Sunday, August 16, 2009

Jason goes to the Niles Film Museum for Comedy Shorts Night

Comedy shorts night is always a big hit in Niles. I knew this was going to be a crowded night when I sold ~30 pre-sale tickets while working in the museum store from noon to 4 pm. Not bad for a 120 seat theater (the final crowd was just shy of 100).

And it was a good program, celebrating the humor of 1921.

THE IDLE CLASS: Charlie Chaplin in a dual role. As the Tramp, he causes a ton of chaos on the golf course. And as an absent-minded alcoholic husband he gets into quite a bit of trouble himself. When they meet, the prospects for mistaken identity just add to the chaos.

I DO: Harold Lloyd says those words that doom a man to marriage. They don't have kids right away, but they get a taste of what the future can hold when his brother-in-law asks him to watch his kids for the night. The 4-year old boy is the most destructive force ever unleashed.

BE REASONABLE: Under-appreciated Billy Bevan in a typically hectic Mack Sennet comedy. He's a beach bum trying to pick up a girl. But when she goes for the lifeguard instead, he demands she give back the string of pearls he gave to woo her. And since it's a Mack Sennet it's fast-paced and ends with Billy being chased by about 100 cops.

THE BOAT: Buster Keaton's classic of destruction. Just trying to take his boat the Damfino on it's maiden voyage, he destroys his house, his car, the dock, and more. He ends up soaked, the Damfino does somersaults on the waves, and when he sends an S.O.S and they ask what boat is calling, answering "Damfino" doesn't result in help.

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