The Mack Sennett Collection: 100 Years of Keystone Comedy

[Gagman 66]

So let me get this straight. You have a transfer in the works of MICKEY that looks spectacular from an original nitrate print, but it's not ready yet? Is that correct? So you are showing a transfer from the same battered re-issue print that many of us have already seen? On the positive side he are getting a brand new never before seen transfer of THE EXTRA GIRL, I would assume with a fresh and much improved musical score? Though you didn't actually say that. Any details? Looking forward to this weeks broadcasts, and the DVD releases.

[Richard M Roberts]

So let me get this straight. You have a transfer in the works of MICKEY that looks spectacular from an original nitrate print, but it's not ready yet? Is that correct? So you are showing a transfer from the same battered re-issue print that many of us have already seen? On the positive side he are getting a brand new never before seen transfer of THE EXTRA GIRL, I would assume with a fresh and much improved musical score? Though you didn't actually say that. Any details? Looking forward to this weeks broadcasts, and the DVD releases.

No, as usual, you're getting it completely bent. It's a new restoration of the original seven-reel version that will look better than what you've seen before, but conforms to the original release cut. Then there will also be a version with all the other bits and pieces that have turned up which will be on the DVD. And yes, THE EXTRA GIRL will look spectacular with the corrected original intertitles and has a knockout score by Dr. Phillip Carli. Now you're whining about stuff before you actually see it! It'll all be great stuff and many surprises for all to enjoy, whine, and perhaps actually be grateful for. Now get your DVR's all figured out to record the stuff and stay tuned.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Paul E. Gierucki]

Let me elaborate on my message to Marilyn (which was sent from my cell while I was working, forgive the typos) -- the print of MICKEY airing on TCM is the standard seven reel version with new titles and score. This version and an alternate cut comprised of an original 35mm nitrate print and various archival materials generously supplied Marilyn, David and others, will both be available on the DVD. Would love to have been able to provide the superior image quality alternate cut to our friends at TCM but some technical issues and time constraints forced our hand. Still, both will be available on DVD. One film, two completely different versions.

THE EXTRA GIRL, as Richard indicates, is an absolute must see. Dr. Carli's score is marvelous!

This particular broadcast is chock to the brim with rare and amazing comedies.

-- PG

[Gloria Rampage]

I've never seen MICKEY and it's been over ten years since seeing THE EXTRA GIRL (had the laserdisc) so am very excited to be able to see both of these movies.

[Mike Gebert]

It is astonishing to me when those who purport to be defending and advancing the work of a set like this are the ones most determined to turn the thread about it into a playground spat.

I think Mr. Gierucki is owed an apology for the misuse of a thread devoted to this wonderful set to such ends, and I'm going to pull anything I see that seems insufficiently respectful of the work done on it from here on it. Even stern criticism shows it the respect of serious consideration, and I don't mean to discourage that and say we can only praise it; but using it as a pretext for insults and taunts shows no respect whatsoever and will not be tolerated.

[revgen]

I've never seen Fatty and Mabel Adrift (1916) until it was broadcasted last Thursday. Absolutely beautiful picture and funny too. Arbuckle may not have been Chaplin when it came to directing and writing, but he had his moments.

Also, IMO Wife and Auto Trouble (1916) looks better projected at 20fps than it does at 18fps as it's shown during the broadcast. At least to my eyes anyway.

Big thanks to those who produced and worked on these restorations.

[Gloria Rampage]

Among my favorites from these broadcasts, among many, many favorites (OK I enjoy them all) are the Sydney Chaplin "Gussle" Keystone comedies. I have seen a few of them before but this time he really caught my eye. Very inventive, creative and chock full of wonderful gags with terrific timing. He was a very talented comedian with his own style. Hope to see more of Syd's comedies in the future.

[Picratt]

Can hardly wait for the DVD.
Surely something I will enjoy over and over and over.......
Especially looking forward to Fatty and Mabel Adrift looking all nice and cleaned up with a good score.
Also very happy to see an increased interest for Al St. John lately, undoubtedly thanks to the TCM Sennett extravaganza.
Thanks Paul, and the other people involved, not enough positive words in my vocabulary to praise you enough.

[Roscoe]

When will the DVD be released?

[greta de groat]

So, with Ford Sterling as the rediscovered star of week 1 and Syd Chaplin of week 2, who impressed you all in week 3?

I haven't made my way though all of them yet, though i did catch my favorite Ford Sterling ones, Don't Weaken and Hearts and Flowers.

greta

[boblipton]

It's not a person, it's a movie. I don't have a particularly high opinion of Sennett's features. Yet I found DOWN ON THE FARM brilliant.

