"4K Keaton!"
Yes indeed, Eureka have done a fine job here in giving a UK Blu-ray release to three Buster Keaton classics, and they've never looked so good. The package comes with a wealth of extras and a 60-page book as well. I reviewed Eureka's excellent four disc set of Keaton's complete short films here just over a year ago, and it's a delight to see them bringing out some of his longer work. So what's included?
Sherlock Jr (1924)
Keaton plays a film projectionist who is studying to be a detective in his spare time. When a watch goes missing he finds himself implicated and, while trying to clear his name, he ends up falling asleep in the projection booth. Cue an ambitious dream sequence in which Keaton steps into the film playing on the cinema screen and assumes the mantle of Sherlock Jr. Like all the films in the set, SHERLOCK JR begins quite slowly, but that's just because Keaton is a master at setting up and layering his remarkably creative gags.
Extras include an audio commentary by film historian David Kalat, a tour of the filming locations, a featurette, and a video interview with film scholar Peter Kramer.
The General (1926)
The American civil war. When Johnnie Gray is denied the opportunity to enlist in the Confederacy because they believe his skills as a train driver are more useful to the cause, he finds himself becoming involved in the war anyway when Union soldiers steal his locomotive. With virtually no dialogue for lengthy parts of it, lots of amazing chase sequence and stunts, some quite breathtaking scenes of destruction, and huge numbers of extras, THE GENERAL looks like it must have cost a fortune.
Considered by many to be Keaton's masterpiece, watching this you can totally understand why it's still on so many people's all-time cinema best lists. Keaton uses his budget to great effect and this really is the perfect demonstration of skilled and unique artist at the very height of his powers.
Extras include a touching introduction by Orson Welles and a fairly scary one by Gloria Swanson. There's also a location tour, home movie footage, plus a new 52 minute documentary 'Buster Keaton: The Genius Destroyed by Hollywood'. You also get a brand new score to the film from Carl Davis.
Steamboat Bill, Jr (1928)
The final film in the set details a steamboat captain's horror when he is reunited with his son (Keaton) who turns out to be a black beret-wearing ukelele player (both obviously activities worthy of disdain back in the 1920s). Our hero's father tries to toughen him up but to no avail. Culminating with one of the most epic scenes of actual destruction as a typhoon hits the town, this is the one where the front of a house falls on top of Keaton and he stays standing because he's positioned just right to fit through a window. So many things get destroyed or pulled to pieces that Michael Bay and Roland Emmerich must surely have this one on their all-time top ten list. And I have never laughed so much at someone trying on a hat.
Extras include a video essay on the making of the film, plus there's another brand new score from Carl Davis. Also included in the set is a book with new writing on the film by Philip Kemp, notes on each film, archival writings, and the Keaton Family Scrapbook with lots and lots of archival imagery. A superb set.
BUSTER KEATON: THREE FILMS is out on Blu-ray from Eureka on Monday 6th November 2017
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