8mm Forum: Columbia Silent Stooges

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Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on May 28, 2011, 01:06 AM:

I've always hated the black-boxed sub-titles that Columbia applied to their silent Stooges titles. They're so damned intrusive and often don't even come close to what is really being said. The 'Curly' short "Cash & Carry" has always been a favorite and I remember wishing Columbia had issued a sound version. Same thing with "Idle Roomers" and the 'Shemp" title "Spooks". The sub-titles are so awful it's painful.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on May 28, 2011, 01:14 PM:

I agree Brad.

By the way, I happen to have a 3D copy of "Spooks" on standard 8mm. The #D effect is fading (due to it being on eastman stock) but some of it is still pretty good. I especially like how at the beginning, it has the original start, with Larry walking much closer to the screen than the other two, giving us a greast 3D effect.

The curious thing about the reel is that it is a 100ft reel, which seems to be comprised of two different copies, interspliced together in thier original order. I'm sure that Doug Meltzer could verify, but I think that there were two 3D issued of this on 50ft, and whoever this collector was, he simply spliced the two together. Any verification on that, Doug?

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on May 28, 2011, 01:38 PM:

Brad,

Some of the early Ken releases also had the black background for the subtitles. It does help during the scenes where there are white titles on a light background.

Osi,

You are right!

My Standard 8mm copies of the 3D Stooges also have enough color so that the effect still works.

Doug

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on May 30, 2011, 07:41 PM:

So "Tails Of Terror" is also from "Spooks"? I assumed it was from "If A Body Meets A Body" with Curly being that he's represented in the graphic. I knew "Body" wasn't originally shot in 3D, but figured Columbia adapted it for 3D for the home movie release. The fact that Curly is in the graphic doesn't always mean anything. Curly and Shemp are on many of the silent edition boxes when we all know they are not even in the film the box is for like "Pardon My Scotch". The graphic on my box is a still from "Feulin' Around".

Posted by Tony Stucchio (Member # 519) on May 31, 2011, 07:26 PM:

Looking through old catalogs, I noticed that Blackhawk was the only one who identified whether a short was with Curly or Shemp.
On the channel guide for programming my DVR, my cable company lists every Stooges short as starring Moe Howard and Larry Fine. They also don't list the year, so you really have to know the titles to find out if it is a Curly or a Shemp.

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on June 03, 2011, 08:50 AM:

It is strange that Columbia's catalog never noted "Curly" or "Shemp" titles. It did note release dates for the sound versions which helped. Do the scenes in "Spooks" and "Tails Of Terror" at least run in proper order or is it a big hodge-podge?

Posted by Herb Finn (Member # 2897) on April 29, 2012, 01:25 AM:

Has anyone ever put together a list of THREE STOOGES Columbia home movie silent versions along with length/format?

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on April 29, 2012, 09:54 PM:

Herb,

Take a look at this list from a few years back.

Doug

Posted by Herb Finn (Member # 2897) on May 14, 2012, 12:27 PM:

Thanks

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