Bob

[Gloria Rampage]

DOWN ON THE FARM was really good. Liked it a lot as well. For years I've seen the edited cut-down Warner Bros. version WEDDING YELLS, so to be able to see it full-length was a delight. Only seen a few so far, DON'T WEAKEN with Ford Sterling is wonderful. Prancing about doing ballet moves during the boxing scene is a riot. Then again, Ford Sterling is always funny to watch.

[Brooksie]

So, with Ford Sterling as the rediscovered star of week 1 and Syd Chaplin of week 2, who impressed you all in week 3?

I haven't made my way though all of them yet, though i did catch my favorite Ford Sterling ones, Don't Weaken and Hearts and Flowers.

greta

For me, it was a director this time - Hearts and Flowers really reminded me of how much I like Eddie Cline's work. You become accustomed to thinking the distinctive flavour of the early Keaton shorts is all Buster, but watch some of Cline's other work from around that time, and you realise how he brought to the table.

[Salty Dog]

Just catching up with these now, thanks to DVR. I see that A Flirt's Mistake has
a Laughsmith opening title, the first one I've seen. This film was in the

Laughsmith Arbuckle collection. I have not had a chance to compare them yet,
but I assume it is the same version as that, rather than a new restoration, or
it would not have had the older opening credit.

[revgen]

My favorite from last Thursday was Lizzies of the Field. Reminded me of the Wacky Races cartoons Hanna Barbara made.

BTW, Mickey didn't look that great. Had a bunch of frame blending going on. I hope that doesn't show up on the DVD.

[Richard M Roberts]

My favorite from last Thursday was Lizzies of the Field. Reminded me of the Wacky Races cartoons Hanna Barbara made.

BTW, Mickey didn't look that great. Had a bunch of frame blending going on. I hope that doesn't show up on the DVD.

Frame Blending!!!!!! Oh My God, that kills the comedy!

If you have ever seen a better restoration of MICKEY, you just list it here now.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Gloria Rampage]

That was the first time I ever saw MICKEY and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very charming movie. THE EXTRA GIRL was fun to see again.Very comical containing cute bits of business and clever gags, when Mabel has all that trouble during her test she's delightfully comic. Had to delete these to make room on the DVR so hope to see them again soon.

[Richard Finegan]

Looking forward to the last night of TCM's Mack Sennett festival tonight. This is the period I most enjoy: the mid-to-late 1920's and talkies.

A big THANK YOU to Paul G. and everyone else who has done such a splendid job restoring these films and doing all it took to get them on TCM and for the upcoming DVD set.
I suppose the only complaint I would have (which of course I really mean as a compliment) is that I wish the series (on TCM) lasted longer - that there were MORE films!
Another thing that I would have liked would have been if perhaps instead of TCM's host, if Paul himself or some others of the crew who worked on the films (such as Sennett expert and author Brent Walker) could have hosted or co-hosted the films on TCM.

One question perhaps Paul or someone else involved may answer:
Once the TCM Sennett festival is over after tomorrow, will these films be available for TCM to run again as they see fit? I know that we've seen some of the Arbuckle films repeated over the years since their TCM debuts.

[greta de groat]

Looking forward to tonight's as well, i love The Fatal Glass of Beer, and haven't seen the uncensored version of The Dentist.

I had mixed reactions to last week's films, i guess my non-slapstick gene is finally manifesting itself. I enjoyed the earlier films but it appears to me that i don't much care for Del Lord's style. I guess i enjoy people more than things. For example, the only gag i enjoyed in Super Hooper-Dyne Lizzies was the simplest--Billy Bevan pushing the car and picking up more along the way (ok, it probably wasn't simple in execution, i have no idea). It's rooted in a plausible situation, more so than the trick cars and animated people flying out of them. But even that gag went on too long for me (they could have cut out the whole middle part of circling the policeman). And the comics, aside from Langdon, seem merely competent and only as funny as their material (even Langdon at his creepiest seems more interesting and creative). These 20's shorts are reinforcing my notion that by this time i really prefer both Hal Roach's house style and his performers.

But, i'm hoping for some surprises tonight. Are there many talkies in the bunch? I've only seen the Fields ones plus a few Crosbys.

greta

[boblipton]

The Lion's Roar was Sennett's first talkie. Although I believe the Taxi series continued through 1929 as silent, most of his other subsequent productions were talkies.

Bov

[Richard M Roberts]

Looking forward to tonight's as well, i love The Fatal Glass of Beer, and haven't seen the uncensored version of The Dentist.

