1192 – Sherlock Jr. Buster Keaton | Silent Films Sleepers
A rambling look at a candy box pricing mystery, sleepy without silence.
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Episode 1192 – Sherlock Jr. Buster Keaton | Silent Films Sleepers
[START OF RECORDING]
SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster that’s going into a new domain, but I don’t mean where…the URL domain and…domain…I don't know, domain is such a…I don't feel like it’s a loaded word in this case. I feel like I should be in…there should be…if I’m going into a new domain, I feel like I should stop in a throne room and say…get my assignment. I guess I associate it with roleplaying games. In this case it’s related to content and oh, this content can be so pointless and boring and meandering, 'cause it’s time for Sleep With Me, the podcast that’s here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep.
It’s time for Sleep With Me, your friend in the deep, dark night. If you’re lonely in the deep, dark night, if you got…thinking, physical sensations, feelings, emotions keeping you awake, I’m here to be your friend, keep you company, and take your mind off of stuff, to cut through that and distract you from it and just talk to you and tell you a little story or look at a Buster Keaton movie in a little while. This show is very different. It does take a few tries to get used to. That’s just what most regular listeners say. So, see how it goes. I’m so glad you’re here. What we got coming up is support; that’s how the show comes out free twice a week, and there is a lot of people that benefit from the ad-supported, free podcast. Then there will be a long meandering intro which is not part of the support.
It’s meant to ease you into bedtime, get you ready for bed, slowly lower the volume on the day, and then later on we’ll be talking about a Buster Keaton movie. Yeah, and just see how it goes. I’m here to take your mind off of stuff. Ideally you just wake up tomorrow and you say, what was he talking about? Did he talk about…? Was he talking about those Buster Brown shoes again, or Michael Keaton…I think he pitched a movie where Buster Brown is played by Michael Keaton, and I don't remember anything else about it. It doesn’t make any sense, but I slept great. So, that’s what Sleep With Me is. I’m so glad you’re here, and welcome to Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. Thanks for making it possible, my patron peeps.
INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where I could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake. It could be thoughts on your mind, thought…things you’re thinking about about the past, the present, the future. So, thoughts, things…thinking thoughts, it could be thoughts about the past, present, the future, even if I’m repeating myself. It could be physical sensations, it could be feelings related to those thoughts or physical sensations or feelings that are just there, it could be all those things.
You could be going through something specific or have something coming up, you could have guests or be traveling, you could work on one of the shifts that impacts your sleep greater than other shifts, school could be starting soon, or maybe it already has and maybe you’re a student or a parent or a kid, and I’m here to keep you company. Whatever it is that’s keeping you awake, the only reason I go through that stuff isn’t to remind you of what’s keeping you awake at night; it’s to remind you you’re not alone, and I realize this is a podcast that’s digital. It’s pseudo. But it’s true; you’re not alone. A lot of us, when we can’t sleep, it feels very lonely.
So, that’s one thing, is even if you’re in bed with somebody else — you’re in the same room, you got a dorm room, you got a roommate, you got a parent or a child or a sibling in the same room as you — it still feels lonely to me and to a lot of other listeners that I’ve heard from. But we’re alone together and together alone in that sense. But also, whatever it is that’s keeping you awake, I want you to know if I can’t relate to how it feels…I probably can, but even if I can’t, even if I’ve never been through what you’re going through, what you’re dealing with, someone out there that’s listening right now probably has been through something similar or at the very least can relate to how you feel, and they say, yeah, I know.
That’s tough, and…or whatever it is, and I want you to maybe have a little breath here to take that in, because that’s the most important thing I’m gonna say all night. Even if you never listen to the podcast again, there’s other sleep podcasts and sleepy stuff out there. Sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou has a list of that stuff, because you deserve something that’s gonna kinda keep you company and take your mind off of stuff. The other thing about the show, the second-most important thing, is that you get the sleep you need so that your life is more manageable, and I hope this podcast can provide it or point you in the direction of something that can, because you deserve a good night’s sleep. You deserve a place you could get some rest and some comfort.
You deserve a bedtime you don’t have to dread, a bedtime you could say, well, I got that rambling pod guy, and believe it or not, for the first time…who would have thought that it would take him ten years to cover a silent movie? Some people wish I was…believe me, if you saw my e-mail inbox, you’d say the amount of people who have never used that analogy but mean it, they say, I wish you were a silent movie. I say, well, I don't know if that…I totally understand what you’re saying, but yeah, I’m not…but…so, I’m gonna be watching a silent movie and commenting on it, a Buster Keaton movie. I think I’m gonna do a couple of these 'cause when I’m recording this, there’s a few different strikes going on.
I just don’t want to record any new content or put out any content that’s recorded during the strike that’s kinda promoting…anyway, it’s not…it’s important but it’s not important in this part of the show because I’m here…I don't know, you just deserve a good night’s sleep. I think that’s what’s important, and this show’s just meant to cut through that loneliness and say, hey, there’s other people listening right now that have been there, and we’re all listening together. There’s somebody else listening right now. Statistically there’s probably…I don't know how many minutes are in the day, so I’d have to look that up. But I guess overlap…listeners overlap. But yeah, there’s probably a few hundred or a few thousand people listening right now with you. I don't know, sometimes I find that reassuring.
Let me tell you a little bit more about the show, though, other than those two…after the important things, you and your sleep, is a lot of stuff that does take some getting used to. The first thing is I’m gonna send my voice across the deep, dark night. I’m gonna use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents, which means I’m gonna go off-topic, I’m gonna get mixed up — kinda already have done that a couple times — gonna repeat myself, there will be a lot of pauses and word…filler words. You know what we say here, Sleep With Me; fill ‘er up with filler words. Sleep With Me; probably…I don't think 33% filler words, but 33% more filler words than anything…I would say a lot more than 33% filler word than most content out there. We’re the reason filler words is plural.
