Category: DVD

Categories
Basketball DVD Sports (TV & Videos)

DETROIT PISTONS: 1988-89 NBA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MOTOR CITY MADNESS)

SUMMARY:                                            RUNNING TIME: 1,350 Min.

Released by the NBA in 2006 through Warner Home Video, this eleven-disc set depicts the Detroit Pistons’ playoff series win over the Chicago Bulls (4-2) for the Eastern Conference title before decisively halting a short-handed Los Angeles Lakers’ bid (4-0) for a third consecutive NBA Championship.  Though the CBS and TBS intros & half-time shows have been omitted, footage of all ten 48-minute games appear in their entirety, along with CBS footage of the Pistons’ title celebration.  Note: A sole exception is the Pistons-Bulls Game 5, which oddly omits the first two-and-a half minutes of the fourth quarter.    

One game is allotted per disc, as viewing can be chosen for a full game or by each quarter.  The eleventh disc consists of regular season/playoff highlights; exclusive non-TV coverage; and some off-court access to the Pistons squad.

REVIEW:

Frankly, this set is as close to perfect as one could expect.  Despite the age blips and some sporadic fuzziness, the standard-screen viewing remains solid entertainment.  Hearing the familiar 1980’s commentators again (i.e. Dick Stockton; Billy Cunningham; Hubie Brown; etc.) is a nostalgic treat, in large part because they stick to game coverage without shamelessly fawning over the players.  Of course, that doesn’t apply to a young Michael Jordan, as, even in 1989, the commentators openly speculated that he might already be the game’s greatest-ever.  His playoff efforts are a fan’s thrill to watch, especially as the Pistons possessed one of the few defenses that could contain him. 

Also, the opportunity to see other Hall-of-Famers: i.e. Joe Dumars, Scottie Pippen, Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and Magic Johnson (the regular season’s MVP),  is worth the price of admission alone.  Vinnie Johnson is another spark plug worth catching, too.  Observing head coaches Doug Collins and Pat Riley trying to out-maneuver their rival, Chuck Daly, offers another great sub-plot (not to mention, some amusing facial reactions).  At a reasonable price, this set is a wonderful investment for NBA fans.         

Note: The commentators’ in-game analysis of Detroit’s recent trade of Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre is another interesting element.

BONUS FEATURES:

The eleventh disc is an assortment of visual extras to complete this Pistons championship package.

PACKAGING:

With two games per DVD case, each game’s box score, team stats, and summary are provided on the casings.  However, only a few (if any) of the decorative game stills actually represent these specific games.  The inner DVD casings reiterate the same team photo, which is also seen on the back of the set’s box. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:     10 Stars

Categories
DVD Movies & Television (Videos)

ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES (1991)

SUMMARY:                                        RUNNING TIME: 143 Min.

Directed by Kevin Reynolds, this 1991 Warner Bros. PG-13 widescreen release stars Kevin Costner (as Robin of Locksley); Morgan Freeman (as Azeem); Christian Slater (as Will Scarlett); Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (as Marian); Geraldine McEwan (as the Sheriff’s ghoulish witch, Mortianna); Michael Wincott (as Sir Guy of Gisbourne); Nick Brimble (as Little John); Michael McShane (as Friar Tuck); and Alan Rickman (as the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham).    

In the late 12th Century (circa 1191), English noble Robin of Locksley returns home after fighting in the Crusades for several years.  Having escaped a brutal Turkish prison, he is stunned to find his estranged father has been vilely murdered and framed as a devil worshipper.  Further, the local Sheriff’s dark forces have unjustly confiscated Robin’s ancestral home, among other cruelties perpetrated upon Nottingham’s rural community.  Finding an ally in his radiant childhood friend, Marian, a fugitive Robin and his few allies must retreat into the supposedly haunted Sherwood Forest.  Meeting Little John and a ragtag band of scavengers, Robin and his loyal friend, Azeem, inspire a stealthy rebellion by looting wealthy travelers.  Only then can be much-needed food and supplies be re-distributed to the villagers.

As repeated failures to capture ‘Robin Hood’ egg him on, an incensed Sheriff resorts to desperate measures to ensure his pretense as an heir to the absent King Richard III.  It’s a fiery showdown, as the ‘Prince of Thieves’ and his friends make a last stand vs. the Sheriff’s treacherous bid for absolute power.      