I had mixed reactions to last week's films, i guess my non-slapstick gene is finally manifesting itself. I enjoyed the earlier films but it appears to me that i don't much care for Del Lord's style. I guess i enjoy people more than things. For example, the only gag i enjoyed in Super Hooper-Dyne Lizzies was the simplest--Billy Bevan pushing the car and picking up more along the way (ok, it probably wasn't simple in execution, i have no idea). It's rooted in a plausible situation, more so than the trick cars and animated people flying out of them. But even that gag went on too long for me (they could have cut out the whole middle part of circling the policeman). And the comics, aside from Langdon, seem merely competent and only as funny as their material (even Langdon at his creepiest seems more interesting and creative). These 20's shorts are reinforcing my notion that by this time i really prefer both Hal Roach's house style and his performers.

But, i'm hoping for some surprises tonight. Are there many talkies in the bunch? I've only seen the Fields ones plus a few Crosbys.

greta

It's okay to admit your non-slapstick genes are kicking in, but I think Del Lord's comedies are incredibly surreal and wonderful slapstick. GALLOPING BUNGALOWS is absolutely wild and brilliant in it's nearly continuous array of weird, crass, and dangerous images. The chase is just mind-boggling, and who can resist fat-lady gags? Poor Sunshine Hart took some wonderful abuse. The shot of her charging the bungalow, fading out to a metaphoric steam-shovel, and back to her, D. W. Griffith never thought of that one!

People are more interesting than things, but when you arrange and are willing to destroy things in so many interesting and surreal fashions, you're onto something pretty darn incredible. A lot of folk that willing to risk their lives for a laugh, and they still bring a lot of those to an audience, even if you sit at home alone watching these films and refuse to crack a smile.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Gloria Rampage]

GALLOPING BUNGALOWS had me laughing all the way through. One of Del Lords most brilliant shorts.

[revgen]

My favorite from last Thursday was Lizzies of the Field. Reminded me of the Wacky Races cartoons Hanna Barbara made.

BTW, Mickey didn't look that great. Had a bunch of frame blending going on. I hope that doesn't show up on the DVD.

Frame Blending!!!!!! Oh My God, that kills the comedy!

If you have ever seen a better restoration of MICKEY, you just list it here now.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

It doesn't hurt the comedy. Just the picture quality.

The restoration isn't the problem. I doubt the original film has frame blending. It's most likely a mastering error.

[Richard M Roberts]

It doesn't hurt the comedy. Just the picture quality.

Not that anyone but you noticed.

The restoration isn't the problem. I doubt the original film has frame blending. It's most likely a mastering error.

It was, on TCM part. They got an HD master and had to adapt it. Still looked better than any other restoration of MICKEY you've ever seen.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[greta de groat]

Poor Sunshine Hart took some wonderful abuse. The shot of her charging the bungalow, fading out to a metaphoric steam-shovel, and back to her, D. W. Griffith never thought of that one!


RICHARD M ROBERTS

She dishes it out, too. Ray walked in while she was clobbering someone with her umbrella, and, recognizing her from some other films we've seen, said "isn't she always doing that?"

Well, we each have our individual quirks. For a female, i'm relatively tolerant of the Three Stooges. But as i was watching one of the Lord films (i've forgotten which) where two men were crawling endlessly around a building at night and thinking they were seeing ghosts, i said to myself "this looks exactly like a 3 Stooges movie." Then the light went on in my head and i wondered if Lord was responsible for some of the (to me) more boring sections of their films.

But, agreed, definitely better to see with an audience. You bringing some more to Niles this winter?

greta

[Richard Finegan]

Are there many talkies in the bunch? I've only seen the Fields ones plus a few Crosbys.

greta

According to the TCM schedule there are six talkies to be shown.

Link to schedule here:

http://www.tcm.com/schedule/index.html? ... 2012-09-27" target="_blank

[Richard Finegan]

Late update:

The TCM schedule for the Sennett shorts for Sept. 27 has just been changed.

Dropped is the silent short A HAREM KNIGHT (1926), replaced by ICE COLD COCOS (1926).

And the talkie shorts THE LOUD MOUTH (1932) and THE GREAT PIE MYSTERY (1931) have been repleced by SPEED IN THE GAY 90'S (1932) and TOO MANY HIGHBALLS (1933).

Schedule here:

http://www.tcm.com/schedule/index.html? ... 2012-09-27" target="_blank

[boblipton]

Does anyone know if this will affect dvrs?

Bob

[revgen]

It was, on TCM part. They got an HD master and had to adapt it.

Thanks for answering my original question.

[Richard Finegan]

The end slate for THIRST was incorrect, we caught the error just after the broadcast and it has been corrected on the archival master.

-- PG

Something else you may want to fix:
I noticed the word "captain" was misspelled in a title near the end of SMITH'S PONY.