Free & Easy)

Starring:Richard Alexander, Sidney Bracey, Edward Brophy, Ray Cooke, Marceline Day, Vernon Dent, Harold Goodwin, Harry Gribbon, William Irving, Buster Keaton, Harry Keaton, Louise Keaton, Charles A. Lindbergh, Bert Moorhouse
Director: Buster Keaton
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The Buster Keaton Collection presents three of the first films (one, The Cameraman, a near masterpiece) Keaton made for MGM beginning in 1928, an arrangement that gradually ushered the great comic actor and director into the sound era but ultimately deprived him of creative control. The Cameraman, considered by many to be Keaton's last important silent work, is an unusual story about a tintype portrait photographer (Keaton) who becomes a newsreel cameraman in order to win the heart of a secretary (Marceline Day). After flubbing an assignment by double-exposing some action footage, the hapless hero tries to prove himself in several memorable sequences of Keatonesque knockabout comedy (including a Chinatown street battle). There are also a couple of grace notes, such as a scene set in Yankee Stadium in which a solo Keaton exquisitely mimes the moves and attitudes of a pitcher. But The Cameraman's strange, almost subconscious power is in its variation on an old Keaton refrain: The hero's conflict over different kinds of authenticity, represented here on either side of a motion picture lens--the difference between capturing something real and living it.

The Cameraman shows obvious and unfortunate signs of MGM's insistence that Keaton, long accustomed to improvising scenes, conform to prepared shooting scripts. But it is less stifling than the second feature (Keaton's last silent movie) in this set, the 1929 Spite Marriage, a slight farce about a pants-presser (Keaton) who borrows his customers' fine threads to attend the theatre every night. There he worships an actress (Dorothy Sebastian) so furious with her caddish lover and co-star (Edward Earle) that she asks Keaton to marry her. The predictable results are unworthy of a Keaton film, but he does shine in several hilarious sequences, such as a disastrous turn as a bit player in his soon-to-be-wife's stage dramas. Finally, 1930's Free and Easy, Keaton's talkie debut, is a garish MGM valentine to itself, trotting out celebrity actors and directors (Lionel Barrymore, Cecil B. DeMille, Fred Niblo) in a wooden story set on a movie lot. But while Keaton struggles with dialogue and a script that frequently sidelines him, he has many good moments causing havoc on film sets. --Tom Keogh
Description
A two-disc DVD collection that spotlights the actor's MGM period. "TCM Archives: The Buster Keaton Collection" features two of Keaton's funniest silents, "The Cameraman," re-mastered with a new score by former Frank Zappa band member Arthur Barrow, and "Spite Marriage" (featuring its original 1929 Vitaphone musical score) along with "Free and Easy," Keaton's first talkie. The DVD set also features film historian Kevin Brownlow's poignant new documentary "So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton and MGM."

Considered by many cinema's greatest silent clown, Buster Keaton was a consummate practitioner of physical comedy whose career began in vaudeville at the age of three. Wearing trademark slapshoes and big baggy pants identical to his father's, most gags involved pratfalls with his father kicking him across the stage or tossing him into the air. Within a few years of his debut, Keaton was scoring rave reviews which applauded the physical comedy that would come to be so much a part of his film fame. "The dexterity or expertness with which Joe Keaton handles 'Buster' is almost beyond belief of studied 'business.' The boy accomplishes everything attempted naturally, taking a dive into the backdrop that almost any comedy acrobat of more mature years could watch with profit" (Variety, March 12, 1910).

Details of The Buster Keaton Collection Films

The Cameraman - After becoming infatuated with a pretty office worker, Keaton sets out to become a newsreel cameraman in order to be closer to his dream girl. Keaton's first film for MGM, made in 1928, is considered one of his funniest masterworks and offers up a feast of visual gags. The newly remastered DVD includes a new score by Arthur Barrow. Spite Marriage - In this 1929 silent laugh-filled classic, Keaton stars as Elmer, a man madly in love with stage star Trilbey Drew. When Trilbey's boyfriend gets engaged to another woman, she marries Elmer in a desperate attempt to get even. This was Keaton's final silent comedy, and is presented here with its original Vitaphone music score. Free and Easy - In Keaton's first talkie, he stars as an agent to beauty contest winner Elvira Plunkett. When Elvira decides to try her luck in Hollywood, Elmer goes along to help and the two soon find themselves falling in love. Chaos ensues when the couple must contend with Elvira's disapproving mother and a handsome movie star, who also has his sights set on the lovely Elvira. This 1930 classic is highlighted by guest appearances from a host of other MGM stars of the era including Robert Montgomery and Lionel Barrymore.

Average customer rating:

Gold among the B movies

Fun Stuff

It's to laugh!

Comedy Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection

Some funny and very old films at a great price

Comedy Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection
Starring: Buster Keaton , Mickey Rooney , and James Stewart
Manufacturer: Mill Creek Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Keaton, Buster | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Rooney, Mickey | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Stewart, James | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Deals Over $10 | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video
Comedy | Genres | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video
All Blowouts | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video
Movie Packs Under $20 | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Family Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection

Mystery Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection

Historic Classics 50 Movie Pack

Action Classics 50 Movie Pack DVD Collection

Hollywood Legends 50 Movie Pack

ASIN: B0001HAGV0
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Product Description

Get an instant library of some of the greatest comedy classics ever to come out of Hollywood on twelve double-sided DVDs. Never has such a comprehensive collection of great classic comedy features been assembled in one exciting package for an amazing low price.

Customer Reviews:

Gold among the B movies.......2007-06-22

If you like silent films or 'B' movies or if you're a Hollywood history buff, you'll enjoy this collection, though some copies were made from old, deteriorated films and are not easy to view (Angel on my Shoulder; a pity). It was worth the price for these gems alone: My Man Godfrey, Passport to Pimlico, Pot O'Gold [Jimmy Stewart plays a mean harmonica!] and His Girl Friday.

Fun Stuff.......2007-05-14

Good light entertainment for those nights when there is "nothing on" or the satellite goes out.

It's to laugh!.......2007-03-25

COMEDY CLASSICS features the Little Rascals and the Bowery Boys. There's also several examples of the very best Mack Sennett silent comedies, as well as other greats of that era like Buster Keaton. Laurel & Hardy are here for good measure. There are also several fine theatrical films that are sure to keep you smiling for hours on end.

.
The following alphabetized program list includes individual 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings, years of release and main actors for each title. The original theatrical titles** of three movies are given instead of their alternates.

