The Cameraman Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		5.0

The Cameraman Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 14, 2020

Edward Sedgwick and Buster Keaton's "The Cameraman" (1928) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include the documentaries "The Motion Picture Camera" and "So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM"; an audio commentary by author Glenn Mitchel; new video interview with author James L. Neibaur; and more. In English, with English intertitles. Region-A "locked".

The moment he fell in love

I am firmly in the camp of those who consider The Cameraman one of Buster Keaton’s greatest accomplishments. It was his first film for MGM and sadly the last that he was able to craft with the unbridled energy and improvisational freedom that made his work special. After it, Keaton routinely accepted creative compromises and they ensured that his best days were behind him.

After a casual encounter with the charming Sally Richards (Marceline Day), the shy, clumsy and now very much in love Luke Shannon (Keaton) enters the MGM building determined to impress a busy media boss and land a job as a studio cameraman. If he gets the job Luke will spend most of his time around the girl of his dreams, who is making ends meet as a secretary in the same building.

But impressing the boss proves to be an incredible challenge and the clueless cameraman repeatedly finds himself involved in bizarre ‘accidents’ that very quickly make him the most disliked person in the entire building. However, the girl takes notice of his persistence and eventually agrees to go out on a date with him.

On the special day when the two are supposed to learn more about each other while having fun in the city, the cameraman experiences a new round of awful ‘accidents’ that push his girl in the hands of another ambitious bachelor. Later on, the cameraman saves her life after she is left to drown in the ocean, but his competitor emerges a hero and the girl walks away with him. A violent dispute between two Chinese gangs and a piece of film, however, reverse the cameraman’s bad luck and he gets one more chance to earn the girl’s heart.

The simplicity of The Cameraman is deceiving in a couple of different ways. First, it is broken into multiple episodes in which it often looks like Keaton is only reacting to bigger events, but in reality he is very much the driving force behind them. In fact, even when he isn’t before the camera a lot happens in a very particular way that prepares his brilliant reemergence. (See his failures at the pool). Second, the ‘unexpected’ external help that his character receives while pursuing the girl is again part of a bigger and complex mosaic of choreographed events. The massive peripheral movement during the gang war and the monkey business in particular are very much synchronized in ways that leave the false impression that they are entirely organic. Lastly, big chunks of Keaton’s performance are spectacular intuitive improvising that actually ends up making many of the supporting actors look every bit as impressive as he is. (See the dressing room sequence where Edward Brophy’s fat man).

The technical brilliance of The Cameraman, however, is not what typically wins the hearts and minds of those that see it. It is cherished for the exact same reason Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights is -- it is a pure old-fashioned romantic film that at the end just makes you feel really good about the world you live in. As Keaton’s cameraman very quickly realizes the world is not a fair place, but there is enough good in it to offset its injustices and ultimately give everyone a chance to discover true love and happiness.

*Criterion’s release of The Cameraman is sourced from a brand new 4K master that was prepared after the film was reconstructed and restored by Criterion, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and the Cineteca di Bologna. The original version of the film has been lost since 1951 and featured three minutes of footage that no longer exists in any surviving element. Additionally, the film can be viewed with a new score by composer Timothy Brock, conducted by Brock and performed by the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in 2020.

The Cameraman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Cameraman arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the booklet that is provided with this Blu-ray release:

"The Criterion Collection, the Cineteca di Bologna, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment collaborated to produce this 4K restoration. A 1951 shipping receipt indicated that the 35mm original camera negative lacked 291 feet of footage from reel 3. This negative is presumed to have been lost in the 1965 MGM vault fire in Culver City, California, and the missing footage has never been found. Fortunately, in 1957 MGM labs created a second-generation 35mm fine-grain master positive from the original camera negative. The majority of this restoration comes from this fine-grain. The fine-grain also lacks certain footage that was removed for reuse in the 1964 compilation MGM's Big Parade of Comedy. Film reconstruction carried by out by Warner Bros. used a 35mm duplicate positive of that filmas well as a 16mm print of The Cameraman from the Library of Congress, courtesy of Bruce Lawton and the Malkames Collection, to restore the missing footage. All three elements were scanned in 4K resolution at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging in Burbank, California. Digital restoraton was performed at L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy.

