Nice to see Mr. Keaton again... Early sound films can be funny. The stereotype is, of course, that actors had to huddle around a microphone badly hidden or not while punching out their lines with all the sincerity of rain-soaked fence posts. Buster Keaton being Buster Keaton, though, all bets were off, and one of … Continue reading The Allure of the Bad Boy
Love Is In the Air
Back on the beach, only we're with Frankie and Annette in 1965's Beach Blanket Bingo. Can't have a Sorta Adios To Summer without at least one Frankie and Annette film, so here we go... The group is hanging out on the beach, of course, when new singer Sugar Kane (Linda Evans) parachutes into the water. Well, not … Continue reading Love Is In the Air
The Things We Do For Love
Buster is back... We all know Buster Keaton was a versatile fellow, and he certainly knew how to bring the physical comedy. One of these is 1927's College, about an honors student who goes to great lengths to win his ladylove. Ronald (Buster Keaton) is one of the top students in his class. He has … Continue reading The Things We Do For Love
Reading Rarities: Silent Echoes
Southern California and LA in particular are notoriously cavalier about architectural history. Everything's got to be new and fresh. With all the movies that have been made there over the past hundred-plus years, not to mention the periodic earthquakes, it's amazing anything stands longer than a few decades. Still, remnants of old Hollywood manage to … Continue reading Reading Rarities: Silent Echoes
Five Reasons To See “The General”
Mr. Keaton is back... The General is one of Buster Keaton's most iconic films. Released in 1927, it was mostly filmed in Oregon with great attention to detail, using real Civil War-era locomotives. Keaton directed, produced, and starred in the movie, which didn't have the impact he was hoping for on its first release. The story begins … Continue reading Five Reasons To See “The General”
Stage To Screen: A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum
Happy New Year! Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays. I did. I could have used another week of vacay, but it's all good. On to 2021.... The one and only time I saw Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum was in college. I tried out for it as part of my Broadway performance … Continue reading Stage To Screen: A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum
Back To MGM
Mr. Keaton is back... Buster Keaton did have a career of sorts in sound films. Well, he tried, anyway. From 1933 onwards Keaton's life was turbulent. He was fired from MGM in 1933, his marriage collapsed, and Keaton struggled with alcohol abuse. IMDb claims there was a period of time when the public hated him … Continue reading Back To MGM
I Want Torpedo Juice
Presenting Mr. Keaton... Although he's best known for his silent films, Buster Keaton had an extensive film career after talkies came in, right up until his death. One of his last films was 1965's How To Stuff A Wild Bikini. We've been here before, but this time we're going to take a closer look, if that's … Continue reading I Want Torpedo Juice
Taking Up Room 