A dejected and love struck movie projectionist dreams his way into the film world and in doing so reflects the audiences escapist tendencies, this is the crux of Buster Keaton’s 1924 silent comedy film Sherlock Jr. The film is a great example of silent era comedy films, of which Keaton was a prolific figure. Sherlock Jr. is just one of many that he starred in and directed throughout the first part of the twentieth century. Many times Keaton is contrasted with another great slapstick comedy artist, Charlie Chaplin, mainly due to their prevalence in the same genre, but also due to the different approaches that they took to their craft. Chaplin is nearly all sentiment, showing near constant emotion, whereas Keaton is a stoic, his face a blank canvas at all times. His film Sherlock Jr. is no different.
In the film, as with all his movies, Keaton is a hapless but resourceful man with high ideals …show more content…
While not everyone could live like the millionaires or enjoy the Jazz culture of the 1920’s, a great number could afford the price of admission to see a film. Keaton, ever the cerebral humorist, takes a deeper look at this and reflects his own audience. Keaton wanted to show us that he too had escapist fantasies, that he too wanted be the hero, a great detective, Sherlock Jr. Once Keaton steps up into the movie he is out of sync with the film that is playing. First getting knocked out of the frame and then once back in the film he doesn’t progress as the film does. Keaton, at first, remains the one constant as scene after scene changes. In part this reflects the slow adaptation films have taken all the way from the earliest movers to what in 1924 would become full length feature films from a booming business full with the latest special effects. Keaton eventually learns how to use the film to his advantage, becoming the hero he always dreamed of
In the film, as with all his movies, Keaton is a hapless but resourceful man with high ideals …show more content…
While not everyone could live like the millionaires or enjoy the Jazz culture of the 1920’s, a great number could afford the price of admission to see a film. Keaton, ever the cerebral humorist, takes a deeper look at this and reflects his own audience. Keaton wanted to show us that he too had escapist fantasies, that he too wanted be the hero, a great detective, Sherlock Jr. Once Keaton steps up into the movie he is out of sync with the film that is playing. First getting knocked out of the frame and then once back in the film he doesn’t progress as the film does. Keaton, at first, remains the one constant as scene after scene changes. In part this reflects the slow adaptation films have taken all the way from the earliest movers to what in 1924 would become full length feature films from a booming business full with the latest special effects. Keaton eventually learns how to use the film to his advantage, becoming the hero he always dreamed of