Rating: 
Summary: Three Busters for the Price of One
Review: Three Ages is often referred to as a parody of Griffith's Intolerance. However, a gap of seven years between the release of the two films makes this interpretation not as straightforward as it might at first appear. Moreover, Intolerance was something of a financial failure and it is far easier to parody a recent commercial success. There are similarities between the two films, but these should not be overemphasized, for whereas Griffith's film tells four very different stories, what distinguishes Keaton's film is that it tells three stories which in essence are the same. Keaton makes his point regarding the similar problems facing lovers through the ages by having them face the same recurring situations. The three stories resemble each other so closely that much of the humour of the film lies in the comparison between them. Thus Three Ages is not merely three short films spliced together. It is a far better and more unified film than that. Many people seem to consider that Keaton was somehow merely practicing for his later triumphs when he made Three Ages. Granted it does not reach the heights of The General, but it should not be considered as some sort of minor piece of juvenilia. Keaton may not yet have been at his very best, but he could still make a film with many extremely funny and inventive moments. Three Ages remains a highly enjoyable film, but it must be admitted that the print used for the DVD is quite poor. After watching near perfect prints on the other Keaton DVDs which Kino have released, one is left with a sense of regret that Three Ages did not survive in better condition. Still perhaps we are fortunate to be able to see the film at all. Keaton, at one point, told an interviewer that he thought the film was lost entirely. Of the two short films included on the DVD The Goat is the best. Quite why it is called The Goat I'm not sure, but it is very funny and includes some hair-raising stunts which even Harold Lloyd might have balked at performing. It is said that My Wife's Relations reflects Keaton's relationship with his real wife's family, but this is to read back into the film problems which arose later than 1922. Keaton, at this point, was still happy with his wife Natalie Talmadge as is shown by her being given a starring role in the following year's Our Hospitality. My Wife's Relations should not then be viewed as autobiography, but rather as a fairly good comic farce. It has some fine scenes, but lacks the subtlety of Keaton's best films, for the supporting characters are really a series of grotesques.
Rating:
Summary: Three Films
Review: THREE AGES is one movie told in three parts. The first section takes place during prehistoric times, showing us Caveman Buster's (riding around on his special-effect dinosaur) attempts to woo cavewomen. The second part is set during the height of the Roman Empire, while the third is contemporary (well, it's set in the then-current 1920s, which means now it almost qualifies as historic). The movie follows the course of love, giving us a typical example of courtship (meeting the parents, jealousy, etc) and how that situation would unfold in each time period. Naturally, many of the jokes come from seeing how much things haven't changed. In the historical time periods, much of the humor is derived from having anachronisms in the form of modern conveniences: the Caveman Keaton plays golf with a huge rock club, and the Roman Keaton has a sundial watch. It's a pity that these sort of gags would be endlessly ripped off in later films, as it does take a little of the shine off them here. Still, what may not seem fresh anymore nonetheless remains amusing. I liked this movie even though there isn't too much in the way of Keaton's noted physical comedy. There are a few jokes that rely on him bouncing in and out of things, but to a far lesser extent than usual. There are some impressively large-scale sequences (I'm thinking of the rock battle, the chariot race, and the football game) that had me grinning. This is a film that is more amusing than it is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Also included are two short films: THE GOAT and MY WIFE'S RELATIONS. THE GOAT contains two staples of the short films of this era. Jokes about being hungry, and people running away from the police as fast as they can. Keaton finds himself in what could almost be described as a preview for another short film he would complete the following year, COPS. In both films, Keaton begins by minding his own business, but then accidentally running afoul of the police. He must run quickly to avoid arrest, while devising neat ways of eluding his would-be captors. He eventually gets confused for the infamous escaped criminal, Dead Shot Dan, and finds himself wanted, dead or alive. Misdirection and near misses are the order of the day, as Buster becomes increasingly frantic in his escape attempts. This is really my favorite kind of Buster Keaton short film: Buster running frantically through city streets, using every kind of transportation he can to get away from someone. In MY WIFE'S RELATIONS, Keaton finds himself (after a mix-up at City Hall) married to an enormous Irish-Catholic woman and her enormous Irish-Catholic family. There isn't too much to say about this one. Keaton, a WASP, tries to survive in an immigrant/ethnic family. Naturally, by the end of the twenty minutes, he's engaged in a pitched battle against an outraged group of people he hadn't even met at the beginning. The back of the DVD casing claims this film "reflects some of the tensions between Keaton and the Talmadges, his real-life in-laws", which is a bizarre claim (and one I've seen contradicted). Did Keaton's in-laws really pelt him with bricks, and would he exit their house by wrapping up in a carpet and rolling down the stairs? The THREE AGES DVD contains three films, which at their worst are merely amusing, and at their best are hilarious. THE GOAT is by far the best that this has to offer, but THREE AGES and MY WIFE'S RELATIONS definitely have their moments. It's a pity that the picture quality isn't terrific, but when the material is over eighty years old, one can't afford to be picky.