That was…Sleep With Me; now including gratuitous filler words. Yeah, so…sometimes…who would have thought one day…I mean, I never…if I had a time…if I had a time machine…I was gonna say a time-traveling machine. That sounds very formal. Would you like a trip in my time-traveling machine? No, I’m looking for a time machine. Time-traveling machine? I don't know. What, do you send clocks around? But I never knew…if I went back in…you say, one day you’ll be laughing. I’d say, yeah, right. One day you’ll be laughing at filler words. I’d say, what, am I gonna become…? I don't think I’ll…I can’t conceive of that world, but here we are together in that world. Okay, a couple other things to know. I kinda alluded to this earlier, but this show does take some getting used to.
Over a million people have told me, when I first listened to this podcast I stronger than loathed it and you, and I just didn’t get it. I was waiting for it to get started, then I was waiting for it to get sleepy, and then on the second or third try I realized, oh, okay, it’s always never going anywhere. It already…it’s…as what…cheerleader once said in a cheerleading movie, it’s already been broughten, and that’s what we…so, it does take some getting used to just 'cause you’re like…you may have an expectation, you may have tried a lot of other stuff to help you fall asleep, you may be frustrated or annoyed. Those are natural feelings. Why wouldn’t you be skeptical at the idea of a grown person talking nonsense to you?
That makes perfect sense to me, and if you’ve tried tons of other stuff to try to help you fall asleep like I have and a lot of other listeners have…but it seems like on the second or third try for a lot of listeners…not every listener; people let me know that this show does work for them on the first try. You just let go a little bit more and you say, okay…or you realize this show is just not for me and then you check out sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou and maybe find something that does work for you. So, what are the things other than creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and that there’s no counting down or chiming in this episode…what else takes some getting used to? A couple other things; the structure of the show and how you listen. This is a podcast you just kind of listen to.
It’s more than…it could be background noise, it could be a mumble that you barely…it could be a TV on in a other room, or you could just kinda barely listen to me. You’d say, Buster Keaton…are you gonna tell us who Buster Keaton is? I’d say, well, that’s a good idea. Maybe I’ll look up the Wikipedia article on Buster Keaton before I watch one of the movies. But maybe not. Maybe…I don't know, I think Buster Keaton’s known as the man with…something…I don't know if he has no expressions or too many expressions. I can’t…I think he’s got very…he’s very…I don't know. I know very little about Buster Keaton; almost nothing, so that’s…I’m hoping we’ll discover it together. Maybe I’ll fall in love with the art of a very popular artist. Oh, Buster Keaton is a…was a silent film star.
Just…don't worry, I guess I’ll look up the…if I remember, I’ll look it up. Okay, so, what was I…oh, going off-topic…oh, it takes some getting used…oh, just kinda barely listen to me. Obviously I’m not qualified to be listened to. You say, you gonna do a episode about a Buster Keaton film, you don’t know which movie yet…I do know; I just don’t know off the top of my head. You don’t know anything about Buster Keaton; you probably don’t know much about silent films. You’re right about…correct, correct, correct. So, yeah, that’s…you don’t need to listen to me. This is a show you just kinda barely listen to, just like a out-of-focus picture, one of those 3D pictures, or someone…yeah, like a 3D…where you just kind of…I’m just a little bit fuzzy.
This is also a podcast…believe it or not, this was — I think — the first sleep podcast, or maybe there was other attempts at it or whatever, but I started making this show back in 2013. I had had the idea for years and I thought it was a terrible idea, and that’s why it took me so…it took me a while to make it. But the idea is that I’m not here…I actually don’t put you to sleep, either. I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep. You know what? I’m recording in a car and I just saw the cutest little chipmunk run by. Oh, it’s…sorry to…breaking news; there’s a chipmunk outside my window and it is beyond cute. It just went…oh, no, here, it’s…oh boy, it’s a little tiny one. I mean, I know chipmunks are small. We’re making eye contact right now on the podcast in the intro.
I am locked…one chipmunk eye on me, both my eyes on…now we’re making double eye contact. I’m not kidding, either. This is not…the chipmunk is staring at…oh, it just…it’s gone now. Right before I would have…luckily…I had to pause the recording if I was gonna start singing songs to it. It would say, that’s a gratuitous…the chipmunks are a gratuitous…chipmunk content. I’d say, what about…? Don’t even get me started with Chip and Dale. Look at me; I have stripes and multi…you know. So, anyway…oh, don’t really…I don't really put you to sleep. I’m here to be your friend, your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your bore-bestie, your neigh-bore, your bore-bor, your Borebie, your bores, your bore-bud, your bore-bruh, your bore-friend.
I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep. It’s almost like I’m providing a digital service versus a podcast. I’m virtually coming over, telling you a story…actually, and if you want, you could queue up…there’s people that listen all night long. So, yeah, I’m here…but there’s no pressure to fall asleep. The reason the shows are over an hour; no pressure to fall asleep. The reason there’s over…there’s 600 free shows; no pressure to fall asleep. The reason the show comes out twice a week; no pressure to fall asleep. I’m here to keep you company, and if you fall asleep…'cause there’s people listening that have kind of a sleeplessness where they just can’t fall asleep, or people that are listening who need a break during the day. So, I’m here for them and I’m here for you in the same way. Yeah.
The other thing that throws people off is the structure of the show, but the structure of the show…the show is designed in a specific way, but you could kind of adjust how you listen as you become a regular listener. So, the show starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. That way you feel seen and welcomed in. You say, yeah, I could check that show out. I detect it’s a little bit silly, too. Then there’s support so paying for the show is optional, and that means a lot to a lot of different people. If you don’t like the support and the sponsors, you could…there’s a ad-free version you could get through Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Then there’s a long, meandering intro which is separate from the support which is meant to ease you into bedtime, and the intro goes on and on and on.
