Unappreciated: Buster Keaton (Part 2)

Buster Keaton

 

Welcome back, masochists and film buffs. I figured I would only do this one time so I may as well do it right, right?

Since it was virtually impossible for me to continue my trend of "Top Five" - I had to go whole hog here. I will apologize in advance for the length of this but it needed to be done. Each of Keaton's nineteen independent shorts are listed below in chronological order. Below each one is the full video so that you can select which ones you'd like to watch ... and watch 'em!

 

Before you start, here's the run down on how maddening his speed was during this prolific period (Fassbinder ain't got nothin' on Buster!):

1920 - 4 short films, 1 feature film (The Saphead/MGM)

1921 - 6 short films

1922 - 7 short films

1923 - 2 short films, 2 feature films (The Three Ages, Our Hospitality)

 

 

PART TWO: THE SHORTS

1) "THE HIGH SIGN" (1920): Buster plays an unnamed hero in a stereotypically common short. This was his first as an independent filmmaker and reeks of Fatty Arbuckle (which clearly must smell of sardines, bourbon and bondage). In his biography, Keaton explains that this was his least favorite of all his short features for the same reason. Some of the gags, however; are still pretty hilarious. My favorites being: the newspaper, the shooting gallery, that labyrinthian house with trap-doors, hidden walls and collapsible pipes ... oh, and that cute-ass dog. I'll admit, occasionally I'll do the high sign myself in public. No one gets it. Also worth mentioning - pay close attention around the halfway mark. You'll see Buster Keaton nearly get shot in the face by a rifle. Good times, Buster. Good times.

2) "ONE WEEK" (1920): Most likely one of Keaton's best remembered shorts, One Week is definitely not to be overlooked in a hurry to get to the features. Upon first release, audiences hailed this film as a comedic masterpiece. It went on to establish the career of Buster Keaton, transforming him from bit player into star. In this two-reeler, Keaton gives us the classic example of the style of films he would be making for the rest of his career. One of the most memorable moments is that house he builds. On an engineering standpoint - it shouldn't even stand up, yet somehow Keaton (who had a gift for math) was able to create a lazy Susan to allow the entire structure to spin like a top?! It has been recreated by The International Buster Keaton Society to prove that it was possible. Also of notice - this film contains the first glimpse of Keaton's most famous stunt which he repeated in Steamboat Bill, Jr. He was kind of into having houses collapse around him, I suppose. If I were making a top five list of Buster's shorts, this would be in there. It flies by, it's hilarious, it evokes guffaws from all ages and (in some places) defies nature and common sense.

3) "CONVICT 13" (1920): The surviving prints of this two-reeler from 1920 are a bit splotchy, so it requires a vast amount of love to watch this third film from Buster Keaton. As he was wrapping up his first feature for MGM (The Saphead), Buster was tirelessly filming/writing/editing/producing his own shorts. Some were hit, some were miss. To me - this one is a little more forgotten than the rest. There are plenty of great gags, as any Keaton film - but to me, it seems to rely on some that he invented in his vaudeville era with his parents, thus "stealing the thunder" of what made Buster great to me. One particular moment to look out for is the basketball gag his father and he performed back when Buster was only six years old. While his father shaves, Buster twirls his convict ball around his head, coming closer and closer to the guy with the straight razor poised beside his jugular, in Convict 13 he uses it to knock out a yard full of guards. You can dismiss this by saying, "Oh, it's just the movies - he's not really clubbing those people in the head like that," but ... in the case of a Keaton film, he was really doing this. People were often hurt on set, mostly him but still...who wants to do these things? Convict 13 is further proof that Buster Keaton wasn't entirely sane ... which is further proof why he's a star. Don't hate - appreciate.

4) "THE SCARECROW" (1920): 1920 was a big year for Mr. Keaton. Transitioning from bit player next to Fatty Arbuckle, being signed to a contract with J. Schenck as well as starting his own production company and completing The Saphead for MGM, he still managed to find time to crank out the fourth two-reel comedy in his first year. This is a very poignant Keaton film. He courts the hell out of his leading lady, eventually capturing her in the end. Some folks go so far as to say this (along with One Week & The Boat) comprise a trilogy of Keaton short films, all with the same leading lady - Sybil Sealy. I can see that and I'd even agree if it weren't for the fact that I really believe had Keaton wanted to make this into a feature - he would have. This two-reeler does feel like a portion of something larger. Perhaps its just the booming fame that was coming just around the corner in Keaton's career - I'm not really sure. This is a particularly salacious short. Watch it. You'll see what I'm talking about with my dirty mind...