REVIEW:

For all its wonderful assets, this film’s glaring weakness is Costner’s laziness, one: by failing to even muster a faint British accent, and two: that he hardly resembles an emaciated prisoner-of-war.  In other words, Costner plays himself as ‘Robin Hood,’  by compensating with athleticism and genuine charisma.  One could imagine Pierce Brosnan or Mel Gibson as better-suited for the role, but Costner’s chemistry with his co-stars surprisingly works.  More so, Freeman, Mastrantonio, Slater, and the film’s unquestioned MVP, Rickman, carry this movie whenever necessary.  Character actors McShane, Brimble, Wincott, and McEwan imbue the classy plot with some extra zest.  Beyond Rickman’s scene-stealing, few films can surpass Prince of Thieves’ lavish budget, in terms of its cinematography and lush English scenery. 

Outside of some anachronisms (i.e. Azeem’s hand-held telescope; the ornate costuming) and a few sluggish sequences, Prince of Thieves meets its aspirations as the 90’s answer to a swashbuckling adventure epic.  Bolstered by Bryan Adams’ timeless ballad, “Everything I Do (I Do It for You),” this rousing movie endures.  Even if one isn’t a Costner fan, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a satisfying escape back in time to Sherwood Forest.

BONUS FEATURES:

In addition to its theatrical trailers, there are basic production notes. Language options are for English or French, with available sub-titles in French, Spanish, and English. 

PACKAGING:

Decorated by some film stills, the bare-bones DVD case identifies its contents well … with one exception.  In a carry-over from early DVD’s, the disc must be flipped over to finish the movie.   As a heads-up, the disc must be flipped during Marian & Robin’s waterfalls sequence.

ROSCOE’S ODD MOON RATING:                          7½ Stars

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related DVD Movies & Television (Videos) Mystery & Suspense

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (1945)

SUMMARY:             Running Time: 1 Hr., 37 Min.  (Black & White)

Produced and directed by René Clair, this film was produced/released by 20th Century Fox, but the movie has since lapsed into the public domain. Eight British strangers are piloted by a sandwich-munching boatman across rough coastal waters on a Friday afternoon to remote Indian Island, which is occupied by a sole manor home.  Awaiting them is a dim-witted servant couple: Thomas & Ethel Rogers, who aren’t thrilled managing a weekend house party. 

The guests consist of: curmudgeonly Judge Francis J. Quincannon; sleazy physician Dr. Edward Armstrong; bumbling private detective William H. Blore; suave explorer Phillip Lombard; willowy secretary Vera Claythorne; self-righteous spinster Ms. Emily Brent; elderly General Mandrake; and Prince Nikita Starlov, a boozy, freeloading Russian expatriate.  According to a letter sent to the butler, their unseen hosts, Mr. & Mrs. Owen, evidently won’t arrive until later that evening. 

After dinner, the houseguests are stunned when their mysterious host, U.N. Owen, accuses each of them of a ghastly crime through the use of a gramophone record.  Worse yet, they find themselves effectively marooned on Indian Island.  Three deaths in short order confirms that Owen intends to execute them all, one by one. 

Eerily, this scheme is an allegory of the manor’s “Ten Little Indians” nursery rhyme theme, as it ominously hints at the next victim’s method of death.  Secret alliances are made, but it remains to be seen if anyone will escape Indian Island alive.  

Notes: This film’s content reflects Dame Agatha Christie’s stage play, which she adapted from her own 1939 suspense novel.  Yet, this film changes the names of three characters.  Presumably, the names of the judge and “Anthony Marston” were swapped out for ones befitting the actors.  As for the movie’s “General Mandrake,” in all likelihood, no wanted to confuse the novel’s “General Macarthur” with the real U.S. General.   

REVIEW:

Despite its implausibly light-hearted final twist, And Then There Were None is vintage Hollywood entertainment!  Tinged with delightfully droll gags, it’s a low-key movie relic populated by top-notch character actors, including two Oscar winners and three nominees. 

