Buster Keaton was a comedy genius
Mar. 27th, 2003 11:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
luckykaa... and other controversial statements.
The Shaw theatre is doing a season of railway themed films. Some friends invited me to see a couple of Buster Keaton films that were showing as part of this season. "One Week" - a third less shocking than "Three weeks" - a 20 minute short about a couple of newly weds and a flat pack house, and "The General" - set during the American Civil war where a train driver has to save his beloved (and his beloved engine) from the the hands of Union spies.
First of all though we were treated to the classic French work - "Train arriving at a station".
But those old Buster Keaton films are fantastic. The number of gags that are packed into a 20 minute short is amazing. We also get to see the scene where the side of a building falls down, but just misses because Buster happens to be standing where the window is. Not the famous one from Steamboat Bill - Buster ripped his own film off for that. No idea if it had been done before this though. The General is also fantastic. Few movies are anything like as fast paced. Just a ride of laughs, and action. It's funny and gripping at the same time. Most modern movies don't do that. Comedy is used as comic relief. It's either funny or exciting. Never both at the same time.
It's been a good week generally. I managed to find an episode of Automan and a couple of eps of Greatest American Hero on Usenet. I'm rather surprised about just how camp Automan is! The special effects seems a little cheap these days too.
Subway opened up opposite work. They were giving away free food on opening day, but I decided it wasn't worth the queue.
Also got a pay rise. Woohoo! "For dedication and hard work", apparently. They must have me confused with someone else.
In the news - Time traveler makes a fortune on the stock market
The Shaw theatre is doing a season of railway themed films. Some friends invited me to see a couple of Buster Keaton films that were showing as part of this season. "One Week" - a third less shocking than "Three weeks" - a 20 minute short about a couple of newly weds and a flat pack house, and "The General" - set during the American Civil war where a train driver has to save his beloved (and his beloved engine) from the the hands of Union spies.
First of all though we were treated to the classic French work - "Train arriving at a station".
But those old Buster Keaton films are fantastic. The number of gags that are packed into a 20 minute short is amazing. We also get to see the scene where the side of a building falls down, but just misses because Buster happens to be standing where the window is. Not the famous one from Steamboat Bill - Buster ripped his own film off for that. No idea if it had been done before this though. The General is also fantastic. Few movies are anything like as fast paced. Just a ride of laughs, and action. It's funny and gripping at the same time. Most modern movies don't do that. Comedy is used as comic relief. It's either funny or exciting. Never both at the same time.
It's been a good week generally. I managed to find an episode of Automan and a couple of eps of Greatest American Hero on Usenet. I'm rather surprised about just how camp Automan is! The special effects seems a little cheap these days too.
Subway opened up opposite work. They were giving away free food on opening day, but I decided it wasn't worth the queue.
Also got a pay rise. Woohoo! "For dedication and hard work", apparently. They must have me confused with someone else.
In the news - Time traveler makes a fortune on the stock market
