The dawn of the sound era was a difficult time for silent comedians. While a select few refused to acknowledge talkies (Charlie Chaplin), others made the transition successfully (Laurel & Hardy). Buster Keaton would fall somewhere in-between, starring in 16 two-reel comedy shorts for Earle W. Hammon’s Educational Pictures, presented now on Blu-ray on the Kino Classics’ release, Lost Keaton.
Lost Keaton
Studio: Kino Classics
US BD Release Date: March 20, 2012
Original Theatrical Release Year: 1934-1937
Rated: Not Rated
Running Time: 306 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (pillar-boxed)
Audio: PCM 2.0 Mono (English)
Subtitles: None
Movie: 3 out of 5
When MGM failed to renew Buster Keaton’s contract in 1933, he travelled to Europe to make two features (Le Roi des Champs-Élysées and The Invader). Upon his return to the United States, he would sign a rather lucrative deal with Earle W. Hammon, in which Keaton would star in six two-reel comedies per year, with a salary of $5,000 per film (which would amount to 1/4th of each film’s budget).
The Gold Ghost (1934), the first of Keaton’s shorts at Educational, was a promising start. Keaton plays Wally, who, after being dumped by his socialite girlfriend, drives his car from Boston until it runs out of gas in the deserted Vulture City, in the middle of the Nevada desert. Wally assumes the role of sheriff, wandering around the city looking for things to do until the townsfolk return after a new vein of gold is discovered. Keaton keeps Wally relatively silent for much of the first half, resorting to his old slapstick gags as well as recycling his double-exposure ghost gag from Sherlock Jr.
As promising as The Gold Ghost was, none of the 16 shorts came close to matching the creativity and artistry of his earlier work prior to MGM, such as The General, The Navigator, and Sherlock Jr. Some of the shorts have an almost schizophrenic nature to them, as if each reel of these two-reelers were individual films. Palooka From Paducah (1935) begins as a hillbilly comedy, then switches gears into a semi-pro wrestling match. One Run Elmer (1935) starts out as a comedy about two feuding gas station owners across from each other on a deserted highway, then becomes a baseball romp.
In addition to The Gold Ghost, the true highlights of the set include Allez Oop (1934), Hayseed Romance (1935), Grand Slam Opera (1936), The Chemist (1936), and Mixed Magic (1936).
Video: 3 out of 5
Kino notes on the packaging:
These discs were mastered in HD from 35mm negatives and fine grain masters from Keaton’s personal collection and other archival sources by Raymond Rohauer. Some films exist in less-than-perfect condition, which is not atypical for low budget “orphan” films such as these.
The quality of the prints is all over the map. Kino has obviously done their best to make these look as good as possible within their allowable budget for this release. Many of the prints contain fine scratches, dirt specks, a rare missing frame or splice, and a few tears. Contrast, at times, can be off, resulting in an overly dark image, and some of the prints have an accumulation of film grain (an indication that the print may be a few generations removed from the original camera negative) that can be somewhat distracting. That being said, black levels are very good, with no crushing, and detail is quite good when the print allows for it. This is likely as good as these films will ever look without undergoing a full digital restoration.
Audio: 3 out of 5
In the mid 1930s, audio recording was still very crude. The ultra-low budget of these films obviously compounds the issue. The PCM 2.0 mono tracks are very good, considering the circumstances. Dynamic range is very limited, and there is some notable hiss, pops, and crackles, but for the most part dialogue is intelligible and music is audible.
Special Features: 3 out of 5
First and foremost of the select few features on this 2-disc set is the Film Notes by David Macleod (author of The Sound of Buster Keaton), an 8-page insert booklet on Keaton’s career at Educational and the author’s take on each of the 16 films included in the set.
Disc One contains Kino’s usual Photo Gallery, consisting of promotional stills from many of the shorts, while Disc Two contains Why They Call Him “Buster” (1:11), a montage of pratfalls and stunts from the 16 shorts that plays more like a trailer for this 2-disc set.
Overall: 3 out of 5
While not some of Buster Keaton’s best material, the historical value of these shorts finally appearing in high definition is reason enough for fans of the comedian to purchase this set.
