NOW THAT WE'VE GONE OVER THE SPOOKIEST LOONEY TUNES FOR HALLOWEEN VIEWING, ANOTHER PERFECT WAY TO WARM UP FOR A MONSTER MOVIE MARATHON WOULD BE WITH THE CLASSIC SPOOKY THREE STOOGES SHORT "SPOOK LOUDER". Made during wartime in 1943, this is the first Three Stooges short that features really strong "horror" elements. Larry, Moe and Curly are salesmen who are hired to guard the house of Professor Graves the inventor so that Nazi spies don't steal his inventions while he's away. The Stooges are greeted at the door by a butler who just happens to be played by sepulchral-voiced/cadaver-faced Charles Middleton; not only the actor who played the STRANGLER FROM THE SWAMP but also the fella who played Ming the Merciless in the classic FLASH GORDON serials! Mr. Graves has been called away to demonstrate his new death-ray device so he needs the Three Stooges to stay in his house.

After Graves departs, the spooky house is filled with the sound of a piano being played -- but there's no one in the house. Moe and Curly decide to dance as Moe quips: "You dance like you've got your legs on backwards." "Wait a minute!", Larry bellows, "If we're here alone, who's playing the piano?!?" Of course, it turns out to be a kitten on the keys. However, outside the house three spies dressed in Halloween costumes break into the mansion. As one of the costumed spies is about to shoot the Stooges with a shotgun, a pie hits him in the face. Wild, maniacal cackling is heard by the mysterious, unseen pie-hurler. One more of the burning mysteries found in this short film!

A lot of "old dark house" shenanigans ensue including a hairy claw reaching out from behind a moving bookcase to snatch Moe. The spy dressed as a skeleton terrorizes Larry as he opens the front door. Moe is scared by a table lamp going on and off; unknown to him the plug is being pulled out and pushed back in to the socket because the cord is wrapped around the rocking chair leg which Moe is rocking back and forth. Then the spy dressed as a devil peers in the window and makes Moe's hair stand on end with fright. A wonderfully effective gag occurs when a balloon filled with helium gets hooked onto Curly's coat-tail; the balloon has a scary face drawn on it and every time it bumps the back of Curly's head the stooge freaks out. In fact, the effect of the balloon-face rising up behind Curly is strangely unsettling and startling as well as being funny. The gag also works wonderfully when Curly runs in fright into the hallway and asks Larry if anyone is following him. Larry starts to reassure him until the balloon pops up behind Curly and frightens the bejesus out of Larry. The same thing happens when Moe encounters Curly; the way the Stooges utilize an inanimate prop which moves on its own demonstrates the razor-sharp timing the trio had developed over the years. Even though the balloon rises at different rates of speed behind Curly, the Stooges perfectly time their dialogue and reactions for optimal laughs. "I must be haunted" Curly whimpers as he runs from the scene. Then Curly suddenly stops, causing the following balloon to careen through his legs and to bob up in front of his face -- more adept physical comedy as the gag is pulled off flawlessly. And just when you think they've exhausted the balloon gag, Curly runs away (which naturally causes the balloon to disappear back behind him). Curly pauses in front of a mirror gasping "Maybe it's me?!?" as the balloon once again slowly bobs up behind his head so that it looks like a spook is creeping up behind him. Priceless. Believe it or not, the Stooges actually get EVEN MORE mileage out of the balloon gag before they're done with it. There is also a mummy in a sarcophagus, a ghost sighting (actually Curly in a sheet), a mischievous monkey, a bear (stuffed) and more maniacal laughter and pie-throwing. And a good, old fashioned bomb.

SPOOK LOUDER is the perfect short subject to screen after some of those spooky Looney Tunes cartoons and before the start of your Halloween monster movie double (or is that triple . . .or QUADRUPLE) feature. I mean, the spies even dress in Halloween costumes! How perfect is that?!? So what if nothing actually supernatural occurs in it; how many horror films can you name where all the supernatural goings on are explained away in the final reel? The Three Stooges were still at the height of their powers in 1943 before the illness which would eventually sideline Curly began to show its affect. Spooky Looney Tunes and Spooky Stooges; is there a more fun way to start a night of Halloween movies while you sort through your bag of Halloween candy?!?!