Critics were rediscovering and wildly praising his great silent comedies of the 20s, and offers of movie and television roles were flooding in. Buster keatons genius turned slapstick and catastrophe into comic gold, in new yorker, 23 october 1995. Considering that he also died within a year of the films completion. At the end of the 1920s, buster keaton had completed a highly productive eightyear period creating and producing a remarkable series of two reeler and feature films of uncommon merit and creative excellence. Buster keaton biography 2017 facts, childhood, wiki.
Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. For silent waters, thomas says hes completed many interviews and filmed a lot of footage, but he. With a shrug, the railrodder starts walking down the long track. Reading up on the production of the railrodder revealed many lovely insights, including the admittedly unsurprising fact that the 69yearold silent star was determined to do his own stunts, with one in particular involving an impossibly large map that caused concern for. I have been having a blast video recording and uploading to youtube. His last film work was the railrodder 1965, but because it was such a short film it was released before other movies, like a funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1966, which had completed filming before the railrodder. The railrodder is a 1965 short silent comedy film codirected by and starring buster keaton in one of his final roles as the eponymous railrodder. Using a cast of nonprofessionals, clement tells the story of french railway workers who bravely battle the nazis on many fronts, aiding the allied invasion of 1944.
Update 1219 10 pm et at end of post in 1964, 68yearold buster keaton began production on film, a tworeel mostly silent short written by samuel beckett, the irish playwright and author of waiting for godot. After literally swimming across the atlantic ocean, an englishman takes a country trip across canada on a railcar. Brand new 4k restoration of the film, completed by nbcuniversal studiopost. Get the best deals on vhs tapes buster keaton when you shop the largest online selection at. A courageous effort from noted french director rene clement who completed the film during the final months of wwii under extremely dangerous conditions. Keaton lived during their canadian film assignment. A behindthescenes documentary short film that was released likely contains the only known footage of keaton working behindthescenes on a film. The railrodder was produced by the national film board of canada with principal photography being completed in 1964. Huntley lists a vast number of short films not included in this list, gives many more details of each film than i can do here, and rates every film for the degree of railway. These are the films of american actor, comedian, and filmmaker buster keaton. Obviously keaton couldnt do all those great stunts he used to do at this point, but this movie could have been a lot funnier.
Ironically, the best sight gag is not in the railrodder itself but in the documentary about the making of the film, when, with exquisite timing, buster appears to stop and start a freight train by pulling it with one hand. In this informal study the comedian regales the film crew with. The railrodder is a 1965 short comedy film released by the national film board of canada and starring buster keaton in one of his final film roles. The railrodder is a 1965 short comedy film starring buster keaton in one of his final film roles. The extra part which showed how the movie was done is awesome. The railrodder comes up sumptuously in dvd colour, with many sound and vision details i have never noticed before. As might be expected, the film is full of sight gags as keaton puttputts his way to british columbia. Also, there is a biography of keaton, who had appeared in such great comedies as the general. The railrodder and the documentary are both currently available as extras on the mk2 restored 2dvd edition of the general. The best single reference now available for the question of what is a railway movie is railways on the screen by john huntley ian allan, 1993, isbn 0711020590. It was also his final silent film, as the film contains no dialogue and all sound effects are overdubbed. A visual essay by film historian and author, john soister, on lenis work at universal during this period. This is the railrodder, a 1965 national film board short film that is as. The railrodder the railroader 1965 rotten tomatoes.
Rent buster keaton rides again the railrodder 1965 on. Produced in 1965 by the national film board of canada, the film chronicles a great silent comedian who has long since passed on. The railrodder 1965 buster takes a crosscountry trip across canada. Keaton suggests, often demands how a scene will be done and we see just why. As the railrodder, keaton crosses canada from east to west on a railway track speeder. This film is a documentary about the filming of one of buster keatons movies. Rent buster keaton rides again the railrodder 1965 starring buster keaton on dvd and bluray. The film is available to watch on the internet and shows some very interesting railroad action. Make offer super rare buster keatonjohn deere short film on vhs. July 2014 movie, film, cinema, drama, serial, tv, book. Buster keaton rides the rails in canada nfb blog national film. It was decided to shoot in the style of a silent film of old, complete with. It is a short film 25 minutes and made for the national film board of canada. Buster keaton net worth 2018, biowiki celebrity net worth.
