Hitchcock called the chase the best use of cinema, because audiences love it and it can't be done adequately in any other medium. Since this (above) is the best chase, and if Hitchcock's right about the medium favoring chases, then you could argue that this sequence of Keaton's is the most cinematic ever committed to film.
According to animator Jonathan Lyons, Keaton got the idea when he tested a previous version of the film ("Seven Chances"), and found that the audience laughed when rocks followed him down the hill. He reshot the sequence for a lot more rocks, and the rest is history.
Here's (above) a fuller version of the sequence. It's cluttered with a big ad on the bottom, but the inconvenience is worth it.
The storyline is that Keaton stands to inherit a million dollars if he marries before a certain time. An army of local spinsters catches wind of it, and chase after Keaton wearing bridal outfits. Keaton has to avoid the spinsters and get to church in time to marry the girl he really loves.
Here's (above) a fascinating look at a Chaplin scene, shown speeded up (which is how the audience saw it), and shown slow (which is the way it was actually shot). What a revelation! I've gotta try this, both in live action and in animation!
Both videos were stolen from Johnathan Lyons' blog, "Comedy for Animators." Credit to Ben Model who originally posted the Chaplin material and did the commentary. Ben has a fascinating film channel on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/silentfilmspeed
http://comedyforanimators.com/
BTW: Milt Gray told me that A high school yearbook containing cartoons by a 17 year-old Bob Clampett is on the auction block at eBay now. I don't think Clampett owned this copy, but he was on the yearbook staff, and the book contains lots of his printed drawings. He did these when he was 17! Here's a sample:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130483480966&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123
Also BTW: Mike F. wrote an interesting comment about Chaplin's partner in comedy, Eric Cambell:
"Eric Campbell - one of the 2 or 3 greatest comic heavies in the entire history of the movies - died tragically in an automobile accident in 1917, which is why he disappears from Chaplin's troupe of regulars after the Mutuals.
Chaplin never really found a suitable replacement; at least none that was Campbell's equal. Frankly, neither did anyone else. Campbell's villains are sovivid, so over-the-top cartoony that the comparison with Bluto is almost inevitable. Likewise, it's almost impossible to imagine that Campbell and Chaplin were pals offscreen (they were). It's equally jarring to see photographs of him out-of-character, smiling and apparently harmless.
Along with Margaret Dumont, Franklin Pangborn and James Finlayson - he's easily among the most memorable live-action comedy foils of all time. BTW, his greatest performance, arguably, is in Easy Street. Once seen, it can never be forgotten."
18 comments:
While I don't have time to really watch the clips tonight, let me just say that I have a really deep appreciation for these silent film comedy stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. In my opinion, they really set the groundwork for modern comedy for decades to come, and especially in the cartoons that followed after. It amazes me how funny these films still are even after 70+ years after their creation. Just a quick thought.
Those Clampett drawings are amazing, by the way. They all look incredibly professional, especially for a 17 year old! I've got a lot more drawing to do if I'm ever going to catch up to a genius like him. Have you checked out Frank Tashlin's Van Boring comics? They're all over Facebook now for free. Just wondering.
Thanks for quoting/embedding the "Immigrant" silent film speed study of mine, and for linking to my YouTube channel.
Ben: You're welcome! Thanks for the great analysis of the silent film clips!
Roberto: Van Boring comics? I'll take a look!
Love that old style of cartooning, the poses were hilarious without mugging to the reader.
It's a pet peeve of mine that whenever modern cartoonists try to emulate that style of cartooning it's always in a very ironic postmodern kind of snarky way. Gary Larson was the last popular cartoonist whose work reminded me of that Mutt and Jeff, Rube Goldberg (thanks for getting me into his early work, probably 99% of the hipsters who sagely references him as the "elaborate machine guy" have no idea he did other stuff) style.
Looking at webcomics today even amongst very skilled artists there seems to be a handful of styles that don't really come from observing people. With very few exceptions like Kate Beaton of Harkavagrant.com the way most artists draw is much closer to modern day television animation than the more illustrative style of early cartoons, the influence of anime probably hasn't helped. If this generation produces a Don Martin or George Herriman it's not going to come from someone with a deviantart account.
