Topic: The Three Stooges Collection Vol. 4: 1943 - 1945 Press Release

[AmalgamatedMoron]

That purple is beautiful.  It's a bit strange though to be looking over two different volumes (3's green, and 4's purple) at the retailers sites, and neither one has been released yet!  Less than two months and they'll both be in our hands!  Yessss! 

[xraffle]

Less than two months and they'll both be in our hands!  Yessss!

You make that sound like such a short amount of time, yet it feels like I'm waiting forever.

[AmalgamatedMoron]

You make that sound like such a short amount of time, yet it feels like I'm waiting forever.

Yeah, I know it seems that way.  But just remember that we waited seven months between volumes 1 and 2.  Now we are getting a real treat in receiving 3 and 4 so quickly, and so close together.

[Dunrobin]

You make that sound like such a short amount of time, yet it feels like I'm waiting forever.

I must be getting old.  Two months will fly right by for me; I can't believe it's mid-August already!   

[archiezappa]

Two more volumes in just 10 weeks!  Wow!  It's awesome!  I like the cover art.  I'm already curious about Volume 5.  I wonder how they'll do the cover, since it will have Curly and Shemp.  The cover art does serve a purpose... something to drool over while awaiting its release.   

[Stooges#1]

Two more volumes in just 10 weeks!  Wow!  It's awesome!  I like the cover art.  I'm already curious about Volume 5.  I wonder how they'll do the cover, since it will have Curly and Shemp.  The cover art does serve a purpose... something to drool over while awaiting its release.   

I had a thought, maybe for volume 5 Sony can have a cover with Moe, Larry and Curly as the main three and Shemp in the foreground? Whichever route Sony takes it is sure to be a very exciting few months.

[shemps#1]

I would hope Shemp would be on the cover because he'll be on the majority of shorts. The best possible solution might be a shot from Hold That Lion.

[Dunrobin]

I would hope Shemp would be on the cover because he'll be on the majority of shorts. The best possible solution might be a shot from Hold That Lion.

That would be an excellent solution.  There is that publicity photo with Shemp, Larry and Moe standing behind the end of the coach seat, with Shemp (I think) lifting the hat from Curly's face.  Poifect!   

[Tardo317]

I would hope Shemp would be on the cover because he'll be on the majority of shorts. The best possible solution might be a shot from Hold That Lion.

I thought of that too but Curly is pretty much unrecognizable to the casual fan.  Only the true fans are going to realize the significance.  From a marketing standpoint, it wouldn't make sense.

[xraffle]

I thought of that too but Curly is pretty much unrecognizable to the casual fan.  Only the true fans are going to realize the significance.  From a marketing standpoint, it wouldn't make sense.

That's true. As much as we all like Shemp, I'm sure Sony would like to reach out to casual fans as well. So, they'll most likely use Curly for the cover art. However, there is a good chance that they may use a Shemp picture because they've done it a couple of times on their themed DVDs.

[AmalgamatedMoron]

I would hope Shemp would be on the cover because he'll be on the majority of shorts. The best possible solution might be a shot from Hold That Lion.

That would be a great solution for a lot of the fans, but as Tardo said, not the casual fan.  When I first showed Hold That Lion to my son and daughter (6 and 4), they didn't recognize Curly, whom they love dearly (I even paused the DVD and had them look closely at his face, no luck there either).  Granted they are very young, but this may be a problem for a lot of casual adult viewers as well.  There has to be a solution that will incorporate all 4 of them on volume 5's cover.  And this only has to be done once, unless they have to do again later on for the Shemp/Besser transition.

[stoogeophile]

That's true. As much as we all like Shemp, I'm sure Sony would like to reach out to casual fans as well. So, they'll most likely use Curly for the cover art. However, there is a good chance that they may use a Shemp picture because they've done it a couple of times on their themed DVDs.

A good example of this would be the cover art for the "Hapless Half-Wits" color + B&W DVD, that contained both Curly and Shemp's shorts. Perhaps something like this will appear as cover of Volume 5.