Barry Fitzgerald headlines this likable cast as the curmudgeonly Judge Quincannon.  Demonstrating the most layers of characterization, Walter Huston is superb depicting his Dr. Armstrong’s descent from a seemingly dignified physician into sleazy self-preservation.  Among the cast’s youthful members, June Duprez’s gracious Vera and Louis Hayward’s dapper Lombard amiably display terrific on-screen chemistry. 

Well-played contributions come from Dame Judith Anderson’s snooty Emily Brent and Roland Young as a perpetually-befuddled Blore.  Most of the others (i.e. Mischa Auer’s oblivious Nikita Starlov; C. Aubrey Smith’s senile General Mandrake; and Richard Haydn’s cartoony Rogers) are caricatures, but their performances fit perfectly with the film’s endearing ambiance.

In a nod to good taste, blood and graphic violence are implied off-screen.  Even some of the novel’s appalling unseen crimes (i.e. Vera Claythorne’s) were clearly altered to appease the era’s film censors.  More so, the guests’ past sins are mostly glossed over, presumably to not hamper the audience’s entertainment.  Even if one takes issue with such a cavalier attitude, this adaptation’s inspired dark comedy wouldn’t be nearly as effective, if they had exactly duplicated the novel’s unlikable characters.  Hence, Christie’s intriguing psychology re: the captives’ deliberate order of execution is ignored. 

If you can accept this black comedy more as a semi-spoof (i.e. occasionally hammy acting; sprinkles of morbid humor; campy suspense music; and even the clichéd eye-darting gag amongst suspects on a dark, stormy night), then you won’t likely be disappointed.  Unlike its mediocre remakes, the breezy And Then There Were None is a cinematic gem worth re-discovery. 

For an ideal double-feature, one might pair it with similarly tongue-in-cheek whodunnits like: Murder By Death; Arsenic & Old Lace; Clue; 1927’s silent The Cat and the Canary; Dark and Stormy Night; and Knives Out.   

BONUS FEATURES:

Some manufacturers offer a bonus black-and-white comedy short or a black-and-white TV episode … or some trivia notes … or cast biographies.  This 2006 VCI Entertainment release adds an obscure Leon Errol black-and-white comedy short entitled “Twin Husbands.”  The VCI version also includes a ‘Narrative for the Blind.’   

QUALITY CONTROL:

Finding a re-mastered version is unlikely (perhaps its Blu-ray release is), so the visual quality varies upon the manufacturer.  Having purchased a shoddy copy elsewhere once before, this reviewer opted replacing it with VCI Entertainment’s DVD release.  VCI’s upgrades meets all reasonable expectations re: visual and sound qualities.  VCI also offers basic control access, making it easy to navigate viewing options (including scene chapters).  If pristine picture and sound quality is a priority, another option is purchasing And Then There Were None in a digital format. 

PACKAGING:

VCI Entertainment solidly protects this DVD with a firm casing.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                           9 Stars

MISCELLANEOUS CAST TRIVIA:

  • Mischa Auer was Oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actor re: 1936’s “My Man Godfrey,” starring William Powell.
  • Dame Judith Anderson received her Oscar nod as Best Supporting Actress for 1940’s “Rebecca,” directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
  • Barry Fitzgerald is the Oscars’ only acting dual-nominee.  For 1944’s “Going My Way,” he was nominated as both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.  Fitzgerald won the latter.  Thereafter, the Academy Awards changed its rules – such double-nominations are now impermissible.   
  • Roland Young earned his Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor for 1937’s “Topper,” starring Cary Grant.
  • Working with Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston’s Best Supporting Actor Oscar came for 1948’s “Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” directed by his son, John Huston.
  • The captives consists of nine Britons and one Russian.  Yet, the movie’s sole distinguishable accent is Fitzgerald’s Irish brogue.
  • This international cast features one Canadian (Huston); one South African (Hayward); one Irishman (Fitzgerald); one Russian (Auer); an Australian (Anderson); and five Britons (Duprez; Haydn; Leonard; Young; and Thurston).
Categories
DC-Related DVD Movies & Television (Videos)

4 FILM FAVORITES (SUPERMAN I-IV)

SUMMARY:                 RUNNING TIME: 485 Min. +

Disc 1 features Superman: The Movie on Side A and Superman II on Side B.  Disc 2 has Superman III on Side A, with Superman IV: The Quest for Peace on Side B.  All four films are presented in their theatrical versions.

