- Director : Buster Keaton, Eddie Cline, John Blystone
- Actors : Buster Keaton, Margaret Leahy
- Subtitles: : English
- Studio : Cohen Film Collection
- Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Blu-ray
- Run time : 2 hours and 27 minutes
- Release date : November 7, 2023
Even the worst of Buster Keaton’s content
surpasses most of the slapstick seen in modern cinema, partially because of his
unwavering commitment to the gags. Sometimes this meant Keaton would literally
put his life on the line to capture a moment on film, many of which have
remained timeless long after the actor has passed. Other times, Keaton’s
commitment was simply to maintain the lack of facial expression he was best known
for, even resulting in the nickname ‘The Great Stone Face.’ With the fifth
volume of the Cohen Film Collection’s Buster Keaton Collection, it is clear
that they included the comedic star’s most beloved classics in the previous releases,
though there are some bold experimentations in the two films chosen for the
latest installment.
Three Ages
(1923) would have had much clearer relevance for audience members of the time,
as it was a direct parody of D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance (1916), a
massively popular epic film combining four parallel storylines taking place in
different centuries. As the title implies, Keaton’s comedic take on one of the
most influential films of the era only tackles three concurrent storylines: the
first takes place in prehistoric times, the second in Ancient Rome, and the
third is a more traditional narrative set in modern times of the Roaring
Twenties. Each of these three storylines share narrative parallels separated only
by the specifics of the time periods, with Keaton starring as a love-struck and
likeable loser in each.
Three Ages
was the first feature Keaton had complete control over, writing, directing,
producing, and starring in the film himself. After showing his success with
short films, Keaton essentially made three similar short films set in different
times, and combined them for this experimental parody of Griffith’s own
experimentation. While there is some pleasure to be found in the repurposing of
similar gags into different time periods, there is also an element of repetition
to this film which I had trouble with. Also, despite a new restoration of the
film by Cineteca di Bologna at L’Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory, this is one of
the worst quality presentations released in the multiple volumes of The Buster
Keaton Collection. This may have been the best quality print available, but some
of the sequences are very degraded and it becomes difficult to fully enjoy the intended
spectacle.
The second film
in the collection is Our Hospitality (1923), another feature film making
use of a period setting, albeit with a much more traditional narrative. Co-directed
by John G. Blystone, Our Hospitality contains a darkly comedic story
which satirizes the real-life Hatfield and McCoy feud, only slightly changing
the names to the Canfields and McKays. Keaton stars as Willie McKay, a young
man who discovers he has inherited his father’s estate, returning the Southern
property for the first time since childhood. While Willie meets a young woman
named Virginia Canfield (Natalie Talmadge) on his journey, he becomes enamored
only to discover she belongs to the family his ancestors have long feuded with.
The dark premise
of Our Hospitality includes multiple attempts on Willie’s life, which
provides perfect opportunity for Keaton to utilize his precise comedic timing
and deadpan expression. It is also a film in no rush to get to the gags, taking
the time instead to set up the storyline. For the patient viewers, Our
Hospitality has plenty of rewards, though some may find the fast pace of
his short films more enjoyable. There are also some of Keaton’s most impressive
stunts worked into the film’s climax, including one over the edge of a waterfall
that still makes my head spin. Although released just after Three Ages,
thankfully the print of Our Hospitality restored by the Cineteca di
Bologna appears to have been in better shape to begin with.
The Blu-ray
release of the two Keaton classics doesn’t come with any extras.
Entertainment Value:
8.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 9/10
Historical
Significance: 10/10
Special Features: 0/10
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