5) "NEIGHBORS" (1921): Oh my God - how adorable is this? A definite precursor to some of his later classics (Our Hospitality, Spite Marriage, The General), this short is one that is often overlooked and I'm not sure why. It has his father, Joe Keaton. It has his comic foil from the old Arbuckle days. It's literally riddled with some of the most inventive sight gags ever filmed. Nearly everyone smokes. His porkpie hat is finally a fixture. He leaps across that alley (again) like a monkey in heat. And on top of all that, it's funny as hell. My favorite moments are - Keaton's "barrel" gag, a reprise of something they used to do on stage, the drain pipe, the fence, the politically incorrect presense of black-face, a glimpse at Babe Ruth at Yankee Stadium...I guess the whole damn film could be considered a favorite moment, now that I think about it. I'll shut up. Just watch.

6) "THE HAUNTED HOUSE" (1921): Aw hell, now sh*t just got real. Sometimes you have a hit, sometimes you have a miss - and sometimes you just stomp the pure Hell out of it. That was the case with The Haunted House, the two-reeler that sealed Buster as one of silent cinema's greatest comedians. All of the things that make a Keaton flick great are on full display here. The master is at full power and feeling good about himself. The bulk of this short is comprised of visual gags - some that even cannot be explained nearly one hundred years later. It's just full-out stupid how great this short ditty is. This would definitely appear in my top five of all time list just based on the inventiveness alone. This is one of the Keaton shorts that I've shown to children as young as 4 or 5 and they found it as breathtaking as I did. It stands the test of time, it's pungent with the sense that a auteur is in complete control of his medium and it fills the heart with promise for greater adventures yet to come. Know what's stupid? Critics hated it, they tried to pan it and say horrible things like "its just two one reel shorts, held together by a flimsy plot," and other nasty lies. To me, I smell Sherlock, Jr. all over this film and that's reason enough to celebrate it. Now...celebrate...
When you're done - can someone please tell me how the hell he made that cane hang upside down on the wall like that? No one seems to be able to explain defying gravity like that...

7) "HARD LUCK" (1921): The last short to be found, this two reeler was considered lost up until a few years ago - so you should probably overlook how horrible it looks. You know they filmed this stuff on flammable plastic, right? Raymond Rohauer spent his life trying to find and restore each of Keaton's films. This one gave him the hardest time and was located in the attic of an old theater owner's granddaughter...in France. The fact that one person held the key to a "lost" film by one of cinema's greatest masters...baffles my brain meat. Imagine having the missing key to Keaton's lexicon getting dusty in the attic? Lord...some people...

This was also one of Buster's favorite shorts and he considered this to have one of his funniest gags of all time, which is why it was so frustrating that no one could see it. Thank God for that lady in France. Thank God for the Rohauer team who painstakingly took time and money to restore this classic in an era when most people thought silent films were crappy-doodie. Hard Luck was a close call - but it's back and one of the best examples of Keaton's incredible work both in front of as well as behind the camera.

 

 

 

 

8) "THE GOAT" (1921): This isn't about a goat. Let's just start there. Oh, Deadshot Dan, why are you so crazy? This is a simple setup - mistaken identity. I'm not sure what Buster was trying to do with The Goat, but he is clearly stuffing this film with as many gags as humanly possible. You'll see glimpses from other films: notably, the chase scene from Seven Chances, the line gag from Tars and Stripes, and when Buster comes rushing up seated on the front of that train (which stops on a dime, not too easy in 1921) makes me scream. He injured himself by a fall from the top of the truck in this short and was out of commission for three days, only to return to the set and leap, jump, spin and bounce better than before - with a broken ankle. Yeah, Buster didn't play. This is considered by critics to be one of his best. I'd say it's in the top ten. I'm controversial like that.

