An Evening with Buster Keaton
As part of Night of Museums on 18 May, U–jazdowski Cinema invites you to an evening in the company of one of the greatest cinema legends: the stubborn, stone-faced luckless chap and absolute master of slapstick, Buster Keaton.
To this day, it is still uncertain from which planet Buster Keaton came to Earth… Legend has it that at the age of two, he fell down the stairs and instead of crying, he simply got up and continued ahead. This launched his career, which, through vaudeville performances with his parents, led him to his own film work.
Keaton appeared in over a hundred popular slapstick comedies, often acting as writer and director as well. Despite the passage of time, his films still impress with a precision of staging details and an abundance of spectacular stunts.
Keaton’s character is a young, unlucky man with a romantic disposition, who is extraordinarily stubborn in pursuing his goals despite the difficulties. He has gone down in cinematic history as a stoic, tirelessly struggling against the malice of inanimate objects, always with the same serious face. However, watch at least one of his films and you will be enchanted by the captivating look in his big eyes, which reflect his strenuous effort to achieve his dreams, making you think that maybe he really did come from outer space…
On the occasion of Night of Museums, we offer you a unique opportunity to spend an entire evening in the company of Buster fighting to fulfil his dreams in four short films:
Evening programme:
22.00
One Week, directed by Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline, USA 1920, 24'
Buster and his new wife, Sybil, receive a house as a gift, which they have to assemble from parts. Buster promises to put the house together in one week, however, someone prevents him from doing so…
The Neighbours, directed by Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline, USA 1920, 17'.
This short story of Romeo and Juliet is set in neighbouring tenements separated by a wooden fence. The Buster and Virgin families hate each other, but their children fall in love and fight for their relationship against their parents’ prohibitions.
Cops, directed by Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline, USA 1922, 17'
Buster is turned down by the mayor’s daughter, who refuses to marry a man who isn’t a wealthy businessman. Depressed, Keaton ends up at a police street parade, where the accidental explosion of a bomb planted by anarchists triggers a series of hilarious misunderstandings.
Scarecrow, directed by Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline, USA 1920, 25'.
A farmer’s employees compete for the favour of their boss’s daughter. Both try at all costs to make the girl fall in love with them. At some point, when things start to get out of hand, one of them is left with no choice but to start pretending to be a scarecrow…
