Nyuk, nyuk.
The only bad thing about reviewing a Three Stooges short is that the review can't be that long unless I digress to the point of pointlessness. First off, I've dreaded doing this: the first attempt at doing this lead me to "That Nazty Spy," a short I hated with a passion. Plus, it was short and I felt like I wasn't writing a review, but an excuse. It was like a fifty-line excuse of why I couldn't get off my ass to write a decent review about something I loved.....or had an interesting story to, like "Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster" (aka "Mars Invades Puerto Rico"). But NOOOOOO....I had to do a Three Stooges short.
But it's economical: AMC is showing them and has been for the past eleven months.
Either way, "Outer Space Jitters" is one of my favorites, in a Mario Bava-like way: if it doesn't make that much sense, at least it's entertaining to look at. Which it is, since "OSJ" seems to be inspired by other '50s science fiction epics like "Destination: Moon" and "Fire Maidens From Outer Space." Especially the latter.
Anyway, the short starts off with the Three Stooges (this time, Moe and Larry and 'Curly' Joe) along with token egghead along to draw out the plot. The trio + egghead/scientist/'load' lands on Sunev, a strange planet. Why? No idea. Anyway, the Sunevians seem to dress like people who needed that sci-fi edge but raided a marching band closet instead. We get all sorts of funny overstated hats with plumage and all that. Either way, the aliens show off their superior science that animating a 'prehistoric' pig man and their 'emeralds, rubies, and pearls." A lot of time is wasted by showing off Joe and Larry's love of these and them hocking such items. Anyway, as the scientist goes off with the alien president, the boys start hitting on the three women this palace holds. Why? Don't ask me, this isn't constructed for plot. Either way, it all ends up like this:
1) Everybody living on Sunevians are robots, to provide an interesting attempt when the Stooges try to force their attentions on them (EWW!!)
2) The Sunevians want to take over Earth for some silly reason.
3) After finding the Sunevians' weakness (water, because it short-circuits them), the boys have fun with the prehistoric man then get the scientist and runs. Joe loses his pants (EWWW!!) in order to hock some jewels and gold bars.
4) After all of this, we find that the whole thing was a story that the Stooges were telling their Stooge children (dual roles and an excellent use of a split screen) this story and are about to go on a date when they meet the babysitter....who happens to be a female version of the prehistoric creature. Comedy ensues, and the Stooges jump out of a window. The End.
Well, that's it. Excepting the sets (which do really look good), this short comes at the end of the Stooges' career. Hence why the humor isn't that funny.
RATING: Well, the humor isn't the Stooges' best but the sets remind me of old '50s sci-fi movies. One and a half stars out of Four.
--Zbu