Project Keaton

oldfilmsflicker:

Robert Osborne returns to his hosting duties at TCM tomorrow. Tonight they are showing films hand-picked by Bob himself. Join in the celebration of his return at Welcome Back, Bob!

From oldfilmsflicker:

Robert Osborne returns to his hosting duties at TCM tomorrow. Tonight they are showing films hand-picked by Bob himself. Join in the celebration of his return at Welcome Back, Bob!

From the cinema blog 2 or 3 things I Know About Film (run by @BrandonBrownNYC):

Tomorrow, the charming and incredibly knowledgeable Robert Osborne will be resuming his hosting

duties on TCM. While the guest hosts did a great job substituting for Mr. Osborne during the past months,

I think many TCM-addicts will agree that it just wasn’t the same without him…. (read full post here)

#WelcomeBackBob from oldfilmsflicker:

Robert Osborne returns to his hosting duties at TCM tomorrow. Tonight they are showing films hand-picked by Bob himself. Join in the celebration of his return at Welcome Back, Bob!

Project Keaton Post #42 Those Damn-Fine Damfinos, Submitted by Project Keaton. During our month long tribute to Joseph Frank Buster Keaton, our mothership, the Kitty Packard Pictorial, had the privilege of sitting down with The International Buster Keaton Society for a tete-a-tete on all things Buster. The full in-depth interview will be posted on the Pictorial within the next few days, but Project Keaton felt it appropriate to sign off with this heartfelt swan song:

Some of silent film’s greatest legends are alive and well on a sleepy tree-lined street in West Hollywood.‭ ‬Douglas,‭ ‬Charlie,‭ ‬Roscoe,‭ ‬Rudy‭ ‬and Max‭ (‬respectively‭) ‬bullet out the front door in a kinetic burst of energy,‭ ‬every bit as charming as their silver screen counterparts,‭ ‬and nuzzle me up their front stoop.‭  ‬The rambunctious crew of spaniels belong to the lady waiting for me at the door.‭ ‬Dr Tracey‭ ‬Goessel:‭ ‬Vice President of the International Buster Keaton Society,‭ ‬Douglas Fairbanks historian supreme,‭ ‬an all around swell dame and owner of the most infectious little bunch of bow-wows in town.

With Doug and Charlie playing at my feet,‭ ‬I joined‭ ‬Goessel in her sitting room for a chat about the man of the hour,‭ ‬silent film legend Buster Keaton,‭ ‬and the venerable institution founded in his honor:‭ ‬The Damfinos.

Such is the‭ ‬affectionate‭ ‬nickname for members of The International Buster Keaton Society,‭ ‬an organization that has‭ ‬championed the Keaton legacy since‭ ‬1992.‭ ‬Silent film fans,‭ ‬even if they’re not Society members,‭ ‬have more than likely heard of them and their tireless dedication to,‭ ‬as their mission statement reads,‭ ‬fostering an appreciation and understanding of Keaton’s life,‭ ‬career and films.‭ ‬In honor‭ ‬of‭ ‬The Pictorial’s month long celebration of the life and work of Keaton,‭ ‬it‭ ‬felt‭ ‬right to get The Damfino story straight from the source.

Full interview coming soon to The Kitty Packard Pictorial!

Keaton Project Post #41: Birthday Boy Buster courtesy Girl Gatsby. I’m really jumping the gun on this since these are not officially available yet, but had to tease you Keaton fans with this nonetheless. UK-based artist, and all-around Renaissance woman, known on Twitter as Girl Gatsby (Noelle Vaughn) has been involved with Project Keaton from day one. This truly delightful dame is also quite an artist in her own right and, in honor of Buster’s birthday month, designed some irresistibly fun Keaton shirts. They are not yet available for purchase, but stay tuned as they shall be soon…

Project Keaton Post #40: This lovely pen and ink piece of art comes courtesy of the marvelously talented artist Kate Gabrielle. Gabrielle is a classic film enthusiast whose artistic talents are reverently dedicated to those smoky black and white images we all love so dearly. This portrait of Buster captures everything about him we love so much: the vulnerability, impassibility the deep creative wonderment lurking beneath those large eyes. Thank you so very much for sharing, Kate, and for being a part of Project Keaton! We are truly honored!

Visit her blog to see more fabulous pieces of original art.

Project Keaton Post #39: Buster’s Dutch Interview. Thanks to Janneke Mann who contributed this English translation of a Dutch article on Keaton from 1931. It’s quite funny to see that the flowery journalism of that era resonates even in the translation of foreign language:

“That was in 1917 and Fatty’s “tumbling discovery” worked with the “all-round” comedian in a series of two-reelers that were at least as popular with the public as Buster’s previous theatre act. When Fatty decided to stop making two-reelers and devote himself to feature films, the domain of the two-reeler was left in Keaton’s hands. The magnificent way in which Keaton conquered this territory is sufficiently well-known.”

Read her full post here.

Project Keaton Post #38: The High Sign submitted by Angela of The Hollywood Revue. Angela is one of the more prolific classic film bloggers out there and Project Keaton was so happy to have her pen a post for Buster. Her focus, Keaton’s 1921 short The High Sign. (One of our favorites too. The Blinking Buzzards secret signal should be the sacred handshake of all silent film fans.)

She writes:

“This was the first independent two-reeler that Buster made, but he wasn’t particularly happy with it and held off releasing it until after One Week had been released.  I don’t really get why Buster wasn’t happy with it because I thought it was brilliant…. Buster got more laughter out of me in 21 minutes than most modern comedies do in two hours.”

Read her full post here.

Project Keaton post #37: Life Lessons from Buster. Submitted by Trevor Jost (one of my favorite Twitter peeps). One of the best things about this month has been getting to find out what it is about Keaton’s work that makes his fans so deeply loyal. Trevor Jost is one such ardent fan— his tumblr page A Modern Musketeer is veritable shrine to the great stone face. Here he tells us why:

I don’t really know how to begin, other than I really enjoy Buster Keaton. I can relate to the character he portrays, and he inspires me. Among the many things i have learned from watching Buster’s work, three things stand out:

1. Try to make the best out of anything life hands you.

2. Never give up, and never quit trying to achieve a goal.

3. Always try to remain calm, or at least give the appearance of being calm!

I would like my life to be like a Buster Keaton film.  Things might not be ideal, but think of the fun you would have! And that is really what Buster’s films are, a whole lot of fun!  Buster and I do share one thing in common, we were both born in Kansas.  I have heard people call him an accidental Kansan, which is absolutely true! If he were born just one week sooner, or one week later some other state would have the honor of claiming him! I’m so happy that Buster is so appreciated, and that his films continue to make people laugh. My hope is that 100 years from now, people still watch and enjoy Buster Keaton. Because i will cherish his films always!