performing arts

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advanced copy of this stunning pictorial tribute to Buster Keaton written by his widow Eleanor Keaton and film historian Jeffrey Vance. Page after page of photos I've never seen before (one of the highlights being a series of pictures of Chaplin and Keaton rehearsing their routine in LIMELIGHT!). I have nearly all the books published in English on Keaton and I've found at least 50 great photos in this book I've never seen before. Rudi Blesh's KEATON used to be my favorite Buster book, now it's Eleanor Keaton's BUSTER KEATON REMEMBERED. I was expecting more text -- I thought it was going to be a biography -- but it is actually an illustrated survey of his life and films. However, the text that the book has is beautifully written. Some of Jeffrey Vance's introduction is worthy of James Agee or Walter Kerr.

The book has a substantial Afterword by silent film historian Kevin Brownlow but why it was placed in the back of the book and not as a Foreword baffles me.

Although I never got to meet Eleanor Keaton in person I'm very glad she was able to write this book before she passed away. Who better to sum up Buster best in book form than his wife Eleanor Keaton?

I, too, have every book written in English about Buster. I've been a fan for 25 years, and worked in Marketing in the 80's for the 16mm distributor of all Buster's films, even chatting a few times with Raymond Rohauer. I've met Buster's grandson and grandaughter, and attended many events in Los Angeles surrounding Buster's 100th birthday. Got all his classic films on tape. And visited his grave at Forest Lawn. So imagine how surprised I was to read so many new personal anecdotes, as well as fresh details about his working methods that shed new light on his creative genius. Not to mention the photos -- dozens I'd never seen before, beautifully reproduced -- including those elusive shots of Buster smiling! Eleanor even demystifies just how Buster made his own porkpie hats. This is truly a love letter from Eleanor to Buster, a tribute by the person who knew him best. Now I've got just as much respect for the woman who brought him lasting happiness as I do for the artist himself.

This is a very satisfying book, and an absolute must-have for any Keaton fan.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Being a fan of Buster, I've read numerous bios, ranging from mediocre to all out hatchet jobs. Students of the "Great Stone Face" will learn a lot, I certainly did. The photographs alone are worth the price of the book, epsecially the "stills" from THE GENERAL, STEAMBOAT BILL JR. and ONE WEEK. Keaton always seems to take the proverbial "back-seat" to Chaplin, but Buster was the better comic, by FAR!!! And, as an added bonus, you can see how Buster and Eleanor made the "pork-pie hats" worn in so many of Keaton's films.