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Buster Keaton DVD Release; Any comments on the quality?
Topic Started: Nov 27 2008, 07:10 AM (1,285 Views)
The Batman
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Televista is releasing something called Buster Keaton Double Header, containing "two late Keaton oddities, The Ramrodder and The Silent Partner", according to LG.

Can anyone comment on the titles, themselves? Are they worth getting?

Can anyone comment on the quality of the product offered by Televista? I don't have any of their releases.

Thanks, in advance.
Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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The Batman
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How about it, LG? Any inside info on this release? Or the quality of the films, themselves?
Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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KanSmiley
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Bats: Is that the title of that movie..."The Ramrodder"? I have a color, silent movie Keaton made in the 60s for, I think, The Canadian Railway System. I can't recall the title right now but The Ramrodder doesn't sound correct. It is him going across Canada and having all sorts of problems and doing a lot of his schtick. He is on a railroad handcar. My copy is VHS. I also believe it was the last film he made.

Kan

OK, I'm back after looking up that film. It is titled "The Railrodder" and it was made by the The Natinal Film Board of Canada. I also read a review of that film which states it is an entertaining film but really only for hardcore Keaton fans. It is 24 minutes long. And it apparently is not the last move he was in. My mistake

Kan
Edited by KanSmiley, Nov 27 2008, 06:48 PM.
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The Batman
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This is what LG has in the new releases for December, Kan:

"Buster Keaton Double Header (Televista, $14.95) Two late Keaton oddities, The Ramrodder and The Silent Partner."


That's all I know, Amazon has even less info on the release. The total running time of the disc is about 50 minutes, according to them.




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Black Tiger
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The Silent partner was part of a tv anthology series, Screen Director's Playhouse in '55
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The Batman
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Thanks, BT.

I still can't find any info on THE RAMRODDER, so I have to believe that is a misprint (on Televista's or LG's part, I don't know) and the actual title is THE RAILRODDER, like Smiley spoke about.
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You're right, Bat. I saw it when it was new & the title was The Railrodder. It isn't on a par with Keaton's best. You want to like it, but it's kinda blah.
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The Batman
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Thanks, Paul, appreciate the mini-review and confirmation of the title name.

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The Batman
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Has anyone purchased product from Televista before? Any reports on quality of their stuff?

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igsjr
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The Batman
Dec 1 2008, 06:47 AM
Has anyone purchased product from Televista before? Any reports on quality of their stuff?

Well, don't expect pristine prints if you're ordering from Televista. I have a few of their DVDs--Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy, The Further Perils of Laurel & Hardy...and Laurel & Hardy's Laughing 20's, which I believe had to be pulled when they learned MGM still had it under copyright. They're certainly watchable, but I wouldn't be surprised if the source material came from the same companies that rented films to high schools (Further Perils looks precisely the same way it did when I saw it on TV, scratches and all) back in the day.

I also have one or two of their silent comedy releases. I don't think Televista charges an arm and a leg--so considering the quality of the prints it's not too bad a bargain.
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The Batman
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igsjr
Dec 1 2008, 08:09 AM
The Batman
Dec 1 2008, 06:47 AM
Has anyone purchased product from Televista before? Any reports on quality of their stuff?

Well, don't expect pristine prints if you're ordering from Televista. I have a few of their DVDs--Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy, The Further Perils of Laurel & Hardy...and Laurel & Hardy's Laughing 20's, which I believe had to be pulled when they learned MGM still had it under copyright. They're certainly watchable, but I wouldn't be surprised if the source material came from the same companies that rented films to high schools (Further Perils looks precisely the same way it did when I saw it on TV, scratches and all) back in the day.

I also have one or two of their silent comedy releases. I don't think Televista charges an arm and a leg--so considering the quality of the prints it's not too bad a bargain.
Thanks, Igsy. Sounds like Televista is one of those put-'em-out-in-the-condition-we-find-'em kinda PD outfit. You gets what yas pay for.
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shelbyvinje
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I bought a copy of Laurel and Hardy's Lauging 20s from Rodney the other year and it was great quality.

As for Buster Keaton, the KINO ON VIDEO box set containing THE GENERAL with three separate music scores was reviewed as a Christmas must-have for shoppers on a five-minute featurette on November 30 Sunday morning on the CBS Sunday Morning show. I was happy to see that silent movies were regarded as treasures in the feature and for national coverage.
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I wish. Keaton has been a special case since he became fashionable with NYC film elite in the late Sixties. I doubt if any other artist would get that kind of coverage. I've always wondered why this particular picture, with few real laughs, is so revered. My thought is that the average person who sees it could be discouraged to further explore silent comedy.
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Laughing Gravy
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I agree, and for a long time it was my least favorite of the "classic" Keaton features. It was only on the 2nd or 3rd reviewing that I appreciated it for what it is - a grand chase scene and adventure story with laughs, as opposed to a "Civil War comedy". It certainly has fewer laughs than any other Keaton masterpiece, so if somebody is expecting another "One Week" or "Sherlock, Jr." they're bound to be disappointed. I explained all this prior to showing it on FNF several weeks ago, to put it into context, and the FNF gang went in understanding what they were going to see and enjoyed it very much.
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Well, God knows it's beautifully made, but if wanted to watch a Keaton comedy tonight I'd probably pick Our Hospitality. That one slays me. The Navigator was the first I saw, thanks to Dave Shepard, and I think that was lucky: I've loved Keaton ever since. Hey, it's been years since I watched a Keaton: thanks for the reminder.
Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious...
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