Search - The Three Stooges - Stooged & Confoosed (Colorized / Black & White) on DVD

Fewer shorts for more money

A. Hamilton | CHARLOTTE, NC USA | 08/30/2004

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The real problem with these new Stooges releases is that Columbia has used the excuse of the colorization to present only four shorts, some of which have been released on other DVDs previously. Furthermore these retail for 24.99 while most others containing more shorts retail for 19.99 so we are asked to pay more for less. I bought both of them used for under $10 each and suggest you look for them used if you must have them. I have already seen many used copies in stores, probably because there are many disappointed buyers. Advantages of buying used: you'll pay less and Columbia won't make any money off the sale. The sad fact is that if these sell well enough this is all we can expect in the future.

As for the colorization: it may be the best I've seen, which is still pretty awful. Very unrealistic hues, jarring color combinations, unpleasant pastels. If you know anything about film you'll know that if the filmmakers had made these in color they would not have looked anything like this. What is the point of researching what the actual color of a prop was on Ebay (see the self-congratulatory featurette)? The props and costumes were chosen for how they would photograph in black and white. They would have done better to just try and make everything look as natural as possible.

I can't help thinking the choice of the stooges for launching this new colorization line is an odd one. If there is any B&W material that seems almost immune to the objections of people who won't watch black and white it's the stooges. My five-year-old daughter loves the stooges in black and white and so do many people who refuse to watch B&W movies.

In summary because of the colorization we get less entertainment.

But if you find color more important than laughs, this disc is for you."

My favorite episode of all time is on this DVD!

Distant Voyageur | Io | 03/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Regardless of the questionable quality as well as quantity of what's on here, I really wanted to praise this DVD for it's inclusion of the brilliantly done short called "You Nazty Spy" which does a spine-splittingly hilarious job of spoofing Nazi Germany during the end of the 1930s and early 1940s. In fact, it was the first of any kind of film that actually spoofed Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Here Moe Howard plays a fascist bumbling dictator named Moe Hailstone who is installed after the country of Moronica's kind is deposed and sent into exile. Moe's imitation of Hitler's speeches is scary at times but the way he barks in his version of German is so funny you may end up shedding tears from laughing so hard.

While nowhere near "You Nazty Spy", the other three shorts included are also entertaining but "An ache in Every Stake" is my second favorite. Moe Larry and Curly star as icemen who deliver ice to customers during a severe heatwave but during that time destroy two birthday cakes that were meant for a police chief's birthday party. As they escaped from losing their icebox which actually crashes into the chief at the bottom of the stairs, the boys wind up as cooks after the original chef quits. The chef actually was assigned to make the birthday for the police chief who when he meets the new cooks is unaware that it's the same guys who ruined two of his previous birthday cakes.

While I'll give credit for the colorizing job on the DVD, I'll always prefer the black & white version because it always feels more true to the spirit of the Three Stooges. There are certianly better buys out there than this one but the inclusion of "You Nazty Spy" and "Ache In Every Stake" make this DVD a five star for me."

Colorization at it's Best

Girvan Paterson | Melbourne,Vic. Australia | 01/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"'The Three Stooges- Stooged and Confused', is without a doubt the best example of colorization I've seen, and couldn't have looked better had it been filmed in color to begin with! I can't understand those who criticise these discs, after all, you also get the original black & white prints, so how can you go wrong? O.K. as with all such discs, some shorts may be better than others, but that's just a matter of which ones are your favorites, but as far as the color goes, it's very realistic, and it's a great way to see the 'Stooges' as close as possible to how they would have been seen if color was the norm back in those days. I personally hope they do it to all of them.
Girvan Paterson, Melbourne, Australia."

"I won't watch it if it's in black & white!"

Timothy P. Molthan | 01/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"That's what a friend's 12-year-old son told me when I gave him a video compilation of stuff I loved when I was his age. That is why all you huffalumps should quit complaining about the amazing colorization technology used here, unless you want the Stooges to become a relic. It's obvious to me that trying to appeal to a new, young audience is the main reason for offering both versions on one disc. To a 12-year-old who has never seen it in black & white, they would never know the difference, but being in color it would at least hold their interest. Get over it."