REVIEW:

Experiencing Christopher Reeve’s run as Superman in one affordable DVD set makes ideal sense. Yet, watching these Super-movies epitomizes how a comic book franchise descends Hollywood’s slippery slope.  Foreshadowing the same fate as the first four Batman films, the real arch-enemy of these DC Comics icons were increasingly moronic sequels meant as instant cash cows and/or glorified toy commercials.

Setting its dated costuming aside, 1978’s Superman: The Movie remains spectacular — director Richard Donner justifies its grandiose hype of making viewers believe a man can fly.  1981’s Superman II, despite its complicated history, mostly delivers the goods as well.  Its most glaring detriments are inexplicable continuity gaffes/omissions (i.e. must viewers infer that Lois & a powerless Clark simply walk out of the Fortress of Solitude to the North Pole’s nearest rent-a-car outlet?), and far too little of the first film’s classy humor.

Despite budget-skimping in various departments (i.e. the Grand Canyon finale’s cheesy special effects), 1983’s hapless Superman III still had some potential.  For instance, there’s the Clark Kent vs. a corrupted Superman showdown (though it makes too little sense); Annette O’Toole’s charm as a grown-up Lana Lang; and, of course, Christopher Reeve’s appeal as the Man of Steel.  In one of his best franchise moments, Reeve is seen in III timelessly soaring above the Atlantic Ocean to rescue a crippled oil tanker; this brief scene is as close as to a real movie Superman as there can be.  However, a stupidly crass storyline squanders Reeve’s unmatched big-screen presence for no good reason.      

Among the detriments are Richard Pryor & Robert Vaughn’s paycheck-only efforts, which are far too ordinary for any Superman movie, especially considering their sizable screen time.  The reverse applies to a neglected Margot Kidder being reduced to a cameo, as her Lois Lane is inexplicably M.I.A. when the evil Superman is flying amok. The lazy exclusion of a DC Comics threat (i.e. Brainiac, Parasite, or even Bizarro) is another major cheat, as far as succeeding Terence Stamp’s General Zod & Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor.  A giant Atari-like system dubbed ‘The Ultimate Computer’ instead proves a horrible choice as Superman’s latest challenger.  Lastly, a tone-deaf approach to campy humor seals III as an unforced error in judgment.  

Among so many flaws, 1987’s cheapo Superman IV repeats one of III’s worst self-inflicted gaffes: far too much reliance on the screenwriters’ bland new characters (i.e. Nuclear Man, the Warfields, & Lenny Luthor).  While III wastes its sufficient budget on an awful script, IV at least aspires for a better story (including Gene Hackman’s return).  Sadly, the fourth film’s kryptonite extends far beyond grossly insufficient resources for special effects.  It’s telling that franchise regulars Margot Kidder/Lois Lane and Marc McClure/Jimmy Olsen now appear far too old for their roles — a mere ten years after the original film.  This factor contributes to why IV’s good intentions at rekindling Lois & Clark’s romance and depicting a Daily Planet sub-plot fall far short.  Evidently sensing all the ingredients for a disaster, Reeve’s fading enthusiasm in IV is unmistakable.  It’s really a lamentable finish to his decade-long run as the big-screen Man of Steel. 

Ultimately, this double-disc DVD’s appeal is a timeless opportunity to witness Reeve suit up as Hollywood’s best Superman — no matter how putrid the second and third sequels really are.

BONUS FEATURES:

4 Film Favorites merely copies over goodies from previous Superman DVD’s.  Like the films, these contents mirror the franchise’s steep decline.

  • Superman: The Movie’s 143-minute version offers an optional commentary by producer Pierre Spengler & executive producer Ilya Salkind; theatrical trailers; and a TV commercial.
  • Superman II’s 127-minute version has Spengler & Salkind’s optional commentary; a rare deleted scene entitled Superman’s Soufflé, as Lois & Superman cook dinner at the Fortress of Solitude; and the theatrical trailer.
  • Superman III’s 125-minute version has Spengler & Salkind’s optional commentary; the complete Making of Superman III TV special (narrated by actor Al Matthews); some deleted scenes; and the theatrical trailer.
  • Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’s 90-minute version has co-screenwriter Mark Rosenthal’s optional commentary; several deleted & unfinished scenes; and the theatrical trailer.

