Kalat on Keaton

[Chris Seguin]

I could read David Kalat's stuff until the cows come home... or better yet, maybe I should read the cow's stuff until Kalat comes home. Either way...

http://moviemorlocks.com/2011/01/29/kea ... more-32004

[Richard M Roberts]

I could read David Kalat's stuff until the cows come home... or better yet, maybe I should read the cow's stuff until Kalat comes home. Either way...

http://moviemorlocks.com/2011/01/29/kea ... more-32004

I like David Kalats writing even when I completely disagree with it, which is reasonably frequent. Linda and I recently rewatched THE PASSIONATE PLUMBER and it is painful. Keaton completely at sea in a story not remotely made for him, and most of the other characters screaming shrilly bad french. I even like WHAT NO BEER over this mess.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Chris Seguin]

Here's a link to David's blog on THE PASSIONATE PLUMBER. I find ALL of Buster's MGM talkies to be horrible slogs (just forced myself to sit through all of DOUGHBOYS out of some sense of obligation), but I guess David's point in this one is that, among all the noise, it lets Buster be Buster more than any of the other MGM efforts:

http://moviemorlocks.com/2011/01/15/the ... he-keaton/

Still, David's a guy who can make me reconsider THREE'S A CROWD and even Altman's POPEYE. And anyone who'll admit "I'm gay for Buster" is okay by me. (Geez, I think I'm gay for David's blog...!)

Chris

[Richard M Roberts]

Here's a link to David's blog on THE PASSIONATE PLUMBER. I find ALL of Buster's MGM talkies to be horrible slogs (just forced myself to sit through all of DOUGHBOYS out of some sense of obligation), but I guess David's point in this one is that, among all the noise, it lets Buster be Buster more than any of the other MGM efforts:

http://moviemorlocks.com/2011/01/15/the ... he-keaton/

Still, David's a guy who can make me reconsider THREE'S A CROWD and even Altman's POPEYE. And anyone who'll admit "I'm gay for Buster" is okay by me. (Geez, I think I'm gay for David's blog...!)

Chris

The last time I watched DOUGHBOYS, I actually found it to be the one that let Buster be Buster more effectively than most of the MGM's. It's slower paced, but it has a number of good sequences including the apache dance and the nice little improvised song between Keaton, Cliff Edwards, and Ed Sedgwick. I actually do like Altman's POPEYE in spots, because he does actually catch the surrealness of the Fleischer cartoons in the early scenes, and my old friend Geoff Hoyle plays the reporter in the film.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Gary Johnson]

I can always watch FREE AND EASY and DOUGHBOYS and dream what may have been.

The first half of Buster running around the studio is filled with delightful little touches of sets appearing and disappearing
and it is always a pleasure to watch Keaton in flight. But as the second half bogs down with way too many scenes of the
two lovers we realize how little control Keaton has over the whole affair.

The second film showed the promise that Keaton brought to all of his films with biographical elements in them. As
Richard stated 'many good sequences' and one of his best turns at bringing his effete rich-man characterization to
sound films. He even developed a catch phrase ("How about a little dinner and a show.") that followed him along into
his Columbia shorts. But most of all I love the throw away musical moment on shipboard as Ukulele Ike sings and
scats while Buster supplies accompaniment. It's exactly like those little moments we love in Laurel & Hardy features.

As for PASSIONETTE PLUMBER..........I like the casino scenes.