Buster Keaton's Short Films (Part 1)

Because I bought the Masters of Cinema's Buster Keaton box set I am going to review all of his short films (1917-1923) during the next few weeks in 4 parts (one DVD at a time from the 4-DVD box). In the first part all of the films might be directed by Roscoe Arbuckle, but Buster Keaton has a strong presence in each film. 

The Butcher Boy (1917) shows the core structure of what Arbuckle's films revolve around: the director's "greedy but lovable" character tries to win the love of a beautiful girl who is also courted by Al St. John's antagonistic bastard - and the whole story is full of slapstic comedy. In the first films Buster Keaton "only" gets unforgettable supporting roles. Even though the two setpieces of The Butcher Boys are funny and interesting the transition between them is ugly and some of the humor is unfunny because it is so lowbrow.

In The Rough House (1917) the same elements are mixed in a significantly more incoherent way that is worthy of a chuckle at best. The setting has changed from a general store to a big household which disappointing in comparison. The gags are still similar, but they come out of nowhere and don't add up into a hilarious sequence, which makes them cold. Or so it seems in comparison to other films Arbuckle and Keaton made. Nevertheless The Rough House is an enjoyable short film.

His Wedding Night (1917) is a tad slower than the other films in a way: the gags are more sparse and they are saved for the final third that is full of visual gags that are more or less funny. It's not exactly a great approach since the film doesn't work that well apart from its gags, but the comedy kicks more punch when you have to wait for it a bit longer than in the other films.

Oh, Doctor! (1917) follows a doctor who is seduced by a thief, but as the situation becomes more complicated a vicious amount of slapstick comedy dominates the film. For some reason the film is surprisingly dry even though it had the potential to be a lot better. It reminds me of The Rough House because my reaction was rather similar despite a superficially better screenplay.

Coney Island (1917) is clearly one of the better short films Arbuckle ever made. The amusement park section provides a bunch of classic and unforgettable gags. It is a shame the film takes a turn for more lowbrow humor in the end when it could have done so much more than that.

Out West (1918) is an interesting film for its time: it has (possibly accidental) anti-racist ideas that come through the parody of cliched tropes of the western film genre. This effort is more unified than Arbuckle's other films since it constantly makes fun of westerns in a refreshing way.

Out of the films I've seen so far The Bell Boy (1918) is the brightest result of the collaboration between Keaton, Arbuckle and St. John. The refined gags, top-notch acting and awesome setpieces guarantee success. There are moments that feel almost like subversion of established tropes in Arbuckle's films (such as St. John being one of the protagonists this time).

The final short film of this part, Moonshine (1918), hasn't completely survived to this day: only 6 minutes of the film have been found and released on DVD. As a result of that the short is more or less a mess that barely has the sort of brilliance you could expect from the makers.

In all of these films Keaton and Arbuckle perform magnificently in their heavily physical roles. Formally the films are stable and never distracting so I consider them successful in that regard as well.

Scores:

The Butcher Boy (1917): 8 out of 10

The Rough House (1917): 6 out of 10

His Wedding Night (1917): 7 out of 10

Oh, Doctor! (1917): 6 out of 10

Coney Island (1917): 8 out of 10

Out West (1918): 9 out of 10

The Bell Boy (1918): 9 out of 10

Moonshine (1918): 5 out of 10

Mon oncle

Jacques Tati's Mon oncle (1958) - the title of which has never been officially translated, but it means My Uncle - continues the adventures of Tati's famous character, Mr. Hulot. Even though he wants to do good, he simply won't fit into the crazy society this time either. This time his sister and brother-in-law try to get him a job and a wife, but his adventures pave the way for more chaos. The absurdity of "modern life" (modern as in the 50's) is made fun of consistently: Hulot's sister is a cleaning maniac and a hypocrite - and her house is the culmination of ridiculous design (both exterior and interior) combined with top notch technology.

Tati's physical slapstick is very refreshing and complex. He creates wonderful scenarios seemingly without a lot of effort - which makes the film even more impressive. His use of composition and colors is fascinating. The playful soundtrack is also a delight.

Even though it is significantly weaker in comparison to his later film, Play Time, Tati's Mon oncle is yet another great film from the French comedian.

Score: 9 out of 10

Play Time

Jacques Tati's Play Time (1967) is one of the funniest (if not the funniest) films I've ever seen. I was already very entertained when I saw the director's earlier film, Mr. Hulot's Holiday, but this is clearly his masterpiece. His regular character, Mr. Hulot, arrives to Paris to meet with an official, but gets lost in the labyrinth of modern life and ends up in the craziest party I've ever witnessed onscreen.

Tati's physical comedy is in the most complex and brilliant possible form in Play Time. The setpieces, multi-layered action and stunning choreography totally knocked me out already during the first 30 minutes. The film is a thrilling and breathtaking ride that feels unified all around. The camera wildly flows from one situation to another until we come to the later half of the film which provides one of the greatest cinematic climaxes I've ever witnessed. The complex restaurant sequence is probably one of the most ambitious things ever shot in the history of cinema.

Tati's form is breathtaking in its complexity yet again. The cinematography does not only use camera movement in a flawless way, the compositions are impeccable as well. The playful musical score adds the final touch on the "controlled chaos" that lasts for 2 hours straight.

Without a doubt I can say that Play Time is one of the best films I've ever had the honor to watch and it is certainly the best comedy of all time - even better than Stanley Kubrick's magnificent Dr. Strangelove.

Score: 10 out of 10

Mr. Hulot's Holiday

Jacques Tati's Mr. Hulot's Holiday (1953) is a slapstick comedy film which reminds me of Charlie Chaplin's output. In this film Tati introduced Mr. Hulot, a hilarious pipe-smoking character who has his own peculiar posture and clothing. After he arrives at a holiday resort, he begins to wreak havoc by accident even though he tries to do good for the people around him.

Even though the film was made with sound, the form is very similar to that of the silent masters'. Dialogue is sparse and mostly the film relies on its visuals (naturally, it's a physical comedy after all). When sound is used, it is used effectively - especially when it comes to sound effects.

The film's gags might be "only silly", but the way they are constructed, performed and put together is very complex - and that's why I appreciate the film. Despite that, I felt the film lacked something a little - maybe I was expecting a deeper layer from the content, but maybe that is just me. However, the huge cast of great characters is a praiseworthy achievement.

Tati nearly always frames the shot in a way that there are multiple levels of action - and on top of that, most of the compositions are wonderful to look at. The film's structure seems to be quite simple at first: Mr. Hulot running from one situation to another. In the end, it is proven that the whole film was clearly leading to a great climax.

Jacques Tati's Mr. Hulot's Holiday is a film that anyone can enjoy - and huge bursts of genuine laughter are guaranteed.

Score: 9 out of 10