Whoah! First the Onion does an article about this Seven Chances chase scene this week, and now Uncle Eddie! It's Buster Keaton week!
Here's the Onion article: http://www.avclub.com/articles/seven-chances,51430/
Your version is better. The Onion's version is too legalistic, too clinical.
Here's Peter Bogdanovich talking about this scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJg-DecBo-A
It's a very good clip, although seeing Peter annoy Frank Capra makes me cringe, and for everyone involved. Peter's such a film nerd, and he interrupted Capra, and you can tell he didn't like that!
Peter says Chuck Jones was influenced by Buster Keaton, but everyone knows Jones preferred Chaplin. But two seconds later, when Frank Capra says he combined the leading man and the comedian, that's something Bob Clampett used to say about It Happened One Night!
It's funny how all this stuff combines together somehow.
Ya' know, I don't think I've ever seen that Buster Keaton film before. Maybe I should; that rock scene was hilarious.
Keaton's and Chaplin's influence is widespread, too. A while back I mentioned Japanese cartoonist Fujio Akatsuka on your blog. He was noted to be heavily influenced by Chaplin and Keaton. In fact, he based one of his characters after Keaton. This is the character in question, named "Hatobo" (lit. Flag Boy, from the Japanese flag he has on his head):
http://www.koredeiinoda.net/character/images/hatabo.jpg
Have you seen this?
Are you Jorgevonsalsa on the avclub Jorge? I was biastioc.
Hey Eddie, thanks for the post. I'm glad you like the blog. I've been a fan of yours for a while.
The Immigrant clip is great. Appreciate the comment how the movement fitted musical structure perfectly.
Thanks
Back in 1999, some Hollywood geniuses presumed to remake Keaton - and the still uproarious Seven Chances - by casting Chris O'Donnell (!) in the lead role. Tsk, tsk; foolish mortals...
The result was called The Bachelor, of which Leonard Maltin wrote:
"Hapless O'Donnell would do better aping Buster Brown than taking on Buster Keaton..."
And what have we learned, chillun?
Eric Campbell - one of the 2 or 3 greatest comic heavies in the entire history of the movies - died tragically in an automobile accident in 1917, which is why he disappears from Chaplin's troupe of regulars after the Mutuals.
Chaplin never really found a suitable replacement; at least none that was Campbell's equal. Frankly, neither did anyone else. Campbell's villains are so vivid, so over-the-top cartoony that the comparison with Bluto is almost inevitable. Likewise, it's almost impossible to imagine that Campbell and Chaplin were pals offscreen (they were). It's equally jarring to see photographs of him out-of-character, smiling and apparently harmless.
Along with Margaret Dumont, Franklin Pangborn and James Finlayson - he's easily among the most memorable live-action comedy foils of all time. BTW, his greatest performance, arguably, is in Easy Street. Once seen, it can never be forgotten.
I LOVE THIS ONE! And have only seen it once... might go and watch it again soon!
Hey "Uncle Eddie" -
The book at the time of this writing is listed at a start price of $249, but maybe has no one to bid or buy the book.
What a find, though, and I always find your blog posts and thoughts on life entertaining.
SB
These classic comedians were scrutinized by animation and studied for posture and presentation of gags and timing. Not only did they educate how to set up a gag from a directorial point, but also showed the physicality of executing it to be 'readable' on screen.
Whole Chaplin routines where stolen and preformed by Bugs Bunny. Keaton did "Duck Amuck" 29 years before Daffy.
I felt I had to expand on the relationship between cartoons and silent movie comics.
Here's a post I did on the origins of "Duck Amuck"
http://joelbrinkerhoff.blogspot.com/search?q=duck+amuck
The YouTube video in this link has been taken down but if you're not familiar with "Hellzapoppin" you have a treat ahead of you.
Also watch Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" for the barbershop scene and then "Rabbit of Seville"
Joel: Sorry it took me a week to get back to you. I love "Hellzapoppin.' " I noticed that YouTube took it down. It has a great Jitterbug sequence!
I hate to say it, but I'm not a fan of "Duck Amuk." It's not a bad cartoon, and I'm glad it's so popular, but for me it's a wrong use of animation. The animation just inbetweens the layouts.
Brubaker: Hatobo? I'll look it up!
Brubaker: I got an error message from your link.
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