Product Details

• Actors: Larry Fine, Moe Howard, Curly Howard
• Format: AC-3, Black & White, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, French
• Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
  PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click here.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: October 7, 2008
• Run Time: 360 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001D7T6AO
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,761 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• This is item 4 in The Three Stooges Collection Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In "Crash Goes the Hash," Moe, Larry and Curly offend a snooty butler's sensibilities. "Such levity," he sniffs. "You remind me of the Three Stooges." In a huff, Curly replies, "Hey, that's an insult." No, it's the highest compliment. The best of these 21 shorts (and even the worst have at least some redeeming bits of silliness) are essential for every Stooge-phile's library. This chronological collection is book-ended by two key shorts. Violent is the word for "They Stooge to Conga," jaw-dropping slapstick porn that features an excruciating bit wherein Moe's head, ear, and eye are punctured by Curly's spiked shoe. "Micro-Phonies" is arguably the Stooges' very best short, in which Curly is mistaken for an operatic singer. The lip-sync renditions of "Voices of Spring" and the sextet from the opera Lucia di Lammermoor are moments that even Stooge-haters love. Mistaken identity happens a lot to the boys. They are mistaken for doctors in "A Gem of a Jam," reporters in "Crash Goes the Hash," sweepstakes winners in "Three Pets in a Mess," and Japanese soldiers in "No Dough, Boys." In several of these wartime shorts it seems they can't turn around with uncovering a "rat's nest" of Japanese and German spies and saboteurs. Perhaps the stereotypical portrayals of the Axis villains in "They Stooge to Conga," "Back from the Front" and "Higher Than a Kite" can be forgiven today. However, as great a performer as African-American character actor Dudley Dickerson is, his cowardly, put-upon characters in "Conga" and "Gem" are a little more problematic in our more enlightened times. Other notable shorts are "Gents Without Cents," in which the Stooges return to their vaudeville roots with their performance of their signature "Niagara Falls" sketch ("Slowly I turn…."). "Busy Buddies," in which Curly enters a cow-milking contest, is another fan favorite. "Idle Roomers" marks the debut of the versatile Christine McIntyre, one of the great additions to the Stooges stock company. "If a Body Meets a Body" marks the first use of the swing version of the Stooges' "Three Blind Mice" theme. The first short produced following Curly Howard's mild stroke, it also marks the beginning of the end for the Curly era. But this thoughtfully produced collection ensures that the Stooges' legacy is secure. These shorts, to quote Curly in "Crash Goes the Hash," are mostly "colossal, stupendous, terrific…even superlative." --Donald Liebenson

Amazon.com
Stooges fans may experience a sense of the bittersweet mixed with their elation over the arrival of Volume 4 in the digitally remastered Three Stooges Collection; although the new set continues to present the knucklehead's legendary comedy shorts in pristine condition and chronological order, it's also the beginning of the end in regards to the participation of Jerome "Curly" Howard, who arguably remains the most popular member of the trio. By 1943-44, a variety of debilitating health issues robbed Howard of his manic energy, which is more than evident in shorts like "If a Body Meets a Body" and "Micro-Phonies," both from 1945. Unfortunately, brother Moe Howard's requests to halt production was nixed by Columbia, which resulted in a further decline in Curly's health that would eventually lead to the stroke in 1946 that forced his retirement from the team. And while the knowledge of Howard's health issues casts something of a pall over the set, there are still plenty of laughs to be had over the course of the two-disc set. Chief among the highlights is "Dizzy Detectives," which pits the boys against a rampaging ape man; "Spook Louder," (Stooges vs. mad scientist with death ray machine; viewers should note that the short features some World War II-era anti-Japanese sentiment); "Gents Without Cents," which features their version of the "Niagara Falls" routine; and "Dizzy Pilots," which chronicles the Stooges' contributions to the aviation industry (all disastrous, of course). As with the previous Collection releases, seven of the 21 shorts included in the set are making their DVD debuts; the flawless quality of the DVD presentation, as well as the sheer amount of nyuks on hand, make Volume 4 a must-have for every self-respecting Stooge-phile. --Paul Gaita

Product Description

The hilarious slapstick antics of Larry, Moe and Curly are back in digitally re-mastered versions of The Three Stooges shorts originally created from 1943 - 1945. The set includes, in original release order, all 21 complete shorts filmed during these years.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

128 of 133 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Completing Curly's best films (yes there are still more to come), July 29, 2008

By	Paul J. Mular (San Carlos, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This set completes the better Curly shorts, towards the end of this set he started suffering mini-strokes and the effects show on screen. But for the most part, Curly is still full of energy!

