3 Stooges: Meet Hercules [VHS]

3 Stooges: Meet Hercules [VHS]
by Edward Bernds

3 Stooges: Meet Hercules [VHS]
List Price: $12.98
Our Price: $4.25
You Save: $8.73 (67%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.46 (click here)
Category: VHS Video
See more movie releases


(Click here)
Buy this VHS video movie at online store in your country
Canada

VHS Tape Cover Information

Actor: Joe DeRita, Larry Fine, Moe Howard, Quinn K. Redeker, Vicki Trickett
Director: Edward Bernds
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Black & White, NTSC
Running Time: 89 minutes
Release Date: 1995-05-23
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Publisher: Sony Pictures
Studio: Sony Pictures

VHS Movie Reviews of 3 Stooges: Meet Hercules [VHS]

Movie Review: A little past their prime
Summary: 3 Stars

Sadly, by the time this film was made (1961, according to the copyright date on the film itself, not 1962), the Three Stooges shtick was a little beyond its prime. Partly that was because of the age of the Stooges (Moe was 64, and Larry and Curly-Joe weren't far behind), but partly it was because of the age itself -- their trademark physical comedy had to be heavily toned down because it was no longer acceptable to over-protective children's advocates. And partly, of course, it was because the act no longer had either of its classic line-ups: views vary on the worth of Curly-Joe DeRita, but it may be agreed he was neither Curly Howard nor Shemp Howard.

That said, this film has more resonance of the classic Stooges shorts than most of their later films, even if without the belly laughs. It is also interesting that the producers cared enough about it to invest in wide-screen format, but not enough to invest in making it in colour. There was a lot of that going on in Hollywood in the late 50s and early 60s. Interestingly, there is a promo on the disc for a series of colourised Stooges DVDs, but this one has not itself been given the treatment.

It is disappointing that, aside from that promo, there are absolutely no extras on this disc.

Nevertheless, this is fair value, but probably for hard-core Stooges fans only. Anyone wanting to be introduced to the Stooges for the first time would be better served with one of the many anthologies of their short subjects available than one of these films from the later period. But if you do want to dip into the movies, this is probably the best of them.

Summary of 3 Stooges: Meet Hercules [VHS]

Very much in the tradition of such Columbia Three Stooges period shorts as "Back to the Woods," the 1962 costume epic The Three Stooges Meet Hercules is 100% pure Moe-Larry-Curly Joe comedy, with the barest of a ho- hum love interest to detract from the nonsense at hand. Working at the pharmacy of an ill-tempered boss (George N. Neise) and friends of a budding time-machine inventor named Schuyler (Quinn Redeker), the Stooges and Schuyler, along with the obligatory attractive female, Diana (Vicki Trickett), are transported back to the time of Hercules. Here the legendary hero (Samson Burke) is the enforcer for King Odius (Neise in a double role), and anachronisms are rampant in an English-speaking ancient Greece.

Twice condemned as galley slaves, the Stooges see that Schuyler now has the muscles but not the self-confidence to rescue Diana and the rest of Greece from the odious Odius. Schuyler is tricked into thinking himself all-powerful and performs many Herculean labors (with many a stuffed animal and some decent backscreen projection).

Although Curly Joe seems a few notches above his namesake in the brains department (which is not saying all that much), his reactions at times of real and supposed danger are quite ordinary compared with the old Curly. In fact, it is Moe who takes on the Curly bark at a recalcitrant prop. But the old sound effects are there to punctuate blows to belly and head, although eye pokes are out, due to parental objections to the influence of the trio, newly popular on television. --Frank Behrens

Comedy VHS Video

VHS Video Movies
Movies most talked about in Hot! Hunky! And Dubbed! It's HERCULES!
Hercules vs. the Hydra [VHS] ImageHercules vs. the Hydra [VHS]
Vidmark / Trimark; Release date: 2000-05-16; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $59.00
Hercules Recycled [VHS] ImageHercules Recycled [VHS]
Agenda Video; Release date: 1996-03-13; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $9.99
Medusa Against the Son of Hercules [VHS] ImageMedusa Against the Son of Hercules [VHS]
United American Video; Release date: 2001-08-23; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $7.99
3 Stooges: Meet Hercules [VHS] Image3 Stooges: Meet Hercules [VHS]
Sony Pictures; Release date: 1995-05-23; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $4.25
Price in other shops: $12.98
Hercules Unchained ImageHercules Unchained
WESTLAKE ENTERTAINMENT INC; Release date: 2004-02-10; DVD
Best price: $0.82
Price in other shops: $14.95
Hercules ImageHercules
WESTLAKE ENTERTAINMENT INC; Release date: 1958-01-01; DVD
Best price: $13.77
Price in other shops: $14.95
Hercules & the Captive Women [VHS] ImageHercules & the Captive Women [VHS]
Hollywood Select Video; Release date: 1998-10-30; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $12.99
Hercules in the Haunted World ImageHercules in the Haunted World
Release date: 2002-08-06; DVD
Best price: $48.75
Hercules in the Haunted World ImageHercules in the Haunted World
Release date: 2003-07-29; DVD
Best price: $44.95
Similar VHS Movies
The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 3: 1940-1942 ImageThe Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 3: 1940-1942
THREE STOOGES; Release date: 2008-08-26; DVD
Best price: $18.92
Price in other shops: $24.96
The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 5: 1946-1948 ImageThe Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 5: 1946-1948
SONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2009-03-17; DVD
Best price: $17.99
Price in other shops: $24.96
The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 6: 1949-1951 ImageThe Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 6: 1949-1951
Sony Pictures Home ENT; Release date: 2009-06-16; DVD
Best price: $17.99
Price in other shops: $24.96
The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 7: 1952-1954 ImageThe Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 7: 1952-1954
Sony; Release date: 2009-11-10; DVD
Best price: $17.99
Price in other shops: $24.96
The Three Stooges - Stop! Look! and Laugh! ImageThe Three Stooges - Stop! Look! and Laugh!
SONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2003-02-18; DVD
Best price: $7.01
Price in other shops: $14.94
Soup to Nuts with the Three Stooges ImageSoup to Nuts with the Three Stooges
TCFHE; Release date: 2005-04-26; DVD
Best price: $4.48
Price in other shops: $9.98
The Three Stooges - The Outlaws Is Coming ImageThe Three Stooges - The Outlaws Is Coming
SONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2002-12-03; DVD
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops: $14.94
Snow White and the Three Stooges ImageSnow White and the Three Stooges
THREE STOOGES; Release date: 2005-04-26; DVD
Best price: $4.25
Price in other shops: $9.98
The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze ImageThe Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze
THREE STOOGES; Release date: 2003-05-13; DVD
Best price: $6.10
Price in other shops: $14.94
The Three Stooges: The Three Stooges in Orbit ImageThe Three Stooges: The Three Stooges in Orbit
THREE STOOGES; Release date: 2003-11-25; DVD
Best price: $8.92
Price in other shops: $14.94
Compare prices and read customer reviews for more than one million DVD titles.
Oscar 2005 Winners