It’s a show within a show. It’s not part of the support. It’s not part of the story. It’s a wind-down. It’s a transition. It’s a twilight period. It’s a lowering of the volume. There are people…2% of people skip the intro, some people may fall asleep during the intro…that’s great for them, but there’s people that listen only to intros on Patreon, so…but the intro, for a lot of people, it’s…they’re getting ready for bed, they’re in bed getting comfortable, or they’re doing some sort of other relaxing activity; light reading, drawing, different types of chill crafts. Not chill…there’s probably chill crafts. What…? Oh my gosh, the chipmunk came back and is looking at me again. It must just be that I’m in a car talking. I’m not kidding; I don't mean to brag, but this chipmunk is transfixed. It’s…yeah. Wow.
This is the most attention I’ve gotten all day, and it’s from a chipmunk. I feel like I have a audience. How you doing? Oh, it just did something with its cheeks. I think it’s…you know what? It’s eating while I make the podcast. So, yeah. I guess it’s another…oh, it is eating. It’s having a little nut and it’s watching me. Cool. This is how good life is. Oh, by the way, I’m in a car. I’m out of town recording, so that’s why there’s…there’s no…sorry, if you’re a regular listener. I guess you could have used that information earlier. So anyway, that’s the intro, then there’s support again so the show could be free, paying for it’s optional unless you want ad-free or extra content or whatever, and then there’s a story.
Tonight it’ll be a Buster Keaton film and maybe a little bit of info…maybe this chipmunk’s a Buster Keaton fan. Said, finally, something I could relate to. I don't know why a chipmunk would relate to…'cause I don't know enough about Buster Keaton or chipmunks. But yeah, I think that’s it. Then that’s…yeah, that’s the structure of the show, that’s why I make the show. I’m really glad you’re here. I really work hard. I yearn and I strive. I really hope I can help you fall asleep. Thanks again for coming by, and here’s a couple ways we’re able to do it for you for free…yeah, the chipmunk is still watching me…for free twice a week.
Alright everybody, this is Scoots here and we’re talking about Buster Keaton. We’re gonna watch a Buster Keaton film here in a minute, or I am, and I’m gonna relay some information to you about Buster Keaton. We’re gonna be watching Sherlock Junior which is now in the public domain, so you could find it and watch it wherever you are. Let’s see, so this is from the Wikipedia page. Buster Keaton, Joseph Frank Buster Keaton, 1895 to 1966. Actor, comedian, director, best known for silent film work, deadpan expression with physical comedy, and Roger Ebert wrote of Keaton’s extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929 where he worked without interruption. Ebert said the greatest actor/director in the history of the movies. In 1996, Entertainment Weekly recognized Keaton as the seventh-greatest film director.
Let’s see a little bit more. Let’s find out the history. So, early life in vaudeville. Keaton was born into a vaudeville family in Kansas. His mother Myra…and I don't see his father’s name here, but he was named Joseph to continue a tradition on his father’s side. I guess he was the fifth in line…sixth in line bearing the name Joseph Keaton. Frank for his maternal grandfather. Let’s see here, we’ve got…they traveled doing performances. He started getting the nick…got the nickname as he started performing on stage starting at the age of three. They were the Three Keatons; 1899, and Delaware was the first performance on stage, a comedy sketch. Then the silent film era…let’s see, Keaton spent the summers in 1908 to 1916 at a actors’ colony in Muskegon.
M-U…Muskegon, Bluffton neighborhood of Muskegon, with other famous vaudevillians, then met Roscoe Arbuckle at Talmadge Studios in New York, and his…I guess his father, Joe Keaton, disapproved of films. Keaton also had reservations but Arbuckle said, hey, let’s get in here, and Keaton was such a natural. In his first film, he was hired on the spot at the end of the day. He asked to borrow one of the cameras to get a feel for how it work…and he was soon Arbuckle’s second director in the gag department. He worked on fourteen Arbuckle shorts into 1920, and he did not…he wasn’t deadpan in these, necessarily. He smiled and laughed in them. Keaton and Arbuckle became friends. Let’s see, Keaton had his first starring role in 1920, then, yeah, started filming in movies, a bunch of different movies.
Then those…I guess these were shorts, then went to full-length features, worked with different writers, switched to…so, there’s a lot of stuff here. I want to get into the movie. I was just trying to figure out…yeah, I’ll link to this here because it’s so extensive. But yeah, let’s get into the movie. How about it, eh? Okay, so this movie is Sherlock Junior. Maybe I should look that up. 1924, Sherlock Junior. Keaton is the director and star…oh, I don't have internet 'cause I’m in a car, so, yeah, we’ll have to…we’ll just start playing the movie, right? How about it, Scoots? Sounds good, Scoots. You just minimized the screen, though. Let’s maximize it, eh? Old open app…is that Command F or Open Apple F? Not sure. Okay, let’s mute it. I don't even know…I’m assuming there will be things. The movie’s about forty-four minutes long.
It’s just getting rolling in the background here. Buster Keaton in Sherlock Junior. Directed by Buster Keaton and Jean Havez, Joe Mitchell, and Clyde Bruckman story…Elgin Lessie and Byron Hock; photography. You could see some film grain on the copy I have here…playing. 1924 copyright…interesting, 'cause I thought…was it 2023? So, I don't know, and…I don't know. I guess this movie was passed by the National Board of Review. Not sure what that means. There’s an old proverb which says don’t try to do two things at once and expect to do justice to both. Kinda reminds me of Sleep With Me in a sense. This is a story of a boy who tried it while employed as a moving picture operator in a small-town theatre. He was also studying to be a detective.
So, this will be interesting, a little story, and…yeah, but that’s one of the theories behind Sleep With Me, though, is that you can’t think about two things at once. I don't know if it’s…oh, say, we open on a theatre. The lights are up and there’s someone in the back reading a book; How to Be A Detective. His eyes are scanning the page. He closes the book. He’s frowning, licks his thumb…oh, puts his thumbprint on the book. He’s trying to see it through a magnifying glass. Now rereading, but the theatre’s a mess, and now we have a grouchy guy. Say, Mr. Detective, before your clean up your…any mysteries, clean up this theatre. This guy’s in a suit. He was reading a book and walking, too. There’s a couch at the back of the theatre. Catherine McGuire is the girl in the case.
Oh, so now we cut to…oh, a dog and a woman. She’s feeding the dog. The girl’s father had nothing to do, so he got a hired man to help him. I don't know what that means. Oh…but we’re back at the theatre. Some of the movie’s playing The Fog…today, Hearts and Pearls or the Lounge of Lizards Lost Love in Five Parts. He just put…swept everything into a pile, but he didn’t clean up the pile. Next week…oh, there’s another movie next week. I can’t make it out. He’s going over to the cigar and candy store. It was a dollar per box for candy, $3 per box for a little bit fancier candy. Across the street is Arden Grocery. He has nothing in there but newspapers. Very…I mean, he’s a handsome man, I would say, Buster Keaton. He wants…he says, would you take $2 for the fancy candy? The woman working there says, no.
She smiles and watches him walk off. He does some more sweeping of stuff. There’s a piece of newspaper caught on his broom. Now it’s caught on his foot, so we’re getting some physical comedy. Now it’s caught in his other foot. This reminds me of trying to put…being in the bathroom and you get a piece of wet toilet paper stuck on your foot. Oh, then he just…that was funny. So, his boss comes out and he put it down so his boss would step on it. He goes out. Okay, now another guy is at the candy shop. He’s looking at the $3. His pockets are also empty. He has a bowler cap on. He checks all his pockets. Six pockets…checks them twice and doffs his cap to the woman working the candy shop, and walks off. Buster Keaton just found a dollar in the garbage he was cleaning up.
So, he pulls two more dollars out, puts his coat on, then somebody else comes and starts looking through there. She says, I lost a dollar. Did you find it when you were cleaning up? Oh boy, this is a big moment. He says, in there? Huh. He says, describe it. She goes, well, it’s a rectangle, about…yeah, definitely a rectangle. It’s got some numbers on there. Like that one? She goes, huh, yeah, that’s so great. She folds it up and walks off. He’s got two dollars, though. He even put on his coat, which he kept in a garbage can. Now another person’s looking, an older woman. She was blowing her nose on something and she says, I lost a dollar. He says, well, interesting. He’s on his knees now. He’s got a tie on and a pork pie hat. He does…describes it. Dollar, dollar…okay, stuff on it? Here you go. What a nice guy. He gives her the dollar.
It was his dollar. Then he uses her used handkerchief to wipe his eyes, then she takes it back and goes off. Now he has one dollar and he’s kinda bummed out. He’s looking at his dollar. Now another person is looking through the garbage, and he just stares at him silently, and he just hands him the dollar. The guy goes, hey, get over here. Then he gives it back to him. He goes, no, no, no, I’m looking for something else other than a dollar. He finds a wallet full of…a lot of money and then walks off, and then Keaton looks through it again. Nothing in there. Gets up, checks his pockets; still got one dollar. Cigars, confectionery…I think there’s a gum thing. He goes in…they also have tables. He buys a box…the dollar box of candy, heads off down the street…he tries to get rid of the price tag. Oh, he changes it to $4 with a pencil.
Now he skips down to a house, rings the bell. The girl that we saw having a picnic with the dog earlier comes to the door; says, come on in. They’re kinda awkwardly greeting each other, standing next to each other. She goes, do you want to go in the parlour room? He’s hiding the candy. She says, yeah. Then, actually, the guy with the bowler cap that bought the $3 thing, he walks into the house. I don't know if that’s her father, but he stops at the parlour. He sees them sitting side-by-side. He hands…Keaton hands her the candy. The other guy’s watching. Then he turns it over so she could see that it costs $4. This guy’s kind of listening in and watching. He’s got a three-piece suit on. He starts going through Buster Keaton’s jacket. He steals…or somebody; he takes somebody’s watch and then leaves.
I think Buster Keaton just tried to put a foil engagement ring on the young woman. She says, is this for me? She looks at it and she says…oh, it’s actually an engagement ring. It’s a very, very, very small…comedically small diamond. She’s trying to see it. He gives her a magnifying glass, and then she’s still trying to see…he kind of…they’re moving…there’s a lot of physical comedy with the magnifying glass. She’s still not able to see the diamond. Goldman…oh, then we see the pawn shop…the guy sold the watch that he took at the pawn shop. She puts her hand on…with…thing. Now they’re doing the old awkward ‘should we hold hands’ thing. This guy gets…goes back…oh, and buys a $3 giant box of candy. Now their hands are on top of each other. Nope; Buster Keaton takes his hand back. He’s too nervous.
He’s holding his hands within hands. She puts her hand back down like hey, hold my hand already. He puts it down and they both jump. This is really, really good comedy. Then this other guy comes in. I guess he’s the competition. He’s got a giant box of chocolate and he goes, how about this? Why don’t we go in another room and talk? She goes, well, I gotta take this giant box of chocolate…I’ll be back. Closes the curtains…Keaton’s by himself. He’s pacing around, he’s tapping his legs. Now he jumps up. He’s gonna watch them. He opens the curtains. The guy’s showing off his candy. Keaton doesn’t like it so he charges in, says, look, I gave her a box of candy first. He goes, yeah, I got more candy. Take a banana. He literally hands him a banana. He says, go in the other room with this banana, the other dude.
Keaton opens the banana…interesting. Oh, he puts the banana peel down to…the other guy says, hey, come on in here. Let’s see if this banana peel thing works. Says, come over here close to the guy. He goes, no, no, no. The other guy cuts a John Cleese…he does look a bit like John Cleese, so I don't know if John Cleese watched one of these movies. Keaton forgets about the banana peel. Great slip. Does a little dance move, sits down. Now the third person comes in. Oh, the girl’s father and his coworker, and he says, hey, by the way, my pocket watch is missing from my vest. Someone has taken my watch without my permission, which we already know. We know what happened. The mother’s there, the coworker, Buster Keaton. Oh, interesting; so, he pulls out his How to Be A Detective thing.