The 21 shorts are:

1943
They Stooge to Conga (wartime. Moe disguises as Hitler!)
Dizzy Detectives
Spook Louder
Back From The Front (wartime)
Three Little Twerps
Higher Than A Kite (wartime)
I Can Hardly Wait (one of the weaker ones, Curly has a bad tooth)
Dizzy Pilots (wartime)
Phony Express
A Gem Of A Jam

1944
Crash Goes The Hash
Busy Buddies
The Yoke's on Me (wartime stereotypes)
Idle Roomers
Gents Without Cents (features "Niagara Falls" routine)
No Dough Boys (wartime)

1945
Three Pests In A Mess (nice cemetery comedy for Halloween)
Booby Dupes (wartime joke at the end of this non-wartime comedy. Stooges go fishing.)
Idiots Deluxe (first evidence of Curly's mini-strokes & 1st with black title-card)
If a Body Meets a Body
Micro-Phonies (still a classic, even with the mini-stroke)

--A word about Curly's decline:
Curly would go on to film 10 more shorts in the next year, but none of them equaled the quality of these.
Even the last three shorts of this set show the signs of health problems.
In IDIOTS DELUXE the failing health starts to show in Curly's face, but his voice is still stong & energetic.
IF A BODY MEETS A BODY shows the first full signs of a stroke. Not only has Curly's face changed, but his voice has now dropped & speach patterns become more labored. His energy levels have dropped noticably (a body double is used near the end).
MICROPHONIES gives hope for a recovery. Curly still lacks his old energy but he seems enthused and energized with the script. However his voice & face remain the same.
The real devastations will show up in the next set as Curly is unable to finish 1946'S BEER BARREL POLECATS, leaving only half a short filmed and forcing the director to pad out the film with 8 minutes of stock footage from earlier films. I don't know if this health-related sortcut gave Columbia the idea to save money on future Shemp Shorts by using large segments of stock footage, but it is the start of a bad trend at Columbia Short Subjects Department. The future arrival of Shemp forced Columbia to stop this for a while as Curly footage could not fit well in a Shemp film.
Well, more on this when volume 5 comes out.

***STOOGES V.S. STOOGE***
One problem I have with some of the last comedies in this set is the scripts putting stooge against stooge, breaking up the team.
In IDIOTS DELUXE Larry & Curly take Moe to court for beating them up. The short then goes into the story of why Moe did this. The story itself is top form Stooge comedy. I can just imagine the brainstorming session in the story room: "Hey what if the boys get tired of Moe hitting them and take him to court! That would be a new twist."
IF A BODY MEETS A BODY starts on an off note with Larry & Moe getting tired of Curly's foolishness and telling him to leave. A sobbing Curly packs to go when Larry & Moe see a newspaper article announcing the search for a missing heir to a fortune: Curly Q. Link. Suddenly Moe & Larry want Curly to be their friend again & appologize.
I always thought of the Stooges as tight friends, through slap & eye poke. Basically they are one being to me, not three individuals. It is a down note for me to see them fighting against each other, even if it is a story plot device.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Nuts In A Mixed Bag, September 29, 2008

By	stooged and confused - See all my reviews

THIS IS A FULLY VIEWED REVIEW OF AN ADVANCED COPY FROM SONY PICTURES RECEIVED ON 9/25/08.

A mere five weeks since Sony's third chronological compilation
of Three Stooges shorts dropped, along comes Volume 4. This
set showcases all 21 two reelers from the years 1943-1945.

Although it's not essential to view these shorts in chronological
order, it does help to see how the Stooges' pacing advanced. Their
earlier shorts had a slower pace to them. By this volume,
their manic style of slapstick was at its most feverish pace. And
by viewing them in release order on this set, it is very easy to see the
decline in Curly Howard's health. When viewing the shorts released in
1945, it is clear that Curly's performance has been altered noticeably by
the time "Booby Dupes" is screened.