(???) All Star Extravaganza - Laurel & Hardy
(6.2) The Amazing Quest Of Ernest Bliss** (1936) - Cary Grant
(7.0) Angel On My Shoulder (1946) - Paul Muni/Anne Baxter/Claude Rains
(6.4) As You Like It (1936) - Laurence Olivier (in support)
(6.5) Beat The Devil (1953) - Humphrey Bogart/Gina Lollobrigida
(5.9) Behave Yourself! (1951) - Farley Granger/Shelley Winters/William Demarest
(6.5) Bowery Blitzkrieg (1941) - East Side Kids
(5.8) Broadway Limited (1941) - Victor McLaglen/Zasu Pitts
(???) Buster Keaton Classics - Buster Keaton
(???) Buster Keaton Festival - Buster Keaton
(6.8) Clancy Street Boys (1943) - East Side Kids
(5.6) East Side Kids (1940) - Leon Ames
(6.1) Eternally Yours (1939) - Loretta Young/David Niven/Billie Burke
(???) Fatty Arbuckle Festival - Fatty Arbuckle
(6.9) The Front Page (1931) - Adolphe Menjou/Pat O'Brien
(5.9) The Great Mike (1944) - Stuart Erwin/Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer
(6.7) The Great Rupert (1950) - Jimmy Durante
(7.0) The Greeks Had A Word For Them** (1932) - Joan Blondell
(6.3) Happy Go Lovely (1951) - David Niven/Vera-Ellen/Caesar Romero
(8.0) His Girl Friday (1940) - Cary Grant/Rosalind Russell
(6.6) Honeymoon In Bali** (1939) - Fred MacMurray/Madeleine Carroll
(6.3) It's A Joke, Son! (1947) - Kenny Delmar/June Lockhart
(???) Keystone Cops Festival - Keystone Cops
(5.1) Li'l Abner (1940) - Jeff York/Buster Keaton (in support)
(5.5) Love Laughs At Andy Hardy (1946) - Mickey Rooney/Bonita Granville
(6.4) Made For Each Other (1939) - Carole Lombard/James Stewart
(7.0) Million Dollar Kid (1944) - East Side Kids
(6.4) Mr. Wise Guy (1942) - East Side Kids
(8.1) My Man Godfrey (1939) - William Powell/Carole Lombard
(5.8) One Rainy Afternoon (1936) - Francis Lederer/Ida Lupino
(???) Our Gang Festival - Our Gang
(5.9) The Over-The-Hill Gang (TV-1969) - Pat O'Brien/Walter Brennan/Gypsy Rose Lee
(5.0) The Over-The-Hill Gang Rides Again (TV-1970) - Walter Brennan/Fred Astaire/Andy Devine
(7.3) Passport To Pimlico (1949) - Stanley Holloway
(5.8) Pot O' Gold (1941) - James Stewart/Paulette Goddard
(6.2) Pride Of the Bowery (1940) - East Side Kids
(???) Sandy The Seal (UK-1969) - Heinz Drache
(6.3) The Sin Of Harold Diddlebock (1947) - Harold Lloyd/Rudy Vallee
(6.8) The Smallest Show On Earth (UK-1957) - Peter Sellers
(6.3) Something To Sing About (1937) - James Cagney/William Frawley
(6.4) Smart Alecks (1942) - East Side Kids
(6.1) Speak Easily (1932) - Buster Keaton/Jimmy Durante
(5.8) Spooks Run Wild (1941) - Bela Lugosi/East Side Kids
(???) Stan Laurel Festival - Stan Laurel
(7.9) Steamboat Bill Jr. (silent-1928) - Buster Keaton
(6.2) The Stork Club (1945) - Betty Hutton/Barry Fitzgerald
(6.7) Swing High, Swing Low (1937) - Carole Lombard/Fred MacMurray
(7.0) That Uncertain Feeling (1941) - Merle Oberon/Melvyn Douglass
(6.0) Three Guys Named Mike (1951) - Jane Wyman/Van Johnson
(5.9) Zis Boom Bah (1941) - Grace Hayes/Huntz Hall (in a supporting role)

Comedy Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection.......2007-03-16

This is a great collection for the price I paid for it. My son and I have enjoyed watching the movies.

Some funny and very old films at a great price.......2007-03-04

I've really been happy with this collection, but you have to know what you are getting. Quite a few of the entries in this collection are 10 to 20 minute long silent comedy shorts, and some of them date back to the 1910's. The shorts include those from Arbuckle, The Keystone Kops and other Mack Sennett shorts, 10 entries from Buster Keaton, and an early 1923 entry from Stan Laurel before he teamed up with Oliver Hardy. None of these films are the best work of any of the comedians involved, but they are still funny.

There are a couple of very good screwball comedies from the 30's - "My Man Godfrey" and "The Front Page". Also included is the 1940 remake of The Front Page - "His Girl Friday" with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. Spanky and Our Gang show up in "Follies of Our Gang" in which they put on a show. The Bowery Boys also have a few entries. There's even an Ernst Lubitsch film - 1941' s"That Uncertain Feeling" starring Merle Oberon and Melvyn Douglas in a funny romantic comedy. 1946's "Angel on My Shoulder" is a great film which has a murdered gangster (Paul Muni) returned to earth from hell so that he can inhabit the body of a judge for which he is a dead ringer. Instead of doing evil, though, he accidentally keeps doing good in the judge's name, making his sponsor from down below (Claude Rains) very unhappy. Harold Lloyd shows up in his last film - "The Sin of Harold Diddlebock". This film is funny enough, just not up to par with Lloyd's silent work. "Love Laughs at Andy Hardy" is made in 1947, and Rooney is just too old to be doing this at this point. The film completely lacks the pre-World War II charm of its predecessors.

"The Smallest Show on Earth" was an unexpected pleasure about an old movie theatre that has seen better days. When the new owners show up and are disappointed with it, the ancient staff gives the place a facelift to please them so they can hold on to their jobs. "Passport to Pimlico" is another British comedy that is very funny, probably just unfamiliar to you. "Sandy The Seal" isn't a comedy at all, it's more of a dramatic family film. Even though it was made in 1969 it has absolutely awful film quality, and I'm really not that picky. Most of the other entries are funny enough, just not noteable comedy classics.

If you like silent slapstick and classic comedy from the 30's and 40's you'll probably enjoy this collection, and you can't beat the price.

The Chaplin Collection, Vol. 1 (Modern Times / The Great Dictator / The Gold Rush / Limelight)

Average customer rating:

great films and a great collection
The chaplin masterpiece collection
You can't do the impossible...
Satisfied
I became a Chaplin Lover

The Chaplin Collection, Vol. 1 (Modern Times / The Great Dictator / The Gold Rush / Limelight)
Starring: Chaplin Collection
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

The Chaplin Collection, Vol. 2 (City Lights / The Circus / The Kid / A King in New York / A Woman of Paris / Monsieur Verdoux / The Chaplin Revue / Charlie - The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin)
The Art of Buster Keaton (The General / Sherlock, Jr. / Our Hospitality / The Navigator / Steamboat Bill Jr. / College / Three Ages / Battling Butler / Go West / The Saphead / Seven Chances / 21 Short Films)
The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup)
Chaplin Mutual Comedies - Restored Edition
Charlie Chaplin Short Comedy Classics - The Complete Restored Essanay & Mutual Collection

ASIN: B000096IBS
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Amazon.com essential video

Charles Spencer Chaplin, the London ragamuffin who became the most popular man of his era, gets his proper due with this deluxe package of four classics. Each two-disc set begins with an excellent new digital transfer of the picture and remastered sound. The Gold Rush, Chaplin's 1925 masterpiece, puts the Little Tramp into the snowy Yukon; it includes such celebrated sequences as the "Dance of the Rolls" and Chaplin's uncanny metamorphosis into a large chicken. Both the original silent version and Chaplin's re-edited 1942 release (for which he added his own musical score and narration) are included. A documentary on "Chaplin Today" looks at the film through the eyes of Burkina Faso director Idrissa Ouedraogo. Modern Times (1936) is Chaplin's peerless take on the machine age; his ballet on the assembly line remains one of the great images of modern man driven mad by mechanization. The DVD extras include a couple of (somewhat extraneous) vintage promotional films about the wonderful world of mass production, the famous Chaplin composition "Smile" performed by Liberace (huh?), and penetrating comments on the film by the Belgian filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne.