  To summarize what one really gets:  

  1. The first film’s trailers and TV commercial offer some fun nostalgia.
  • The lost Superman II cooking scene (with Reeve & Kidder) is an obscure treat.  It’s a fun reminder of the innocent charm this franchise once had.    
  • Al Matthews (who also plays III’s beleaguered fire chief) convincingly narrates III’s making-of TV special to help hide how awful the film is.  The deleted scenes are okay viewing, though none would have helped the film.  The trailer, ironically, is a public service announcement — it forecasts the entire plot.  Watching this amateurish (and far too long) trailer leaves zero doubt that III is in deep, deep trouble.
  • Deleted/unfinished scenes for IV (especially a stunningly pathetic Bizarro-like fight sequence) confirm Superman has hit rock bottom.  Only an extended/unfinished Superman & Lois cross-country flight sequence hints at the 1978 film’s magic.  Though it doesn’t divulge too much of the plot, IV’s trailer openly concedes its inferior special effects. Rosenthal’s insightful yet somewhat self-serving commentary blames Cannon Films’ slipshod approach for ruining the movie (and betraying Reeve’s ambitions). 

QUALITY CONTROL:

The films are presented in widescreen (16×9, 2.4:1) format, with Dolby Surround Sound 5.1 for the first two films and Dolby Surround Stereo for the third and fourth films.  At least, that is what the packaging claims.  The remote control access is easy to navigate, as are the scene selections and special features for each film. 

PACKAGING:

Warner Bros. crams the standard title credits and all the technical information in barely-legible small print on the back cover.  The dual discs have a white ring on Side A, only identifying in microscopic print which film is on which side.  The discs are well-protected on separate holders rather than being stacked together. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        8 Stars

Notes: A recommended option is finding 2006’s Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.  Its storytelling is imperfect, but Donner’s intended vision finally linking I and II as a two-part epic is worth exploring.

Categories
DVD Movies & Television (Videos) THREE STOOGES-Related TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

THREE STOOGES: “ANTS IN THE PANTRY” (1936)

SUMMARY:                           Running Time: 17 Min. (Black & White)

Directed by Jack White (under the pseudonym of Preston Black), this Three Stooges sitcom stars Moe, Larry, & Curly as dim-witted exterminators drumming up some much-needed business by providing the pests!  Ordered by their exasperated boss, A. Mouser, to infest potential clients’ homes, the Stooges raid debutante Beulah Berlap’s mansion during a glamorous party. 

Gleefully letting loose moths, mice, and ants inside, the Stooges conveniently show up moments later to ‘save’ Mrs. Berlap from enormous social embarrassment.  Yet, the Stooges are hard-pressed to undo the high society havoc they’ve wreaked among the stuck-up guests. 

Moe: Moe Howard

Larry: Larry Fine

Curly: Curly Howard

Beulah Berlap: Clara Kimball Young

Clara: Isabelle LaMal

Maid: Helen Martinez

Eleanor: Anne O’Neil

A. Mouser: Harrison Greene

Mouser’s Secretary: Hilda Title

Professor Repulso: Bud Jamison

Gawkins: Vesey O’Davoren Lord Stoke Pogis: Douglas Gerrard

Party Guests: Bobby Burns; Althea Henley; James C. Morton; Phyllis Crane; Harry Semels; etc. 

REVIEW:

Make no mistake: aside from the Stooges’ dubious on-screen ethics, Ants in the Pantry is practically a live-action Looney Tunes.  Even better is that this premise ages remarkably well.  Perhaps it isn’t a mere coincidence that at least two of this episode’s best jokes (i.e. Curly ‘cutting’ a deck of cards and the misidentification of a skunk) would be lifted years later by Bugs Bunny.  Still, the Stooges’ high society hijinks (including a few gross-out gags – watch out for that ‘poppy seed’ cake!) offer hilarious slapstick at all the right moments.

In limited screen time, guest stars Clara Kimball Young and Isabelle LaMal are terrific as the snooty yet kind Beulah & Clara.  As a sultry maid, Helen Martinez shares a fun gag with Moe & Curly while dodging Moe’s amorous advances.  Reliable role players (i.e. Bud Jamison; James C. Morton; and Harry Semels) appear in non-speaking cameos, though Bobby Burns’ squirming impromptu dance (after a mouse scurries down his shirt collar) is a hoot to watch. 

