For his leading man, he decided to cast silent film legend buster keaton. A second draft was produced by 22 may and a 40leaf shooting script followed thereafter. Sep 18, 2015 in 1965, an elderly buster keaton starred in film, a little experiment in cinema by one samuel beckettan unlikely collaboration, but an inspired one. The time samuel beckett and buster keaton made a movie. A case in point is film 1965, an avantgarde short that united two great 20thcentury artists. A personal keaton legacy keaton s granddaughter shares insights, including family photos dan kamin kindly filling in for jeffrey vance, absent because of illness. One of them was buster keaton, a silent film master of physical comedy, and the other was samuel beckett, a master of cerebral literature. Seeing is believing with buster keaton, a movie god who continues to inspire awe more than half a century after his death. Announcing the ninth annual buster keaton celebration, september 28 and 29, 2001 at the bowlus fine arts center in iola, kansas. When ive got a gag that spreads out, i hate to jump a camera into closeups. They were there to make a movie together, and now a new movie tells the story of their unlikely collaboration. The film stars buster keaton who codirected it with clyde bruckman. Beckett was nearing the peak of his fame, which would culminate in his receiving a nobel prize five years later.
Apr 01, 2016 samuel beckett and buster keaton surely possess two of the most photogenic faces of the 20th century, contrasting images of haplessness and stoicism. The link to cinemas essence is evident in the casting, as the chased object is none other than an aged buster keaton, who was understandably befuddled at beckett and director alan schneiders imperative that. Instead, its only available on youtube as a grainy transfer. This commemorative, immersive black and white film based on don nigros play takes us back into the shooting of irish literary lion samuel beckett s one and only film made in july of 1964, fifty years ago this year. Buster keaton and samuel beckett walk into a movie studio kqed. Film and notfilm showcase the collaboration of buster keaton and samuel beckett beckett wrote the screenplay for only one film, a 1965 silent short starring keaton. Buster keaton did his own stunts, which included working. The rundown on samuel beckett and buster keatons tribute. Apr 09, 2020 buster keaton, american film comedian and director, the great stone face, known for his deadpan expression and his imaginative and often elaborate visual comedy. The playwright was a longtime fan of the silent film legend. See more ideas about actor, silent film and comedians.
Watch film, samuel becketts only movie, starring buster. This film was made in 1964 in black and white and silent. Only a day before the nobel prize in literature was awarded to samuel beckett, i confided to my class in film history that buster keatons vision of the world was in some ways more profoundly absurdist than samuel becketts. The story was adapted from the memoir the great locomotive chase by william pittenger.
Apr 08, 2016 a behindthescenes production shot of samuel beckett and buster keaton making film. Buster keaton, the twentieth centurys greatest comic, and samuel beckett, its most naked and unillusioned writer, once collaborated on a short silent film, based on becketts only film script. Yet when film premiered at the venice film festival in september 1965, keaton was given a rapturous welcome not as its. But, as the film is based around bishop berkeleys principle esse est percipi to be is to be perceived, keaton s very existence.
The resulting film, simply titled film, is a bizarre and entertaining work of experimental art. Film and notfilm showcase the collaboration of buster keaton and samuel beckett. Film is certainly one of the oddest film projects ever. See more ideas about film, samuel beckett and joseph frank. A new documentary reveals the fascinating story behind samuel becketts sole foray into cinema, a conceptual chase film that bamboozled its star buster keaton. Even samuel beckett contributed to the desecration of the keaton mask by involving the actor of absurdity before its time in a dreary exercise called film, the most pretentious title in all cinema. Go see a double feature of samuel becketts long lost 1965 experimental short film starring buster keaton, and ross lipmans documentary notfilm, about their. The samuel beckett film directed by alan schneider in 1965, with buster keaton.
Obviously beckett is not trying to make anything commercial or even popular but something artistic, avantgarde in a retrospective if not retrograde way. Buster keaton stars in film, samuel becketts only foray onto the big screen. Given this film s significance in the cinematic canon its the only collaboration between samuel beckett and buster keaton, both recognized as masters in their respective media its surprising that it hasnt been reissued on disk, along with ross lipmans documentary notfilm. Samuel beckett film con buster keaton 1965 youtube. Buster keaton did his own stunts, which included working with samuel beckett director ross lipman introduces screenings at music box and university of chicago. The twilight zone, episode once upon a time 1961 as woodrow mulligan the janitor candid camera, episode in the diner 1962. Film and notfilm showcase the collaboration of buster. For buster keaton there was never the terrible eclipse, the descent from fame, that came to so many of his silent film colleagues. Notfilm necessarily focuses on beckett, with keaton as a supporting player. The general is a 1926 american silent comedy film released by united artists.
The link to cinemas essence is evident in the casting, as the chased object is none other than an aged buster keaton, who was understandably befuddled at beckett and director alan schneiders imperative that he keep his face hidden from the cameras gaze. Its a short silent film called film, released in 1965 and starring buster keaton. A twentyminute, almost totally silent film no dialogue or music, save one shhh. Film is a 1965 short film written by samuel beckett, his only screenplay. The writing and society research centre 17,452 views. Joseph frank keaton was born on october 4, 1895 in piqua, kansas, to joe keaton and myra keaton. Buster keaton stars in film, samuel beckett s only foray onto the big screen. Buster keaton, american film comedian and director, the great stone face, known for his deadpan expression and his imaginative and often elaborate visual comedy. The screenplay, by sidney sheldon, who also directed the film, was loosely based on keaton s life but contained many factual errors and merged his three wives into one character. Film is at once the product of a stunningly allstar assembly. Buster keaton in becketts first film the new york times. Apr 11, 2016 one of them was buster keaton, a silent film master of physical comedy, and the other was samuel beckett, a master of cerebral literature. Or maybe i did know at one time, but forgot long ago a common enough beckettian condition.