Transfer supervisor: Lee Kline/Criterion Post, New York.
Color grading: L'Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna, Italy."

The release is sourced from a brand new 4K master that was prepared after the film was reconstructed and restored by Criterion, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and the Cineteca di Bologna. It is actually quite easy to tell that some of the footage comes from different sources because some minor drops in density and in some cases clarity are instantly recognizable (compare screencaptures #3, 5, and 6). Also, there are areas of the film where minor damage and signs of fading remain. However, the overall quality of the presentation is still really, really good. Delineation and depth typically range from good to excellent and in many cases background information is surprisingly nuanced. The grading is convincing as well. Efforts were obviously made to rebalance the visuals as best as possible, even in areas where the previously mentioned source limitations are easy to identify. Image stability is very good, even during some rougher looking transitions. So, I think that the reconstruction and restoration have produced a very solid organic presentation of the film which should remain its definitive presentation on the home video market. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Cameraman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Music LPCM 2.0. Obviously, the film has original English intertitles.

The film can be viewed with a new score by composer Timothy Brock, conducted by Brock and performed by the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in 2020. Obviously, the LPCM 2.0 track recreates the native qualities of the recording, so I can only add that there are no transfer-specific anomalies to report. Dynamic balance and clarity are very good, but keep in mind that the new score was done by a chamber orchestra.

The Cameraman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Spite Marriage (1929) - presented here is a brand new 2K restoration of the film, which can be viewed an commentary by film historians John Bengtson and Jeffrey Vance that was recorded in 2004. Music only. (77 min/Dolby Digital 1.0/1080p).

• So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM - this archival documentary focuses on the complicated and ultimate disappointing relationship Buster Keaton had with MGM. The documentary was produced by film historian Kevin Brownlow and filmmaker Christopher Bird. In English, not subtitled. (39 min, 1080i).

• Time Travelers - in this new documentary, film experts John Bengston and Marc Wanamaker discuss the evolution of Buster Keaton's career and the production of The Cameraman. There are some very interesting observations about the exact locations where key scenes from the film were shot in LA. The documentary was produced by Daniel Raim for Criterion in 2020. In English, not subtitled. (17 min, 1080p).

• James L. Neibaur - in this new interview, James L. Neibaur, author of The Fall of Buster Keaton: His Films for MGM, Educational Pictures, and Columbia, discusses Buster Keaton's creative vision and style as well as his business relationship with MGM and the production of The Cameraman. The interview was conducted excursively for Criterion in 2020. In English, not subtitled. (15 min, 1080p).

• The Motion Picture Camera (1979) - Karl Malkames' archival documentary examines the history of the motion picture camera. Earlier this year, it was restored in 4K by Helge Bernhardt, produced by Bruce Lawton for The Malkames Collection. In English, not subtitled. (34 min, Dolby Digital 1.0/1080p).

• Commentary - presented here is an archival audio commentary by Glenn Mitchell, author of A-Z of Silent Film Comedy. The commentary was recorded in 2004.

• Booklet - 40-page illustrated booklet featuring "Man with a Movie Camera" by Imogen Sara Smith, "The Worst Mistake of My Life" by Buster Keaton and Charles Samuels, and technical credits.

The Cameraman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Cameraman is Buster Keaton's last great film. After its completion Keaton basically lost his creative freedom and with it the ability to excite as he did in the past. Some people will likely disagree with me, but I think that The Cameraman is as charming and romantic as Charlie Chaplin's City Lights, which is one of cinema's greatest masterpieces. Criterion's new release is sourced from an excellent 4K master and comes with a really, really good selection of bonus features, one of which is a new 4K restoration of Karl Malkames' documentary The Motion Picture Camera. Do not miss it. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.