 

 

 

9) "THE PLAYHOUSE" (1921): This would probably be my number one. Not solely because it's still funny as Hell - but because in The Playhouse, Buster did something that had never been done on screen before. Not only did he break the waves, he torpedoed them into oblivion. If you've already seen this - you know what I'm talking about. If not - do you have any idea how hard it was to have a side-by-side image (double exposure) of yourself in a film? Imagine the impeccable timing it took to play off of yourself like that. Hard right? Buster said the same thing...only when it came time to actually create this magical element - he went crazy. He doesn't just double himself. He quadruple-sextuples himself, plays every instrument in the orchestra, dances in a kick line, composes the entire audience ... and never misses a single time cue? How the...

This movie is so good it will make you mad. Period.

 

 

 

10) "THE BOAT" (1921): Damn if I know what Keaton was attempting here. Oh wait a minute - DAMFINO was the name of The Boat! Scaaaandalous! This is a fantastic short. This short begins with Buster (literally) ripping an entire beachfront home down to its foundation then goes on to drop a car into the ocean - dang Buster, stop wasting money. In The Boat, the boat is as much of a character as Keaton. This short would be my number two. It also goes very well as a companion to The Navigator, if you want to get really geeky about things. When that pole pops him on his head and knocks him off the boat, into the water - you know that had to hurt. Also - how about Buster swimming and actually catching up with a speeding boat? Well, well, well - ain't we just Mr. Splashypants! I didn't even think humans could do that, once again - mind: blown.

 

 

 

 

 

11) "THE PALEFACE" (1922): Well, Hell yeah it's racist - but only by 2013 standards. Back in 1922, this was a hilarious two reeler from the captain of comedy. Who's that fancy lady starring alongside you in this one, Mr. Keaton? Your soon-to-be wife? Oh, how charming - now tie her to a stick and set her on fire. That's cool. Domestic abuse charges won't be around for a few decades...may as well tar and feather her while you're at it. The Paleface is one of the few surviving shorts that still has the original intertitles - THANK YOU GOD! Gone is the bland - white writing on black background that's so synonymous with silent films. Keaton imposed the intertitles above charming little paintings, adding a charm and character to this short feature that isn't typically found in work of this stature. On a side note - as a bit of a confession: nothing is sexier than dust and debris on an old film. I just wanted to throw that out there. So there you have it ... now meet The Paleface.

 

 

 

 

12) "COPS" (1922): The classic among classics. One of Keaton's most revered shorts, this would place at number three for me. What makes this one so memorable? The cops. Simply, the cops. This short makes a nice companion for Our Hospitality but shouldn't be taken out of context. This was meant to be a serious moment in the life of Buster Keaton. He poured his heart, soul and fortune into making Cops as successful as possible - jamming as many of his classic zingers into the 18 minutes as possible. Besides being a well timed slapstick comedy and insane chase sequence - you'll also catch a glimmer of a softer side of Buster. Now, he's learning to perfect his acting so that he is believably in love with his leading lady, adding pathos to (what should be) a simple comedy. Is this the beginning of the entire romantic comedy genre? I don't know - you tell me. Some of these gags are redonkulous. The first reel slowly increases the tension until you hit the second half of the film, the chase begins - and all Hell breaks loose. This is a very endearing classic. Me likey big big. Can someone please watch this and tell me why that car doesn't jerk his arm out of socket, please. It's bugged me for years.

 

 

 

13) "MY WIFE'S RELATIONS" (1922): This is a really great example of Keaton's brilliance when it comes to selecting his supporting cast. He really pulled out the stops on this short, each member of the cast are well seasoned vaudeville players - some were Keaton's role models, some worked with the Keaton's back in the day. Watching this, you get the feeling that you're watching a group of great friends having a wonderful time - and yeah, there's a plot in there somewhere too. Also worth watching - Pal the dog returns for another appearance with Buster. How cute!! Loyalty - aww!

 

 

 

14) "THE BLACKSMITH" (1922): This film is a machine. There is no lull and it whips you right into a ridiculous classic comedy short. Filled with "boffo" gags (framing, timing, panning, editing and comic punctuation). Then the addition of his regular cast of stock players enter, kicking it up another notch. I like this one for a super geeky reason - the "heavy" is played by a man named Joe Roberts, who had recently played opposite Chaplin in some of his shorts. Keaton mocked Chaplin with his use of this character - spoofing the Chaplin short within his own. Yeah, that'll show you who's boss in Hollywood - tramp. There is a scene with a horse that I seem to remember vividly ... just watch the magic.