As a wacky misadventure featuring vintage Stooge mayhem, Ants in the Pantry deservedly rates among the trio’s all-time best.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars

Note: For more Three Stooges high society havoc from 1935-36, try Hoi Polloi and Slippery Silks.

Categories
DVD Movies & Television (Videos) THREE STOOGES-Related TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

THREE STOOGES: “THREE LITTLE BEERS” (1935)

SUMMARY:                           Running Time: 17 Min. (Black & White)

Directed by Del Lord, this early Three Stooges sitcom stars Moe, Larry, & Curly as new hires at a brewery. Almost immediately, these bumbling beer deliverymen go gaga over the prospect of cash prizes in their company’s upcoming annual golf tournament.  Despite having no idea how golf is actually played, the boys rationalize they’re shoo-ins to win  … that is, with a little practice first. 

Thanks to fate, their next delivery run takes them to the golf course their incensed boss belongs to.  Seeking to polish their golf swings, the trio invades the Rancho Golf Club with disastrous whack-a-mole results.  Not only facing the wrath of irate golfers, their truck’s badly loaded cargo is saving the Stooges another barrel-rolling surprise.  

Moe: Moe Howard

Larry: Larry Fine

Curly: Curly Howard

A. Panther: Bud Jamison

Traffic Cop: George Magrill

Tiny: Jack Lipson 

Golf Course Girls: Althea Henley, Eve Reynolds, & Ninette Crawford

Cement Paver: William Irving

Groundskeepers/Gardeners: Charles Dorety & Harry Semels

Desk Clerks: Jack Kenney & Eddie Laughton

Golfers: Lew Davis, Frank Terry, John Tyrell, Larry Wheat, Arthur Thalasso, & Frank Mills, etc. 

Caddy: George Gray

REVIEW:

Imagine Caddyshack for 1935!  While Three Little Beers is best known for the Stooges’ golf-themed merchandising, this episode holds up surprisingly well.  In addition to the usual slaps, smacks, and pokes, each Stooge shines in their solo scenes running amok.  Larry, Curly, & Moe are definitely on being off their game, so to speak. 

Viewers will likely catch some primitive bluescreen action thrown in, too – i.e. Curly’s laundry scene and Moe’s barrel-rolling gag.  While the script is   amusing vs. LOL hilarious, the kid-friendly humor spoofing golf etiquette makes Three Little Beers a delightful hole-in-one with all fans.  This Stooges misadventure further makes an ideal lead-in to fun-and-games with Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, and Chevy Chase on a movie night.        

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:       8 Stars

Categories
DVD Movies & Television (Videos) THREE STOOGES-Related TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

THREE STOOGES: “HOI POLLOI” (1935)

SUMMARY:                           Running Time: 17 Min. (Black & White)

Directed by Del Lord, Felix Adler’s script lifts Pygmalion (though unacknowledged).  Two snooty professors make a $10,000.00 bet – does heredity really trump environment or is it vice-versa?  Recruiting bumbling rubbish workers Larry, Curly, & Moe, Professor Nichols has two months to somehow polish them into debonair gentlemen for a swanky high society party.  Chaos ensues.    

Moe: Moe Howard

Larry: Larry Fine

Curly: Curly Howard

Professor Nichols: Robert Graves

Mrs. Richmond: Grace Goodall

Professor Richards: Harry Holman

Dance Instructor: Geneva Mitchell

Nichols’ Daughters: Betty McMahon & Phyllis Crane

Dance Partner: Blanche Payson

Duchess: Kathryn “Kitty” McHugh

Butler: Bud Jamison

Party Guests: James C. Morton, William J. Irving, Arthur Rankin, Celeste Edwards, Mary Dees, Robert McKenzie, Harriett DeBussman, Gail Arnold, Don Roberts, Billy Mann, & George B. French 

REVIEW:

Predating 1964’s My Fair Lady (and Trading Places by nearly a half-century) think of Hoi Polloi as ‘My Fair Stooge!’  While the premise is all too familiar, the Stooges spin it like any contemporary fairy tale spoof.  The inspired gags work largely because the Stooges are in their prime. 

