Slapstick Encyclopedia, Vol. 4 - Keaton, Arbuckle, and St....

Buy This Item Slapstick Encyclopedia, Vol. 4 - Keaton, Arbuckle, and St.... by Kino Video  Available from Amazon  $24.95  on 9-18-2008     This volume of Slapstick Encyclopedia illuminates the careers of three influential artists by presenting some of Buster Keaton's rarely-seen shorts, showcasing the oft-neglected Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and spotlighting little-known character comedian Al St. John. <P>In an unforgettable game of duelling clowns, Arbuckle and Charles Chaplin go head-to-head as a couple of playful drunks in the 1914 Keystone film The Rounders, each trying to steal the scene as they generate mayhem in a posh restaurant. Arbuckle proves he was more than a funny face in Fatty And Mabel Adrift (1916), a technically polished comedy that epitomizes the Mack Sennett style while revealing Arbuckle's genuine talent as a director. <P>In two of his early works -- before his adoption of the "stone face" demeanor -- a surprisingly expressive Keaton shares the screen with Arbuckle and demonstrates some of the visual gags that would later establish him as a master of the slapstick form. <P>A lesser known but important figure who appears in four of the six films on this videocassette is Al St. John, who frequently supported some of the brightest stars of the slapstick era. Though often relegated to the sidelines, St. John steps into the forefront in The Iron Mule (1925), a film directed by Arbuckle, fashioned around the quirky train built for Keaton's Our Hospitality and featuring a cameo appearance by Keaton himself. various directors. U.S. 1914-25. Total time: 135 mins. B&W. Music by Eric Beheim, Brian Benison, Robert Israel, Mont Alto Theatre Orchestra. <P>Contents: The Rounders (1914, w/Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Charles Chaplin, Al St. John) Fatty and Mabel Adrift (1916, w/Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Mabel Normand, Al St. John) Oh, Doctor! (1917, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, Al St. John) The Garage (1920, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Buster Keaton) The Boat (1921, Buster Keaton) The Iron Mule (1925, Al St. John) Reader Reviews This collection focuses on the artistry and influence of Fatty Arbuckle, especially on Buster Keaton. There was clearly a lot of thought that went into the selection of the films to include in this set, and the payoff, as in pairing food and wine, is in bringing out a better appreciation of each piece. For example, The Iron Mule, a rarely seen, and not very funny, starring vehicle for Al St. John, is nonetheless more entertaining when you see the influence of both Keaton and Arbuckle (who wrote and directed it after his scandal left him unemployable as an actor) on the content. The earliest film of the collection is Fatty and Mabel Adrift (1916), perhaps the best of the sweet, romantic comedies Arbuckle made with Mabel Normand for Mack Sennett. Their onstage chemistry is simply amazing; they move and flow naturally together into visual humor or romantic encounters, making mundane tasks like milking a cow or having dinner together both funny and touching. Al St. John, the perennial nemesis, is a sort of cross between redneck rube and urban punk. He is often over-the-top in gesture and response, but at other times he is both funny and convincing in his role as crazed heavy. Arbuckle can be appreciated for bringing refinement and better story-telling into the Keystone studio; his films for Keystone are typically the most fascinating to watch. This movie is an under-appreciated masterpiece; its humor is as satisfying to the modern viewer as to the viewer in 1916. The collection also has two Keaton-Arbuckle pairings during Buster's early career. The contrast between the earlier one, Oh Doctor (1917), and the last one they made together, The Garage (1919) shows how far along Keaton's character developed under Arbuckle -- the Garage is as much a Keaton-style film as Arbuckle's. The other masterpiece in the collection is The Boat (1921), made after Keaton and Arbuckle split ways. On one level, it is the story of a family ruined by nature, machine, and questionable decision-making by the father (Buster). Virtually all of the humor is based on futile attempts by "the little man" to control uncontrollable forces, including gravity and a furious storm. Extremely funny little moments abound in this movie, as when the life preserver sinks in the water, while, later on in the movie the anchor is seen to float! The entire film, like many of Keaton's short films of the period, have a dark undercurrent; it's possible to feel moments of sympathy for the poor family while you are laughing at the demise of their property. Like all of Keaton's best films, the theme, visual humor, and moods of this one are completely unique and original. The producers of this collection should be commended for their thoughtfulness and dedication. The background music accompanying the films is also good, and the quality of the prints is as good as you can get.

Slapstick Encyclopedia, Vol. 4 - Keaton, Arbuckle, and St.... Available from Amazon Price: $24.95 Updated on 9-18-2008.

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