The Great Dictator is Chaplin's comic undressing of Hitler, boldly released in 1940. An absorbing documentary, "The Tramp and the Dictator," details production of the film, and color footage shot on the set provides fascinating behind-the-scenes material. Limelight (1952), in which he plays a fading vaudevillian, is Chaplin's magnificent elegy on his own career. Extras include a deleted scene, the entire Oscar-winning score, and Bernardo Bertolucci on the film's emotional impact: "I don't cry often, but here my tears flow." Each film has a loving introduction by Chaplin biographer David Robinson--but newcomers to Chaplin should watch the movies first, as the extras give away endings and the best jokes. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

great films and a great collection.......2006-12-30

What can i say, If you are a fan of Chaplin, then you cannot go without this collection. for every film you get a whole second DVD with extras. Every film is remastered, and although some are in black and white, still look amazing.

The chaplin masterpiece collection.......2006-12-15

In my view every chaplin movie is good, and if your a chaplin fan like I am then you will love this lovely collection.

You can't do the impossible..........2006-08-05

Although this set tries to do the impossible, it cannot. But it is a very good collection of Chaplin films.

So, to start with, let me cover what is great in this set.

First, the films are as clearly presented as possible, with great sound, pretty good mastering, and good clarity of image. The speed of projection, a subjective topic at best, is quite carefully handled, and seems to be quite good for the most part. (This only affects the silent Gold Rush, btw.)

The restoration of the original silent Gold Rush is excellent, and a welcome addition to the canon. I don't bother arguing over which version is better, silent or sound, because they both exist in our world and such arguments end up amounting to mere preferences.

Which brings me to the first impossibility. It is IMPOSSIBLE to present a "definitive" version of most any Chaplin film, due to the cuts and changes he made in them over the years, and the variation in the editions originally issued. In addition, there are some bits from the original release which simply don't exist in a quality comparable to the quality of the current versions, and which could not be edited in without comprimising the quality.

The Chaplin family made a decision, and stuck to it. They decided to issue the films in the final approved versions, with cuts intact. They also decided to include all cuts as additional material, so that we don't lose what was taken out. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but sometimes a decision must simply be made and stuck with, and the Chaplin family went with this. Not everybody will be satisfied, but the choice has been made.

The additional materials are often good, but equally often pointless. The good stuff includes the Great Dictator documentary, lots of home movies and still, and various sequences from older films that are relevent to the title. The bad stuff includes the truly boring "Chaplin Today" documentaries, which are a great example of material trying to prove a point but instead shooting itself in the foot. I regard these documentaries as another example of doing the impossible - by trying to argue that Chaplin is relevent today (and I think he is), the directors end up proving otherwise. Some things can't be won through argument, but only through experience.

One troubling aspect of this set is that, instead of tranferring the movies fresh from film to NTSC video, the films were transferred from film to PAL video, and then converted. This changes film speed a bit, and introduces unavoidable artifacts and degrades the video quality. While not as bad as the HORRENDOUS "Phantom of the Opera" fiasco, it's a shame that we cannot see these films in their top quality without getting imported dvds from overseas in the original PAL format.

That all said, we have here four (or five) Chaplin films in possibly the best quality possible in a neat package with lots of goodies. There are plenty of quibbles with this set and it's companion, but the fact is that this is as good as it might ever get, until an even better format comes along. The films are wonderful, and it's nice to have a good edition of them again.

Satisfied .......2006-02-21

The collection arrived on time, it was in good condition. Worth watching ... Enjoy

I became a Chaplin Lover.......2006-01-07

I at first decided to look into it, so I went to my school Library which had this collection. All I did was watch a couple films, one from each set(They have 2 sets). I loved both of those films, City Lights and Modern Times. So that determinded my purschase. I recommend it and the pictures are good. They also have music and subtitles set up and even lots of special features. Worth learning something and you can't get that by other sets for that price. Get IT!!!

Buster Keaton Collection (3pc) (Rmst B&W Dol)

Average customer rating:

Keaton, One of the Greats!

Buster Keaton Collection (3pc) (Rmst B&W Dol)
Starring: Buster Keaton
Manufacturer: St Clair Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Smiles & Spectacles - The Harold Lloyd Treasury
Charlie Chaplin (3pc) (Dol)
The Gloria Swanson Collection
Buster Keaton - 65th Anniversary Collection (General Nuisance / His Ex Marks the Spot / Mooching Through Georgia / Nothing but Pleasure / Pardon My Berth Marks / Pest From the West / So You Won't Squawk / The Spook Speaks / The Taming of the Snood / She's Oil Mine)
Laurel & Hardy - Air Raid Wardens / Nothing but Trouble

ASIN: B000LC3IR4
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Customer Reviews:

Keaton, One of the Greats!.......2007-03-24

I own a few other Buster Keaton sets and I really enjoyed this collection. My favorite Keaton movie is the Cameraman, I think that even though it was made at the time he signed with MGM and his career ended shortly after, it was one of his best. That was the only thing I think this collection was missing, the Cameraman. I pre-ordered this item because where else can you find a set with serveral short films, full length films and bonus features of Keaton for about ten dollars?

Buster Keaton - 65th Anniversary Collection (General Nuisance / His Ex Marks the Spot / Mooching Through Georgia / Nothing but Pleasure / Pardon My Berth Marks / Pest From the West / So You Won't Squawk / The Spook Speaks / The Taming of the Snood / She's Oil Mine)

Average customer rating:

much better than expected
Wildly uneven, this is a one-watch special.
Keaton Still Weaves His Magic
Any Buster, Any Time.
Hard to Get Keaton Sound Shorts Well Presented

Buster Keaton - 65th Anniversary Collection (General Nuisance / His Ex Marks the Spot / Mooching Through Georgia / Nothing but Pleasure / Pardon My Berth Marks / Pest From the West / So You Won't Squawk / The Spook Speaks / The Taming of the Snood / She's Oil Mine)
Starring: Buster Keaton , Dorothy Appleby , Monte Collins , Cy Schindell , and Harry Semels
Director: Jules White
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Industrial Strength Keaton
TCM Archives - The Laurel and Hardy Collection (The Devil's Brother / Bonnie Scotland)
The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection Vols. 1-3
Buster Keaton Collection (The Cameraman / Spite Marriage / Free & Easy)
Laurel and Hardy Collection, Vol. 1 (Great Guns / Jitterbugs / The Big Noise)

ASIN: B000E1EHQI
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Amazon.com

An entire missing segment of Buster Keaton's career is filled in with the release of this collection, which comprises the 10 shorts Keaton made at Columbia Pictures in 1939-41. If you're a Keaton fan (and why on earth wouldn't you be?) this section of the great man's work has always been in dispute--and above all, hard to see. After his career collapsed at the beginning of the 1930s, Buster Keaton struggled to find a niche in Hollywood, and the Columbia contract was essentially his last sustained opportunity to headline in films on a regular basis. It was a difficult fit from the start: Keaton did not have the artistic control he enjoyed over his 1920s classics, and director Jules White (who helmed most of the Columbia shorts) had a radically different view of comedy from his star. White guided the hijinks of Columbia's busiest comedy stars, the Three Stooges, and his leadpipe-to-the-noggin style did not mesh well with Keaton's measured, logical approach.

If one dials down expectations, some of the Columbia shorts (around 16-17 minutes long) are enjoyable in the baggy-pants style of the Three Stooges. And when it comes to searching for signs of the old Keaton, there are usually one or two blossoms poking out of the overall bluntness. Mooching through Georgia, a Civil War spoof, has moments of silent hilarity and a Keatonesque note of fatalism as Buster is marched to his own execution. Nothing but Pleasure has a terrific sequence involving a drunk woman who wanders into Buster's motel room, and Buster's efforts to get her into a Murphy bed. She's Oil Mine features a breathtaking gag in which Keaton is spun around like a tire iron in order to get a pipe unstuck from his finger. Keaton, in his mid-40s, is still in athletic form, although thanks to alcohol and disappointment he looks older than his years.

Commentaries adorn the shorts, and there's a useful 25-minute documentary giving the general outline of Keaton's life and details on the Columbia arrangement. It's refreshingly honest about the mixed quality of these films, and contains excerpts from his silent shorts that suggest how far the genius had slipped. In that sense, while this DVD package honorably presents a moment from film history (and with fine technical specs all around), the actual watching of these shorts is tinged with sadness. The casual moviegoer curious about Keaton should go elsewhere; the completist will want it; the amateur historian will want to give a look to see what the "missing years" were all about. --Robert Horton

Description

Ten comedic shorts from the Great Stone Face himself, Buster Keaton, arrive on DVD for the first time ever in this must-own special two-disc set. The honorary Academy Award®-winner shines in rare films from Hollywood's golden - and hilarious - years. Teamed with the brilliant comediennes Dorothy Appleby and Elsie Ames, Keaton bumbles from one side-splitting mishap to another, always maintaining his famously blank expression. Whether he's a millionaire, a plumber, or a hat maker, Keaton's physical antics and hapless adventures light up the screen in these unforgettable 1940s comedies. The Buster Keaton Collection will have you doubled over with laughter.

Customer Reviews:

much better than expected.......2007-05-10

The Columbia shorts are much maligned, yet this set proves that this is unfair for the most part. Out of the 10 two-reelers Buster did for Columbia, at least seven are quite good. Sure, they do not reach the heights of his silent classics, and they were made on the (very) cheap. But they are very energetic and fast-moving, and even in his forties (and after a gruelling battle with alcohol and depression) Buster still busts out some very impressive physical skills. Plots don't make sense, slapstick is everywhere, and the influence of director/producer Jules White, who was the man behind the Three Stooges shorts, is very noticeable. Yet he still allows Buster to be Buster, in most cases (not giving him too much dialogue, allowing him to rework some of his older routines in a creative way). Buster is at his worst when handling dialogue: he never sounds comfortable, his voice is scratchy and monotonous and he has a tendency to bob his head with every word he utters. Yet when he is silent, the magic is still there.
Some of the shorts use Harold Lloyd-style gags, others have scenes clearly inspired by Laurel and Hardy, and several times Buster adapts the plot of earlier (talkie) films he was in. Most successfully so in the delightful Pest from the West, a far shorter remake of his British film The Invader. It's probably the only film here which equals Buster's silent material for inventiveness and surreal humor. But there is much fun to be had with almost every film in this collection.
Buster has an appealing leading lady in Dorothy Appleby, and a more... special one in Elsie Ames, who is so raucous she makes Betty Hutton seem demure. On the other hand, she has some very impressive physical skills which makes her the only female performer who could (almost) match Buster on the acrobatic front. Another recurring player is Monty Collins, who is another broad comedian with far less talent than Keaton. But in some of the shorts, they play off each other quite well (especially Mooching In Georgia, a Civil War farce).
The extras are nice: informed commentaries by film historians and a good documentary on Keaton's work in the thirties, and, most impressively, a facsimile of an original script, including the hand-written notes of the director.
Highly recommended for anyone who loves old-school slapstick comedy, not only for Keaton fanatics.

Wildly uneven, this is a one-watch special........2006-08-10

Yes, you will basically buy this collection to watch it once. But then, NO Buster Keaton fan has any excuse to avoid this set, which contains many fine moments interpersed with the crummy overall quality of these films.

First, let's deal with the quality of this set, seperate from the quality of the content.

These films have been pretty well mastered, are clean, and have that typical crummy Columbia sound and sound effects. These were not carefully filmed or recorded, but were done well enough to be acceptable. The transfers are well done, and the commentaries are pretty good.

The package is rather wierd. It's as if we aren't supposed to know what we are really getting. No mention is made of the Columbia Studio on the outside of the box at all, and the era these films were made is only apparent if you look really closely. The front picture is of a Buster who is MUCH younger than he was when he made these films, and the drawing on the back appears to not be Buster as much as James Dean. The shooting script may be the most pointless of bonus materials ever included in a set.

That said, these films have been regularly crucified by various reviewers over the years. It's hard to say whether they really deserve this treatment. Sure, these are pretty weak stuff compared to Buster in his heyday, but there are some absolutely brilliant moments when Buster gets to really have some fun. "General Nuisance" has a particularly funny moment when Buster is doing a dance routine with a visitor, and steps into two brass spittoons. He completes his tap routine incredibly wel using the spittoons as taps! I'm not sure how many other comedians could have done this. "Pest from the West" is a relief from some of his worse work, and "The Taming of the Snood" is a rather bizarre piece that works rather well.

Some other films are merely terrible. "His Ex Marks the Spot" probably should be on a list of films to allow to burn if the archives catch fire. "Pardon My Berth Marks" has a title that by itself should be shot.

The other actors are pretty terrible, and Buster is often just marking time, but those good moments shine through and make it worthwhile, until you think about the actual effort it would take to watch this set and find them again. I suggest that you take good notes about what you like, and store them with the discs, so that if you ever do mistakenly watch this set again, you will be able to watch al the really good parts, and then, 20 minutes later, watch something better.

4 stars for guts in releasing this.

Keaton Still Weaves His Magic.......2006-07-17

Having never seen any of these Columbia Shorts before purchasing this set I relied entirely on other's comments, some were not so favourable and others were. I am glad I listened to the favourable comments as this is a set that I am very glad to own.

I know that Buster was not necessarily proud of his work at Columbia (he called the Columbia shorts "Cheaters") and that was due to a couple of reasons. They would not give him the time to develop storylines and they would not give him the money. The director on 8 of the 10 shorts was Jules White(of 3 Stooges fame), who was not sympathic to Buster's form of comedy, but Buster needed the money. Having said that I have to add that within all these shorts are moments of Keaton's magic and that is why they are worth watching and owning.

A couple of stand outs here in my opinion are "Pest from the West" (which was his first Columbia short) and "Mooching Through Georgia". There is excellent and informative commentary on all these shorts and a very interesting documentary to show how Buster came to be making these shorts. I would not recommend these to new Buster fans, I would say get his classics first, including his Arbuckle Shorts.

Lastly on a Region note I live in Australia and I had no trouble playing this DVD on my multi region DVD player.

Any Buster, Any Time........2006-06-01

Some will argue that the Columbia shorts consist of some of the worst films in Keaton's career. Buster himself may even chime in on that one. But the year is 2006, and the true legends of comedy are being forgotten at an alarming rate. Today when Jackie Chan tells reporters that his hero was Buster Keaton; he sometimes has to explain who Buster was. Thanks to folks like Keno video, we have many of Keaton's silent masters in wonderful condition to view anytime we want. But I don't think it should be stopped there.
Not when the very worst of Keaton still has scenes that out shine any comic of today. I would rather see Buster sit in a chair and talk, than watch some new comic try his best to copy Mr. Keaton and call himself original.
I'm sure Davinci had works he was not proud of. But I would hate to put a cap on his works and only show the "good stuff."
Like Davinci, Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy; Buster Keaton was a master of the craft. Even when he didn't want to be.

Hard to Get Keaton Sound Shorts Well Presented .......2006-04-19

A treat for Keaton Fans. Not his best work, but some very entertaining moments can be found in these shorts.

Keaton made some of the funniest, most inventive, and witty silent shorts and features of all time. He didn't just come up with a smart sight gag, he played with audience expectations and often found an extra twist. Along the way he experimented with camera tricks, techniques and much more. He wasn't merely a clown, but an artist. Many already know this.

In the late 1920's and early 1930s, Keaton was under contract to MGM. They took away a lot of his creative control and forced him to star in stage adaptations and team up with Jimmy Durante in a couple of movies. Keaton was having some personal problems as well, and his drinking was out of control. The movies weren't funny, weren't popular and he was more and more difficult to work with. His career was at a low point by the mid 1930s. He was let go from MGM.

By the late 1930s he had stopped drinking and his personal life was much happier. Columbia convinced him to do a series of sound shorts under the direction of people like Del Lord and Jules White. The shorts were made between 1939 to 1941 at Columbia Pictures utilizing the same crews and directors as Columbia's 3 Stooges shorts. Keaton fans will find a still very agile 45 year acrobatic Keaton able to create magic moments. The budgets were small and the shooting schedule was usually confined to 3 days. Some of the shorts were not written with Keaton in mind, but there are moments in every single offering where Keaton's skill and experience shine.

Ten shorts have been collected on the two discs (they are not arranged chronologically here-who knows why) among the gems are Pest from the West (a solid abridged remake of the mostly awful feature film he did in the U.K. called: "The Invader " aka "An Old Spanish Custom). He re-stages part of his old vaudeville act in the short "Taming of the Snood". There's a very funny Keaton classic routine (with a slight twist) in "Nothing but Pleasure". A wonderful little bit of dance choreography makes "General Nuisance" enjoyable, "So You Won't Squawk" has several fun sequences and good use of a stock chase scene, and the best of the shorts is the last one he did for Columbia called "She's Oil Mine" which finishes off with one of the best versions he's ever done of his famous `duel scene'.

These were cheap quickly made comedies cranked out by Columbia's short division. The schedule frustrated Keaton who felt with a few more shooting days on each short he could have improved them. They wanted him to make more, but he decided to not re-new his contract. He successfully stopped drinking, found a life partner, and led a modest life behind the scenes (writing gags for other stars-particularly Red Skeleton) for nearly a decade. Then by the 1950s he had been re-discovered and made many appearances on television, did numerous live shows and eventually made industrial films, appeared in small roles in several movies, and was moved by how many people re-discovered and enjoyed his old silent films.

The DVD's include commentaries by a few film scholars and genuine fan club folks that run on each of the shorts. They give you some interesting perspective and some fun trivia notes if you care to listen to them. For the DVD collection a new mini-documentary was created that gives a retrospective of Keaton's transition from silent movies to MGM talkies to the making of these Columbia shorts. The documentary takes the honest view that these films were not nearly as good as the silent shorts and while entertaining, Keaton was not proud of his work on these with the exception of "Pest from the West' and `She's Oil Mine'.

Don't expect the best of Keaton here, but if you are a fan, there's a lot here to enjoy. Good value for the money provided you know what to expect.

Buster Keaton Collection (The Cameraman / Spite Marriage / Free & Easy)

Average customer rating:

Worth it just for The Cameraman
A set of Keaton's masterpieces at MGM enhanced by the box's top-notch presentation.
oldies but the best
Two movies and a debasement
Buster Keaton Collection TCM Archives

Buster Keaton Collection (The Cameraman / Spite Marriage / Free & Easy)
Starring: Richard Alexander , Sidney Bracey , Edward Brophy , Ray Cooke , and Marceline Day
Director: Buster Keaton
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Buster Keaton - 65th Anniversary Collection (General Nuisance / His Ex Marks the Spot / Mooching Through Georgia / Nothing but Pleasure / Pardon My Berth Marks / Pest From the West / So You Won't Squawk / The Spook Speaks / The Taming of the Snood / She's Oil Mine)
The Art of Buster Keaton (The General / Sherlock, Jr. / Our Hospitality / The Navigator / Steamboat Bill Jr. / College / Three Ages / Battling Butler / Go West / The Saphead / Seven Chances / 21 Short Films)
Industrial Strength Keaton
The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection Vols. 1-3
The Best Arbuckle/Keaton Collection

ASIN: B00049QQ78
Release Date: 2004-12-07

Amazon.com

The Buster Keaton Collection presents three of the first films (one, The Cameraman, a near masterpiece) Keaton made for MGM beginning in 1928, an arrangement that gradually ushered the great comic actor and director into the sound era but ultimately deprived him of creative control. The Cameraman, considered by many to be Keaton's last important silent work, is an unusual story about a tintype portrait photographer (Keaton) who becomes a newsreel cameraman in order to win the heart of a secretary (Marceline Day). After flubbing an assignment by double-exposing some action footage, the hapless hero tries to prove himself in several memorable sequences of Keatonesque knockabout comedy (including a Chinatown street battle). There are also a couple of grace notes, such as a scene set in Yankee Stadium in which a solo Keaton exquisitely mimes the moves and attitudes of a pitcher. But The Cameraman's strange, almost subconscious power is in its variation on an old Keaton refrain: The hero's conflict over different kinds of authenticity, represented here on either side of a motion picture lens--the difference between capturing something real and living it.

The Cameraman shows obvious and unfortunate signs of MGM's insistence that Keaton, long accustomed to improvising scenes, conform to prepared shooting scripts. But it is less stifling than the second feature (Keaton's last silent movie) in this set, the 1929 Spite Marriage, a slight farce about a pants-presser (Keaton) who borrows his customers' fine threads to attend the theatre every night. There he worships an actress (Dorothy Sebastian) so furious with her caddish lover and co-star (Edward Earle) that she asks Keaton to marry her. The predictable results are unworthy of a Keaton film, but he does shine in several hilarious sequences, such as a disastrous turn as a bit player in his soon-to-be-wife's stage dramas. Finally, 1930's Free and Easy, Keaton's talkie debut, is a garish MGM valentine to itself, trotting out celebrity actors and directors (Lionel Barrymore, Cecil B. DeMille, Fred Niblo) in a wooden story set on a movie lot. But while Keaton struggles with dialogue and a script that frequently sidelines him, he has many good moments causing havoc on film sets. --Tom Keogh

Description

A two-disc DVD collection that spotlights the actor's MGM period. "TCM Archives: The Buster Keaton Collection" features two of Keaton's funniest silents, "The Cameraman," re-mastered with a new score by former Frank Zappa band member Arthur Barrow, and "Spite Marriage" (featuring its original 1929 Vitaphone musical score) along with "Free and Easy," Keaton's first talkie. The DVD set also features film historian Kevin Brownlow's poignant new documentary "So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton and MGM."

Details of The Buster Keaton Collection Films

Customer Reviews:

Worth it just for The Cameraman.......2007-04-10

You could not find a more beautifully filmed, silent comedy than The Cameraman, Keaton's cinematographer on The Cameraman Eglin Lessley has a lot to do with this. Lessley returned to work with Keaton on The Cameraman after a period of working with Harry Langdon and others, Keaton and Lessley last picture before The Cameraman was Go West. The choice of Lessley is important, he has the ability to get an almost dream like quality to the picture which is just perfect for this movie and the storyline. There are a couple of scene that are just brilliant, one is the Pool (you know exactly where Rowan Atkinson got his ideas from) and the other is at the Beach when the girl goes off with his rival, he just breaks your heart. I also love the music that goes with this movie.

Spite Marriage is of interest of course because of the fact that during the making of this movie Keaton and Sebastian started their on and off affair. The story should work and there are lots of little bits of business that are very funny, but somehow it just doesn't for me. Good chance to see Keaton's Yacht which is featured toward the end of the movie.

Free and Easy is sad to watch, sad that MGM had no idea what to do with Keaton except dress him up as a clown and make him dance as a puppet. Not that I mind watching Buster sing and dance, just the costumes! I would rather watch Speak Easily than this.

A set of Keaton's masterpieces at MGM enhanced by the box's top-notch presentation........2007-03-31

With details of this DVD set already given to the fullest on the website, here I only give commentaries on each film that this collection features.
And I intend to conclude my review with further personal comments of mine on the presentation of the three films by this DVD box.

1 The CAMERAMAN(1928): Although, as it is well known among us Keaton's fans, Keaton's talent for improvising gags, ad libs, was beginning to be undermined by MGM's strict micromanagement of film production after Keaton joined the company, he, in this movie, still shines as much as he does in the previous films in which he appeared as an independent film star.
The plot is funny and grows pensive at times as the story unfolds and the film is beautifully scored.
The leading lady is, in my opinion, better among any other counterparts in the whole history of Keaton's film appearance for her charm as a healthy and adorable young lady.

2 Spite Marriage(1929): A film that is munificently covered with features and backgrounds interesting enough to arouse my curiosity as a silent film buff.
This film, often referred to as Keaton's last silent film, is not actually a silent film because it is filled with sound effects, laughter and voices of the crowds. Therefore viewing this as silent is to say the least, inappropriate.
Spite Marriage is a good example of a movie in the transition to the talkie era and for this reason it should be paised for its historic values as much as Keaton's charm.
The original music score is top-notch from the beginning to the end.
Once you hear the original music score, it is sure to haunt you for the time being!
The ro^le he plays is more sympathetic than ever.
The leading lady who was his real lover at the time of shooting actually makes a good couple with Keaton.

3 Free and Easy(1930): Needless to say Keaton's first talkie, this masterpiece, in my opinion, is often knocked by Keaton's fans in general.
I hate it that this film does not have a happy ending for Keaton, however he in this movie reveals his long hidden talent for singing and dancing.
The plot is funny but I regret that while MGM and Keaton's long-standing fellow director Edward Sedgwick were successful in presenting Keaton as an excellent singer and dancer, they seem to have been completely unsuccessful in presenting Keaton as what he had been appreciated for as an acrobatic and athletic comedian.This is mainly due to the casting of Robert Montgomery who steals Keaton's sweetheart and overly generous casting of the MGM stars of the time and went so far as to conclude the great stoneface's commemorative first talkie by casting him as an embarrassing and broken-hearted jester.
However Keaton, even almost deprived of his creativity as an acrobatic silent comedian, defies all the bad points I mentioned above and makes his first talkie worth seeing for us Keaton buffs.

Lastly in addition to featuring the above three masterpieces of Buster Keaton under the MGM contract, this DVD box serves as a good textbook of Hollywood and educational material for deeper introduction to Buster keaton as a great star and as a man off-screen.

Such materials are a documentary produced by Kevin brownlow and audio commentaries by noted film historians.

In conclusion, Keaton's early MGM features are exellent in their own rights and they are made further attractive by the presentation of this DVD filled with educational materials I mentioned above.

oldies but the best.......2006-07-25

I am a big Buster Keaton fan. I like the silent ones better than the ones with sound. This is very cute collection, especially the way they segue into each film. Some of this best films are in this collection.

Two movies and a debasement.......2006-05-11

I'm a newcomer to Buster Keaton's films. I've heard of him since I was a kid, but I never actually watched his films until a couple months ago. I was a complete idiot to wait this long. The Cameraman is one of the funniest and most charming movies I have ever seen. Spite Marriage is much better than many of the reviewers are giving it credit for. They're probably comparing it to other Keaton films. I haven't seen all that many yet, so I can't do that. I can tell you it is much funnier than any comedy that any major film studio will secrete this year. Or next year. You get the idea.

A reviewer at IMDB described Free and Easy as "MGM's first snuff film." I couldn't have put it better. Thanks to the documentary that came with this set, I already knew what MGM did to Keaton's career before I saw how they did it. The scene with Buster wearing puppet strings has to be the most vivid image from that entire film. I can't blame him for turning into an alcoholic, after making something like that. All I did was watch that that movie, and I needed a drink afterward.

I can't recommend this set highly enough. Even Free and Easy has its educational value. It shows you precisely what happens when creative individuals are turned over to business people who don't actually understand or care about what they're doing, as long as it makes money. Some things don't ever change.

Buster Keaton Collection TCM Archives.......2006-03-09

An outstanding collection.
It contains three of his best films:
Cameraman, Spite Marriage, & Free and Easy.
A perfect introduction to his comic brilliance.

