Buster Keaton's films were revolutionary in his time, merging farcical comedy with unprecedented special effects. Arguably, film comedies had their start with Keaton's 1917 directorial debut, "The Rough House." Keaton created movies that not only inspired comedians to be physical in their delivery, but filmmakers to be brave in their directing.
The musicians in Australia's bluegrass band Blue Grassy Knoll take that challenge to a new level, performing original music to Keaton's films to audiences around the world.
Their presentation of 1924's "Sherlock, Jr." at the Center for the Arts on Friday evening was a rare treat for those familiar with Keaton's work and those who had yet to witness his brilliance.
Simon Barfoot, guitarist, vocalist and percussionist in the group, greeted the audience of young children, UB students and older adults with an introduction to both the band and Keaton's history.
"Once you see a Buster Keaton film, you're hooked," Barfoot said, inciting applause from those who knew what he was talking about.
"This is multi-media before the term was coined," he added.
The five-member band, including Barfoot, Gus Macmillan (banjo, guitar, flute), Philip McLeod (accordion, cello, mandolin, harmonica, keyboard), Stephan O'Hara (fiddle), and Alex Miller (double bass), sat in the corner of the orchestra pit, letting the projection screen have the spotlight.
After a brief technical miscommunication, in which the lights were dimmed on the band minutes before the film started, Barfoot asked the audience if they had any jokes to liven the lull.
"How many Australians does it take to play a movie?" one man said.
The band laughed out of surprise. Barfoot warmed the already relaxed moment with one of his many quips.
"We're gonna hide in the dark," he said. "This is all about Buster."
It was about more than Buster and it was clear as soon as the group began playing.
The campfire warmth and "down home" charm of Blue Grassy Knoll's live bluegrass music brought a comfortable vibe to the cold black-and-white visuals of the film. Blue Grassy Knoll and Keaton's relationship is perfect, with film and music complimenting each other with symbiotic subtlety.
The premise of the film is a classic one. A budding detective, "Sherlock, Jr." (Keaton), tries to win the affection of "The Girl" (Kathryn McGuire), while "The Sheik/Villain" (Ward Crane) has his revenge set on Sherlock, Jr. After the Villain frames Sherlock, Jr. for stealing his watch, hilarity ensues with a mad chase around town.
Chasing each other through houses, on top of trains, inside cars and, in one final scene of Keaton's sheer genius, a movie theater, the two fall so many times, it becomes painful to watch the actors' pratfalls and mishaps.
The effectiveness of Keaton's performance is that while a viewer might think they know what is coming next, he always surprises with the unexpected. A blend of perfect timing, seamless editing and creative situations sets up loads of opportunity for laughter.
The scene in the movie theater, which Barfoot highlighted in his introduction, is a pleasant and warm surprise an hour into a film that already takes the viewer's breath away five minutes into it.
In it, a film closely resembling the story of Sherlock, Jr., The Girl and The Villain, is being projected onto a large screen, with an orchestra providing accompaniment music (sound familiar?).
The Projector, a hapless, down-on-his-luck movie house employee (also played by Keaton), daydreams himself into the film's action. Physically jumping from the base of the stage through the screen and into the film, Keaton's directorial skills are at their peak and his acting chops unmatched.
The parallel of the novice detective searching for his true love and a young movie projector yearning for a life less ordinary is palpable and heartbreaking. Keaton's physically comedic performance, unprecedented filmic skill, and emotional storytelling are a triple-threat of artistic merit.
After the film, an audience of previously unfamiliar youngsters, excited film students and already-aware veterans of Keaton's work walked away with an understanding of how films were made before the term "blockbuster" was coined and opening weekend gross intake was significant.
As it could not be ignored, it should be noted that one audience member created the kind of boisterous (and fanatical) response more appropriate at a British football match.
Laughing like a child watching a dog chasing his tail in circles, the man screamed with joy at what seemed like regular 30-second intervals.
This was especially notable during the opening short, "The Cops." When Keaton's "The Young Man" and Virginia Fox's "Mayor's Daughter" build their first house together, only to find the second floor without an entire roof, the man cackled like a hyena.
"That's f-ed up," he said.
Everyone around him laughed hysterically.
As unconventional as it was, the man's exclamation was dead on. A more entertaining and delicious night at the movies could not have been expected. The efforts of The Blue Grassy Knoll to educate audiences of Keaton's historical work paid off with rousing effect.
To quote the man, who may or may not have been an educated critic of Keaton's filmography, the performance of "Sherlock, Jr." and The Blue Grassy Knoll, was indeed "f -ed up."
In a good way.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