The John Cleese-esque guy is like, what…sees Buster Keaton reading. Rule One; search everybody. But this guy’s reading over his shoulder, so he’s one step ahead. I think he has a receipt from…oh yeah, he just planted the receipt on Buster Keaton from the pawn shop and he says, hey, it looks like we better call in the authority figures to deal with this. How about that? The father says, darn right, I will. Buster Keaton says, hold on; I’ll take charge of this. Let’s start by checking everybody out and seeing what they have on them. Everybody empty their pockets, please. But he starts with the girl’s father. He goes, dude, I’m the one with the…I’m the one that lost the watch, so hold your horses. So yeah, the dad says, yeah, I’m the one that lost the watch, so don’t be searching me, man, checking my pockets.
So then he goes on to the dad’s coworker, the mother, John Cleese, and nothing in his pockets. Then he checks his date’s pockets. Nobody’s pockets. Then he reaches his hand into mine. The other guy says, why don’t you check yourself, dude? The guy goes, dude…and then he goes, yeah, go ahead and check me out, man. They see a watch and a chain; $4. 10-23-24 is the date of the sale. The guy goes, is this a pawn broker receipt? Everybody’s like, wait a second, $4? So, a box of candy costs $3, but then the irony is that Buster changed his price of his thing from $1 to $4, which is the exact…Will Smith, actually, is the person who signed for it at the pawn broker. Then his date says, I’m incredibly upset by this. I’m gonna walk off slowly. The father says, sorry, you’re not welcome here. Holy cow. Don’t want to see you here again, ever.
He says it gently, though. He even taps his lapel. Buster Keaton…then the dad says, no, no, please leave. Keaton’s kinda taking his time. The John Cleese guy’s playing with his hat, then he walks off, hat in hand. His date’s at the door. She’s frowning. A nice wind coming in. I don't know if it’s from the front door or a fan. Takes off her engagement ring and hands it to him, and it’s like…he’s like, holy cow. He realized…puts it in his pocket. This is where his deadpan expressions are really good. I mean, he really looks…she’s crying. Now he’s outside. By the way, the house number’s 1022, maybe. John Cleese comes out. Keaton says, oh…he was standing on the porch, frowning. Now he goes to two…oh, follow the…follow whoever you think it might be; Rule Five of how to be a detective.
So, he’s following him, like literally one foot behind him, and they’re…the John Cleese character’s very tall. He smokes…he’s…picks up a cigar off the ground. Really good physical comedy and camera work. Now they cross a dirt street. They go to a train. Now Keaton’s still…oh, he…they’re in a train yard. They’re re-attaching…train steam. This is really good. Sorry I made that noise, but it was…I was so…it was so unexpected. Then…okay, he’s trying to follow him, and then John Cleese notices he’s following him. So, Keaton goes into a ventilated box car and John Cleese closes the door behind him. Then he pops his head out of the box car. Now he’s on top of the box car, walking at the speed of the train, just to…so, he’s literally walking to stand still. Really, really good effect, and one we’ve seen in another movie recently.
Then he does…oh boy, he gets soaking wet 'cause the thing to fill the water for the steam engine…he’s on it. He pulls it down and he gets soaked, then he knocks two train workers off of a train bicycle. They chase after him. As a detective he was all wet, so he went back to see what he could do at his other job, like his real job that he gets paid for. So, I don't know if he was supposed to be doing anything there. Turns out, a projectionist also has to clean up. Now he’s in the projectionist booth. Takes off his jacket…he’s down, clearly. He’s getting the movie ready. He checks the film. First projector…opens the thing. Full…packed house. Someone’s playing the music. Now, the young woman goes down to the pawn broker. She turns in the receipt. Can you describe the man who pawned this watch?
The guy says, he’s tall, moustache…there he is; he looks just like John Cleese. So, she sees him but he doesn’t see her. She runs off again. Okay, we get back…the movie starts. Hearts and Pearls. There’s a organist. Hearts and Pearls opens on a house. Buster Keaton is supposed to get the second projector ready, I think. He looks at his book. He’s yawning, puts his elbow up on the other projector, falls asleep with his head in his hand. A guy in a suit is looking at pearls. He puts them in a case, a safe. Another guy looks like Jack Nicholson. This is in the movie Hearts and Pearls. Buster Keaton’s asleep. Now he wakes up in a dream state. We see his dream-self come out of his real self. His dream-self makes sure the movie’s still playing.
The characters are talking about something in the movie, and then they…I think he becomes…it’s his date and him? Oh no, it’s the John-Cleese-looking character, or is that…? Yeah. This guy’s a little bit more suave. Then he sees the dream-self. He goes, hey, we’re in…he goes, our date and the John-Cleese-like character are in the movie and they seem to be billionaires or something. She’s going upstairs; he’s following. Somebody else cleaning off their suit…that guy’s got a…what do they call those? Tuxedo…when your tuxedo goes down the back. Top hat, a cane…Keaton’s still asleep but his dream-self is…I’m pretty sure that the projector’s running out of film or something’s not going right, but it’s still playing in the theatre. He walks into the theatre. So, we see the theatre and the movie playing and his dream-self.
He sits down in the middle of the theatre in the aisle. He’s watching the movie and they’re talking about pearls and romance, I think. Oh yeah, now he says, hey, how about we kiss? He goes, wait a second, this is ridiculous. He jumps into the movie, and it’s a great seamless effect. Then he gets tossed back out of the movie, then he gets the hiccups or something. Or I guess it’s more like the Matrix. Then he goes back…tries to get back in the movie again. This time he’s trying to sneak in the movie. He’s even talking to the audience. Jumps into the movie again. It’s at the front door of a house. Somebody with a cane and a top hat comes out and he checks for his pocket watch. He goes, darn, left my pocket watch inside. Closes the door.
