Often snubbed and derided in the history of cinematic comedy, The Three Stooges were the knockabout team who, despite the line-up changes over the years, are still fun enough to raise a smile.

The team in the five films in this collection comprises of Larry, Moe, and Curly-Joe rather than the most famous (if not original) line-up that included Moe’s real-life brother Curly (yes, it’s confusing, but you know, he’s the yuk-yuk one). Don’t let that put you off, however, or the fact that these movies come from the later part of their collective career.

Have Rocket, Will Travel (1959) sees the boys accidentally stowed away on a rocket that lands on Venus. In The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962), a scientist’s time machine puts them to ancient Greece and at the wrong side of Zeus’ son. The Three Stooges in Orbit (1962) has the trio once again find themselves in a rocket (that’s more like a flying submarine) and up against some bulbous-headed Martians. Jules Verne’s classic novel gets the Stooges twist in The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Haze (1963), and the western genre is given their slapstick treatment in The Outlaws is Coming (1965).

While none of the films can be considered laugh out loud funny, they are an entertaining diversion for the most part. Unfortunately, the feature-length format doesn’t do the team’s style of humour any favours as they bogged down in plot rather than what we want to see: three grown men knocking each other about and goofing off. There’s no subtlety here, but there are certainly a few smiles along the way. We even get a song in Have Rocket, Will Travel!

This quintet of films may not represent the Stooges at their best, but they are certainly an amiable way to pass a few hours.

THE THREE STOOGES MOVIE COLLECTION / CERT: U / DIRECTORS: NORMAN MAURER, EDWARD BERNDS, DAVID LOWELL RICH / SCREENPLAY: ELWOOD ULLMAN, RAPHAEL HAYES / STARRING: LARRY FINE, MOE HOWARD, JOE DERITA / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW