Buster Keaton

[JackFavell]

How about Jackie? Or Wendy if you prefer. I answer to 'hey you' as well.

You can speak for Keaton fans all you want. I am not like the Keaton police or anything.... my knowledge is far more general (oooh. sorry) than hers.

[MichiganJ]

Paul Gierucki announced yesterday that a new company, CineMuseum, will be releasing a 2-disc collection called BLUE COLLAR BUSTER. The collection will include "… rarities including promotional, industrial and rare commercial films, interviews, trailers, previously thought “lost” footage, commentary tracks, documentaries, audio recordings and other curiosities unavailable elsewhere. This wonderful assemblage, produced in HD from the best surviving film prints, is available in both the standard DVD and Blu-ray formats."

Having just gone through most of Keaton's films, including those in Gierucki's Industrial Strength Keaton, this should be an amazing collection.

(They are also releasing on DVD and Blu SILENTS PLEASE: THE GREAT COMEDIANS which will feature episodes from Killiam's series with lots of bonus material.

Other future releases include: The Mack Sennett Collection; The Arbuckle Anthology and The Essential Mabel Normand (which is a redundant title), all mastered in HD.)

[charliechaplinfan]

Both books cited above are generally looked down by the members of the International Keaton Society. The sections devoted to his career hold up alright but it is always when the writers try to explain his private life that many get up in arms. In a nut shell, these writers tend to project a lot, making Keaton into a sad, pathetic clown. In real life he never felt sorry for himself. He enjoyed the riches and fame during the Twenties and he excepted having to start over again in the Thirties. He definitely had a Midwestern work ethic. I always found his demeanor very ennobling but those who have chosen to write about Keaton these past decades don't find it sensational enough - and that's what drives his admirers nuts.

I can certainly understand reading these books in order to gain more knowledge about a subject - I don't begrudge you on that - just keep in mind that these books are not considered to be even close to a definitive tell-all on Keaton. Noted Keaton experts Patricia Tobias and David Pearson work tirelessly keeping his flame alive (they host the annual Keaton festival in Kansas) and there are always rumors that they or their like-minded collegues are working on just such a Keaton biography.

I remember being recommended the Tom Dardis book on a silent film website. Tom Dardis didn't present Keaton as someone who felt sorry for himself, rather that he as an author felt sorry for the situation he found himself in, something that I felt when I read about him. I can't speak for other authors and it's true that I've come across the view of Buster as being someone we should feel sorry for. Buster didn't feel sorry for himself, not one bit and he didn't feel jealous that Chaplin and Lloyd were able to consolidate their positions in the industry while he was at loggerheads with his MGM bosses. It's just one of the things about Buster that makes him so likeable, he just got on with his life and didn't pour out his woes. I preferred Kevin Brownlow's documentary to the Dardis book though. I didn't get the impression that Keaton was a sad, pathetic clown from the Dardis book, rather the opposite, that he had a courageous spirit and whatever life threw at him he just swallowed whole and got on with it.

Do you think the society will put out their own book about Keaton? If they're not keen on what is out there perhaps they should write the definitive book.

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm Patty's sister. I mean Patricia's.

Well, now I know who to ask about all things Keaton

[JackFavell]

Oh Lordy...

Me too...I ask my sister.

[movieman1957]

"Greenbriar Picture Show" blog has an article on Buster dated August 13 and 20.

http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/

[charliechaplinfan]

Oh Lordy...

Me too...I ask my sister.

Is she just a Buster fan or fan of silent comedians or does she love all kinds of film like we do and Buster occupies a special place? She has great taste.

[JackFavell]

She loves other classic movies, but Buster is special. She was simply a fan who knew a lot for a long time, but suddenly realized that she could make Buster her life's work, and she never looked back.

Her second favorite is Harpo Marx. I guess she likes those silent types.

[JackFavell]

Movieman, I haven't had a chance to read the Greenbriar article yet, I'm working my way through a ton of threads here and at the other site. Man, you get busy for a day or two and it's impossible to catch up!

[charliechaplinfan]

Well good for her. Do you think we could make Charles Boyer our life's work Wendy?

[JackFavell]

Absolutely!

[knitwit45]

great! I'll take on Ben...... with a minor in Conrad Veidt!!!!!!!

[JackFavell]

Haha!

[Rita Hayworth]

Well good for her. Do you think we could make Charles Boyer our life's work Wendy?

Absolutely!

Can I chip in my $0.02 worth? ... after all
I did watched 12-14 Boyer's films this year and some of them more than once!

[JackFavell]

You watched more than I did, kingme!