Buster Keaton: The Persistence of Comedy
by Imogen Sara Smith
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Book Summary Information
Author: Imogen Sara SmithEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-05-12
ISBN: 0967591740
Number of pages: 284
Publisher: Gambit Publishing
Book Reviews of Buster Keaton: The Persistence of Comedy
Book Review: Do We Need Another Book About Keaton? Yes!
Summary: 5 Stars
Imogen Sara Smith's "Buster Keaton: The Persistence of Comedy" is a thoughtful analysis of Keaton's body of work, and an important addition to the Keaton biographies that have preceded it. Ms. Smith raises a number of very interesting points and considerations regarding Keaton as both comedian and filmmaker in this warm, heartfelt appreciation of all things Keaton. Quite clearly, this volume is a labor of love.
Beginning with his childhood days in vaudeville, chapters are devoted to each period of his career. Ms. Smith devotes a lot of thought and discussion to Keaton's most fertile silent period: his early supporting roles with Roscoe Arbuckle in the Comique 2-reelers of the late `teens, where Keaton absorbed the craft of filmmaking and quickly advanced to Arbuckle's on-screen equal; Keaton's promotion to his own 2-reel series of the early `20s, his first release the delightful and impressively self-assured "Cops;" and his wonderfully creative features of the mid- to later-`20s, with much ink devoted to his classic "The General." Keaton's ultimately-disastrous stint with MGM in the late `20s/early `30s is discussed in sad detail, followed by his uneven and occasionally unfortunate work over the remaining years, including shorts for both Educational and Columbia, as well as a multitude of bit parts in numerous features and his work in television in the `50s and `60s.
Ms. Smith's familiarity with these films is considerable, and she places the proper amount of emphasis on the influence of Keaton's private life - at times very rocky - on his work. This is a very readable and thought provoking look at one of film's most important and enjoyable filmmakers, and a welcome addition to the bookshelf of anyone wishing to revisit the Keaton oeuvre.
Summary of Buster Keaton: The Persistence of Comedy
Buster Keaton: the Persistence of Comedy tells of the most dazzling and enigmatic of the silent clowns, a man who began his career in vaudeville as one-third of the Three Keatons, joining his parents at age four in their legendarily violent knockabout comedy act. He rose to the peak of his fame and artistic triumph while still in his twenties, directing and starring in a string of classic silent comedies, including his masterpiece, The General, only to fall from grace with shattering swiftness in the early 1930s. The coming of sound and the sea-change it brought to the movie industry, combined with Keaton's loss of creative independence, personal troubles and a severe drinking problem almost ended his career. He persevered through years of eclipse, eventually making a comeback on television in the 1950s and living to see himself acclaimed as one of cinema's immortals. Delving beneath the familiar facts to uncover Keaton's essential character as an artist, The Persistence of Comedy examines his life and work on both sides of the camera to create a rich portrait of the face, the body, the personality and the intelligence that went into his movies and continue to fascinate us because of his embodiment of paradoxes - artist and comic, director and performer, stuntman and subtle actor, icon of the machine age and lyrical portraitist of America's past. Opposing qualities of irony and sweetness, logic and absurdity, passion and impassiveness don't just coexist in Keaton's films and character, they are fused so completely that it is impossible to see where one ends and the other begins. Exploring controversies and unresolved questions, engaging previous criticism and offering new insights, The Persistence of Comedy pays tribute to Keaton's complexity and enduring relevance. His story inspires a meditation on the serious business of his comedy, the comic stance in life and Keaton's own singular, bone-deep version of it. Illustrated with rare stills and drawing from a wide range of sources including never-before uncovered interviews with Keaton's wives, this is an elegant celebration of Buster Keaton for both those already familiar with him and the newcomer.Entertainers Books
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