The shorts on this set have one distinctive theme: they are more
cartoonish than ever before. The plots, such as they are, become
more transparent than the bald spot on Larry's head. With the lone
exception of the true classic "Micro Phonies", story and plot really take
a back seat during these years. Many feel that director Del Lord, who
is all over this set, lost his way during this period.

Overall, the restoration is on par with the previous three volumes. With the exception
of "Crash Goes The Hash" (with inferior audio) and "Idiots Deluxe" (which is riddled
with blemishes), the prints look and sound amazing. There are the usual soft spots
in some shorts (most noticeably in "No Dough Boys"), but other than that, they look
brand new.

Volume 4 finishes up the war years and has some of the most violent
and un PC Stoogery to be found in their stellar career.

"They Stooge To Conga" (***) contains the wince inducing "spike" scene.
Moe really gets it in this one. In fact, he gets it in the eye, head and ear.
The Stooges are repairmen and stumble upon Nazi spies when attempting
to fix a doorbell, destroying the house instead.
CLASSIC LINE: Nazi Spy: "FBI, huh?" Curly: "No, I B Curly."
FUN FACT: Watch for a very young Lloyd Bridges (who speaks five words).

"Dizzy Detectives" (***) finds the Boys as cops tracking down an ape trained
to rob from stores. Yes, you read that correctly. As silly as it may sound, the
gags are aplenty with the great guillotine scene. I love Moe's reaction when he
thinks Curly has been axed!
CLASSIC LINE: Curly: "I didn't see her, but I could swear--" Moe: "That's a
bad habit."
Watch for a small recycling job from an earlier short "Pardon My Scotch."

"Spook Louder" (***) is as close to a live action Looney Tunes as you're
likely to find. The Stooges are "master salesmen" who wind up guarding
an inventor's house so enemy spies won't steal his secrets. Weird noises,
goofy clocks, a menacing balloon and mysterious flying pies make this
nonsensical short a hoot to watch.
CLASSIC LINE: Moe: "You dance like you got your legs on backwards."

"Back From The Front" (***) finds the Boys on a disguised Nazi raider and
capture the lot. Dressed up as the Axis partners, Moe delivers one of the
best lines in all of Stoogedom.
CLASSIC LINE: Moe: "Ah, my personality, thanks Buddy!"

"Three Little Twirps" (**1/2) The Boys find their way into a circus after ruining the
posters they were to be hanging.
CLASSIC LINE: Larry: "Beat it, grandpa. We've got no time for kibbitzes."

"Higher Than A Kite" (**1/2) Once again, Moe gets it good when his head gets
stuck in a pipe. After ruining the General's car, they hide in a bomb (they think
its a sewer pipe) and get dropped in Naziville.
CLASSIC LINE: Nazi General: "Sit on my lap." Larry (in drag): "What lap?"

"I Can Hardly Wait" (**) revolves around Curly having a bad tooth, while Moe
and Larry come up with new ways to revolutionize dentistry.
CLASSIC LINE: Curly: "You've got me bald headed in the mouth."

"Dizzy Pilots" (****) The Stooges are the Wrong Brothers who invent a plane
called "The Buzzard." During their test flight, things go terribly wrong and they
wind up getting drafted (a recycled scene from an earlier short "Boobs In Arms").
CLASSIC LINE: Curly; "I see the garage. I don't saw the garage. You are
moidering the King's English."

"Phoney Express" (***1/2) has the Stooges out west selling everything from
Abdul's Cactus Remedy to being deputized.
CLASSIC LINE: Curly: "Hmm, pepperminties."

"A Gem Of A Jam" (***) Mistaken for doctors, the Boys are on the run from
crooks and cops. The second half of this short is utter nonsense and in any other
hands, it wouldn't hold up. A testament to how great the Stooges were that they're
so convincing at selling the silliest of ideas. The bits with Dudley Dickerson
are priceless. The x-ray scene is a keeper, as well.

"Crash Goes The Hash" (****) A great short with the Stooges who work for
Star Press Cleaners. A newspaper editor thinks they work for the media
and hire them to expose Prince Sham. The print looks great, but the audio is
surprisingly poor. The previous DVD release had better audio.
CLASSIC LINE: Butler: "Such levity. You remind me of the Three Stooges."
Curly: "Hey, that's an insult."

