My brother and I grew up watching too much of the Three Stooges – it was stupid, unrealistic, foolish, occasionally sad when you think about the Depression-era circumstances it reflects, and stupid. Did I mention that it was stupid? Now I will watch some of the endless annual marathons of episodes with my kids, though my wife is definitely not a fan!
And yet, seeing the trailer for the upcoming 2012 ‘Three Stooges’ movie reminds me of just how BRILLIANTLY stupid those guys were, reflecting an entirely different era, Vaudeville showmanship and skit-building, and a comedic range that includes anger, angst, joy and pathos.
None of which is present in this trailer, and as it comes from the over-rated Farrelly Brothers who are much more likely to ‘miss’ than ‘hit’ … perhaps it is no surprise.
There is certainly a high level of Vaudeville showmanship and skit-building in the Stooges but I don’t think that’s why modern attempts to recapture their magic are unsuccessful. What these movies had, and what almost no live action remakes have, is commitment to the premise. Stanislavski might roll over in his grave but they were the ultimate method actors. They were the Stooges. There is never a wink at the audience, there is no breaking of the fourth wall. For example, Dr. Howard really believes that hitting someone with a mallet is anesthetic and Dr. Fine really believes that his wood saw with enormous teeth is a proper surgical instrument. They don’t know it’s a joke and that is the key.
The only films I can think of that have done this recently are the Peewee Herman movies.