[shemps#1]

Casual fans are not going to pick up the set anyway unless they like Shemp or want all of the Curly shorts, and they definitely won't just pick it up by looking at the cover. This set is just like TV show season sets in that they won't appeal to many casual fans and therefore are more for the diehards.

Remember, casual fan just means they aren't as big of fans as we are, not that they are complete idiots.

[locoboymakesgood]

Exactly. They need to put cover art for that reflecting the main Stooge in the set.. I'm sure with the last Curly they'll have a Curly front then have Shemp scenes on the side there.. then on the back mention the transition.

[Justin T]

I have to agree with the consensus here, as much as I would prefer the cover art for Volume 5
be the scene from Hold That Lion! with Moe, Larry, Shemp and Curly the casual fans of the
Stooges love Curly alot more than Shemp so you have to use Curly for the cover of Vol 5
and then when its all Shemp in Vol 6 then its Moe, Larry and Shemp.

Dont know how their going to handle things when they transition from Shemp to Joe,
but we can worry about that later.

Anyway, love the cover art for Volume 4 with the Micro-Phonies photo and seeing
that made more more excited to see how well Sony restored Micro for the set, cause
as many people have mentioned in the past, previous prints of that short have been
in crappy condition.

[Sadistic Stooge]

I think Columbia has the die hard 3 stooges fans in mind . They will make more money off us b/c who else would buy the Besser shorts 

[shemps#1]

Again, I must reiterate, the "casual fan" is not who these sets are geared towards and they aren't buying these en masse. The hardcore fan: that where the money in these collections is. They tried to gear the Stooges towards the "casual fan" and failed miserably.

Hey I got an idea! Why don't they put Curly on the cover of every single volume, so the "casual fan" (who is apparently gullible and mildly retarded, according to some of you) will buy them? Why not take it a step further and superimpose Curly over Shemp and Joe in the rest of the shorts? After all, we must keep the "casual fan" in mind.

[xraffle]

They tried to gear the Stooges towards the "casual fan" and failed miserably.

I agree. The colorized DVDs were the ones that were geared towards the casual fans, but they were unsuccessful.

[Dunrobin]

Again, I must reiterate

Not in here ya don't!   

[xraffle]

Not in here ya don't!   

I was thinking of saying the same thing. As soon as I saw that word reiterate, I immediately thought of "Tricky Dicks."

"Nevertheless, I reiterate indubitably."

[Dunrobin]

From this point on we kind of hijacked this thread and went completely off topic.   I've split off the rest of this thread and moved it over to the General Discussion board so this discussion could get back on to topic.   

[Stooges#1]

I just placed my order for volume 4, which gives me shivers down my spine considering volume 3 is due in my city in the next few hours. 

[xraffle]

I just placed my order for volume 4, which gives me shivers down my spine considering volume 3 is due in my city in the next few hours. 

It's hard to believe that in a little over a month, Volume 4 will be out. I'm not even finished watching Volume 3 and I'm already looking forward to Volume 4. I really can't begin to say beautiful these shorts look on Volume 3. I hope Sony does just as good of a restoration on "Micro-Phonies." The way they're going, I trust they'll do a good job.

Sometimes I wonder how Sony is able to restore these shorts in a very fast, cost-efficient manner. Each volume contains 20+ shorts all beautifully restored for $20 or less. Restoration used to be a very timely and costly process. I guess with technology today, restoration isn't as difficult as it used to be.

[stooged and confused]

My guess, X, is that they've been remastering them for some time while they've been putting out the themed and colored discs to keep product in the marketplace.

[Lefty]

In the middle of next month I will order Volume 4, and to save on shipping I will also order Season 4 of McHale's Navy.  So when it's not bowling night or Flyers' night, I'll have plenty to watch -- maybe even an evening of the Stooges, McHale's Navy, and Hogan's Heroes.