and then let down. I hope HELLO POP proves me wrong, but like I said before, I'm thinking it will be a curio for me.
Calling the MGM shorts "minor Stooges" is largely an assessment I'd agree with. Each short I've seen has something worthwhile, but none rank as prime material.
I'm expecting HELLO POP! to be more of a curio than a masterpiece, but I'd be happy to be surprised. The most important thing is that it's available.
My cheapo DVD of the MGM shorts stopped working a couple years ago, so these are most welcomed.
-
Calling the MGM shorts "minor Stooges" is largely an assessment I'd agree with. Each short I've seen has something worthwhile, but none rank as prime material.
I'm expecting HELLO POP! to be more of a curio than a masterpiece, but I'd be happy to be surprised. The most important thing is that it's available.
My cheapo DVD of the MGM shorts stopped working a couple years ago, so these are most welcomed.
.
It's been years since I've put my MGM shorts in the DVD player, so I couldn't tell you if mine is working! :-[
We'll just have to wait and see about the quality, but you're right, the most important thing is that it's available for us to judge.
-
FINALLY!
YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! CAN NOT WAIT TO GET IT!
-
It's now available for order:
http://shop.warnerarchive.com/product/classic+shorts+from+the+dream+factory-+volume+3+1000534935.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=fn
-
So, I got Gilligan's Planet last week and, now, I should have a copy of Hello Pop by the end of this week!
I feel like, just for a little while, all is well.
-
So happy to hear this great news. Now we must wait for Myrt & Marge, Fugitive Lovers, and Start Cheering to be released by their respective studios.
-
It's now available for order:
http://shop.warnerarchive.com/product/classic+shorts+from+the+dream+factory-+volume+3+1000534935.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=fn
Thanks for the link False, I just finished ordering mine. I'm not really expecting anything better than Beer And Pretzels but how can a Stooge fan pass this up. At least it didn't come with the 4 public domain shorts like a lot of stuff does. ( It didn't, right ? )
-
So the description of the DVD is truncated on the Warner Archive website. Does anyone know what the "Collection of 34 Theatrical Shorts" are exactly?
-
You can get this for $15.39 on the TCM website utilizing coupon code SORRY30
http://shop.tcm.com/detail.php?p=703586&SESSID=3096a3b1a34aaa5be8bb835c38c9335c
-
I just ordered mine as well - can't wait to get it! Still too bad they couldn't find Jailbirds Of Paradise to make it complete, but I digress....
So happy to hear this great news. Now we must wait for Myrt & Marge, Fugitive Lovers, and Start Cheering to be released by their respective studios.
Sounds good to me. Is that really all that we're missing?
-
So the description of the DVD is truncated on the Warner Archive website. Does anyone know what the "Collection of 34 Theatrical Shorts" are exactly?
My best guess is that someone on the Warner website probably did a "copy and paste" of the information of a previous release in their archive collection series. I looked up the run times on IMDB for the 6 titles listed on the picture of the DVD box and it equals the running time of 112 minutes listed further down on that page.
-
You can get this for $15.39 on the TCM website utilizing coupon code SORRY30
http://shop.tcm.com/detail.php?p=703586&SESSID=3096a3b1a34aaa5be8bb835c38c9335c
Discovered your post too late. I already ordered this last night at WB's site. Came out to almost $30 with tax and shipping. :( I got so excited when I heard about it that I placed my order immediately.
-
I just ordered mine as well - can't wait to get it! Still too bad they couldn't find Jailbirds Of Paradise to make it complete, but I digress....
Sounds good to me. Is that really all that we're missing?
There's more than that. Some of the other notables.... a lot of Healy's MGM features, several Shemp solo features (Universal/Monogram/Columbia), Not Guilty Enough ('38 Columbia two-reeler with Andy Clyde and Shemp), Cuckooranchoo ('38 Columbia Besser short), etc.
-
My best guess is that someone on the Warner website probably did a "copy and paste" of the information of a previous release in their archive collection series. I looked up the run times on IMDB for the 6 titles listed on the picture of the DVD box and it equals the running time of 112 minutes listed further down on that page.
Well that's a disappointment. I was willing to shell out $30 because I thought I was getting 28 shorts in addition to the 6 listed on the cover page.
-
One disappointment with this set... I confirmed that it's a MOD, as expected. I was hoping it would have received an initial pressed run in anticipation of high consumer demand. It's a shame as the demand is clearly there... it's the third highest selling release on the Warner Archive site right now.
-
This set is discussed in this week's Warner Archive podcast:
http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warner-archive-collection-podcast/e/35489766?autoplay=true
They confirmed that ALL six shorts have been remastered.
