(Drop this book on your foot and you'll know it!)īut, not only about the actor's life, but the history of the early 1900's, and of movie-making, including innovations in the silent film era all the way through to the talkies. In exacting, excruciating and meticulously-researched detail. Keaton's life, from birth through childhood, all the way through to his death. Add in th Always been fascinated by this man, but boy this was one huge, dense, fact-laden read. (Drop this book on your foot and you'll know it!) But, not only about the actor's life, but the history of the early 1900's, and of movie-making, including innovations in the silent film era all the way through to the talkies.
Or are likely to have"-Richard Schickel, front page of The New York Times Book Review), and Spencer Tracy ("monumental definitive"- Kirkus Reviews), gives us the richest, most comprehensive life to date of the legendary actor, stunt artist, screenwriter, director- master.moreĪlways been fascinated by this man, but boy this was one huge, dense, fact-laden read.
Fields ("by far the fullest, fairest and most touching account we have yet had. Now James Curtis, admired biographer of Preston Sturges ("definitive"- Variety), W. Through nineteen short comedies and twelve magnificent features, he distinguished himself with such seminal works as Sherlock Jr., The Navigator, Steamboat Bill, Jr., The Cameraman, and his masterpiece, The General. His iconic look and acrobatic brilliance obscured the fact that behind the camera Keaton was one of our most gifted filmmakers. Fields, the four were each considered a comedy king-but Keaton was, and still is, considered to be the greatest of them all. Keaton's deadpan stare in a porkpie hat was as recognizable as Charlie Chaplin's tramp and Harold Lloyd's straw boater and spectacles, and, with W. Martin Scorsese, influenced by Keaton's pictures in the making of Raging Bull: "The only person who had the right attitude about boxing in the movies for me," Scorsese said, "was Buster Keaton."
Mel Brooks: "A lot of my daring came from Keaton." he brought pure physical comedy to its greatest heights." Keaton was the only major comedian who kept sentiment almost entirely out of his work and. It was James Agee who christened Buster Keaton "The Great Stone Face." Keaton's face, Agee wrote, ranked almost with Lincoln's as an early American archetype it was haunting, handsome, almost beautiful, yet it was also irreducibly funny. It is brilliant-I was totally absorbed, couldn't stop reading it and was very sorry when it ended.-Kevin Brownlow It is brilliant- From acclaimed cultural and film historian James Curtis-a major biography, the first in more than two decades, of the legendary comedian and filmmaker who elevated physical comedy to the highest of arts and whose ingenious films remain as startling, innovative, modern-and irresistible-today as they were when they beguiled audiences almost a century ago. From acclaimed cultural and film historian James Curtis-a major biography, the first in more than two decades, of the legendary comedian and filmmaker who elevated physical comedy to the highest of arts and whose ingenious films remain as startling, innovative, modern-and irresistible-today as they were when they beguiled audiences almost a century ago.
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