Topic: Question about Vol. 3, artistically speaking.

[metaldams]

I'm assuming we're all watching the shorts in order, and COOKOO CAVALIERS is next for me, but watching vol. 3 so far, does anybody else feel the boys are really hitting their peak here?  It seems like every short in this volume so far is an absolute winner.  I've made it no secret over the years that A PLUMBING WE WILL GO is my favorite (and oh how glorious to see it restored), but HOW HIGH IS UP? contains my all time favorite scene with the sweater gag, and FROM NURSE TO WORSE is so insane it's refreshing.  Any more hosannahs for vol. 3 as a Stooge peak?

[FineBari3]

I'm assuming we're all watching the shorts in order, and COOKOO CAVALIERS is next for me, but watching vol. 3 so far, does anybody else feel the boys are really hitting their peak here?  It seems like every short in this volume so far is an absolute winner.  I've made it no secret over the years that A PLUMBING WE WILL GO is my favorite (and oh how glorious to see it restored), but HOW HIGH IS UP? contains my all time favorite scene with the sweater gag, and FROM NURSE TO WORSE is so insane it's refreshing.  Any more hosannahs for vol. 3 as a Stooge peak?

How many winners in a row would you say there are? (curious)

[falsealarms]

I go back and forth on this. My two favorite Curly periods are 1934-1936 and then 1938-1941. I'm not sure which one is better - flip flop a lot on that. Can't go wrong with either.

[metaldams]

How many winners in a row would you say there are? (curious)

Eh, tough to give an exact number, but late '39 - '43 has a very high 95% rate of classics, IMO.  THREE SAPPY PEOPLE - DIZZY PILOTS might be my classic Curly era, but there are of couse great shorts before and after.  All I know is watching these shorts in vol. 3 so far, I'm being bombarded by high quality.  Partially it's because the boys are at their energetic peak, and this is also the time Jules White and Del Lord got into their groove as directors.  I like Charley Chase as a comedian and director, but his Stooge output was inconsistent.  Once he passed on, we got pure Del and Jules.  Of course, a similar thing happened with Edward Bernds and Jules White in the Shemp era.

[archiezappa]

I've always felt that the Stooges best shorts, where they really hit their stride, is everything from "Cactus Makes Perfect" to "Micro-Phonies."  That's my favorite Curly era.

[falsealarms]

I've always felt that the Stooges best shorts, where they really hit their stride, is everything from "Cactus Makes Perfect" to "Micro-Phonies."  That's my favorite Curly era.

That's surprising. Most people associate those years, especially 43 on, as being the beginning of the end for Curly.

[archiezappa]

That's surprising. Most people associate those years, especially 43 on, as being the beginning of the end for Curly.

Yeah.  I know that I'm not in the majority on this, but all my favorite Curly episodes (except for a few) are during that era.  I always felt that Curly's major decline was after "Micro-Phonies."

[locoboymakesgood]

Curly's major decline was BEFORE Micro-Phonies.

Micro-Phonies is the ONLY sick-Curly era short (with the exception of the Three Toubledoers) that is decent - and it's usually ranked as one of his best. It's definitely an orange in a barrel of apples.

[busybuddy]

That's surprising. Most people associate those years, especially 43 on, as being the beginning of the end for Curly.

Some of my personal favorites are from 43-45, such as They Stooge To Conga, Busy Buddies, and Booby Dupes. But I would definately agree that Volume Three would be the Stooges' best work.