Plot: What’s it about?
I’ve always loved the efforts of The Three Stooges, who seem to be as popular now as ever. While some comedic teams from the same era have dropped in popularity or faded away, these Stooges remain wildly popular, with no slow downs in sight. As such, I am pleased to see Columbia release another volume of Stooge antics, Dizzy Doctors. This disc is much like the other compilation discs issued by Columbia, with a total of six episodes included. The total time on these shorts runs over ninety minutes, so I think the value is solid and since the episodes are so humorous, there’s no reason to miss them. Below you’ll find a brief synopsis for each episode included on this release, titled Dizzy Doctors.
1. Dizzy Doctors- This 1937 short features the boys in a real pickle, as their wives have laid down the law. If the guys don’t stop sleeping around the house and find good jobs, the ladies will walk out and leave them…for good! Of course, the stooges manage to find work, but not the good kind and in this case, they attempt to sell a wonder drug called Brighto. It seems like a good enough idea, but what will happen when they try to sell Brighto to a local hospital?
2. Termites of 1938- This 1938 piece sees the stooges in the lap of luxury, though by mistake, to be sure. The boys have been working as insect killers and when a rich woman needs an escort for a bash, her maid calls the exterminators’ in error. The maid thinks she has dialed a high society escort service, but when the stooges arrive, they intend to live it up and then some. But when the mistake is realized, will the boys be able escape intact?
3. Brideless Groom- This 1947 short is a favorite of mine, as Shemp suddenly finds himself to be the hottest man in town. He works as a voice teacher and has been turned down by almost every woman in town, but when he stands to inherit a half million bucks, he is instantly the most wanted man in the area. But in order to collect the cash, he needs to be married by six and of course, with so many ladies in line, how will Shemp manage to choose just one?
4. Listen Judge- After the boys have been let loose by a judge by this 1952 piece, they need to find some work and soon enough, they do just that. A rich woman hires them to repair her doorbell, which seems to be in inoperative condition these days. But little does she know the sheer lunacy that awaits, as the stooges try to fix the situation, then offer to cook dinner for the woman and her guests! But little do the boys know who the woman’s husband is and when that little fact is uncovered, all heck breaks loose and then some!
5. Bubble Trouble- In this 1953 short film, we watch as the stooges create another outrageous concoction, but this time, it might be for real! The boys have conjured up a fountain of youth and when Mrs. Flint, she turns into a gorgeous young woman, just as intended. Enthused by the success, the formula is then tested on Mr. Flint, but when he turns into a hideous beast instead of a young man, the stooges find themselves in hot water once again.
6. The Tooth Will Out- Shemp and the boys have taken up the dental arts in this 1951 piece, although I don’t know who would agree to be their patients. After one whole week of dental school, the three head off to found their practice, in search of fame and fortune. One of their first customers is a wanted man, but not in the good sense of the word, as he is a hunted outlaw, complete with a toothache. As the stooges prepare to assist him in this painful situation, riotous hijinks ensue and the bandit has more to worry about than a simple sore tooth.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes look much better than expected, with minimal signs of age, especially when compared to prior releases. I have some of these episodes on VHS and they look dismal, but here they look clean and sharp, very impressive. You’ll see some grain, debris, and marks here, but not too much so, given the age of the materials involved. Some look better than others, but all look quite good and offer improvements over previous versions. The prints look cleaner than anticipated and the contrast is well balanced, not much else to expect here.
Audio: How does it sound?
Not too much to discuss here, as these mono options are adequate, but not overly impressive. The materials have aged pretty well, so little hiss or harshness is present, which has to be good news, as some prior releases have suffered in this respect. You won’t be too taken with the technical aspects here, but the music and wacky sound effects are in solid form, while dialogue is clean and easy to understand. This disc also includes Spanish and Portuguese language options, as well as subtitles in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains no bonus materials.
