Buster Times 2

 (imdb)

SHERLOCK JUNIOR-1924-A movie projectionist (Buster Keaton, who also produced and directed) tries to solve the theft of some pearls after he's framed for stealing a watch belonging to the father (Buster's father Joe) of a woman (Kathyrn McGuire) he's sweet on. 

Very clever and funny with a couple of great stunts. The story is credited to Jean Havez & Joe Mitchell and Clyde Bruckman who all worked on many Keaton films.

 (imdb)

BATTLING BUTLER-1926-Socialite Alfred Butler (Buster Keaton; also in the director's chair) goes on a hunting trip and falls in love but his valet (Snitz Edwards) tells the woman (Sally O'Neill) and everyone else that his boss is boxer Battling Butler and then the trouble starts. Especially when the real boxer (Francis McDonald) shows up. 

This is pretty funny but it doesn't have the wild stunts like some of Buster's other comedies. The training scene is great though. Released the same year as Keaton's THE GENERAL, it's regarded as one of the comedian's best. 

Thanks for reading!

Buster 3 Times

 

 (themoviedb.org)

THE THREE AGES-1923-3 stories featuring the one and only Buster Keaton. The first story is set in prehistoric times. Keaton is a caveman who rides a stop motion dinosaur. He’s sweet on Wee-gee (Margaret Leahy in her only movie role), a cave woman. But his elephant trading rival (Wallace Beery) likes her too. The second story takes place in Rome. A low ranking Roman (Keaton)) is in love with a woman (Leahy) also being courted by a high ranking official (Beery again).The third is set in the modern day. A young man (Buster again) tries to win a woman (Leahy again) despite the fact that she is also being wooed by a rich businessman (Beery of course). 

There's lots of great slapstick in the great Keaton style. It was his first full length film which he also directed (with help from longtime colla-borator Eddie Cline). Some think it's a parody of DW Griffith's BIRTH OF A NATION but it seems more like a takeoff on Griffith's INTOLERANCE (1916) to me.

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Buster!

 

 (imdb)

THE GREAT BUSTER: A CELEBRATION-2018- Well done documentary about the lengendary Buster Keaton, produced, directed & narrated by Peter Bogdanovich. The first half which discusses Keaton's life is good but has actually been done to death in other docs recently. It's nice to hear from people that knew him like Dick Van Dyke and James Karen but do we really need the opinions of Quentin Tarantino and some guy from JACKASS? The second half where his films are analyzed is great despite Bogdanovich's rather monotone voice.

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ramblin' on...

If you ever see it listed on TCM or some other cable movie channel check out the Buster Keaton bio SO FUNNY IT HURTS. It's concerned with his years after he made his classic silent films and signed a contract with MGM just before the advent of talkies. It was a bad career move but he had little choice due to a rocky marriage, piling debts and alcoholism. It's not very long but it covers a lot of ground (maybe too much for the 35 minutes alloted). 

It was made by Kevin Brownlow who produced many other fine documentaries including ones on Chaplin, Cecil B. DeMille and The Slient Era.

I also watched DRAGONS TIGERS AND HEROES about a group of commandos from Beijing and Taipei team up to rescue 2 genetic scientists in this violent but routine action drama with some martial arts fighting thrown in as well. Couldn't find much other info about it.




No, it's not a picture of me after hanging out Saturday night! It's the one and only BUSTER KEATON!