Outer Space Jitters

...but a young Dan Blocker plays a monster here. That makes it just so much more fun. Besides, how could you have a bad Joe Besser; he played the same character through his career and if you are a fan, you'll enjoy him here. If you're not a fan...why look at the Stooges anyway?

In the start Larry have a quick endorsement for the movie "Pal Joey" .

I don't understand why people are so hard on this short, I actually thought this was one of the better Stooge shorts featuring Joe Besser, the short had a good cast (Emil Sitka, Phillip Van Zandt, Gene Roth, Harriette Tarler), a decent script and some funny moments such as the dinner table scene, them freeing Emil Sitka's character, Larry & Joe being scared of the zombie while Moe thought they were playing charades and Larry accidentally hitting Moe in the head with a hammer and then Moe rubbing a wooden sander on Larry's head, watch Larry's facial reactions to him getting his head rubbed by a wooden sander! IMO that scene is up there with some of the best moments in Stooge history.

The short may be a little slow in parts but it does have some funny moments, this short is far more deserving than just 1 out of 10 stars, I give this short a 6 out of 10.

This film made me laugh, more then once too! Plus its an early Dan Blocker film before Bonanza! Emil Sitka has a role on the Stooge's side instead of being against them like he seems to usually be. The film Pal Joey is plugged here and since its from the same studio, Columbia, and released the same year, this probably played as a short before it in the theaters. Joe Besser is really hated in Stooge land but hey, I'm a fan of his work on other shows like playing Stinky on the Abbott and Costello Show. A role that has been revived in the 1990s with TV's Frank character on Mystery Science Theater 3000. "I'll harm you!" So I get that Joe Besser didn't like getting slapped around when he joined the Stooges and to me that's a positive because the boys have to find other jokes and they do here. Besides Larry now took the brunt of the slaps and here gets hammered with Moe, among other playfulness. These Besser shorts are better then most of the Stooge feature length films, in my opinion. And unlike later Shemp films, the stories don't seem to be remakes of earlier Stooge films, I don't remember them going to a planet before this one! Also, they were still orientated to a general movie audience, not the kiddie show scripts with Curly Joe DeRita. I recommend it. Don't be a Stooge snob, or 'I'll harm you!

OUTER SPACE JITTERS (1957) is the worst Joe Besser short I have seen so far. It's a totally weird plot. What should a caveman be brought to life on Sunev (Venus spelled backwards) anyway? Besides, the Stooges don't even wear their hair their usual funny way. The "Sunev" gag was already used in SPACE SHIP SAPPY (1957). I don't recommend this short. At least the ending was good.

Rating: D