One of my writing specialties is silent cinema. It’s actually one of the great loves of my life, and so is Buster Keaton. Last night, The Chef and I had the rare treat of seeing Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) on the big screen. The show was held in the ballroom of the stunning Cincinnati Music Hall. Clark Wilson provided musical accompaniment on the Hall’s restored “The Mighty Wurlitzer”. This is my favourite Keaton production. I have watched it at least 20 times, but always in the privacy of my home. The joy of experiencing a silent movie whilst surrounded by hundreds of spontaneously laughing people seeing it for the first time is energetic and awe-inspiring. Buster, who made his film debut 96 years ago, would certainly be proud and humbled. It was a wonderful evening to be a cinema buff and writer.
“The first thing I did in the studio was to want to tear that camera to pieces. I had to know how that film got into the cutting room, what you did to it in there, how you projected it, how you finally got the picture together, how you made things match. The technical part of pictures is what interested me. Material was the last thing in the world I thought about. You only had to turn me loose on the set and I’d have material in two minutes, because I’d been doing it all my life.”-Buster Keaton
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You look so cute, maedez! What a beautiful music hall and amazing Wurlitzer. I would have laughed my head off, too, as I have always thought Keaton was a great comic.
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Thanks! I was ridiculously excited. I almost cried when the lights went down. I’ve lived in Cinci for 7 years (later this month, actually) and this was my first visit inside Music Hall. I’ve walked by it countless times, but never went inside. The Wurlitzer is lovely. It’s extra funny because my uncle owns the famous Wurlitzer Building outside of Buffalo.
Keaton was amazing, and becomes all the greater the more you know about his contributions to cinema.
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I am so old I remember watching Keaton in black and white when I was a kid, sitting on the floor. This would have been in the 50’s. Yes, it is true even though my looks defy it.
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Actually, I don’t believe it! My mom just turned sixty last month, and she is too young to have watched Keaton in the ’50s. So, yes, your looks defy it, absolutely. 🙂
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Now see maedez, I am daft. I remember watching Keaton on television or at least I think I do. They were black and white and silent movies. Jerky movements. He had such a stone face. And they were absolutely hilarious. The scariest B&W movie: the first Dracula with Bella Lugosi. Can’t be topped. Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin were hilarious. Laurel and Hardy were the first talking B&W I remember. The Three Stooges were a little creepy to me – like “funny uncles”. And that’s my review for this evening.
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I believe you! Keaton is incredible, especially on the big screen. For my money, he was the most athletic performer in film history. Truly incredible. It’s cool that you grew up with such great old movies on TV, before cable and the Internet made them more widely available. Unfortunately, the first old movies I remember watching were the Blondie series. When I was little, just before we moved one suburb over where there was cable laid, they showed Blondie movies every Saturday on one of the local network stations. Ah, well. It was enough to whet my appetite for better things.
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Ack! I am sorry I do not know what the Blondie movies were, maedez. I must (being a couple of decades older than you) been onto something else in the 70’s. Note I said “onto” not “on”.
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Well, by this time it was the’80s but never mind that! The Blondie movies were made between 1938 and 1950, and starred Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake as Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead. Like the comic strip…They made more than 2 dozen of them.
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Ah, yes. My parents likened themselves to Blondie and Dagwood but nothing could be further from the truth.
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I don’t personally see Dogwood and Blondie as aspirational figures, but to each their own!
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What mad fun that must have been.. I did not know you live in Cincinnati.. if you see my brother say Hello!
post script- great pictures!
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It was a ridiculous amount of fun. Even The Chef had a grand time, and he does not share my passion for silent cinema.
I do live in Cincinnati. Sigh. For about 6 years longer than I planned to, if I am being honest. What part of town does your brother live in?
PS-Thanks!
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I love The General, too, but do prefer Steamboat Bill, Jr. I had the pleasure years ago of watching them both in a double bill at Carnegie Hall cinema, with live musical accompaniment by the great Lee Irwin. The music becomes as equally entertaining character! Ah, have a grá to see it again…
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I love them both-and pretty much all of Buster’s silent features and shorts-but there is just something about Steamboat Bill, Jr. that keeps me coming back.
That double bill sounds divine. The General was shown locally (at another venue) on 2 May, but I was too busy to attend. I am glad that I opted for Steamboat Bill, Jr. because Music Hall and its Wurlizter are amazing, as is the famous organist/composer Clark Wilson.
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I can relate to a fascination with technical things! Sounds like a fabulous time!
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Oh, it was. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
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That doesn’t surprise me, as you are always writing about gadgets and the more tech side of photography! It was a wonderful, amazing, splendid experience-and one I pretty much waited my whole life for. 🙂
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What a treat! The Music Hall looks like a gorgeous building, well-suited for Buster Keaton.
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It is gorgeous. It was my first time, and I only really saw the ballroom, but it is nice. It’s actually the first time they’ve shown a silent movie there. Unlike my hometown, Cinci doesn’t have a revival theatre or any venue that regularly (or even rarely) shows old movies. Sigh.
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I really love silent movies too. Have you seen The Artist? If so, what did you think? Sounds like you all had a great time and I love the Buster Keaton quote. Ugh, editing was a nightmare before things went digital. Hahaha. Very expensive too, but it made you tune into the physicality of it all, knowing with even more certainty, so many things could go wrong! xo
PS– This is an awesome picture of you…now I see the two tone. It’s cool!
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Oh, yes. We saw it in the theatre and I own a DVD copy. It was really well-done and Jean duJardin has enough charisma to carry a rocket to the moon.
Editing was a true art form back in the day!
PS-Thanks! I was really excited in that pic.
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🙂 🙂 I haven’t seen it yet. I’ve just had so many other films to get through (I have a list).
But that is definitely on it.
Excited about what?
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Excited to see the movie on a big screen! That anticipation is why I am practically glowing.
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OH RIGHT. Haha. 🙂
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