criterionforum.org

Buster Keaton: The Complete Short Films 1917-1923



Containing thirty-two films – with a running time of over 740 minutes – this collection documents Buster Keaton's short films between 1917-1923.

Capturing Keaton's first steps in front of a camera this box set charts his early association with ex-Keystone Kop Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle through to starring in, headlining, and directing his own box office smash hits. Using Chaplin's old Hollywood studios in 1920, Keaton's sophisticated technical inventiveness coupled with his haunted-yet-handsome 'Stone Face' persona, created a succession of the most timeless, classic comedy shorts ever realised. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the following films in a four-disc box set, with audio commentary by Joseph McBride on six of the films, and a 180-page book:

The Butcher Boy (1917)
The Rough House (1917)
His Wedding Night (1917)
Oh, Doctor! (1917)
Coney Island (1917)
Out West (1918)
The Bell Boy (1918)
Moonshine (1918)
Good Night Nurse (1918)
The Cook (1918)
Backstage (1919)
The Hayseed (1919)
The Garage (1919)
The "High Sign"* (finished 1920, released 1921)
One Week* (1920)
Convict 13* (1920)
The Scarecrow (1920)
Neighbors (1920)
The Haunted House (1921)
Hard Luck (1921)
The Goat (1921)
The Playhouse* (1921)
The Boat* (1921)
The Paleface (1922)
Cops* (1922)
My Wife’s Relations (1922)
The Blacksmith (1922)
The Frozen North (1922)
Daydreams (1922)
The Electric House (1922)
The Balloonatic (1923)
The Love Nest (1923)

*features audio commentary

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Special 4-disc box set
• 32 films
• Over 700 minutes running time plus extras
• Specialist audio commentary on 6 films by Joseph McBride
• Music accompaniment (a mixture of solo piano / full band arrangements) by Neil Brand, Brian Benison, and Gaylor Carter.
• 184-page accompanying book containing a roundtable discussion on Keaton by Brad Stevens, Jean-Pierre Coursodon, Dan Sallitt.

Nothing to divulge at the mo. Except.... "#30"

Not even a prediction of what the RRP will be? Some of us will have some scrimping and saving to do and could do with the head start

it'll be £34.99 or £39.99 -- which will probably translate to £27.99 or £29.99 online. Four discs.

Don't quote me on that. We don't know yet.

From a earlier discussion in another thread (note that the spine number has since been finalised):

The plan is to house 23A in our usual case (2 x discs), 23B (2 x discs) also in our usual case, and then have both of these in a slipcase with 23 on the spine. Thick booklet in 23A, new MoC catalogue in 23B.

Delayed til April.

But it will be worth it. Plus, we'll get those Murnaus in the meantime...

Hmmm, at the current rate, might only get FAUST before April.

---
One of the four sleeves:

lovely

That cover is so sweet.

What a kind cover!

I think it's agreed: excellent cover.
Can't wait for the release.

I'm glad MoC has come far enough, so I have to choose from two dozen other cover arts for my favorite. If this one stays, it wins.

Will this be the last we see of Keaton in the collection?

Any update on this release? I'm eagerly looking forward to it.

Co-incidentally (or not) Network DVD also have a release of some of the Keaton shorts on their books, plus a large number of features in the set. From the Network site I see that we can expect. Which means that some shorts are being duplicated should one want to purchase both sets.

Network have a pretty good reputation for restoring old films, the recent release of Black Narcissus being a good example. Is it likely that the Network and the MoC set are coming from the same source? Are MoC likely to trump them on the extras/picture quality front?

I'll probably buy both anyhow. The Network cover is terrible though. It looks like one of those cheap PD releases I bought a few years back - Elstree?

The 12 hour MoC KEATON set will have commentary by Joseph McBride on THE HIGH SIGN, ONE WEEK, THE PLAYHOUSE, CONVICT 13, THE BOAT and COPS --- and it will come with a specially made 72-page book.

peerpee wrote:The 12 hour MoC KEATON set will have commentary by Joseph McBride on THE HIGH SIGN, ONE WEEK, THE PLAYHOUSE, CONVICT 13, THE BOAT and COPS --- and it will come with a specially made 72-page book.

This is surely going to be your best release yet. After suffering multiple (multiple!) viewings of Kino's transfers, I'm fully prepared to enjoy multiple viewings of yours, plus the transfers of the shorts I haven't seen before. Commentaries and 72 page books are awesome enough, but I'm growing more and more excited over the prospect of seeing The Scarecrow and Cops in their restored glory.

I can't wait to see the packaging of this monster. When are you going to update the website? There are a few other titles we're itching to hear word on, too.

peerpee wrote:The 12 hour MoC KEATON set will have commentary by Joseph McBride on THE HIGH SIGN, ONE WEEK, THE PLAYHOUSE, CONVICT 13, THE BOAT and COPS --- and it will come with a specially made 72-page book.

Thank you for the information. This is shaping up to be one of those DVDs where I need to draw the curtains and spend a weekend indoors. I look forward to it being let loose.

George

Just a quick note to add that this transcription omits one of the films (an important one, too) that will be included in the set: 'The Blacksmith' (1922).

Is there a new release date ?

Thanks

Hi all - long-time reader, first-time poster.

I believe the MoC website (not the Eureka one, the other one) says the Buster set is scheduled for July.

So why has the Keaton Boxset been put back till August??

I'm curious too, although if the sole reason the set has been delayed is for quality control, I'm all for it.

I'm also curious as to where the transfers come from, ie from what prints/negs, methods of restoration, history of the films, etc. etc. Film archaeology fascinates me - I'm looking forwards to the doco on the different version of Faust on that disc as much as the film itself.

Oh, and David, I don't know if you're aware but early versions of R4 The General is missing one of the two scores indicated on the liner. Not sure which one, but my set (received as a pre-release review copy at time of release) sure is. Haven't got around to getting the other R4 Keaton discs yet, but probably will at some point, likely when my collector instinct kicks in!

Monsieur Verdoux wrote:So why has the Keaton Boxset been put back till August??

Prior projects have overrun, and the Keaton set itself is the largest release we've undertaken. Current release date is looking like October.

peerpee wrote:

Monsieur Verdoux wrote:So why has the Keaton Boxset been put back till August?

Prior projects have overrun, and the Keaton set itself is the largest release we've undertaken. Current release date is looking like October.

Out for around Christmas then... #-o. The other thing, is the package coming from the MK2 French DVDs also...? I know most of the extras from Keaton's features have been placed onto the BBC and Cinema Club DVDs (which are already out).... but are the shorts' extra features coming from the MK2, like Battling Butler etc?

Nice cover Peerpee.
Is the image a play on "short" films?