2018 documentary
Rating: 14/20
Plot: A look at the career of Buster Keaton, the G.O.A.T.
As an appreciation, or a celebration as the subtitle says, this works really well, and I imagine anybody not yet initiated into the cult of Buster would likely be interested in diving into his oeuvre. This showcases his talents as a stuntman, naturally, but also does a good job of focusing on his creative genius, his gifts as a filmmaker, and his acting ability. It starts with his early career as a "human projectile" thrown at a heckler before moving through his vaudeville career away from his family, his early work with Fatty Arbuckle, and the magical 1920's when he had full control over his work. Bogdanovich then moves through the more troubling times to the end of his life before moving back to the feature films of the 1920's and ending with that celebratory tone.
As a Buster fanboy, I didn't learn much of anything, but this did remind me that there are some shorts he did later in his career (as well as the commercial work which I can find collected on dvd) that I still need to check out. And it was great hearing Werner Herzog talk about "quiet tragedy which is very very funny."
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