Average customer rating:

Keaton meets Arbuckle
Very funny comedy from the late Teens
Indispensable for Fans of Comedy
Don't knock the Alloy Orchestra
Unappreciated Arbuckle

The Best Arbuckle/Keaton Collection
Starring: Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle , and Buster Keaton
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Cook and Other Treasures
Buster Keaton Collection (The Cameraman / Spite Marriage / Free & Easy)
Industrial Strength Keaton
The Art of Buster Keaton (The General / Sherlock, Jr. / Our Hospitality / The Navigator / Steamboat Bill Jr. / College / Three Ages / Battling Butler / Go West / The Saphead / Seven Chances / 21 Short Films)
The Forgotten Films of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle

ASIN: B00006IUIU
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Amazon.com

The Best Arbuckle/Keaton Collection literally defines the phenomenon of genius in the making. While showcasing the formidable slapstick talents of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle as director and star, this 12-title compilation is also a remarkable study of Buster Keaton's rapid evolution as a silent comedy master. Made in swift succession from 1917 to 1919, these chronologically sequenced two-reelers serve a dual purpose, re-establishing Arbuckle as an underrated talent (his career was tragically curtailed by an infamous rape scandal, despite his eventual exoneration), while crediting his mentorship of Keaton from Vaudeville veteran to inspired movie pioneer. The "Great Stone Face" had yet to emerge (though it's evident in Keaton's 1917 debut, "The Butcher Boy"), so Buster's innately amusing countenance is wondrously animated here, especially in "Coney Island," which doubles as an illustrious postcard from a bygone era. The final collaboration, "The Garage," was Buster's favorite, and it's easy to see why: with a giant turntable, fire hoses, grease buckets, and all varieties of gag-laden shtick, it's a sublime (and like most of these films, well-preserved) example of two gifted comedians at the peak of their craft. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A rising star who rose from bit player to writer, director, and star of comedies for Mack Sennett's Keystone Film Company, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle recruited up-and-coming vaudeville comic Buster Keaton for a series of films from 1917 through 1919. Presented chronologically, these shorts demonstrate Keaton's evolution from bit player to full partner as both men honed their comedic skills. Following the 1921 scandal that was inflamed by a publicity-seeking prosecutor and the tabloid press, Arbuckle's films were withdrawn from circulation in America. The films in this collection were gathered from international archives and private collections, with new English intertitles and digitally mastered from 35mm, some directly from the nitrate originals. Shorts: The Butcher Boy, The Rough House, His Wedding Night, Oh Doctor!, Coney Island, Out West, The Bell Boy, Moonshine (fragment), Good Night, Nurse, Back Stage, The Hayseed, The Garage.

Customer Reviews:

Keaton meets Arbuckle.......2005-07-14

This 2-disc set compilation contains 12 ( including Buster's debut in " The butcher boy " ) of the 15 two-reels comedies that both comics interpreted together ( only one, " A country hero " ( 1917 ), is lost ), all of them directed between 1917 and 1919 by Roscoe " Fatty " Arbuckle himself ( there are only doubts with " Coney Island " that some specialists authorize entirely to Walter Lang ). Fatty's conception of comedy was pretty superfluous and mechanical ( just inversely that his friend Buster ), based on easy misunderstandings and jokes and the humorous explotation of his enormous body . However, the three last comedies of the couple Arbuckle-Keaton ( that not accidentally coincide with a progressive higher protagonism of Buster so much as actor as gagman and who one year later would direct his own comedy shorts for producer Joseph M. Schenck too ), specially "Back Stage" and "The garage ", are fine constructed slapsticks with a good comedy timing and clever comic situations. The twelve shorts in this compilation are in chronological order: "The butcher boy" ( 1917 ); "The rough house" ( 1917 ); "His wedding night" ( 1917 ); "Oh, doctor" ( 1917 ); "Coney Island" ( 1917 ); "Out west" ( 1918 ); "The bellboy" ( 1918 ); "Moonshine" ( 1918 ); "Good night, nurse" ( 1918 ); "Back stage" ( 1919 ); "The hayseed" ( 1919 ) and "The garage" ( 1919 ).The copies of all them are fine, as well as the piano accompaniment by Neil Brand. The DVD includes a brochure by Jeffrey Vance, co-author with Eleanor Keaton ( the third and last Buster's wife) of "Buster Keaton remembered".

A very nice compilation with a pretty lower price and two more comedies than Kino's edition.

Very funny comedy from the late Teens.......2005-05-21

I rented this from the local library and liked it so much and found it so great and funny that I knew I would have to buy myself my own copy later. A lot of people who aren't familiar with the genre at all constantly assert that silent comedy was little more than pie fights and police chases, but the shorts on these two discs reveal that that's not true at all and is little more than an urban legend spread by people who have no serious experience with this forgotten world of comedy in the late Teens. Some comedies (or just films in general) from this long ago do look unsophisticated and crude by modern sensibilities, but the stuff that Roscoe, Buster, Al St. John, and their other co-stars were doing in the late Teens stands head and shoulders over a lot of the lesser-evolved comedy shorts from the Teens. The plot might not always make sense, and some shorts may jump around in terms of plot and setting, but that's part of what makes early film comedy so fun. Besides giving a wonderful view of Buster's earliest films and seeing what natural comedic presence and talent he had even in his earliest work, it's also a wonderful view into a bygone world, one with long-gone makes of cars, horse-drawn wagons, fashions, trains, old-fashioned fire engines, elevators, hotels, and, most priceless of all, the authentic footage of Coney Island, particularly in Luna Park, which was destroyed by fire in the 1940s. Even though there are efforts to restore Coney Island today, there's no substitute for seeing how it really looked during its glory days, before it became as run-down and has-been as it is today. Luke the dog is also really good, as much a screen presence, in his own canine way, as his human co-stars.

The much-discussed scene in 'Out West,' when an African-American man goes into the bar where Buster just gave Roscoe a job as a bartender and a bunch of mean cowboys, even Roscoe himself, start shooting at his feet to make him dance till the woman from the Salvation Army comes to the rescue, is very disturbing and hideously-aged, although as difficult as this is to watch in the modern era, it really only lasts for maybe a minute and isn't the main focus of this short. Although it's one thing to make allowances for an old film only having African-Americans in serving positions or having them act in overly cartoonish ways, this section could not be excused in the same way; things like this and much worse really were happening back then, and comes across as racist and horribly dated more than other films which might show their African-American characters in servile positions or caricaturish mannerisms; those kinds of depictions aren't necessarily racist.

Some people don't find Roscoe's films funny or that well-aged because he doesn't really have an established screen persona and because some of his shorts jump around in terms of setting and plot without seeming rhyme or reason, and while I don't agree with them, that is a valid criticism. We can predict how other comedic actors of the era, like Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy, would react to any given situation and what they'd do to get out of trouble, save the day, get the girl, but, while funny and brilliant, Roscoe's reactions don't really follow that same kind of established character pattern. The characters he plays are usually shy, sneaky, inventive, nice guys, but his appeal is more of an everyman, someone you can relate to even if you wouldn't do some of the crazy things he does, and a comedian doesn't need to have a developed screen character, like never smiling or talking, going around in oversized clothes, or being a childlike man who overreacts to everything to establish rapport with the audience and make people root for him and feel sympathy towards him.

Indispensable for Fans of Comedy.......2005-02-04

It has been claimed more than once that Fatty Arbuckle taught Buster Keaton the mechanics of making movies, and Buster taught Fatty the artistry of making film comedies. Although things are invariably more complicated, this survey of the Arbuckle/Keaton partnership essentially supports this idea. What's great about the collection from an historical perspective is that it covers their entire period together, from the Butcher Boy (April 1917) to The Garage (late 1919). What a difference in artistry between these films! The Butcher Boy is not far removed from the Keystone style, except for Buster's contribution (compare Chaplin's stealing the scene as a supporting player in The Knock Out of 1914). By contrast, The Garage, the last chronologically in the series, lays almost completely new ground for comedy: it is pure comic ballet, combined with Keaton's creative use of nature and machine as props, and a much more controlled concept of mayhem. No one, not even Chaplin, was creating and executing such fresh concepts in 1919.

