The Cameran (1928) Director: Edward Sedgwick and Buster Keaton (uncredited) The Cameraman is an amusing and charming Buster Keaton film. It tells the story of a young cameraman who tries to become a MGM filmer/photographer. Ironically this was Keaton's first MGM film. Buster falls in love with a woman named Sally and it leads him … Continue reading The Cameraman
buster keaton
Seven Chances
Seven Chances (1925) Director: Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton Based on the musical of the same name, this silly film tells the story of Jimmie Shannon, a stock broker, who is on the verge of bankruptcy at the firm with his partner. However, a lawyer chases him and his partner around town to inform him that … Continue reading Seven Chances
Go West
9/11/2016 Go West (1925) Director: Buster Keaton Go West is a delightful film filled with Keaton's classic gags. It is clearly a precursor to The General with his notable fascination with trains and the old west. Much of the film was shot in Arizona in extremely hot weather and it was not one Buster Keaton's favorite films, though … Continue reading Go West
The Navigator
9/5/2016 The Navigator (1924) Director: Buster Keaton and Donald Crisp The Navigator is another classic Buster Keaton film, and one of his first great films, following Sherlock, Jr. It contains some of Keaton's best stunts and is based on the screenplay by Clyde Bruckman, a writer for other great comedies, including the works of W.C. Fields, Laurel and Hardy, … Continue reading The Navigator
Our Hospitality
8/27/16 Our Hospitality (1923) Director: Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton and John G. Blystone Buster Keaton delivers a delightful film as his first work with Our Hospitality. It is more sentimental than his other later films, such as The General or Sherlock, Jr. The vast luxury of rural southern plantation life is beautifully captured, yet the slapstick humor that is … Continue reading Our Hospitality
Steamboat Bill Jr.
Steamboat Bill Jr. was the last of Buster Keaton’s 9 independent films made for Joseph Schenck and it was the last big comedic film of the silent era. His independent feature films for Schenck included: Three Ages (1923) Our Hospitality (1923) Sherlock Jr. (1924) The Navigator (1924) Seven Chances (1925) Go West (1925) The General (1927) College (1927) Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928) The story … Continue reading Steamboat Bill Jr.
The General
8/28/14 The General (1927) Director: Joseph Frank “Buster” Keaton Buster Keaton’s monumental film was inspired by the events called the “Great Locomotive Chase” in 1862, wherein volunteers from the union army commandeered a train and heavily destroyed infrastructure in the South from Tennessee, such as the communication wires. It had a low box office turnout, … Continue reading The General
Joseph Frank “Buster” Keaton
Buster Keaton was born into a family of vaudeville performers in Kansas , and was also named the sixth Joseph in a long line of family members named Joseph. In later life, Keaton would tell a story of how he recieved the nickname “Buster.” One day while tumbling in his family’s vaudeville act, Harry Houdini was … Continue reading Joseph Frank “Buster” Keaton
Sherlock, Jr.
8/24/14 Sherlock, Jr. (1924) Director: Joseph Frank “Buster” Keaton Keaton’s Sherlock, Jr. is a magnificent and meta-textual film that is undoubtedly one of the greatest silent films ever made. Keaton plays a movie theatre attendant/projectionist (he secretly wishes he was a detective) who goes to buy a $1 box of chocolates but changes the 1 to a … Continue reading Sherlock, Jr.
