WHEN COMEDY WAS KING: COMEDY WAS INDEED KING

In the world we know today comedy means something far different than it did years ago. Today’s comedies reply in innuendo, foul language and the crudest of humor possible. It plays to the masses and those at the lowest levels to boot. That’s not to say it can’t be funny but it relies far too much on the lowest common denominator. But there was a time when subtlety ruled, when sight gags were the funniest thing around and when comedy was indeed king. So what better movie title to showcase this than WHEN COMEDY WAS KING?

I was familiar with the name Kit Parker from my college days, a time when his company was just starting out. At that time his company handled a number of 16mm films for rental, most of them classics from the golden days of Hollywood. By classics I’m not talking huge budgeted studio features, the studios had the rights to those. But Parker made a name for himself and his company by offering great old films at decent rental prices. When video and then DVD rolled around he transferred those films and continues to market them.

That’s how we get to this film. It’s a compilation film of sorts showcases some of the biggest names in comedy from the silent film era. With a centerpiece to hold it all together we start off with comedian Charley Chase taking his family to the theater with comedic results. On the screen we are periodically introduced to the other performers featured here. Names like Fatty Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Ben Turpin, Buster Keaton and Laurel and Hardy are those predominately featured.

Here again the offerings are limited due to studio control issues but we get a great glimpse of what they offered in this film. I for one had never seen anything starring Arbuckle and knew more about him from the scandal he was involved in. It was great to have the opportunity to see him perform.

The pickings for Chaplin are scant since much of his major performances came later and are still copyrighted. But those unfamiliar with his work will have the chance to see him developing the tramp character that served him well for many years to come. To think of the volume of shorts he made in the silent days leading up to that time is amazing to consider, especially since movies today take months to shoot and years to develop. Here he puts his impromptu talents to the test.

As much a fan of Chaplin as I’ve become the truth is I’ve always enjoyed Buster Keaton more. I was delighted to see that what I consider one of his best is included here. The short film COPS features Keaton in top form, acrobatically amazing viewers and playing the innocent tossed into dire circumstances once again. Once you see this film you may end up loving him as well and seeking out more by him.

Lastly in the film is the duo of Laurel and Hardy. The perennial fat man/skinny man team up began back in the silent days but truly gained popularity in the talkies years later. They were one of the few performers from the silent days to make it big when talkies began. But that talent for humor had to start somewhere and we get a glimpse of that in this short they star in.

The print quality of this film, made in 1960, is great. When you consider the source material that the original film makers had to work with it’s a good thing they were able to retain those original films. Today we’re hearing about the loss of thousands of film to the test of time, disintegrating in vaults and only now finding groups attempting to salvage them. The battle to save John Wayne’s THE ALAMO is a perfect example, a film not near as old as you would think and rotting as we speak.

I can remember seeing parts of this offering years ago and it always brought a smile to my face. My guess is that a lot of you who remember these greats of yesteryear will enjoy this film as well. I’ve also found that really young kids find the humor in these films a treat as well. They haven’t had the chance to become critical of movies not in color or with soundtracks. They get the fact that it’s funny simply because it’s funny. Start them on the right track with this and they too will know when comedy was king.

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