Editorial Review:

Item Description:
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 08/26/2008 Run time: 396 minutes

Amazon.com:
The Three Stooges--political satirists? Laugh if you will, but as demonstrated by the shorts 'You Nazty Spy' and 'I'll Never Heil Again'--both of which are featured on this two-disc, digitally remastered set--the boys were the first act in Hollywood to bring attention to the Nazi threat in the days prior to America's involvement in World War II. 'Nazty,' which was released in 1940 some nine months before Chaplin's The Great Dictator, and 1941's 'Heil,' have Moe donning the greasepaint mustache to play Moe Hailstone, a dull-witted wallpaper hanger who runs amok as the dictator of Moronica along with his sidekicks Larry (the Goebbels stand-in) and Curly (Mussolini, natch). If the hijinks aren't exactly drawing room humor, one must still marvel at the foresight of the team and director Jules White for conceiving the idea, and by the sheer ballsiness of the Howard brothers and Fine--all Jews--taking the air out of the most insidious anti-Semitic figure of the period. One might also view 1940's 'Boobs in Arms,' with the boys accidentally joining the Army, as another riff on the absurdity of the slowly mounting war. Of course, the Stooges were better known for their wild slapstick comedy, and Volume 3 of this long-overdue collection presents some of the funniest shorts in their lengthy careers. Chief among these is 'What's the Matador,' which pits the boys' bullfighting routine against some real live beef, and the delirious 'Sock-A-Bye Baby,' with the Stooges attempting to care for an abandoned child. Elsewhere, the two main themes of the shorts--the Stooges as agents of fair play, as seen in 'Nutty But Nice' (Curly finds a kidnapped man by yodeling) and 'So Long Mr. Chumps' (the boys free an unjustly jailed man)--or menaces to society, as shown by the devastation wreaked at a dinner party in 'An Ache in Every Stake,' is in full effect. As with the two previous volumes, the shorts featured here (eight of which have never been available on DVD) are presented in chronological order and pristine condition, which soitenly makes up for decades of neglect from previous fly-by-night Stooge releases. --Paul Gaita









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Rating: - * MORE HILARITY AND HIGH JINKS !! ... Once again Sony Pictures has done an incredible job with the video remastering and sound restoration and they should be commended for their ongoing efforts. The digitally remastered video transfers have given new life to the all but faded comedy that was the "Three Stooges" and hopefully introduced them to a new generation of fans waiting to discover them in superior clarity and sound. These shorts look like they were made yesterday with modern equipment and not over 70+ years ago. The completely restored soundtrack is once again the best I've ever heard any of these shorts sound and fans will be delighted that the annoying hissing noises are gone. Also missing from the newly remastered shorts is the debris, grain, dirt, scratches and lines that used to plague these wonderful shorts. This set contains 23 shorts on two single sided discs packaged in slim cases. The disc artwork and packaging is fantastic and first class to say the least, making this third installment set even more attractive and a must have for fans to own. Like many of the other "Three Stooges" fans who purchased the first "Three Stooges Collection" volume one (1934-1936) and the second "Three Stooges Collection" volume two (1937-1939) I wondered if Sony Pictures would continue to release these affordable sets with the same level of quality shorts found in the volume one and volume two sets and so far the answer is an overwhelming yes! Stooge fans, Sony Pictures have done it again quickly releasing the third installment of 23 digitally restored and remastered stooge shorts. The "Three Stooges Collection" volume three from 1940-1942 continues to offer the same outstanding video and sound quality as found in the first two sets. Once again fans will be happy to find that all 23 shorts in this fantastic two-disc set are in chronological order and the laughs get better and better as the shorts continue. By 1940-1942 the "Three Stooges" were well into their act and the brand of hilarity and hijinks that made them famous. From the quality of their shorts it was clearly evident that fans couldn't get enough of them and they wanted more. In volume three some of the notable shorts are "You Nazty Spy", "I'll Never Heil Again" as well as "Boobs in Arms", "An Ache in Every Stake" and the hilarious "A Plumbing We Will Go" another personal favorite of mine. "Three Stooges" Fans will rejoice that eight of the twenty three newly digitally remastered shorts are finally presented complete and uncut for the first time on DVD with all they're political incorrectness intact and still presented in beautiful Black & White. The only drawback to this set is that it doesn't include any bonus features or extras, although for me it's the quality of the shorts that really matters. Shorts Include: You Nazty Spy! Rockin' Thru the Rockies A Plumbing We Will Go Nutty But Nice How High is Up? From Nurse to Worse No Census, No Feeling Cookoo Cavaliers Boobs in Arms So Long Mr. Chumps Dutiful But Dumb All the World's a Stooge I'll Never Heil Again An Ache in Every Stake In the Sweet Pie and Pie Some More of Samoa Loco Boy Makes Good Cactus Makes Perfect What's the Matador? Matri-Phony Three Smart Saps Even as IOU Sock-a-Bye Baby Rating: - * One Dry Stretch, But Still Classic Stooges Hilarity! ... This third volume of the Three Stooges Collection again showcases the hilarious slapstick comedy of Curly Howard, Moe Howard, and Larry Fine. If you enjoyed the first two volumes in this collection, or are just a Stooges fan in general, you will heartily laugh along to nearly ever short. The only negative thing I have to say about this set is that, about 3/4 of the way through the shorts, there is a stretch of 4-5 shorts that just aren't as good as the rest. It was almost as if new directors were trying their hand at directing the three mischief-makers and couldn't quite grasp the winning slapstick formula (too much plot substance...never a Stooges strong-suit!). However, many of the episodes before and after that stretch I consider to be some of my favorite shorts ever produced! Buy this product with confidence knowing that you will have hours of laughs and hilarious entertainment awaiting you! Rating: - * Bought for an actress friend ... This was my second order Volume 3. The first was for me, and the second was for Lorna Gray, who was in several Three Stooges shorts (including ones on this disc). She was thrilled that the shorts are being digitally restored, and presented in order. Frank Reighter Rating: - * The Stooges live on ... If you don't get them now, you never will. This is a great collection and I love how the video and audio was cleaned up to where it should be and was when they were seen in the theatres. Great collection. Rating: - * Stooge Mania ... I just can't get enough of these guys... Sony did such a great job with this collection!!! All the shorts are restored and in chronological order, in three year intervals per volume. --It's total stooge mania!!! Some of these, you probably never even seen!!! or maybe 20 years ago, and forgot about that old classic one. If your a stooge fan, vol. 3 is a must have... actually, all of them are!!