Buster Keaton Rides Again/The Railrodder

Rating:
Summary: I Can See Clearly Now!
Review: "Buster Keaton Rides Again/The Railrodder" is here on DVD! After watching the VHS version for several years, the improvement in picture and sound quality of the DVD is striking! Colors are vivid, picture is crystal clear, and the music sounds 100 times better than on the video version. This compilation is a must-have for true Keaton fans. "The Railrodder" is a short silent film (with music) which shows an aging Keaton doing what he did best. One of the last films he made (he died a year and a half after it was filmed) it is also an homage to the beauty of Southern Canada.

But the real gem of this collection is "Buster Keaton Rides Again," a b&w documentary of the making of "The Railrodder." It is a rare look at Keaton being himself, something that was usually kept from the public eye. We see how he worked, relaxed, and what made him smile. There is touching and endearing footage of him interacting with his wife Eleanor and a priceless scene of him singing and playing ukulele. Additionally, there is a short biography interwoven throughout, with some beautiful vintage photos and footage of Buster's early days. Highest recommendations!

Rating:
Summary: A Keaton Gem
Review: "The Railrodder," a 25-minute Canadian film, finds Buster Keaton riding a motorized handcar from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Released in 1965 shortly before Keaton's death, this memorable short proves that the Great Stone Face, at age 69, was a vital artist who instinctively knew comedy. One is grateful that Keaton lived long enough to appear in this mini-masterpiece. The National Film Board of Canada had the foresight to make an hour-long documentary on "The Railrodder" production. The result was "Buster Keaton Rides Again" (1965) -- an excellent, revelatory study of a genius at work. Both films now are available in pristine condition on this glorious DVD, which is a must-own for Keaton aficionados.

Rating:
Summary: I Can See Clearly Now!
Review: "Buster Keaton Rides Again/The Railrodder" is here on DVD! After watching the VHS version for several years, the improvement in picture and sound quality of the DVD is striking! Colors are vivid, picture is crystal clear, and the music sounds 100 times better than on the video version. This compilation is a must-have for true Keaton fans. "The Railrodder" is a short silent film (with music) which shows an aging Keaton doing what he did best. One of the last films he made (he died a year and a half after it was filmed) it is also an homage to the beauty of Southern Canada.

But the real gem of this collection is "Buster Keaton Rides Again," a b&w documentary of the making of "The Railrodder." It is a rare look at Keaton being himself, something that was usually kept from the public eye. We see how he worked, relaxed, and what made him smile. There is touching and endearing footage of him interacting with his wife Eleanor and a priceless scene of him singing and playing ukulele. Additionally, there is a short biography interwoven throughout, with some beautiful vintage photos and footage of Buster's early days. Highest recommendations!

Rating:
Summary: Long Live Buster!
Review: Really beautiful double-bill, featuring some of Buster's final appearances. The Railrodder comes up sumptuously in DVD colour, with many sound and vision details I have never noticed before. Almost better is the 55-min documentary about the making of the film: a wonderful, all-too brief glimpse of Buster and Eleanor at work and play; very candid, funny - it moved me to tears at times. I love Buster so much, as an artist and as a human being. There's a delightful moment when a bunch of Canadian children talk direct to camera, beside themselves with excitement at the prospect of visiting their hero in his private carriage. Unforgettable.