Keaton knocks on the door of the house in the movie, looks back at the audience into the theatre, then it changes to outdoors and he’s in a garden in a brick wall. He sits down…then he goes to sit down. His chair’s gone. Now he’s on the side of the road, a busy street; a lot of people walking. They’re saying, hey bub, get out of the way. A lot of traffic. Now he’s pacing. Now he’s on a mountain. He was pacing and then he’s on a mountaintop. So, it’s like every time the film shot changes…but he’s not prepared for it, right? ‘Cause he’s only a sleeping being. Looks over the edge, and now he’s in a zoo with the wildlife. A great effect…a forest section of the zoo. He’s like, this is probably not the best place for me to be because…now he’s in a desert. There’s a lot of cactus. He’s trying not to bump into the cactus.
Then a train goes by at a very high speed that surprised him. Now he’s watching the train, just sitting there. He sat on a cactus. Yep. Pulls the cactus out of his rear end. Now he’s holding his rear end, now he stands on a pile of dirt, looks around, sits down on the pile of dirt. Now he’s on a rock in the ocean. He gets splashed by water as a wave crashes over. Now he sits…stands up, sits back down, stands up, sits back down. Now he goes to jump in. Now he’s in snow and he jumps into a snow…off a snowbank into a snowbank. So, that’s really good, especially as an effect. Also he’s about to walk…now he’s on the edge of the movie. Goes to lean on a tree. He’s back and the garden falls down. There’s a garden wall. He sits there, scratches his head. It fades out, fades back in on the two people, and we zoom in on them romancing.
But they’re mostly having a discussion about romance. The John Cleese character says, why don’t you exit the stage? Then the father guy is like, hey, by the way, my pearls are gone from my safe. Someone took them without my permission. So, now we have all the characters from the original watch thing. We see that the John Cleese character and the father’s coworker are in cahoots. The father calls somebody…said he’s calling the famous Sherlock Junior, the world’s greatest detective. We’re totally gonna be busted. The guy says, don't worry about it; I got us covered, bruh. They go into the billiards room. He says, don't worry. Never seen this before? Double…I’m gonna put two 13s. I have three 13 balls. He shows the guy again. He goes, alright, I’m gonna throw one outside.
Oh, they have a little hidden surprise. So, he goes, I got two of them. I just used one to show you the surprise. So, we’ll get this Sherlock Junior to play pool, and that’ll be it for him. He says, that’s pretty complicated. Then he says, also, let’s…he goes, also I put something in the seat there. So, I have another…this is like a game of…a roleplaying game like DnD. If he sits in this seat, then the decorations will fall on him and give him a surprise. So, don't worry, we got this. Then the doorbell rings. The crime-crushing criminologist…they open the door and there he is; top hat, gloves, very suave…cane, long coat. Dickensian, I’d say. Maybe striking the cut of the old David Copperfield or somebody. Not Chester Copperpot. He’s got a tuxedo on as everybody does, and he walks up to everybody.
He’s looking at everybody very closely and staring in their eyes. Like, over-staring in everybody’s eyes. Man, this guy is…and then he sees the safe. He goes, don’t…the guy…don’t bother trying to explain. He goes, this is a simple case for me. The dad kinda bows. He goes, what do you mean simple? Then the guy who’s the butler…father’s coworker says, why don’t you sit in this chair? He goes, well…and then the other guy goes, I’m gonna play…why don’t we play some pool? He goes, okay, I won't sit in the chair; I’ll play some pool. Then the butler pulls out another thing. He’s like, let me mix you a drink. You know what I’m saying? That won't be helpful, either. So, he thinks that’s smooth. He says, let me bring this over to you. Would you like a drink? Apertif? Sure.
He looks at…he almost takes a sip, but then he so politely goes, hey, why don’t you take that one? Then the butler’s like, don’t drink it, man. Don’t drink it. He’s trying to do it between…behind Buster Keaton’s back. Goes, I think there’s something in the drink. The guy goes, yeah, it’s your finger, dude. Goes, alright, well, I’ll take it out, throw it away. But Sherlock Junior’s like, that’s interesting. Then they say, okay, how about billiards? He goes, okay. Then he almost sits down again but it’s his turn, so he doesn’t quite sit down. Then he…the other guy, the butler, almost sits down by accident. Keaton’s watching him. He knows something’s up. He sinks one ball and then the guy changes out the two 13 balls. He goes, by the way, watch out for that 13 ball. You know what I’m saying? To the other…to John Cleese.
He goes, sink everything but the 13. Keaton’s waiting for his turn. Oh, he’s got a bunch of balls he’s gotta break up. They’re all gone together. Somehow he breaks up all the balls without hitting 13, then he starts…he’s never good, but…I don't know if he even accidentally made one of them, but just misses the 13 a few times. They’re running out of the room. He’s like, has he got the ball yet? The guy’s…the other butler’s like, no, no, he keeps missing them, dude. Then all the balls, again, are together, but he still misses the 13, which is funny. Waiting on him…missed again, obviously. He goes, are you sure? They’re like…now Keaton’s aiming. Two balls are near the 13. He aims right at 13; he still misses. Sinks two more balls or one ball, then he’s only got a few balls left. Sinks another one.
Sinks another one like a trick shot. Just missed, the butler says. But now he’s gonna do a trick shot over 13. Oh, around; he does a English shot where he looped it around even though 16 was in front of it. Now…or 13. Now there’s only one left. 13 is the only one left. He scratches…he jumps over 13 and scratches…so, it’s the other guy’s turn. I don't know why he took out another ball, though. Is that a penalty? It’s the other guy’s turn, I think. Or is Keaton not playing by the rules? I guess maybe he took out his last ball he made? So, John Cleese goes…does not make a shot, so Keaton makes the whatever ball…8 ball, I guess? They run out of the room again. That was a close one, man. That was close. Only 13’s left. Keaton makes it and walks out. They’re like, what the heck? How is that even possible? Then they go in.
