by Image Entertainment
| Average Rating: |
|
| Sales Rank: | 65818 (lower is better) |
| Price Used: | $8.99 |
| Shipping: | Free Shipping on most orders over $25* |
| Availability: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| Release Date: | 2003-07-15 |
| Label: | Image Entertainment |
| UPC: | 014381189728 |
| Binding: | DVD |
| Published By: | Image Entertainment |
| ASIN: | B00009Q4W5 |
| Category: | DVD |
Actors and Actresses
Editorial Reviews and Product Descriptions
Amazon.com
Of all the silent-comedy compilations released by Image Entertainment and Kino Video, Slapstick Masters is a perfect primer for new students of the genre. It's timelessly accessible, serving up three classic "two-reelers" from acknowledged comedy greats (Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy) while shining a deserved spotlight on the lesser-known Monty Banks in "Chasing Choo-Choos," excerpted from the 1927 slapstick feature Play Safe, and featuring one of the zaniest, most incredibly dangerous chase scenes of the silent era. And while each of these films has been improved from previous DVD releases (with corrected intertitles, better source materials, and digital mastering), the selling point is the accompanying music by the Alloy Orchestra, a Boston-based trio specializing in new, jauntily percussive scores for vintage films. Alloy's playful work here is absolutely marvelous, honoring the traditions of silent-movie music while vastly improving its musical parameters. The films are great by themselves, but with music by the Alloy Orchestra, they're masterpieces to be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere, any time. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel & Hardy and Banks - Reviewed on 2008-09-17
IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT's SLAPSTICK MASTERS contains high-quality transfers of four of the silent era's greatest comedy shorts.
CONTENTS--
BIG BUSINESS-- Laurel & Hardy as Xmas tree salesmen get into an escalating war of destruction with an annoyed customer. As a crowd gathers, Stan and Ollie trash Jimmy Finlayson's landscaping and bungalow while Jimmy destroys their merchandise and truck. Police officer Tiny Sandford observes the action and calmly takes notes.
CHASING CHOO CHOOS-- Monty Banks short was edited from his feature, "Play Safe." Monty rescues a girl from a gang of thugs; she and the pursuing bad guys hop a freight train. Monty catches up to it by using a fruit peddler's horsecart and a racing car; the gang chases him across the tops of the cars. Includes some impressive stunts by Banks (and others).
EASY STREET-- Cop and ex-vagabond/thief Charlie Chaplin rids Easy Street of thuggish Eric Campbell. The bad guy escapes from jail and kidnaps Edna Purviance, but Chaplin triumphs again. The infant seen briefly is the son of directer Erich von Stroheim.
ONE WEEK-- Newlywed Buster Keaton bungles the assembly of his pre-fab house. Keaton's first-released solo short is one of his very best.
TELEVISTA's KINGS AND QUEENS OF SLAPSTICK features highlights from shorts by Chaplin, Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Semon, West, Chase and Turpin.
Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.
(8.2) Big Business (silent-1929) - Stan Laurel/Oliver Hardy/James Finlayson/Tiny Sandford/Charlie Hall/Retta Palmer/Lyle Tayo
(7.7) Chasing Choo Choos (1927) - Monty Banks/Virginia Lee Corbin/Leo Willis
(7.8) Easy Street (1917) - Charles Chaplin/Edna Purviance/Eric Campbell (uncredited: Leo White/Charlotte Mineau/James T. Kelley/Erich von Stroheim Jr.)
(8.3) One Week (1920) - Buster Keaton/Sybil Seely/Joe Roberts
* - See Amazon
Product Page for shipping and pricing details.
Book Subjects
- Classics (Silents/Avant Garde)
- Comedies
- Comedy
- Comedy Video
- Movie
- Silent Films
« RSS Feeds
