macblanc Reviews

The Three Stooges (2000 TV Movie)

Entertaining in a fluffy way...

[7/10 · 25 April 2000]

This bio-pic of the Three Stooges was on for the first time on ABC last night. I quite enjoyed it, although it didn't tell me anything I didn't already know.

But then again, I AM a Three Stooges fan from way back. I remember watching them on TV from my early childhood, and I still catch them on the Comedy Network (they still run the old two-reelers here in Canada) when ever I can. I saw the Stooges live during their revival in the early 60's, and have read all the biographies that I could get my hands on. So you would really have to dig deeply to find anything that would be news to me...

For the average person, however, there was probably a lot to learn about the lives and times of the Stooges--their beginnings in Vaudeville with Ted Healy, their split with him and going on their own, how they had no idea how popular they were (and therefore were underpaid and underappreciated for decades at Columbia Pictures).

This could have been a better story if it could have been given more time, like maybe as a miniseries over a couple of nights. I'm not sure if there is enough interest out there in the Stooges for ABC to have committed to that though. Too bad--there really was too much story to tell in two hours (1 1/2 when you factor in commercials).

Acting was fine. The appearance of Curly and Larry were realistic enough that if you didn't know what movie you were watching you would have figured it out from these two. Moe and Shemp were pretty unconvincing although the haircuts helped a lot. As well, the actor playing Larry's wife Mabel looked just like the real Mabel, although I don't suppose too many people would have appreciated that.

All-in-all, a good film, and a worthwhile two hours. I recommend it when it airs again, or appears on video, especially if you are somewhat of a Stooge fan. But supplement it with a good biography to get the whole story and ALL the details.

My Favorite Martian (1963–1966)

Silly, entertaining show.

[9 February 2000]

My Favorite Martian was an enjoyable waste of time. Starring Ray Walston as a man from Mars who had crash-landed on earth, and Bill Bixby, as Tim, the young newspaper reporter who found him. Tim saw dollar signs, fame and fortune in his eyes when he found a Martian, but unfortunately, never did get to tell his story, in spite of the fact that this Martian moved in with him. You see, the Martian, who passed himself off as Tim's Uncle Martin, would not admit to anyone but Tim what he really was, and Tim would have appeared crazy to insist that Martin was REALLY a Martian!

Martin had some interesting powers: he was able to turn invisible by raising some pretty cheesy looking antennae from the back of his head; he could also point at something and make it lift and come to him. He was also able to read minds, and had a vast knowledge of technology. Apparently the Martians were much more advanced than we were.

The show lasted for three seasons on CBS, giving lots of time for Tim and Martin to have some interesting adventures, all the while trying to repair his ship and return home to Mars. Like ALF some years later though, he never quite made it.

The Big Comfy Couch (1992–2013)

Great for Toddlers

[8 February 2000]

Upon perusing some of my, and my daughters' favourite t.v. programmes, I came upon a rather nasty review of The Big Comfy Couch, right here on IMDB. Unfortunately, the writer doesn't "get" the idea behind the show.

First of all, it is a show for TODDLERS! It seems inane to anyone over six, but then, it's not meant for older children, or adults. Do we criticize a Japanese movie for unintelligible dialogue (assuming, of course, that you don't speak Japanese)? Of course not, the film is intended for people who DO speak Japanese and can understand what is going on.

My two year-old daughter loves Big Comfy Couch. It entertains her, and that is what is important. The show's main characters are female, which was unheard of back in my day (in the 50's and 60's the only female characters were the girlfriends of the heroes and played mostly damsel-in-distress roles, like Olive Oyl, or very secondary roles, like Minnie Mouse). So Big Comfy Couch is not especially educational--does everything have to be? Can a two year-old only watch t.v. programmes that educate? Teletubbies (my daughter's favourite show) also is not really big on educating, but my daughter enjoys it anyway. Heck, how much education is in the programmes we watch? Unless you watch nothing but PBS all day, and even they run movies and concerts of questionable educational value.

So, don't worry so much about what your children are learning from a show--sometimes they just need entertainment. And, just for the record, there is plenty of educational value from Big Comfy Couch--when you are two or three years old, just socializing, cleaning up after yourself, sharing, etc. are things you need to learn. If the programme is cute, or fun, children will tune in again tomorrow, and the next day. If the show is not, then what's the point of making it if no one watches after seeing it once?