The passage of time, and changing tastes, ensures that we get to see little of Buster Keaton's output from over a century ago. It's hard to imagine how audience's of the time enjoyed these shorts but one aspect remains true: "The Goat" is as fresh now as the day it was filmed.
The story, such as it is, revolves around the downbeat but unflappable Keaton getting mistakenly identified as a murderer leading to a sequence of scrapes involving cops on the beat. As the net draws ever tighter the pace lifts, and lifts again, but it never feels forced. In fact the gags flow like butter.
In some respects this is a bit of a showreel for the phlegmatic Keaton. His face betrays no effort as he leaps, slides, hides and evades his way through each scene. His timing is absolutely perfect and while multiple takes clearly help you've got to be a professional to do each scene again and again until it's just right.
I've not idea why this short was called "The Goat" and it probably isn't the GOAT but your time will not be wasted viewing this mini-masterpiece.
The story, such as it is, revolves around the downbeat but unflappable Keaton getting mistakenly identified as a murderer leading to a sequence of scrapes involving cops on the beat. As the net draws ever tighter the pace lifts, and lifts again, but it never feels forced. In fact the gags flow like butter.
In some respects this is a bit of a showreel for the phlegmatic Keaton. His face betrays no effort as he leaps, slides, hides and evades his way through each scene. His timing is absolutely perfect and while multiple takes clearly help you've got to be a professional to do each scene again and again until it's just right.
I've not idea why this short was called "The Goat" and it probably isn't the GOAT but your time will not be wasted viewing this mini-masterpiece.