As the railrodder, keaton crosses canada from east to west on a. Railroad tigers throws a few sparks hearkening back to jackie chans glory days as an action comedy star, but theyre smothered by an unfocused story and jarring shifts in tone. The year before keatons death came the railrodder which was the first film since 1951 that he did any credited or uncredited directing work on. To be, or not to be perceived the critic as artist medium. Reading up on the production of the railrodder revealed many lovely insights, including the admittedly unsurprising fact that the 69yearold silent star was determined to do his own stunts, with one in particular involving an impossibly large map that caused concern for everyone on set. A reconstruction isnt restoration film s prologue was never completed originally, so one cant truly restore it. Not a word is spoken throughout, and keaton is as spry and ingenious at fetching laughs as he was in the days of the silent slapsticks. The railrodder english version by gerald potterton nfb. A 20minute silent short with musical score and a string of impossible gags.
The railrodder is a 1965 short silent comedy film codirected by and starring buster. He is best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression that earned him the nickname the great stone face. A new booklet essay written by renowned film historian and author, kevin brownlow. From director gerald potterton heavy metal, this short film starring buster keaton was one of the last films of keatons long career. Completed kits will then be located on one of the clubs two layouts and the builder. The comedian, writer, producer and stunt performer died at the age of 70 the following year.
Gunning, tom, buster keaton or the work of comedy in the age of mechanical reproduction, in cineaste new york, vol. This short film from director gerald potterton heavy metal stars buster keaton in one of the last films of his long career. Which 1964 movie was buster keatons final silent film. The railrodder is much like what buster would have made before the year 1923. It was loosely based on the reallife case of majczek and marcinkiewicz, the same case that inspired call northside 777. In this film keaton rides across canada on a railway scooter and, between times, rests in a specially appointed passenger coach where he and mrs. The film was produced by the national film board of canada as a humorous sightseeing tour cross the country, but with the familiar buster keaton comic flair. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film. A screen short starring buster keaton, this is one of the last films of the comedians long career. And, though it was completed and premiered at the venice film festival in 1965. The railrodder and buster keaton rides again 1965 are enjoyable remnants.
This film is about how buster keaton made a canadian travel film, the railrodder. The railrodder 1965 directed by buster keaton, gerald. The railrodder 1965 directed by gerald potterton and produced by the national film board of canada, was buster keatons last silent movie. The railrodderbuster keaton rides again in 1964, buster keatons languishing career was experiencing a sort of semirenaissance. Joseph frank keaton october 4, 1895 february 1, 1966, known professionally as buster keaton, was an american actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer. True to keatons genre, the film is full of sight gags as our protagonist puttputts his way to british columbia. Rent buster keaton rides again the railrodder 1965 on dvd. One of the interesting aspects of buster keatons life is his fall from grace, which was sudden, complete and long lasting. Joseph frank buster keaton october 4, 1895 february 1, 19661 was an american actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer. A noted film archivists notfilm presents his meditation on one of the most surprising of cinema collaborations. As the railrodder he crosses canada from east to west on a railway track speeder. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Railrodder a second camera crew captured the behindthescenes view of the making of the film. In this short, after reading an newspaper advertisement in the london times about touring canada, an elderly englishman decides to do just that.
Almost better is the 55min documentary about the making of the film. The national film board of canada made a film starring buster keaton in 1965, where a man steals a track motorcar and crosses canada on it. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. In one of the last films of the comedians long career, buster keaton stars as a.