Topic: Sound Films of Buster Keaton - Hats Off Entertainment

[metaldams]

A great video going over Buster’s sound era, which is discussed, along with the silents, in this area of the board.

[HomokHarcos]

Hats Off has become one of my favorite YouTube videos. There are several informative videos on there, but I'm happy to see a channel getting into the history of silent and early sound comedians.

I enjoyed Buster's sound career quite a bit, the only major misfire for me being Free and Easy, which was his first starring sound film.

[Umbrella Sam]

I’m really happy to see a channel dedicated to stuff like this. I know some people like to make fun of the YouTube age, and believe me, I definitely understand; there truly are some atrocious videos out there. But at the same time, there also have been channels devoted to analyzing movies and video games in very clever video essay formats that sometimes do play like mini documentaries (one I highly recommend is Defunctland’s 6 part Jim Henson documentary). What’s also great about Hats Off is that, in addition to this, he does also delve into some more popular topics for these types of videos, namely nostalgic ‘80s movies of people like John Candy or Jim Varney, and other cult classics. What I’m getting at is that he actually does have some mass appeal and possibly enough appeal to become even more massive in the future, and to have someone with this type of audience is a good sign for classic comedy; heck, his W.C. Fields video has over 500,000 views. I’m hoping he continues to make videos of this type, as it helps keep the interest alive for newer generations.

[metaldams]

I’m really happy to see a channel dedicated to stuff like this. I know some people like to make fun of the YouTube age, and believe me, I definitely understand; there truly are some atrocious videos out there. But at the same time, there also have been channels devoted to analyzing movies and video games in very clever video essay formats that sometimes do play like mini documentaries (one I highly recommend is Defunctland’s 6 part Jim Henson documentary). What’s also great about Hats Off is that, in addition to this, he does also delve into some more popular topics for these types of videos, namely nostalgic ‘80s movies of people like John Candy or Jim Varney, and other cult classics. What I’m getting at is that he actually does have some mass appeal and possibly enough appeal to become even more massive in the future, and to have someone with this type of audience is a good sign for classic comedy; heck, his W.C. Fields video has over 500,000 views. I’m hoping he continues to make videos of this type, as it helps keep the interest alive for newer generations.

Agreed, there really are a healthy amount of views for this channel and that probably has a lot to do with them showing more recent stuff.  Great these classic comedians are getting this kind of exposure with well made documentaries.

[HomokHarcos]

I have coworkers around my age who know Buster Keaton and have watched The General. He really has gained new and younger fans.

[Tony Bensley]

All in all, this is a nice, concise mini documentary that's also just about the length of an average two reel comedy. I really appreciated the narrator's description of how the sound era physical gags that did mostly work could have been even better, had Buster been consulted about the technical side. The stairwell scene in which Buster Keaton gets lost in the mob, is indeed a rather glaring example of a poorly filmed shot.

While I otherwise enjoy Buster's iconic "In A Spanish Town" musical number, Keaton busting his guitar over the Senorita's rejection of his unwanted advances did bother me. I get that it's physical comedy, but it did seem a bit over the top, not to mention out of character for him.

It is also quite interesting that while the coming of sound often gets the lion's (As in the MGM Lion, Leo?) share of blame for Buster Keaton's eventual downfall, it really was the loss of his creative control, which is very apparent even in his final silent comedy SPITE MARRIAGE (1929), that Buster ironically wanted to film with sound!

CHEERS! 

[metaldams]

All in all, this is a nice, concise mini documentary that's also just about the length of an average two reel comedy. I really appreciated the narrator's description of how the sound era physical gags that did mostly work could have been even better, had Buster been consulted about the technical side. The stairwell scene in which Buster Keaton gets lost in the mob, is indeed a rather glaring example of a poorly filmed shot.

While I otherwise enjoy Buster's iconic "In A Spanish Town" musical number, Keaton busting his guitar over the Senorita's rejection of his unwanted advances did bother me. I get that it's physical comedy, but it did seem a bit over the top, not to mention out of character for him.

It is also quite interesting that while the coming of sound often gets the lion's (As in the MGM Lion, Leo?) share of blame for Buster Keaton's eventual downfall, it really was the loss of his creative control, which is very apparent even in his final silent comedy SPITE MARRIAGE (1929), that Buster ironically wanted to film with sound!

CHEERS! 

While it goes without saying hitting a guitar over the head of a woman is wrong (though I condone the act if it’s a male between the ages of 18 - 45), the fact that The Seniorita wasn’t hurt and reacted in a loving manner gave it a comically cartoonish feel that softens the blow for my tastes. 

You make a good point about SPITE MARRIAGE.  The start of Elmer as well.

[HomokHarcos]

Buster did support using sound to replace intertitles, but he still believed that dialogue should be kept to a minimum in his films. The problem was that it seemed the major studios thought that talking was one of the major selling points of "talkies".

[Tony Bensley]

Buster did support using sound to replace intertitles, but he still believed that dialogue should be kept to a minimum in his films. The problem was that it seemed the major studios thought that talking was one of the major selling points of "talkies".

I do think Buster going the route of minimal dialogue with emphasis on sight gags Ala Laurel & Hardy would have been ideal for him, as well. It's too bad the major studios didn't see it that way.

CHEERS! 

[Dr. Mabuse]

I do think Buster going the route of minimal dialogue with emphasis on sight gags ala Laurel & Hardy would have been ideal for him, as well. It's too bad the major studios didn't see it that way.

The best examples of "minimal dialogue with emphasis on sight gags" were the Educational shorts "The Gold Ghost" and "One Run Elmer."

[metaldams]

There’s about a ten minute bit in PARLOR, BEDROOM AND BATH where Keaton does comedy with minimal dialogue and it feels like another film.