Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection 1917-1923 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection 1917-1923 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 21, 2016

Nearly a century after his short film debut, the scope of Buster Keaton’s early career is finally being explored in full. “Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection (1917-1923)” builds on a previous 2011 Blu-ray release, adding new titles to the years when Keaton joined comedian Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle on the screen, establishing his brand of poker-face reactions and physical humor before striking out on his own. It’s an odyssey that samples genres and ambition, but always delivers Keaton’s special touch with two-reeler cinematic pursuits, honing skills that would later be exploited to perfection in his feature-length movie career. Included here are 33 shorts, lovingly restored by the team at Lobster Films, who do their best to preserve Keaton’s legacy despite working with scattered source material. For more extensive analysis, please visit Casey Broadwater’s 2011 review of the “Buster Keaton Short Film Collection.”

Disc 1

“The Butcher Boy” (24:32)
“The Rough House” (19:45)
“His Wedding Night” (19:55)
“Oh Doctor!” (23:49)
“Coney Island” (25:36)
“Out West” (20:53)

Disc 2

“The Bell Boy” (26:05)
“Moonshine” (18:17)
“Good Night, Nurse!” (22:50)
“The Cook” (19:51)
“Back Stage” (21:13) -- Includes secondary music track.
“The Hayseed” (21:46)
“The Garage” (21:53)

Disc 3

“The High Sign” (20:58)
“One Week” (22:23)
“Convict 13” (21:49) -- Includes secondary audio track.
“The Scarecrow” (19:12)
“Neighbors” (18:46)
“The Haunted House” (23:53)
“Hard Luck” (23:01)

Disc 4

“The Goat” (23:39)
“The Play House” (24:23)
“The Boat” (27:02)
“The Paleface” (25:09)
“Cops” (18:13)
“My Wife’s Relations” (26:37)

Disc 5

“The Blacksmith: Version A” (22:49)
“The Blacksmith: Version B” (22:10) -- Includes secondary music track.
“The Frozen North” (18:18) -- Includes secondary music track.
“Day Dreams” (24:29)
“The Electric House” (22:47) -- Includes secondary music track.
“The Balloonatic” (26:15)
“The Love Nest” (23:38)

Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection 1917-1923 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

What's offered with the AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation is a rather amazing restoration achievement, where experts and techs worked through multiple sources for each short, piecing together the best possible version for many of these films. Damage is unavoidable (a few of the offerings do look fairly rough), and the shorts vary in quality, but it's clear a lot of labor went into the recreation of Keaton's early endeavors. Black and white balance remains secure with stronger elements, while tinting brings out mild hues to support creative choices. Detail isn't always defined to satisfaction due to age, but certain stretches of film bring out deep facial particulars and a crisper appreciation for frame activity and distances.

Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection 1917-1923 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 LPCM tracks are simple, but the musical mood is captured to satisfaction, delivering a mostly piano-based sound that's deep and true, while more percussive pursuits in later shorts retain ideal snap. Instrumentation is never in question, adding a fresh sound to the movies.

Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection 1917-1923 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (26 pages) contains a prologue by Serge Bromberg, an essay by Jeffrey Vance, and detailed short film descriptions and critiques.

• "Coney Island" (:45, HD) presents an alternate ending that was likely snipped due to racial insensitivity.

• "About the Restoration" (6:30, HD) meets up with Lobster Films rep Serge Bromberg in a park, where he explains how the Keaton shorts were put together using a variety of sources, creating a puzzle that required meticulous attention to detail and technical wizardry to figure out.

• "Life with Buster Keaton" (2:54, HD) is a snippet from a 1951 short film project eventually abandoned by the comedian.

• "My Wife's Relations" (1:50 HD) provides an alternate ending to the short from Disc 4, displayed side-by-side with the original conclusion.

Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection 1917-1923 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Filling out the rest of Keaton's filmography on BD with creative restorations and surprising options, "Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection" is a significant release for fans of the comedian, now offered a more substantial look at the genesis of a legendary big screen career.