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Rating:  -
I so looked forward to receiving this 2-disc set. The exterior packaging seemed complementary to the sets of 3 Stooges DVDs being released chronologically by another company. BUT - and I rarely bother to write reviews here - I was greatly disappointed with the over-all quality of the films on this disc. Granted, the first two selections on disc 1 are rare, Radio Pictures shorts, and they're choppy and not restored. That I could forgive due the rarity of their availability, but the rest of the material was given no attention at all to clarity of picture- it was as bad in quality as they come. Since most of it is available elsewhere in better condition, I expected that Passport would have restored and refined the prints. Alas, not to be. So disappointing... buyer beware!
Rating:  -
A shame on you. Another company out to make a quick buck on the popularity of THE THREE STOOGES. The quality of this set is awful. AFRICA SCREAMS, an Abbott and Costello comedy has been released over and over again since it is public domain as are the three STOOGES comedies that are part of this set. They have been released and much better quality. To add insult to injury this company thought it would be cute to add a horrible brownish tint to give the shows an ancient look. All it does it make it even harder to watch. Come on....colorized movies are bad or good depending on the individual. But no need to give it a phony brownish look to make it look like an old tin type photo. Other episodes are soft focus, poor sound and just an insult to a great comic who has so often been considered the "forgotten Stooge". It ain't worth the money fans.
Rating:  -
These Shemp shorts are great fun although not restored. Curly or Shemp is the usual debate. I love them both. Each brings a different spin to the Three Stooges but Shemp works, in his way, just as well. Both Curly and Shemp evoke laughs. Even Joe Besser had the chemistry, but came along too late. By his time, the series was a shadow of what it once was, so he was never shown to good advantage. Joe DeRita, in my opinion, just didn't have it in any way.
Rating: -
I think I am getting very spoiled by the high quality DVD sets that have been coming out of late. Cartoons, old movies, The Stooges Collection Volume 1...I mean, most of the stuff coming out today has been restored and cleaned up and just looks and sounds amazing. Popping this DVD in over the weekend, I realized just how spoiled I have become. The quality of most of the video and sound transfers on this DVD look like they came off some bad reception UHF station from the 1980's via a rabbit ear antenna. Yes, I love Shemp. Yes, I love the Stooges. Is it great to have some of these movies and clips that I have never seen before? Absolutely. But, the 1980's style of poor video transfers made this kind of tough to watch. 5 stars if you are a completest and must have some of this rare hard to find Shemp material. But dont buy this DVD If you are not prepared to watch clips and shorts that look like they come off of an old VHS tape from the 1980's. I'll give it 4 stars just because I love Shemp so much.
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Rating: -
Shemp Howard (Samuel Horowitz) was an original member of the comedic vaudeville troupe known as (among other names) "Ted Healy & his Southern Gentlemen," along with his brother Moe (Moses) and later Larry Fine (Louis Fienberg). In this early incarnation, Healy was the leader who slapped the others around. Eventually the trio split with Healy, Shemp went to Hollywood and his brother Curly (Jerome) joined with Moe and Larry to continue touring vaudeville as a trio.
Throughout the 1930s, Shemp had a considerable solo film career at Warner's, RKO, MGM, and Monogram. During this time he co-starred as Knobby Walsh in the Joe Palooka series. Later, at Universal, Shemp appeared in the comedy classics "Buck Privates" (Abbott & Costello) and "The Bank Dick" (WC Fields).
SHEMP COCKTAIL is comprised of features ("Africa Screams" and "Private Buckaroo") and Three Stooges shorts that are all widely circulated public domain material. "Henry the Ache," "Knife of the Party" and the excerpts of "Convention Girl" are much rarer and thus of especial interest to collectors.
This twin-DVD set's manufacturer, PASSPORT VIDEO, has in the past superimposed a faint watermark on-screen at all times. Also, they've heavily filtered audio, much to the detriment of clarity. Whether these failings have been positively addressed in their new product remains to be seen.
Slapstick fans are sure to love THE THREE STOOGES COLLECTION, Volume One. This outstanding quality package presents the boys' first 19 COLUMBIA shorts in chronological order.
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Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website
DISC ONE--
(4.1) Henry the Ache (1934) - Bert Lahr/Janet Reade/Monte Collins/Shemp Howard
(4.9) The Knife of the Party (1934) - Lillian Miles/Jack Good/Shemp Howard and his Stooges
(7.7) (excerpts from) Convention Girl (1935) - Rose Hobart/Herbert Rawlinson/Shemp Howard
(5.3) Private Buckaroo (1942) - The Andrews Sisters/Dick Foran/Joe E. Lewis/Shemp Howard/Harry James/Donald O'Connor/Huntz Hall
(6.2) Africa Screams (1949) - Bud Abbott/Lou Costello/Clyde Beatty/Frank Buck/Max Baer/Buddy Baer/Hilary Brooke/Shemp Howard/Joe Besser
DISC TWO--
(7.0) Brideless Groom (1947) - Three Stooges/Christine McIntyre/Emil Sitka
(7.0) Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947) - Three Stooges/Virginia Hunter/Vernon Dent/Jules White (announcer on radio)
(6.9) Malice in the Palace (1949) - Three Stooges/George J. Lewis/Vernon Dent
(???) Camel Comedy Caravan (TV-1950) - Ed Wynn/The Three Stooges
BONUS--
Remembering Shemp - (Interviews with Howard family members)
Television Show
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