Auteur Scorecard: Buster Keaton

Keaton's last film in which he had total contro(or maybe thats the Camerman)l. it is a little slower than the others it fact Keaton fans debate if its even a comedy but it has the exciting climactic ending that Keaton fans are accustomed to, in fact the climax of this film is probably the best of his career and looks as if it made today.

Here we have what is usually considered Keaton's finest short film. It's straightforward as usual he is trying to win a woman's affections but to no avail, she's not interested until he becomes a big business man. After getting his hands on some money he purchases a households worth of furniture (turns out to be stolen) in the process of transporting the furniture disrupts a police parade(with several hundred cops) and ensues one of the greatest chase scenes ever.

I'm actually not sure If I'd agree this is his best short film but I'd never deny it's significance. What Keaton stand out from Chaplin is his lack of pathos. The two played characters from similar walks of life but Keaton never played up the underdog quality and character remained sort of an average joe, (though full of resourcefulness) thorough all his films. Another element in many of his films is how prevalent the sense of danger is which we see in his later films but is most obvious here with probably Keaton's most downbeat ending.

Cops perhaps so impressive as perhaps Keaton's most influential short film in which he perfects the chase film which he started with 'The Goat' but here he ups the the stakes instead of one sheriff chasing him him it's hundreds of cops, instead of utilizing trains he constructs his own transportation and instead of walking off with the girl, here it's a little less optimistic.

Buster Keaton's take on theater and working backstage is the premise for one of his first short films after starting on his own . The film dispels the early idea that all comedies logic has to come from one initial premise. The Play House is almost like two films the first half is a theatre full of people all played by Keaton himself, the second half is Keaton back in reality trying to differentiate between the girl he is in love with and her twin or at least realize there is a twin.

Luis Bunuel complimented Keaton's abilities with subtlety stating that Keaton's films are so harmonious you hardly ever notice 'technique ' in the conventional sense, in the same way nobody takes note of the materials that compose their home. This perspective is what allowed Keaton to heighten the absurdities in everyday life which is probably why he was admired by surrealists like Bunuel. Furthermore what makes 'The Play House' special is those same absurdities in all his films are here heightened to the point where they reality is almost blurred with the opening dream sequence (another element of surrealism).

The Play House may not be Keaton's funniest film (though I can almost guarantee you'll not stop smiling) but it is one of his most significant since it makes a point of what Keaton is all about early in his career and foreshadows some of his material to come. the film does contain one of Keaton's most memorable openings though that is one of his highest achievements as a filmmaker not because its technically advanced and looks like it coul have been done today but because in encompasses Keaton's scope and ambition as storyteller which he would continue to expand.

Keaton's first great full leangth film showcase, all his best qualities,including his abilities as a storyteller and how capable he is with dramatic mnaterial in the opening scene.It showcase his elaborate stunt comedy as well as his more subtle approach comedy. It's possible tha keaton invented the action comedy which he would perfect years later,

well some humor might come of as racist and has not aged well, the film is an overall triumph.Keaton would continue to revolutionize on screen comedy with romantic comedies and here he really pushes every extreme(I guess since he didn't like the film he wanted to at least experiment as much as he could).

Wow for one of Keaton's short films he really does not hold back, it has all the technical brilliance of his full length films. Something else that stood out here is how while Keaton's films usually focus entirely on him, here the actors playing his family (including two children) do fine job of keeping up w/Keaton?s humor. And for an interesting bit of trivia it?s actually thanks to James Mason that we have this film, since he found it after buying Keaton?s house and then saw it was restored?.just another reason to love James.