www.StoogeWorld.com Rating -

Columbia Shorts 1953

148. SPOOKS

Click on logo for:

Rl. June 15 (2-D Version released March 18th 1954) / Prod. No. 4210 / 16 m / p d Jules White / st scr Felix Adler / ad Eddie Saeta / ph Lester H. White / e Edwin Bryant / a Carl Anderson / C: Phil Van Zandt (Dr. Jeckyl), Tom Kennedy (Mr. Hyde), Norma Randall (Bea Bopper), Johnny Kascier (Moe's Stand-in), B. Rose (Shemp's Stand-in) and B. Edney (Larry's Stand-in)

SYN: When George Bopper's daughter, Bea, disappears he hires the Super Sleuth Detective Agency - Moe, Larry, and Shemp - to find her. Disguised as pie salesmen, the Stooges stumble eventually upon a spooky old mansion where Bea is being held captive by Dr. Jeckyl, a mad scientist with a mean streak. Mr. Hyde, his burly assistant, is actually a rather large gorilla. The Stooges quickly determine that the mansion is nothing but trouble and they want out. At one point, the Stooges are shown dodging a low-flying bat, (a very ferocious and UGLY bat) so ugly that his face looks exactly like Shemp's. When the boys get tangled up with a gang of ghosts it's pandemonium. As always, however, the boys come out on top, and save the day, and the lovely Bea from utter disaster.

Quick Hits:

- One of a series of Stooge's shorts directed by Jules White that were released in "Magical" 3-D. The technology was very new in the early 50's and very hot. You also see it used the the Norman Maurer Comics produced in the same year by St. John's Publishing (issue 2 & 3). The idea was short-lived, however, as it was very expensive and proved to be a passing fad.

- Although quite amusing at times, the 3-D effects don't add even the slightest edge of technological advancement to the film. But they do add humor, as the effect is far from a "high-tech" special effect.

 

SD: 4 (M 5/11 to TH 5/14/53) Shot at Columbia Sunset Studio, Stage 18. FN: The script cover was "ghost-white" incidentally