Between these two milestones, there's a lot of fun to be had. However, a noticeable difference in quality can be seen between the first 9 movies in the set, and the last 3, made after Keaton returned from World War 1. In the first set, Keaton is primarily a supporting player for Arbuckle, often stealing the scene by his physical grace, but not on the whole dominating the story. For modern viewers, these Keystonesque films are less satisfying -- Arbuckle was simply not the creative visionary that Keaton was. The best in this earlier set might be Coney Island, for its creative use of the amusement park. Of interest to Keaton fans is his early experimentation with different characterizations before converging on the "stone face" -- there's a surprising variety in Keaton's facial expressions here, from laughter to uncontrollable Stan Laurel-like tears.

By the time of Back Stage, the first of the last three films in this series, Buster had essentially evolved his character into the one he was to portray throughout the rest of his career, down to the pork pie hat and vest. He also emerges as the primary creative force of these films, with Arbuckle serving as a willing partner of the Keaton vision. The gags and plot in the last films anticipate Keaton's future work far more than Arbuckle's formulae. For example, Keaton starts to experiment with camera tricks, as in The Hayseed, when he reverses the camera in order to "return the nag to the stable". By the time of the Garage, Keaton's acknowledged favorite in the series, we have witnessed the emergence of a singular creative force. These films also teach us to appreciate the contribution of Fatty Arbuckle to Keaton's development, as Keaton himself did until the end of his life.

Don't knock the Alloy Orchestra.......2004-04-14

The next reviewer is wrong about the Alloy Orchestra. They work wonderfully with these films! Even improve them (if that's possible)! They are great musicians and I'm sure Fatty and Buster would have agreed!

Unappreciated Arbuckle.......2003-03-04

Okay, ignore everything you’ve heard about Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle: he did not rape anybody. Some flimsy evidence was put together saying that he did, and in the process his career was absolutely destroyed. In the years since, even silent movie fans have trouble acknowledging him as one of the greats of that era. I think he’s a great comedian in his own right, and arguably the most graceful acrobatic comedian of the silent era.
This is a collection of the films he made with rising star Buster Keaton. While the films aren’t as polished and hilarious as most of Charlie Chaplin’s movies, they’re entertaining and loaded with gags.
On this two-disc set, the films look scratchy, however they’re in good condition considering the age. New music has been added and even the original colour tints have been restored. The DVD includes some liner notes by Jeffrey Vance, author of “Buster Keaton Remembered.”

Average customer rating:

BUSTER KEATON SHORTS COLLECTION

Manufacturer: Reel Enterprises
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD-R

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000MM0ZW4
Release Date: 2007-01-12

Description

This is a 3 disc Box Set containing the following Buster Keaton episodes: DISC 1 THE ELECTRIC HOUSE _ 1922, 23 minutes, starring: Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox, Joe Keaton. Botany major Buster mistakenly graduates in electrical engineering and is hired to wire a new home. He installs lots of fanciful gadgets. The one who should have received the degree gets even by rewiring all the gadgets to wreak havoc. THE BOAT _ 1921, 20 minutes, starring:Buster Keaton Edward F. Cline, Sybil Seely. Buster's handmade boat, The Damfino, is finished and is, of course, too large to get through the basement door. When he drives off with it in tow, the side of his house, then the whole thing, collapses. THE PALEFACE _ 1922, 20 minutes, starring: Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts. Evil oil barons have given the Indians one day to vacate their land. The Indian chief tells his braves to kill the first white man they see. Buster shows up chasing a butterfly. Later he keeps moving the stake to which he is tied and at which he is to be burned. He becomes one of the tribe and helps them with their fight. DISC 2 THE FROZEN NORTH -- 1922, 17 minutes, starring: Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Sybil Seely, Bonnie Hill, Freeman Wood, Edward F. Cline. This satirical parody of William S. Hart's melodramatic films finds Buster in the frozen north, "last stop on the subway." He uses a wanted poster as his partner in robbing a gambling house. When he thinks he spies his wife making love to another man he shoots them both only to learn it isn't his cabin after all. THE PLAYHOUSE _ 1921, 22 minutes, starring: Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline, Virginia Fox, Joe Roberts. Keaton plays everyone in a theatre simultaneously (through multiple exposures). COPS --1922, 18 minutes, starring: Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Virginia Fox, Edward F. Cline. Through a series of mistaken identities Buster winds up with a load of furniture in the middle of parade of policemen. DISC 3 THE BALLONATIC -- 1923, 22 minutes, starring: Buster Keaton, Phyllis Haver, Babe London. Buster and Phyllis endure a number of outdoor adventures trying to prove to each other their survival skills. THE SCARECROW -- 1920, 19 minutes, starring: Buster Keaton, Sybil Seely, Joe Roberts, Joe Keaton, Edward F. Cline. Farmhands Keaton and Roberts share a cottage full of mechanical devices for making life easy. They are rivals for the farmer's daughter. Keaton , disguised as a scarecrow, causes troubles for his rival and the farmer. When Keaton stoops to tie his shoe, the girl accepts what she thinks is his kneeling proposal. ONE WEEK -- 1920, 19 minutes, starring: Buster Keaton, Sybil Seely, Joe Roberts. Buster and Sybil exit a chapel as newlyweds. Among the gifts is a portable house you easily put together in one week. It doesn't help that Buster's rival for Sybil switches the numbers on the crates containing the house parts.

{Over 18 Hours on 8 DVDs / 58 Features} "The Ultimate" Charlie Chaplin Collection

Average customer rating:

{Over 18 Hours on 8 DVDs / 58 Features} "The Ultimate" Charlie Chaplin Collection

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

INCLUDES; THE KID & THE TRAMP. PRESENTED IN ORIGINAL VINTAGE FORMAT & IN ORIGINAL CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE. DIGITALLY ENHANCED AUDIO 5.1, INTERACTIVE MENUS, CHAPTER SELECTIONS

(Silent Film Collection) Buster Keaton-the General / College (2 Movies)

Average customer rating:

(Silent Film Collection) Buster Keaton-the General / College (2 Movies)
Starring: Marion Mack
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
ASIN: B000E8HXIK

Product Description

The General-buster Keaton stars as Johnny Gray arailroad engineer who loves his train engine,The general and a young woman. College-When A scholary young man who does not appreciate sports,arrives at college, he finds that all the big men on campus are jocks.

The Little Rascals, Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton - 3 Feature Films

Average customer rating:

The Little Rascals, Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton - 3 Feature Films

Manufacturer: Family Value Collection
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000FELIE8

Product Description

Digitally Remastered. The Little Rascals - School's Out, The Fourth Alarm, Bear Shooters, Official Officers, Spook Surfing Laurel & Hardy - Flying Deuces Buster Keaton - College

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

DVD

Paragraph 175

The Water Margin - Season 2 -

With Or Without You [1999]

DVD: Grumpier Old Men / My Fellow Americans (Two-Pack)

The Mallen Girls