They check the 13. Did he switch it? How is this even…? What in the…? Then they go…they check the ball is gone…the ball they switched out is hidden, then they almost set off the thing, then the other guy’s so stressed he accidentally drinks the drink he mixed, or he’s about to. He does, and then he’s like, okay, end of my game. Then we see Keaton who has the 13. He shakes it. He realizes something’s up. He almost drops it. By the next day, the mastermind had completely solved the mystery with the exception of locating the pearls and finding the thief. Hardy-har-har. So, this will be interesting, though, seeing how this resolves. He’s gonna have to…so, we got a movie within a movie situation here. Now he’s got different gloves on. He’s got an assistant, Gillette, who’s ever ready, an ever-ready gem like a battery.
Let’s see, Gillette has a cane, hands it to…oh, I guess he’s getting dressed to go out on the town, so it’s like, is he a valet or something? Oh, he had a mirror but it was not a mirror. It was a giant safe. He checks his giant safe. It opens up; it’s his front door. It’s a bunch of…those are gags, I guess. Those are good. He goes out in the world. Then we see him crossing the street, and then he’s hiding behind a telephone pole, and the John Cleese character comes out. He’s outside of a corner store but he doesn’t go into the corner store. He goes into maybe a barber shop? I don't know. No, he goes into a house, goes up to the second floor, realizes he’s being followed, takes off his hat, lays it down, and fakes like he went up on the roof, but hides in a closet.
So, then what’s-his-name goes…Buster Keaton, Sherlock Junior, goes up on the roof, and then he locks him on…in the roof. Then Buster Keaton’s on the roof. Door is locked. Get a great shot of the town. A lot of power poles. Northleaf’s Grocery. Guy gets back in his car. Buster Keaton’s running around the roof watching him get in the car, but he jumps onto a train thing and uses it like…an action move to lower himself into the car stealthily. Puts his feet up in the backseat…the John Cleese character can’t even see anything, except somebody else is behind them. Yeah, so now we got two people. Then we go in and we see that they got pocket watches. Keaton’s like, who’s following me? It’s another guy in this…hey, I’m your valet, man. I’m your assistant, Gillette. So, then he has a magical…what is this? Oh, a costume.
So, Buster Keaton is like, okay, I’m gonna go in undercover. Meanwhile they’re looking at all the loot, John Cleese and his team, and…including pearls. He puts something in the window, the case for the…what do you call it? The costumes, but the door’s open and they pull him into the room. They say, hey, what’s the big idea, man? Got anything on you? He’s like, oh boy, do I. They say, who do you think you are, Sherlock Junior? He says, yeah. They take his pocket watch. They pick his pocket from his pocket watch. Somehow he picks it back, so sleight of hand stuff. Then he has another one. He gives that one back. Everybody’s confused. Then he sits on the table silently. The guy goes, why don’t you look at that in the other room? There’s somebody else in there. He goes, yeah, that’s the last guy.
He goes, he’s another detective. Sherlock One. He goes, well, I’m Sherlock Junior. Then he says, where’s my date, man? Just 'cause I can’t afford a $4…$3 box of chocolates doesn’t mean you get to…how does that make you more datable than me? He goes, this is the value system this film was made during. He goes, by the way, it’s just the reality of the world. You can barely afford $1 chocolate; I can afford $3 chocolate. Fancier box, bigger box. Meanwhile they’re still talking on and on and on. His circle costume thing’s still in the window. Oh wow, brilliant. So, this is another action movie thing that I’d never seen…I mean, I didn’t realize how far back it was. This is at…whoops, I just hit the wrong button. It was…it’s at about thirty minutes into the movie. Thirty-two…let’s see, thirty-three…I’ll start playing it again.
So, what he does is he has this giant circle that looks like a trampoline but it has a costume in it. He puts it in the window, then he dives out the window to get away, dives into the costume. So, it’s fully on his body. So, when they run out of the apartment or their hideout, alls they see…he’s kind of like some regular person you just never take notice of. So, they just run right by him. It really works. Meanwhile we also see that his date is going to a vacation cottage. So, the other guy, the butler guy, is still fine. Okay, so I’m gonna tell you the time; 34:20 right now. Yeah, we see the exterior. They say, Sherlock Junior? You’re more like…he shows them the pearls, even. Oh, he grabs the pearls, dives into the dress, dives out…even has a wig on. So, how did he get away?
They don’t know…realize that one other person is standing there. So, then they start searching around, and the one guy walks up. He looks at the face of…then…now we got a little running race. He throws off the costume, but there’s four people chasing Keaton now, or Sherlock Junior. He uses the costume to make another…now they’re searching for him, but he’s hidden. Then another person who’s selling…oh, ties and watches. Oh, it’s his assistant; he says, come hide in my tie box. So, Gillette’s selling…oh my gosh, it’s another gag like a magic trick. He dives through the box and looks like he dives through Gillette out a door. Amazing stunts. That was at…so, in thirty…in two minutes you get two action-level stunts. Then we see that it’s a secret door and he…but then…so, he gets rid of two guys.
He locks them out, but then another guy’s chasing him. Now we got full speed action. Also, I have somebody on a motorbike. He says, you’re running too fast, man. He goes, you gotta pull over. You’re running too fast. You’re not allowed to run this fast. I’m on a motorbike. Sherlock Junior goes, I have Sherlock Junior. Then it’s…we realize it’s Gillette again. He says, hop on the handlebars of my bike, dude. So then he…the guy starts running away, then we see the four dudes, but I think…now we got…now we’re there in a car. So, again, very action…and then got…we got comedy. He’s riding on the handlebars of a motorcycle. My gosh, this gets better and better, man. Talk about rising action and the good use. So, we’re at thirty-six minutes into this movie.
