The Great Buster

Peter Bogdanovich offers a by-the-book documentary about Buster Keaton that’s designed to introduce new audiences to the comic genius in time for new restorations.

Long recognized, together with Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, as one of the true geniuses of comedy, Keaton’s life is a classic showbiz tale of hard work, great success, and then a painful professional and personal decline before recognition of his unique talents returned. Brought into his parents’ vaudeville act at a tender age, Buster was a pratfall pro long before he wore long pants, which made the transition to slapstick shorts an easy one. Teamed with the great Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle beginning in 1917, Keaton honed his straight-faced persona in a series of two-reelers that showed off his comic agility and expert timing.

For biographical details, Bogdanovich uses scholar James Curtis, who intelligently discusses Keaton’s career, accompanied by a wealth of terrific photos from the comic’s earliest days.

USA | English | 2018 | 102 min | HD