Yet, it’s awkward to see Moe preemptively slap around Larry & Curly too much, as if whacking either of his pals for no reason is actually funny. Moe’s stated goal of utilizing ‘corrective behavior’ before whatever mischief they cause is frankly among this episode’s few misfires.  The other cringe-worthy gag is a mutual slap-fest between Curly and his abrasive female dance partner.  Despite some lapses in good taste, the Stooges mostly shine, and, during individual moments, Larry & Curly score far more solo laughs than Moe does.  

As this series is prone to do, the script relies on a formulaic last chuckle.  This stock gag works well enough for Hoi Polloi, but it would be recycled too often as an abrupt finisher for later Stooge adventures.  Unlike its middling remakes, the hilarity powering Hoi Polloi makes for a terrific joyride with the Stooges.

Note: Curly’s last Stooge film would be a 1946 re-make of Hoi Polloi entitled Half-Wit’s Holiday.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:           7 Stars

Note: Besides a potential double-feature with 1983’s Trading Places, Hoi Polloi also serves up a Stooges’ high-society hat trick of 1935-36, along with Ants in the Pantry, and Slippery Silks.  

Categories
DVD Movies & Television (Videos) THREE STOOGES-Related TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

THREE STOOGES: “DISORDER IN THE COURT” (1936)

SUMMARY:           Running Time: 16:00 Min. (Black & White)

Directed by Jack White (under the pseudonym of Preston Black), this Three Stooges sitcom is among the four of its 190 two-reel Columbia Pictures comedies in the public domain.  The others are: 1947’s Brideless Groom and Sing a Song of Six Pants; and 1949’s Malice in the Palace.  All four titles are also available elsewhere in a colorized format.    

Playing small-time nightclub jazz musicians, the Stooges are the star defense witnesses in Black Bottom Café dancer Gail Tempest’s high-profile murder trial. She is accused of killing local bigwig Kirk Robin.  Once sworn in to testify, a befuddled Curly doesn’t grasp courtroom etiquette, so Larry & Moe butt in to help. 

Despite the staff’s best efforts, the courtroom can’t contain the chaos that the Stooges rapidly unleash.  Between harassing the hapless court clerk and re-enacting the supposed murder scene, the Stooges ensure that slapstick justice is ultimately served.    

Moe: Moe Howard

Larry: Larry Fine

Curly: Curly Howard

Defense Counsel: Bud Jamison

Prosecutor: Harry Semels

Judge: Edward LeSaint

Gail Tempest: Suzanne Kaaren

Court Clerk: James C. Morton

Court Baliff: Al Thompson

Flirting Juror: Louise Carver

Trivia Notes: Moe & Curly’s father, Sol Horwitz, is seated in the front row laughing with other extras in the courtroom’s public gallery.  One gag’s camera effect is evidently goofed: watch as an errant pistol shot blows past Moe & Larry — the Stooges’ boutonnieres inexplicably drop off from their suit jackets in reverse order.

REVIEW:

For an absolute gem in the Stooges’ prime, this zany courtroom calamity fits the bill.  Not only are Moe & Larry on their game, Curly’s unique wackiness spells out why he is a comedy icon.  Impressively, Disorder holds up well today as a timeless spoof of Hollywood’s infatuation with legal melodramas. 

Regular Stooge foils Bud Jamison, Harry Semels, and James C. Morton are given choice moments to shine coping with the trio’s mayhem.  Morton’s incensed court clerk, for instance, gets hilarious bits being repeatedly harassed by the Stooges.  Edward LeSaint is spot-on as a no-nonsense judge – his uneasy squirming, as the Stooges obnoxiously re-enact Moe’s version of the crime scene, is the episode’s most subtle humor.  Throwing in a tap dance routine for good measure, Suzanne Kaaren adds glamor to this courtroom calamity.  

Accordingly, the anything-goes Disorder in the Court might be the best legal laugh-fest ever made.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 10 Stars

Categories
DVD Movies & Television (Videos) THREE STOOGES-Related TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

THREE STOOGES: “MOVIE MANIACS” (1936)

SUMMARY:          Running Time: 17:00 Min. (Black & White)

Directed by Del Lord, this Three Stooges sitcom stars Moe, Larry, & Curly as self-involved vagabonds expecting to hit Hollywood as instant movie star sensations, utterly oblivious to their lack of talent. After arriving in town as freight train stowaways, the Stooges sneak into a posh studio lot. The besieged boss mistakenly assumes the Stooges are the new company executives sent to replace him. 