"Busy Buddies" (***) Another bit of utter (or is that udder) nonsense as the Stooges enter a milking contest to win some fast cash. Damn if they don't pull it off, though.

"The Yolk's On Me" (*) A real mess. Forget about the PC issue, this short
just doesn't work. I smile at the fan dance Curly does with the ostrich
feathers, but other than that, it's just a sloppy short that isn't funny.

"Idle Roomers (***1/2) All hail Lupe the Wolf man! The Stooges discover
the wolfman (in ridiculous make up) running amuck in the Hotel Snazzy Plaza.
As janitors, it's up to the Boys to catch him.
CLASSIC LINE: Moe: "Did you lock the door?" Curly: "Yeah, twice. Once this
way and once that way."
HISTORIC CASTING: Stooge regular, the lovely Christine McIntyre makes her
Stooges debut.

"Gents Without Cents" (**1/2) Another misfire, it would be unwatchable if not
for the Niagra Falls and "Ratt-tat-toodily- day-day" numbers. The casting of
Flo, Mary and Shirley (as a poorman's Andrews Sisters) weigh this short
down like a ton of bricks. Their cartwheel shtick seems to go on forever!

"No Dough Boys" (***1/2) has the Stooges dressed as Japanese soldiers
for an ad shoot. On a lunch break, the owner thinks they are real "Jap" spies.
Running away, they stumble (yet again) into a Nazi hideout. UN PC humor
at its best.
CLASSIC LINE: Moe: "Naki, Waki, come backi."

"Three Pests In A Mess" (**1/2) A pretty flimsy script that gets saved by
Christine McIntrye's performance and, of course, the Stooges. This short
has such a cheap production to it, that during a supposed masquerade party,
nobody bothered to add a crowd noise on the soundtrack, let alone having a
few extras walk past the camera. It looks exactly what it is: two actors trying
to sell the idea that there is a party going on in an empty sound stage. Jeez, not even music in the background.
CLASSIC LINE: Larry: "What's the idea, porter? Mammy!"

"Booby Dupes" (**) The first real evidence that Curly's health is starting to get
the best of him. A weak effort doesn't help things, either. Watch Curly struggle
to hide under the boat. The Stooges, as fish salesmen (again), try to catch their
own for better profits. Again, this short has a particularly cheap feel to it. The
scene with the fish flying all over the place would be right at home in a bad
grade school production. And where did they get the second boat!?

"Idiots Deluxe" (**1/2) isn't much better. There's a few good bits in the cabin,
but overall, a weak short with a much more haggard Curly. So far, the shorts
have been restored to a like new brilliance. This title however, looks terrible. The
print is riddled with spots, debris, lines, scratches as if no restoration was done.
CLASSIC LINE: Moe: "Sunny side down. And don't turn 'em over."

"If A Body Meets A Body" (***) A decent scare comedy, but no classic, by any
means. The Stooges stand to inherit some dough when Curly's uncle bites it.
A remake of "The Laurel and Hardy Murder Case".
CLASSIC LINE: Butler: "I hope you have a nice looong sleep." Moe: "Thanks,
Dracula."

"Micro Phonies (****) is the Citizen Kane of Three Stooges films. Thankfully,
Curly's ill health did not interfere with his performance, as this short has everything
the last handful didn't. The story is solid, the directing is sharp, the pacing is spot
on, and the supporting cast is fantastic. It's the last great Curly performance (although
"Three Little Pirates" comes close). The Stooges are Senorita Cucaracha, Senior
Mucho and Senior Gusto. They swipe a record and do a great aping of "Voices
Of Spring" at a swanky party. That is, until their deception is discovered. The print
is beautiful and all of Christine McIntyre's dialogue has been fully restored. All
previous video releases had the annoying jump/splice cut during her explanation
as to why she had to pursue her singing career under an assumed name. This is the
last great Stooges short until Shemp re-joins the team. Always compared unfairly,
the Shemp... Read more ›

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Stooges Please!, August 27, 2008

By	Steven R. Green "DVD Fan" (Huntsville, Al) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I agree with the others who are asking that Sony continue with all the Stooge shorts and not stop with just the Curly episodes. I can promise that I'll be here buying them until the bitter end myself! I had given up hope of ever owning a full good quality set of the shorts until these DVD's came along.

Stooge Fan