The Cameraman, a review by Antares
The Cameraman (1928)
94/100 - Buster Keaton was the closest thing that cinema had to a Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a comic prodigy who honed his skills on the vaudevillian stages from the time he was three years old. An entertainer who effortlessly could formulate creative scenarios and gags at the drop of a pork-pie hat. Of all the great silent comedians, with the exception of Charlie Chaplin, his films have withstood the test of time, and I also believe that he has been the most influential on the scores of successive comic film actors and directors, even more so than Chaplin. So, for the longest time I avoided watching this film because I couldn't bear to watch my favorite comedian of all time succumb to the factory mentality of MGM. I had watched such dismal efforts as
What! No Beer?,
Parlor, Bedroom and Bath,
Speak Easily and other such torturous drivel that the MGM hierarchy considered comedy. Films where Keaton was relegated to second banana behind one of the most annoying and irritating comedians of all time, Jimmy Durante. With each successive film he made, you could witness the physical degradation that was taking place on Keaton as emerging alcoholism took its toll. Gone too, was the glimmer in his eyes and the spark of ingenuity that was the hallmark of his earlier silent classics. They had basically taken Michelangelo and reduced him to paint by number sketches and although there are fleeting moments when the old brilliance is apparent, the flame of genius was slowly and methodically extinguished. But thanks to Turner Classic Movies, who released his first three MGM films in a splendid re-mastered DVD set, I think I've found my new favorite film of all time by Keaton. While
The General is a mammoth comedy epic, it does have moments that linger and dawdle a bit,
The Cameraman is Keaton at his comedic zenith. I found myself laughing continuously throughout this film's duration and a lot of those laughs were of the gut busting variety. The film was also considered so perfect a comedy, that MGM used it as a training film for the next couple of decades when they hired new directors. If you're new to Keaton and are looking for a place to dive in, then this has to be considered the best launching point for any foray into his canon.
What the color coding means...
Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is(From Antares' Short Summations on September 13th, 2012)
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May 17, 2024, 12:31:30 PM