Rating:
Summary: Three Films
Review: THREE AGES is one movie told in three parts. The first section takes place during prehistoric times, showing us Caveman Buster's (riding around on his special-effect dinosaur) attempts to woo cavewomen. The second part is set during the height of the Roman Empire, while the third is contemporary (well, it's set in the then-current 1920s, which means now it almost qualifies as historic). The movie follows the course of love, giving us a typical example of courtship (meeting the parents, jealousy, etc) and how that situation would unfold in each time period. Naturally, many of the jokes come from seeing how much things haven't changed. In the historical time periods, much of the humor is derived from having anachronisms in the form of modern conveniences: the Caveman Keaton plays golf with a huge rock club, and the Roman Keaton has a sundial watch. It's a pity that these sort of gags would be endlessly ripped off in later films, as it does take a little of the shine off them here. Still, what may not seem fresh anymore nonetheless remains amusing. I liked this movie even though there isn't too much in the way of Keaton's noted physical comedy. There are a few jokes that rely on him bouncing in and out of things, but to a far lesser extent than usual. There are some impressively large-scale sequences (I'm thinking of the rock battle, the chariot race, and the football game) that had me grinning. This is a film that is more amusing than it is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Also included are two short films: THE GOAT and MY WIFE'S RELATIONS. THE GOAT contains two staples of the short films of this era. Jokes about being hungry, and people running away from the police as fast as they can. Keaton finds himself in what could almost be described as a preview for another short film he would complete the following year, COPS. In both films, Keaton begins by minding his own business, but then accidentally running afoul of the police. He must run quickly to avoid arrest, while devising neat ways of eluding his would-be captors. He eventually gets confused for the infamous escaped criminal, Dead Shot Dan, and finds himself wanted, dead or alive. Misdirection and near misses are the order of the day, as Buster becomes increasingly frantic in his escape attempts. This is really my favorite kind of Buster Keaton short film: Buster running frantically through city streets, using every kind of transportation he can to get away from someone. In MY WIFE'S RELATIONS, Keaton finds himself (after a mix-up at City Hall) married to an enormous Irish-Catholic woman and her enormous Irish-Catholic family. There isn't too much to say about this one. Keaton, a WASP, tries to survive in an immigrant/ethnic family. Naturally, by the end of the twenty minutes, he's engaged in a pitched battle against an outraged group of people he hadn't even met at the beginning. The back of the DVD casing claims this film "reflects some of the tensions between Keaton and the Talmadges, his real-life in-laws", which is a bizarre claim (and one I've seen contradicted). Did Keaton's in-laws really pelt him with bricks, and would he exit their house by wrapping up in a carpet and rolling down the stairs? The THREE AGES DVD contains three films, which at their worst are merely amusing, and at their best are hilarious. THE GOAT is by far the best that this has to offer, but THREE AGES and MY WIFE'S RELATIONS definitely have their moments. It's a pity that the picture quality isn't terrific, but when the material is over eighty years old, one can't afford to be picky.
Rating: 
Summary: Whoops, I think this has The Goat, not The Boat
Review: Well, The Goat is also one of Keaton's 4 or 5 best shorts-- a great Kafkaesque setup in which Keaton's picture is accidentally used for an escaped criminal and he can't figure out why everyone runs from him in terror.
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