Tonight I had the great pleasure to attend the first film in the UB film seminar class/series. They always start off a new semester with a Buster Keaton film and after seeing Our Hospitality just a few hours ago I can understand why. Adding to it was the very talented gentleman playing the piano while the silent film was shown. He was so remarkably good that I often forgot he was even there, all the while thinking the music was actually part of the film.
As I mentioned it is a film class. It’s just one that happens to be open to the general public and I am quite grateful for that. I learn so much, not just from the films but from the chatter and discussions before and after it airs. For instance I learned this evening that back in the day most silent films had anywhere from a piano player to a full on orchestra accompanying them. It was commonplace for that to happen and they would rarely ever run “silent”. I had no idea. I also learned that Buster Keaton pretty much did it all on his early films. He wrote, acted, directed, edited and even did his own stunts in them.
What a wonderful actor he was. Keaton does more with a look in his eye than most do utilizing their whole bodies and numerous props to convey emotion. Being a silent film actor, I guess that was a necessary skill to possess but when I look at other silent film actors, Chaplin comes to mind among others, he trounces them. I guess that’s why many have called him the best actor/director of all time.
The music accompanying the film was fantastic but the film itself was amazing. It was 74 minutes long which was pretty long back in 1923 but there was never a dead moment in it. It just flowed and flowed and there was action, comedy, plot and nothing else. I loved how it was edited and the gags while hilarious were not too over the top.
To the people who don’t know him or know him vaguely, Buster Keaton may be thought of as a fool. He gets lumped in with other silent film actors as these bumbling fools who get into adventures. Only the second part of it is true. Keaton’s characters always get into exciting adventures but he is not a fool. He is more of a clever charmer. He’s always finding ways to outwit the bad guys. Just when they think they have him cornered, he outsmarts them and escapes. Just when you think he’s going to lose, he finds a way to win. He proves to be very resourceful in his films and if we add that aforementioned charm, you can see why he’s so well thought of.
He’s certainly well thought of by me. It was a great first night of the film series. Next week is a film from 1932 called Boudu Saved from Drowning from acclaimed French director Jean Renoir. I don’t know anything about the film or the director, well at least not yet. ;)
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