Topic: Three Stooges Collection Poll

[xraffle]

I haven't bought any of the volumes yet, but my interest in the Besser era (even though Shemp is actually the favorite in my house) is such that I've considered buying only volume 8. If I knew that it included material edited out of the "shown on TV" versions I'd probably get it.

As far as I know, all the Besser shorts are unedited in Volume 8.

[Seamus]

I wonder who refuses to buy Volume 8, would have been nice if they came forward.

Sorry, that was me.  I think I'd mentioned in a couple other threads that I'd be passing on Volume 8 (see the "Rank the Sets" thread), so didn't bother rehashing my reasons here.  I'm also a little scatterbrained, so I probably got distracted by something shiny outside my window a couple seconds after submitting my vote and never followed up. 

My reasons for not picking it up shouldn't be too surprising, though.  The whole Stooge enterprise was starting into a serious tailspin by the end of Volume 7.  The endless remakes are mildly interesting, if only to see the five or so minutes of fresh footage, but mostly they just come across as desperate contract fulfillments, and leave me feeling slightly sorry for the boys.  I couldn't see myself paying for more of the same, and I couldn't imagine wanting to watch the Bessar shorts more than once (or even enjoying them much on the first viewing for that matter).  I feel like V1-V7 give me all the Stooges I need. 

Having said that, I agree with the folks who are pointing out that the low-points of the Curly era are at least as bad (and in some cases worse) than the Bessar shorts.  I mean, the first half of Volume 5 is pretty unpleasant viewing, and I think I'd watch just about any given Bessar short before I'd watch "3 Loan Wolves," Rhythm and Weep," or "Beer Barrel Polecats" again.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

As far as I know, all the Besser shorts are unedited in Volume 8.

I'm sure they are. My question is, was anything edited out of the versions commonly seen prior to the release of Volume 8? I haven't heard of anything like that thus far.

[shemps#1]

Cool, there you are. I can't say that I blame you, as far as the quality of shorts goes Volume 8 is no doubt the weakest of the Collection. If I weren't so anal retentive and it wouldn't have bugged me to not have all 190 shorts I would have considered skipping it (but as it turned out it was the first volume I picked up because I found it so cheap).

[Seamus]

Cool, there you are. I can't say that I blame you, as far as the quality of shorts goes Volume 8 is no doubt the weakest of the Collection. If I weren't so anal retentive and it wouldn't have bugged me to not have all 190 shorts I would have considered skipping it (but as it turned out it was the first volume I picked up because I found it so cheap).

Yeah, I know what you mean.  I'm usually a completist when it comes to DVDs, too, but don't feel like I'm missing much in this case.  I've considered buying V8 just to complete the set, but then I remind myself that it would probably just sit on the shelf and never get played, unlike the other sets.  So I threw my Volume 8 money at the Thin Man box set instead!

[metaldams]

I have been much better as of late not being a completist (I still have some work, though), but I knew no matter what, I could not resist any Columbia Stooge set, even volume 8.  I've been wanting those 190 on DVD for too long not to go all the way.

That being said, I have less of an urge to be a completist on say, the cartoons.

[pipboytaylor]

Man, do I ever have the "completist" problem. I have all 8 short volumes, all of the features except "Rocket" (..but do on VHS). GOld Raiders/Meet The Baron, two volumes of cartoons, Soup To Nuts, Mad World, Swing Parade, Dancing Lady and various ""collection" dvds. I've also regularly tempt myself for Mr Sister Eileen. The sad part is that I rarely watch any of them. It's a hard habit to break.

Being a Little Rascals fan, I've considered getting those as well but there seems to be issues with editing of some shorts in those dvd collections. That always seems to cure my craving. Incomplete stuff. It sure does cut into your budget.

[ThumpTheShoes]

The completist in me wants to get hold of all Stooge-related stuff. I did the Sony dvd's, got all 156 cartoons on dvd, the records.. now I'm working on the comics and also collecting 16mm pictures. Though, because of the sheer size and weight of the 16mm reels, I've found it quite easy to not be a completist in that arena. What I did was split the difference and collect all of the Stooge feature films (Columbia ones so far) and just a few favorite shorts and cartoons.

I seem to be trying to fill some empty space in my life, but I can't figure out what it is! 
 

[xraffle]

I'm a completist too. As crazy as this may sound, I would like to own all of the cartoons as well, but they are so damn hard to find.

[moglia]

Have all 8 but only got the last one for the fake Shemps - seriously, not a Besser fan even in the slightest.

[archiezappa]

"Flat Foot Stooges" doesn't work for me for many reasons.  First, it's a really horrible rehash of "False Alarms."  With "False Alarms," why in the world would they want to make something like "Flat Foot Stooges?"  Second, they keep flubbing their lines throughout.  Plus, the leading lady and her father were just not very likeable characters.  The scenes with the Stooges in the Turkish bath with the horses is horrendous, though, arguably the best part of the film, which isn't saying much.  The horsedrawn vs. gas motor powered fire engines is a moot point by this period of time.  Dick Curtis is not at his best.  I guess I expect better out of Curly.  This short only has one funny line in it and it's given by Moe ("Peppermint?  No.  Nothing but the best for him.  Spearmint.").  It doesn't make any sense after watching "False Alarms," which is one of my all-time favorites.

[metaldams]

Have all 8 but only got the last one for the fake Shemps - seriously, not a Besser fan even in the slightest.

So does that slightly make you a fan of the back of Joe Palma's head?   

[metaldams]

"Flat Foot Stooges" doesn't work for me for many reasons.  First, it's a really horrible rehash of "False Alarms."  With "False Alarms," why in the world would they want to make something like "Flat Foot Stooges?"  Second, they keep flubbing their lines throughout.  Plus, the leading lady and her father were just not very likeable characters.  The scenes with the Stooges in the Turkish bath with the horses is horrendous, though, arguably the best part of the film, which isn't saying much.  The horsedrawn vs. gas motor powered fire engines is a moot point by this period of time.  Dick Curtis is not at his best.  I guess I expect better out of Curly.  This short only has one funny line in it and it's given by Moe ("Peppermint?  No.  Nothing but the best for him.  Spearmint.").  It doesn't make any sense after watching "False Alarms," which is one of my all-time favorites.

I actually agree with just about everything you said, good post.  The first couple of Charley Chase directed shorts were excellent, but they went downhill fast and the others rank among the weakest of the healthy Curly shorts.  Part of me wants to say Chase's own alcohol problems may have had something to do with this, but then again, I hear a few of his later starring shorts are pretty good, so who knows?

I do know Chase supposedly rushed through his shorts, and yes, I've noticed the flubbed lines in FLAT FOOT STOOGES as well.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

Have all 8 but only got the last one for the fake Shemps - seriously, not a Besser fan even in the slightest.

I can't imagine why someone would have any interest in the fake Shemps other than out of morbid curiosity. (Actually, morbid curiosity is what made me want to check out the Besser shorts, only to find that some of them weren't bad!)

[xraffle]

I can't imagine why someone would have any interest in the fake Shemps other than out of morbid curiosity. (Actually, morbid curiosity is what made me want to check out the Besser shorts, only to find that some of them weren't bad!)

The morbid, the merrier.