- Actors: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, Al St. John, Alice Lake, Joe Keaton
- Directors: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
- Writers: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, Jean C. Havez, Joseph Anthony Roach, Natalie Talmadge
- Format: Black & White, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language: English
- Region: (US and Canada This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- MPAA Rating:
- Studio: Mongrel Media
- Release Date: Sep 1 2004
- Run Time: 125 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00005ALM3
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#49,947 in DVD (See Top 100 in DVD)
- #16 in DVD > Classics > Classic Stars > Buster Keaton
- #47 in DVD > Classics > Silent Films > Comedy
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
Before Chris Farley, there was Roscoe Arbuckle, the original "Fatty falls down" clown whose popularity in silent films once rivaled Charlie Chaplin's. But he became a pariah following the death of actress Virgina Rappe at an infamous wild party in 1921. The tabloid press had a field day, though Arbuckle was acquitted after three sensational trials. He was the first actor to be blacklisted. This collection of short subjects made at the peak of Arbuckle's popularity should restore his rightful place in film comedy history. "The Bell Boy," "The Butcher Boy," "Out West," "Moonshine," and "The Hayseed" are knockabout slapstick gagfests in the classic tradition of Mack Sennett, with whom Arbuckle got his start as one of the Keystone Cops. Despite his heft, Arbuckle proves himself an agile clown. But he is upstaged by his costar, Buster Keaton, then 21 years old (but a 20-year show business stage veteran!). Keaton buffs will thrill to his earliest screen appearances. He makes his auspicious screen debut in "The Butcher Boy" as a general store customer who gets into a sticky situation when he tries to purchase a pail of molasses. More sensitive viewers will want to fast forward through the rather brutal "Out West," which includes some unfortunate racial humor. --Donald Liebenson
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
K&A Mixed Bag,
By Andre M. "brnn64" (Mt. Pleasant, SC United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Arbuckle & Keaton (DVD)
Most silent comedies, aside from Keaton's classics, Harold Lloyd, Our Gang, and some of Chaplin do not hold up very well, and these are no exception.Buster and Fatty make a good team in the "Butcher Boy" and "The Bellboy." Both of these films being with some rather amusing gags, but go haywire with wild plot twists near the end. And then there's OUT WEST. For the most part, mighty funny stuff, especially when Fatty and Buster team up to stop the bad guy from molesting the salvation army lady. However, there is a horrible scene where a Black Man (Ernie Morrison Sr, father of Sunshine Sammy of the Our Gang silents) is made to dance as some cruel cowboys (and Fatty Himself!) shoot as his feet until the Salvation army lady comes to his rescue and shames Fatty and the cowboys. The fact that this was a common practice in the days when Black men were lynched kills any humor whatsoever in this scene. Fortuntely, Ernie Morrison Sr. (and Jr.) were to play less degrading roles at the Hal Roach studios.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Only 5 because...,
By philrob "philrob" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Arbuckle & Keaton (DVD)
...it would deserve 10 if the music had been composed by somebody who liked Buster Keaton and not some dim-wit specialized in background sounds (or, better say noises) for Pachinko-saloons. But, once the sound set on mute (or any rag-time of your choice), even with some very dated materials, gags like the cleaning of the phone-booth window or stunts as the one from barber to restaurant should be able to convert anybody to a Keaton's fan, even if one didn't know about him before. Which would be a pity, since, although Chaplin was a master of work-polishing, Buster Keaton was (in my judgement) a top-master in inventiveness; as well, due to his very early training, I never saw anybody performing stunts and somersaults the way he could do it: just watch "The Rairodder", and think how many 70 years old could do the same.By the way, I only noticed the pictures' imperfections after muting the sound
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb!,
By
This review is from: Arbuckle & Keaton (DVD)
To give some additional historical perspective on these films and their current condition, lets first examine the history of Fatty Arbuckle. In 1921, Arbuckle was charged with the rape and murder of Virgina Rappe. These charges were false, but they ruined his career. His films were banned, and it appears that most copies were destroyed. That makes these dvds even more amazing, as the survival of these prints, as poor as some of the are, is almost by pure chance, and a slim chance at that. These five films are very funny. If you are a Keaton fan, you need to own this dvd. Now.
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