With buster keaton, nell harrison, james karen, susan reed. Buster keaton and samuel beckett walk into a movie studio. Buster keaton and samuel beckett walk into a movie. His favourite film was hard luck 1921, which was a lost film but a copy has been found. Watch film, samuel becketts only movie, starring buster keaton. Apr 27, 2016 a case in point is film 1965, an avantgarde short that united two great 20thcentury artists. Apr 10, 2016 buster keaton stars in film, samuel beckett s only foray onto the big screen. Notfilm preserves for posterity the making of film, samuel becketts only movie, starring an aging buster keaton under the brooklyn bridge in 1964. In 1964 author samuel beckett set out on one of the strangest ventures in cinematic history. During his time in new york beckett was brought to a mets baseball game by seaver, who, by the way, was a second cousin of new york mets halloffamer. This commemorative, immersive black and white film based on don nigros play takes us back into the shooting of irish literary lion samuel becketts one and only film made in july of 1964, fifty years ago this year. It was commissioned by barney rosset of grove press.
Thoughts on film with keaton and beckett short film. Dec 19, 2019 what where film by samuel beckett film and documentary duration. Jan 05, 2016 but if the 1965 film was strange, the single meeting beckett and keaton had before production began was even stranger. 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. Frank serjack that samuel beckett and buster keaton once collaborated on a short avantgarde film is, in and of. But, as the film is based around bishop berkeleys principle esse est percipi to be is to be perceived, keatons very existence. The rundown on samuel beckett and buster keatons tribute to silent. The rundown on samuel beckett and buster keatons tribute to. Courtesy of milestone film in 1964, two guys walked into a movie studio. Apr 10, 2016 in 1964, two guys walk into a movie studio. It was filmed in new york city in july 1964 beckett s original choice for the lead referred to only. This is film by samuel beckett with buster keaton 19650 music score mash up by bart capuano on vimeo, the home for high quality.
Apr 04, 2011 samuel beckett rockaby, starring billie whitelaw. In 1965, an elderly buster keaton starred in film, a little experiment in cinema by one samuel beckettan unlikely collaboration, but an inspired one. The movie was almost entirely silent, and shot largely in the first person. He made numerous short films as well as such feature films as three ages, sherlock, jr. Becketts only film, film, has for several years engaged a renowned restorationist, ross lipman. 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. During a meeting with documentary filmmaker kevin brownlow, beckett was quite forthcoming. Sarris discusses film in the context of his section on the film career of buster keaton, writing that. If youre not familiar with his work, from the cook, with roscoe arbuckle, 1918 to film, by samuel beckett, 1965, i urge you to take a look.
Youd have to scan the horizon for a long time to come up with a. A 1957 film biography, the buster keaton story, starring donald oconnor as keaton was released. In opposition to emersons transcendental idealism, becketts avantgarde film suggests that human beings can never escape the confines of the intruding eyeball, and they can never. With jay greenberg, lou matthews, jacob salas, cynthia shaw. Beckett wrote the screenplay for only one film, a 1965 silent short starring keaton. It was inspired by the great locomotive chase, a true story of an event that occurred during the american civil war. Feb 02, 2018 for buster keaton there was never the terrible eclipse, the descent from fame, that came to so many of his silent film colleagues. This time around, though, keaton signed on, even if he couldnt make heads or tales of the script. Actually, it is not so much keaton versus beckett as keaton film versus beckett theater, which brings us imperceptibly and inevitably to the one palpable contact between beckett and keaton. Aug 4, 2019 joseph frank buster keaton 18951966 a genius.
Nobel prizewinning playwright samuel beckett wrote the screenplay for only one film and made his only trip to the u. Keaton was even offered the role of lucky on the original american production of godot, though the actor declined. According to keaton biographer marion meade, the playwright and the comedian. Producer barney rosset, founder of grove press and becketts publisher, envisioned producing a trilogy of short films written by his most famous clients, but only becketts script made it to the big screen. Film by samuel beckett with buster keaton 19650 music. Jul 18, 2017 film and notfilm showcase the collaboration of buster keaton and samuel beckett beckett wrote the screenplay for only one film, a 1965 silent short starring keaton. Buster keaton did his own stunts, which included working with. Mar 16, 2015 buster keaton, the twentieth centurys greatest comic, and samuel beckett, its most naked and unillusioned writer, once collaborated on a short silent film, based on becketts only film script.
Film has now come out on dvd along with a documentary called notfilm, by film restorer ross lipman about. That samuel beckett and buster keaton once collaborated on a short avantgarde film is, in and of itself, a thrilling fact. Special guests include mellissa talmadge cox, james karen, gerald potterton, jeffrey vance and john bingtson. What where film by samuel beckett film and documentary duration. Samuel beckett, the celebrated author of waiting for godot, made a single work for projected cinema. Film by samuel beckett, the great playwright s only venture into the medium of the cinema, was written in 1963 and filmed in new york city in the summer of. Go see a double feature of samuel beckett s long lost 1965 experimental short film starring buster keaton, and ross lipmans documentary notfilm, about their encounter and.
1329 746 267 912 82 211 702 743 181 622 40 1255 455 771 879 52 49 753 1283 510 1247 1081 822 246 113 469 341 1426 1562 729 619 951 1351 1156 1344 176 588 1210