-
So, here it is-- a big night for me. I have the dvd here and Hello Pop! is loaded and ready for an 8:00pm premiere!
I did have a preview of the other shorts on this single-layer dvdr and they are, indeed, new transfers with more detail and color (where applicable) than we've seen released thus far. The red and green of Nertsery Rhymes is gonna knock yer eye out! Nice to finally have a fairly definitive copy of The Big Idea, which means I can finally retire my old laserdisc rip.
Only seen one minor tweak so far and that is a smoothed out reel-change in the middle of Beer and Pretzels.
Other than that, there's still some scratches and some splices, all the ones we're used to. And, to me, they've never looked better!
Now all I want is some Stooges in high definition..
-
So, here it is-- a big night for me. I have the dvd here and Hello Pop! is loaded and ready for an 8:00pm premiere!
I did have a preview of the other shorts on this single-layer dvdr and they are, indeed, new transfers with more detail and color (where applicable) than we've seen released thus far. The red and green of Nertsery Rhymes is gonna knock yer eye out! Nice to finally have a fairly definitive copy of The Big Idea, which means I can finally retire my old laserdisc rip.
Only seen one minor tweak so far and that is a smoothed out reel-change in the middle of Beer and Pretzels.
Other than that, there's still some scratches and some splices, all the ones we're used to. And, to me, they've never looked better!
Now all I want is some Stooges in high definition..
Looking forward to your impressions.
-
I got mine today....I just finished watching Hello Pop. Move over Beer And Pretzels, I've got a new favorite MGM short!
Needless to say, it was a treat to finally see this lost gem. Of course, the Stooges were my main point of interest (and yes, they do have moments all to themselves where they really shine.) However, I really enjoyed the other aspects as well, especially Ted Healy dealing with everybody else backstage. Normally I'm not much of a fan when it comes to the musical numbers, but I actually enjoyed these as well, and found 'Sailing On A Sunbeam' surprisingly catchy.
Some of my favorite moments included a familiar joke we will see later at Columbia ('Don't hit him on the head - you know he's not normal') along with Larry's reply "I am!" and Moe kissing the singer backstage, which slightly reminded me of the kissing techniques scene from Movie Maniacs. It's definitely worth the wait!
I also noticed that this was quite a bit shorter than all the others for some reason. As far as the picture quality, Hello Pop still had quite a few scratches on it (understandably) but I agree that all the others looked fantastic. I'll be watching them this weekend!
Thump - You mentioned the reel change of Beer And Pretzels. On all the other copies I've seen, the audio is missing for a few seconds at the start of the second reel. Did you happen to notice if they fixed that?
-
Hello, SquirrelBait! Yeah, that blip of silence in Beer and Pretzels was smoothed over with a quick audio cross fade and a picture trim. Often with these old films, reel 2 would have a second or two of repetitive, silent footage to match up to the end of reel 1 that would, in the right operator's hands, make for a smooth transition. You can see this in The Big Idea when Jimmy Hollywood says, "Here they are!" (9:12 on the new dvd) That one second of footage of him retreating from the mic is not present in any copy I've had previously. Cool!
Hello Pop! What can I say?..
Ted Healy doing a song that doesn't quite work out.. It's comedy gold! Can't stop thinking Micro-Phonies there with the flute player going all sloppy. I really like the kissing bit where the repetition is part of the punch line "How long has this been going on?!"
Think of it: Miss Hayes + lengthy on screen kiss = healthy jab at Motion Picture Production Code.
We really don't get to see the Stooges very much in this, but I can imagine the reaction they would get from an enthusiastic audience in a packed theater-- particularly a modern audience that has anticipated "new" or found material such as this. Their lively presence is a welcome addition to the Technicolor chaos that fills the full 16 minute runtime.
That's not to say they're a set piece. The Stooges seem relegated to the background after making their entrance. We know they are present backstage or locked in a dressing room (classic example of comic tension. You don't know where or when they'll turn up next), they take part in some gags and get a moment or two to show off, and just as soon as they're on, they're off! But, that's the pacing. It's so fast that the whole 16 minutes takes on the feel of a trailer for a much longer film. And, I think it could have been expanded comfortably to at least 3 reels. Maybe there could have been more onstage antics with Healy and The Boys? A song together? But, yeah, send Bonny to the other theater!
The pacing of this short is much faster than the other offerings, even Plane Nuts, where the rapid-fire delivery of interruption gags is hindered only by the two very busy, yet, largely uninteresting (and a little clumsy in places, dare I say?) song and dance numbers. I mean, really! You kinda just know why these didn't make the final cut in the films that they were meant for. The two showcase bits in Hello Pop! seem truncated, but they don't come off as mere distractions.. "Sailing on a Sunbeam" will probably stay with you much longer than "Woman in the Shoe", as a comparative example.
