Freaky and Surreal Ventriloquism
I was born in 1961, so some time between then and perhaps 1966 this was shown on afternoon television. While the Stooges bore me to death, the surreal ventriloquist dummies in this made quite an impression on me as a kid (sort of like the image of when Boo Radley unintentionally scares the kids in the woods in their halloween costumes in "To Kill a Mockingbird" -- about which I had nightmares for years and remembered the image but not where I'd seen it, so had a surreal feeling on watching the film years later and being confronted with something that had haunted me for years). The scene where the dummy pretends to be too sick for school by putting spots of jelly on his face at breakfast was the same -- stuck with me forever, and I'm so glad I was able to see it again here. That's what the review's for, not the Stooge sketches. Seen enough of those to last a life time. Don't need anymore.

Bizarre and pointless
This is one of those things that you can't really appreciate just how bad it is till you've actually seen it for yourself. Clip shows can be good, but this isn't even what I'd describe as a clip show. The wraparound segments feature ventriloquist Paul Winchell and his dummies Jerry and Knucklehead Smiff, and they're at least kind of a little amusing. However, I did find the idea of a grown man whose "son" is a dummy and actually going to school and acting like a real boy to be a bit bizarre. (The premise works in 'Pinocchio,' but not here.) And Jerry, the main dummy, was such an obnoxious brat that I just wished he'd get a good spanking, and I'm ordinarily very very anti-corporal punishment! And speaking of bizarre and creepy, that segment with the chimps acting out the Cinderella story made me embarrassed for the chimps! (Although it was kind of interesting to see things reflecting this era in time, like when Jerry comes home from school for his lunch break; how many schools today send their students home for lunch anymore?)

The clips themselves have tenuous connections, at best, to the wraparound segments with Winchell and his dummies. They're also not shown in exact order, what with edits and jump-cuts. If you're going to do a clip show or showcase clips in support of wraparound segments, either make them short and pertinent or have the longer clips shown without any edits. That just gives a false and truncated picture, and makes one want to see the full-length shorts. There's also kind of distracting non-original music played during most of them. The clips themselves, which actually are pretty good in spite of being shown in this misleading mutilated form, are 'Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise' (1939) (shown during the opening credits), 'How High Is Up?' (1940), 'Violent Is the Word for Curly' (1938), 'Sock-a-Bye Baby' (1942), 'Higher Than a Kite' (1943), 'What's the Matador?' (1942), 'Goofs and Saddles' (1937) (shown on a television screen and not the entire screen), 'Calling All Curs' (1939), 'Micro-Phonies' (1945), 'A-Plumbing We Will Go' (1940), and finally the heartbreaking 'Half-Wits' Holiday' (1946). If they were going to close it out with clips from a pie fight, could they possibly have chosen a worse short? Although I won't complain too much about the fact that they're billed as the "original" Three Stooges; even though real fans know that the original team consisted of Moe, Larry, and Shemp, there's no denying that the majority of people think of Moe, Larry, and Curly when they hear the group's name, and that that was the original lineup doing the Columbia shorts.

There's also a bonus short included, 'A Bird in the Head' (1946). There are some good moments in it, particularly the paper-hanging scene, but the rest of it isn't that great due to being from Curly's sick period. He does seem to be more in character than usual, and he doesn't look like a ghoul the way he does in some of the other shorts from this era, but it's still obvious that he's not his old self, even if he isn't so bad here that it's like watching him die before your eyes. Additionally, there just aren't a lot of funny lines or great gags to be had. There's a reason why Ed Bernds, who made his directorial debut with this short, decided to release the superior 'Micro-Phonies' prior to this, so that his career wouldn't appear to be starting out with such a clunker. It's just not executed well, and the ending is kind of abrupt. Still, at least it's not their absolute worst from this era.

The main feature isn't something I'd recommend unless one wants to see for oneself just how awful and pointless it really is. There was a reason that Moe and Larry sued when they saw this picture, which had been done without their knowledge or permission. How is it that an abomination like this was released on DVD, while great shorts like 'They Stooge to Conga' and 'Goof on the Roof' languish away on out-of-print videotapes?

Excellent Puppetry
I love this movie because I love Paul Winchell and the Art of Puppetry and ventriliqiolism (ok i can't spell). It is just hilarious. I wasn't a fan of the Stooges, but this movie made me one.

Dont Look And Laugh At This
Following their successful return to films at Columbia Pictures."The Three Stooges"were invitied to make a sequel to":"Have Rocket Will Travel"but for less monies and they were not to be given any creative control over their next film.Moe nixed the deal and the boys left for 20th Century Fox(To appear in the forgetable:"Snow White & The Three Stooges!")and to create their own studio:Normany Productions with Moe's Son In Law:Norman Maurer as their guiding genius.When Columbia couldn't get the team to make another movie? They simply put together scenes from old "Three Stooges"Shorts from the 1930's and 40's:Starring Moe,Larry & Curly.And they hired Ventriloquist/Entertainer/Cartoon VO performer:Paul Winchell,"The Marquis Chimps"and NYC based Kids tv wraparound host/performer:"Officer Joe"Bolton(At the time that this film went into production."Officer Joe"was still hosting "The Three Stooges'Funhouse!"Weekday evenings on WPIX TV Ch.11 in NYC.The movie wasn't even filmed at Columbia Pix' in Hollywood,Ca.It was filmed at The 20th Century Fox Studios on NYC's Upper West Side.)and the released:"Stop,Look & Laugh!"to the movie going public.Columbia had hoped that "The Stooges'"Fans would love this compilation.But this film is nothing more than a feature film like tv comedy special.With the boys making guest appearances by proxiy.Mr.Winchell's narrations are forgetable to say the least and "The Cinderella"Spoof that features "The Marquis Chimps"(with the voices of the chimps provided by Ms.June Foray)is also a waiste of time and talent.Even "Officer Joe's"cameo in this mess does little to endear this piece of Hollywoodized film comedy fans and Stooge Devoutees.To those fans of "The Three Stooges",Paul Winchell and "Officer Joe"? Please don't wasite your monies and buy this video.It's Not worth the money.Kevin S.Butler.

Pretty Funny
I've read some very harsh (and probably deserved) criticisms of "Stop! Look! and Laugh!". I suppose to really enjoy a little exploitation film like this, you'd have to know about the background. You see, when the Stooges had a comeback in 1959, former Stooge directors Jules White and Harry Romm pieced together clips from some very funny Stooge comedies with Curly with some scenes with Paul Winchell and his dummies (Knucklhead Smiff and Jerry Mahoney). If you didn't know that beforehand, I can imagine being very betrayed by this film. But I kinda liked it.
I thought the Stooge clips, while edited and given strange new music, were as amusing as ever, and I was especially surprised by the Paul Winchell scenes, which were pretty darn funny. The only real flaw of this film is the Marquis Chimps' rendition of Cinderella (which comes near the end of the film).
The DVD presents "Stop! Look! And Laugh!" in its original 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The Paul Winchell and Marquis Chimps scenes look very clear and sharp, with only minor scratches. The Stooges scens are obviously slightly scratchier, but look very above average (some of them look better than they did on seperate DVDs, uncut).
As a special feature, the 1946 comedy "A Bird in the Head" is included. While a very sickly looking Curly Howard does not give one of his better performances, the short is well crafted and has some very funny moments. It looks remarkably clear and almost free of scratches.
A theatrical trailer (which can be seen on Anchor Bay's "Three Stooges Greatest Hits and Rarities") or some production notes would have been nice, but other than that, this is a very nice package.