Taking advantage of their unexpected luck, the Stooges impose their obnoxious will on a romantic melodrama being filmed.  Once the Stooges’ ruse is discovered, a wild studio lot chase ensues.       

Moe: Moe Howard

Larry: Larry Fine

Curly: Curly Howard

Cecil Z. Swinehardt: Harry Semels

Fuller Rath: Bud Jamison

Actress: Mildred Harris

Actor: Kenneth Harlan

Script Girl: Hilda Title

Studio Guard: Heinie Conklin

REVIEW:

Let’s consider it a bad case of irony.  A can’t-miss prospect re: spoofing pretentious Hollywood film-making promptly misfires in Movie Maniacs.  It’s an early instance where the Stooges are sabotaged by a mediocre script – case in point: their boxcar sequence is a total bore.  Far too many of this episode’s half-hearted gags elicit, at most, a faint chuckle.  Curly scores a great punchline or two, but that’s the limit.  Even a potentially wild finish (i.e. how might the Stooges get their comeuppance) is abruptly cut short, not leaving an inspired gag enough time to work.      

The Stooges repeatedly struck comedic gold in 1936 (i.e. Disorder in the Court and Ants in the Pantry) at Columbia Pictures.  Unfortunately, Movie Maniacs goes down as a weak swing-and-a miss.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:       3½ Stars

Categories
DVD Movies & Television (Videos) THREE STOOGES-Related TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

THREE STOOGES: “SLIPPERY SILKS” (1936)

SUMMARY:    Running Time: Approx. 18:00 Min. (Black & White)

Directed by Jack White (under the pseudonym of Preston Black), the story is supplied by Ewart Adamson.  Ruining an ultra-pricey Chinese wooden box, inept carpenters Larry, Moe, & Curly hastily flee their woodworking job.  The police are already after the Stooges – as they’re the lost heirs to an uncle’s high-society French fashion salon. 

Indulging their newfound careers as snooty dress designers, the Stooges bumble-and-stumble their way into a chaotic fashion show.  It gets gooey fast when payback time shifts into a cream puff melee!  

Moe: Moe Howard

Larry: Larry Fine

Curly: Curly Howard

Morgan Morgan: Vernon Dent

Mrs. Morgan Morgan: Symona Boniface

Shop Manager: Eddie Laughton

Romani: William J. Irving

Cops: Bert Young & Blackie Whiteford

Bureau Officer: Jack Lipson

Dress Customer: Elinor Vanderveer

Model Assistants: Hilda Title & Gertrude Messenger

Mrs. Morgan’s Friend: June Gittelson

Models: Loretta Andrews, Mary Lou Dix, & Gale Arnold

Mrs. Morgan’s Associates: Beatrice Blinn, Elaine Waters, Beatrice Curtis, & Martha Tibbetts

REVIEW:

The Stooges’ woodshop hijinks don’t add much to the story, but this segment is still amusing. Destined to be a long-time Stooge foil, Vernon Dent’s guest spot is the woodshop’s best asset.  Despite the script’s contrivances, the shift towards dress shop gags spoofing pretentious high fashion deliver vintage Stooge mayhem. 

The only caveat are a pair of nasty scissors-related gags that should be condemned as utterly tasteless.  Also, Curly’s unprovoked fat joke late in the game aimed at a female customer comes off as unnecessarily cruel rather than funny.  Yet, the screwball cream puff-fest is worth waiting for, as Curly’s zany facial reactions deliver dynamite laughs.  

As this series is prone to do, the script abruptly resorts to a familiar last chuckle.  Let’s just say this same formulaic gag is used, for instance, in an earlier Stooge high society hijinks caper: 1935’s “Hoi Polloi.”  Despite a clunky finish, “Slippery Silks” still rates among the better efforts from the Stooges during that era.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars

Note: For a Three Stooges high-society hat trick of 1935-36, try also watching “Hoi Polloi,” and “Ants in the Pantry.”