Techni-color-ally, the colors of Hello Pop! seem muted compared to some of the film scans published last year. Much more subdued than the other two-strip Technicolor shorts presented on the disc. Take another look at the stairs shown in the "Woman in the Shoe" number in Nertsery Rhymes. They glow so much they look like a special effect taken from the movie Tron!
More on the technical side, Hello Pop! might be a tad over cropped on the dvd. I could stand to see a little vignetting if it means an overall larger viewable image. It looks like some light scratch repair was applied, not much and the audio around the splices is smoothed out so there are no loud pops. But the noise reduction..
Noise is neither created nor destroyed with modern software. It is one mild form of irritation traded for another. Personally, I find that a little hiss or static in a film soundtrack to be preferable to the muted, tinny, swirly-bubbly mess that software noise reduction produces. The soundtrack suffers from the digital "swishies". Very slight, but if you put on your head-phonies or turn up your sound system you'll get it. I guess while it is okay for this or that home video release, I'd hate to think that the sound of the original print would be degraded this way for the only release print (or safety neg?) retained for future reference.
And I think I might have expected this release to be dual-layer, to give these often neglected pictures more breathing room in their mpeg encoded-ness. They do, however, look just fine and I noticed lots of film grain, a much sharper image on the re-released shorts (especially Plane Nuts and Roast Beef and Movies) and no mpeg "mosquito" noise. They look pretty much as good as they can in standard definition.
Now how long before Hello Pop! starts to show up on those budget dvds that recycle all the public domain and MGM stuff?
-
Finally got to see Hello Pop! I liked it. It was better than I expected.
I do want to bring up one weird, unusual thing I noticed.... In the final dancing/musical bit, the dancing girls have their bellybuttons exposed. I know you guys may think I'm weird or freaky for bringing this up, but I never saw a classical film where a female's naval was uncovered. I always assumed it was because it was considered taboo at the time; like in "I Dream of Jeannie" where Barbara Eden was forbidden to expose her naval. I'm just surprised to see this in a 1933 film.
-
Finally got to see Hello Pop! I liked it. It was better than I expected.
I do want to bring up one weird, unusual thing I noticed.... In the final dancing/musical bit, the dancing girls have their bellybuttons exposed. I know you guys may think I'm weird or freaky for bringing this up, but I never saw a classical film where a female's naval was uncovered. I always assumed it was because it was considered taboo at the time; like in "I Dream of Jeannie" where Barbara Eden was forbidden to expose her naval. I'm just surprised to see this in a 1933 film.
The lead dancer's outfit was rather sheer, as well. That's pre-code Hollywood for ya'!
-
It's too bad that this had to be a DVD-R and not a pressed disc. What bothers me about using DVD-Rs is that they don't last very long. They tend to go bad after a few years while pressed discs can last a lifetime. Thankfully these aren't encrypted, so I was able to back up the disc on my computer. I have assured myself that HELLO POP will never get lost again!
-
I'm looking forward to getting this! [cool]
-
I think you’ll enjoy it. I know I did. In a way, it’s a shame that Ted Healy and the Stooges didn’t work out. I thought the stooges and Healy had excellent chemistry. I believe the stooges would have been better had they worked with Healy all those years rather than separating. I know many may disagree with me, but that’s just my feeling.
-
Question -
Is "Classic Musical Shorts from the Dream Factory" considered to be Volume One even though it's not printed on the front cover?
>> http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Musical-Shorts-Factory-4-Disc/dp/B003NZ0R3O/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1412405846&sr=1-3&keywords=Classic+Shorts+From+the+Dream+Factory
Thanks in advance for anyone who knows for sure!
-
I just got done watching all the shorts on the Classic Shorts From The Dream Factory: Volume 3. I must say it was great seeing these. I had never seen Hello Pop! and Beer and Pretzels. But I must say after watching these, to me Ted Healy comes off as a, (expletive deleted >:D) and kinda boring to watch. The stooges seem to hold everything together and bring a lot to the shorts. This could just be me. :P
-
. . . to me Ted Healy comes off as a, (expletive deleted >:D) and kinda boring to watch.
The Stooges seem to hold everything together and bring a lot to the shorts. This could just be me. :P
It's not just you, Myren. Ted Healy was about as funny as bone cancer. [pie]
-
Just to add my 2 cents to this discussion--having watched Soup to Nuts and most of the MGM stuff, I too find it hard to understand what was Ted Healy's appeal--but I have to respect the man for setting the foundation for the Stooges and guiding them into what they became: The Greatest Comedy team of All-Time. For that alone, I find it difficult to bash Healy, but as a comedian the man didn't do a whole lot for me...
:-\