vinh:
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore was just nominated for an Oscar in the best animated short film category. It’s a story that’s inspired by Hurricane Katrina, Wizard of Oz, and books. You can download the short film for free on iTunes right now. I don’t think we can be Internet colleagues if you don’t like free things like I do, so go check it out.
Thanks to Sarah for sending this to me!
As a follow-up to our three-way tribute to the silent kings of comedy, we’ve produced a video essay paying tribute to the great Buster Keaton. This video is based on “Fall,” a poem by Dana Stevens, film critic for Slate. The poem originally appeared in the January 1999 issue of The Atlantic and is reprinted below. - Keyframe: The Fandor Blog.
“Fall”
By Dana Stevens
for Buster Keaton
Ever wester
ever faster
Buster, hasten
your disaster.Film is falling,
time a twister,
sound unfurling
her nor’easter.Scale the mast
and list to keening.
Buster, listen:
are you dreaming?Are you falling?
Are you flying?
Buster, cinema
is dying.Not a whisper.
Never laughter.
Buster, thank you
for disaster.
— Buster Keaton (via usedtobefunny)
October 4th
20:46
20:46
So this is my favorite thing ever. Happy Birthday, Buster. Songs: Electioneering (OK Computer) Let Down (OK Computer) Planet Telex (The Bends) Rabbit In Your Headlights (by UNKLE not Radiohead) Motion Picture Soundtrack (Kid A)
Happy Birthday, Buster: filming College (1928)
“Keaton was not only beautiful in a classic, stoic way—he had also to his credit—especially in the two-reel shorts—the body of an athlete, the flexibility of a tantric genius—the peerless ass of something painted. Keaton, in the silents, radiated sex. And it was to his credit—still is—that he does so seamlessly: his was a modest sexuality, whose understatement called attention to the thing it sought to hide. In this case, a perfect body coupled with a sensitive, downtrodden spirit, a somewhat quirkier version of the Everyman, whose hour-and-a-half long documentaries of public humiliation were the joy of millions back in the day—that is, the millions who weren’t just watching it for his ass” read the full article here
Seven Chances (Buster Keaton, 1925)