 

 

 

15) "THE FROZEN NORTH" (1922): Dark, dark, dark...I love this one. Cashing in on America's fascination with the frozen frontier of Alaska, Buster Keaton set his fifteenth comedy short in the place that had captured the world's attention. Instant success? No - instant flop. Relying on jokes about death, starvation and misery - Buster allowed his darker side to shine. He also didn't mince words when it came to mocking his contemporaries. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. probably really hated this film (for obvious reasons). This short is unique because it's not quite as hilarious as his usual fare. He's killing people, making fun of dying and pretty much lingering around the darker side of comedy in The Frozen North. This film debuted during the third (and final) trial of his friend Fatty Arbuckle, thus taking some of Keaton's time - and thus, allowing his creepy side to peek out. Thank God for hookers in Hollywood. Otherwise, this parody would have never existed.

 

 

 

16) "DAYDREAMS" (1922): 1922 was a big year for Buster. If you're keeping count, you've now realized this is the twentieth film that he produced, directed and starred in during this single twelve month period. Perhaps that's why this feels so - blah. There is also a missing section of film during this short - which may be the reason for this short feeling a little less than snazzy. The first impression you are left with is - this is another cop chase? The editing seems sloppy. The acting is weak. This film consistently hits rock bottom on the list of films. Guess what though - it wasn't meant to be a two reeler, it was meant to be a three reel comedy and SO MUCH IS MISSING ... no one ever had a chance to appreciate it for what it was: a feature length comedy - not a hastily prepared short. One redeeming aspect - Joe Keaton appears again. It's always nice to see Papa Keaton.

 

 

 

17) "THE ELECTRIC HOUSE" (1922): The last film shot during the prolific 1922 period, this is possibly the last of the really bad-ass shorts by Keaton. Stop shouting at me, I can explain! In The Electric House, you almost get the sense that Buster himself is now gearing up for a life in feature films. There's a sense of hands being washed throughout this short. He stuffs it with familiar faces. He rams in some of his most famous (and innovative) tricks of the camera. He invents new technical achievements people would go on to study for the next half century - and all the while, makes a pretty funny little comedy. I'd like to add (on a personal level) I really want this house. Buster clearly has a brilliant gift for architectural design. I'm not sure why he never furthered this skill. The world needs things like retractable dinner tables, hanging dishes and trap doors in every room...or maybe that's just me. Either way - this one is in the top five. No doubt.

 

 

 

18) "THE BALLOONATTIC" (1923): This is considered one of the premier classics from Keaton's two reeler period. Eh...I'm not so sure. It's a great little comedy, true - I just didn't get the same technological wizardry in this one as I have become accustomed to recieving in my Keaton meals. I'll agree, in the pantheon of silent cinema - this is an important one, I just can't agree that it's one of Keaton's best works because I know better. Let's focus on the positive: since I'm not a really big fan of heights - he scares me in this one. I don't know what Buster was on during the filming of these films, but I wish I could get some. This little man knows no fear and nowhere can this be seen better than in The Balloonatic. Seriously...I get the shivers just watching him dangle around in the sky like that. It's nerve-wracking hilarity at its finest.

 

 

 

19) "THE LOVE NEST" (1923): And then there was one. The last of Keaton's two reel comedies, The Love Nest marked a drastic change in the life of Buster as he prepared to film his second feature length film, the American public had changed its favor. Now they wanted longer Buster, not shorts. Keaton wrapped his three year stint as director of shorts with this moving tribute to all those that had come before it. He was contracted to film twenty shorts - but the board of directors at Buster Keaton Films unanimously agreed - screw the last film, hurry up and make The Three Ages. With his competition (Chaplin/Lloyd) already whiping out feature length comedies - it was finally time for Buster to join (and seize, destroy and conquer ... okay, he didn't really do any of that, but I can pretend, can't I?). This is a great film and goes well with The Navigator as it continues the theme of Buster's endless fascination with boats and trains.

 

 

 

Now that I've finished this mammoth debacle, I will take my cue from Mr. Keaton on the proper way to exit a room:

 

One step forward.

One step back.
Tip my hat and...

RUN LIKE HELL!