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#11
Good Movies / Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Last post by M.10rda - November 04, 2026, 09:18:44 AMHOLD THAT GHOST (1941):
Lou & Bud are really bad waiters working in a mob joint where the Andrews Sisters and some other dudes perform unnecessary musical numbers. Somehow they end up at a nominally "haunted" house where the big boss hides his money. Marc Lawrence is a minor character who dies early but his body repeatedly turns up when no one but Lou is around
(shades of WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S). Shemp Howard also has 2 or 3 unfunny lines as a soda jerk.
Okay, Abbott seems to be trying a little harder than he would be trying 7 years later in ...MEET FRANKENSTEIN, yet he has even less to work with in terms of material. Maybe this is why he just gave up all effort at some point - but how did he luck into top-billing in a successful comedy "duo" w/ an incredibly gifted comic who did all of the heavy lifting for both of them?
The entirely-too-long HOLD THAT GHOST also adds a wholly unnecessary male/female romantic duo to the plot, taking potential lines and business away from Bud. On top of that, it adds a love interest/comedic foil for Lou, thus rendering Bud a fifth wheel in the ensemble. The slightly weird-looking yet still appealing Joan Davis (I guess in modern terms she would be a "Joan Cusack type") has real chemistry w/ heavyset Lou (they have a ridiculous, pointless, yet very funny dance routine) and is also much funnier at putting him down than Bud is. One ponders the alternate universe where "Costello & Davis" might've eclipsed "Burns & Allen" or "Astaire & Rogers".
This is a rather "bad", tired comedy, yet I'll still declare it "Good" on Davis' account and especially on account of the phenomenal Costello. His performance is remarkably elaborate, considering that he's only asked to play "stupid", "cowardly", and "greedy" over and over again for 85 minutes. Lou illuminates every tiny action and intention w/ the depth of thought of Robert Oppenheimer performing complex mathematic and moral equations.
He definitely earns his paycheck several times over as well as earning Bud's.
3/5 Unlike his later films, Lou also does some LOL pratfalls that must've hurt the next day. I imagine as his contract was re-negotiated he started to refuse this high-impact business. But it sure is funny.
Lou & Bud are really bad waiters working in a mob joint where the Andrews Sisters and some other dudes perform unnecessary musical numbers. Somehow they end up at a nominally "haunted" house where the big boss hides his money. Marc Lawrence is a minor character who dies early but his body repeatedly turns up when no one but Lou is around
(shades of WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S). Shemp Howard also has 2 or 3 unfunny lines as a soda jerk.Okay, Abbott seems to be trying a little harder than he would be trying 7 years later in ...MEET FRANKENSTEIN, yet he has even less to work with in terms of material. Maybe this is why he just gave up all effort at some point - but how did he luck into top-billing in a successful comedy "duo" w/ an incredibly gifted comic who did all of the heavy lifting for both of them?
The entirely-too-long HOLD THAT GHOST also adds a wholly unnecessary male/female romantic duo to the plot, taking potential lines and business away from Bud. On top of that, it adds a love interest/comedic foil for Lou, thus rendering Bud a fifth wheel in the ensemble. The slightly weird-looking yet still appealing Joan Davis (I guess in modern terms she would be a "Joan Cusack type") has real chemistry w/ heavyset Lou (they have a ridiculous, pointless, yet very funny dance routine) and is also much funnier at putting him down than Bud is. One ponders the alternate universe where "Costello & Davis" might've eclipsed "Burns & Allen" or "Astaire & Rogers".
This is a rather "bad", tired comedy, yet I'll still declare it "Good" on Davis' account and especially on account of the phenomenal Costello. His performance is remarkably elaborate, considering that he's only asked to play "stupid", "cowardly", and "greedy" over and over again for 85 minutes. Lou illuminates every tiny action and intention w/ the depth of thought of Robert Oppenheimer performing complex mathematic and moral equations.
He definitely earns his paycheck several times over as well as earning Bud's. 3/5 Unlike his later films, Lou also does some LOL pratfalls that must've hurt the next day. I imagine as his contract was re-negotiated he started to refuse this high-impact business. But it sure is funny.
#12
Television / Re: What TV Shows Are you Watc...
Last post by M.10rda - November 04, 2026, 08:49:15 AMWelcome, Peter!
#13
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Random Thought Thread Part...
Last post by Alex - November 04, 2026, 08:29:48 AMTrump might have failed at regime change in Iran, but hey he managed it in Texas.
#14
Bad Movies / Re: Generate Movie Poster with...
Last post by bob - November 04, 2026, 08:14:25 AM
#15
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Random Thought Thread Part...
Last post by indianasmith - November 04, 2026, 07:02:55 AMThe skies over Texas are nice and blue this morning!
#16
Television / Re: What TV Shows Are you Watc...
Last post by peterjames - November 04, 2026, 01:49:36 AMBeen rewatching old Doctor Who episodes lately — working my way through the classic Tom Baker era. I cut the cord a while back so I mostly stream on my phone now; I grabbed the [link removed] a few weeks ago and it's been great for catching up on shows I missed. Currently on season 4 of the classic run and it's holding up surprisingly well.
#17
Trouble Tickets / Re: My name does not show up
Last post by Trevor - November 03, 2026, 07:18:16 PMQuote from: indianasmith on November 03, 2026, 07:08:04 PMMaybe. . . you're a GHOST!!!!
😆😄😃😀 👻 🐢
#18
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Random Thought Thread Part...
Last post by indianasmith - November 03, 2026, 07:09:54 PMQuote from: Trevor on November 03, 2026, 04:44:42 AMQuote from: indianasmith on November 02, 2026, 09:46:33 PMHey, I got named "Teacher of the Week" this week.
Which got me a free Tshirt.
Your teacher shirt should read TEACHER OF 2000 - 2026.
Thank you, my friend.
😊😊🐢
#19
Trouble Tickets / Re: My name does not show up
Last post by indianasmith - November 03, 2026, 07:08:04 PMMaybe. . . you're a GHOST!!!!
#20
Games / Re: Answer the question with a...
Last post by bob - November 03, 2026, 06:40:41 PM
What are you bringing to the cookout?