So, they’re riding on the motorcycle, so he’s doing different bits while he’s on the handlebars, like making casual conversation, then they go over a bump. The driver, Gillette, of the motorcycle falls off, but Buster Keaton’s still on the handlebars. Of course he’s not paying attention, so he’s like, hey, could you slow down a little? Then they start riding through town, busy streets. He says, can you slow down, please? He has no idea. So, again…and then it’s just like, oh my gosh. Again, just like a regular modern film. Wow. Practical…you got effects, you got practical effects. They go through town. Somebody…he speeds by somebody with their laundry. They drop their laundry. Now they’re going up into the country in the hills. He’s still saying, slow down, man, slow down. Then a bunch of guys are putting dirt on the road.
They’re throwing them…there’s some sort of…what do you call that? Tug…a rope tug-of-war going on? I don't know what this is gonna do. Oh, he goes through the rope. He starts pulling all the guys on the rope, goes by a bunch of people drinking on picnic tables, so now they’re mad at him. He’s still drag…oh no, then he loses those guys in a creek bed, which is funny. Then there’s a train trestle or a bridge. He’s going over the bridge. The bridge isn’t finished, but the trucks…two trucks happen to go, so he does…rolls over two trucks to complete the bridge. Bridge ends, but it ends just in time for him to skate through. Then you got a roadblock to buy trees, and they’re trying to get rid of the trees. Then he goes through a blockade, then there’s some sort of giant…I don't know what that is. Some box mover.
Meanwhile he thinks that the other guy’s driving. He’s like, I can’t believe you got us through all that, man. Now he’s peacefully just riding along. Then they’re coming by…again, they fly by cars, trains. Now they’re in an orchard. At this point he’s like, dude, what are you doing? Then he turns around. Of course he sees there’s nobody driving. Buffalo something…okay, now the butler and his date…they’re like, yeah, by the way, we were the ones that stole your dad’s pearls. Hardy-har-har. Keaton…oh my gosh, again, another effect straight out of a thing. So, this is at 39:31 when I’m watching. He’s riding the motorcycle towards the hideout where his date is and the butler. The motorcycle is stopped by two logs. He’s sitting down.
He flies forward through a window and then connects through the window over a table into the butler and sends the butler to dreamland. Says to his date, okay, we better get outta here. Meanwhile, the other guys come. They climb out the window; they get in the other guy’s car and they try to make a getaway. So, we got five minutes left here. Already the action’s risen to a point…so, now it’s the little car chase. Keaton is not a very good driver. Again, this is all filmed…I mean, there’s multiple shots. There’s moving…all the shots are moving. Some are stationary on the car. He’s got the 13 bowling…or the 13 billiard ball. He hands the wheel to her, throws the billiard ball which puts their car out of commission, and…four-wheel brakes. So, his car has four-wheel brakes, I guess. So, they’re together.
She’s like, you gotta be kidding me. They drive…the brakes are so effective that the car keeps going even though the chassis or whatever…the bottom of the car stops. So, then they’re in a boat. Their car becomes a boat. He gets out of the front door, realizes he’s in the water — he didn’t realize it ‘til that point — falls in the water. She pulls him out of the water, closes the door, and…oh, then he makes a sail from the convertible. Of course, I bet you we know what’s gonna happen next. But yeah, he’s using the sail. The boat is actually moving…this is…again, they must have had to build this effect. He hands the pearls to her. She hugs him, then he says, look at how beautiful this…these hills are as we’re traveling through here. Then the boat stops floating and it goes underwater.
They’re swimming, so he says, let’s…we better get…swim to shore because we’re both fully-dressed. Then he wakes up swimming at the…in the projection booth, falls off his stool. I’m sure that the movie stopped playing. Looks out…nope, movie’s still playing. Now he’s awake. He starts thinking about things. Projectors are steaming. Now we have the father and his date. She’s like, hey, I’m going to visit my…oh no, that’s his boss. She goes to visit my work. She says, listen, I gotta apologize. We’ve made a terrible mistake, 'cause I went to the pawn shop and I asked who pawned my dad’s watch, and they said, a man that looks like John Cleese in the future. But she says, it’s gonna take me longer to apologize than that. Then he’s kinda speechless.
He looks out back at the movie, and now he’s gonna try to imitate the movie 'cause the guy in the movie’s also trying to connect with his date. So, he takes both…the guy takes both of her hands in his hand. So, Keaton says, man, this looks like a good idea, so he takes his date’s hands in his hands, stacked on top so it’s like a four-hand sandwich. Then he watches again and the guy goes to kiss the top hand. Somehow her hand’s on top of…he must be maneuvering, but…yeah, so he kisses her hand, the back of her hand, then he looks at the camera again, then the woman looks back at him from the screen. Oh, and then he…the guy in the movie slips on the engagement ring. So he says, I’ll do that, too, but of course he can’t find it. I think he finds something else. Maybe that’s it.
He slips it on her finger and watches her, then looks back at the camera, and they kiss…in the movies they kiss, just a little…longer than a peck, but not very long. Then he goes in for a kiss, but it’s very…oh, he just pecks and it’s awkward. It looks like a teeth-squeezing peck. Then they hug in the movie, a real embrace, and in the movie, they shortcut to the future where they have two twins. He says, is that how that worked? I never knew about that. Then he just scratches his head, and that’s the end of the movie. So, yeah, that’s Sherlock Junior, our first Buster Keaton coverage. Hopefully it won't be our last. But yeah, I hope you enjoyed it, and…new experiment in Sleep With Me shows. Thanks, Buster Keaton and everybody else. Goodnight.
[END OF RECORDING]
(Transcribed by Leah Hervoly)
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Silent Films Sleepers
Chipmunk Facts
https://www.livescience.com/51139-chipmunks.html
https://www.treehugger.com/things-you-dont-know-about-chipmunks-4864283
https://www.havahart.com/chipmunk-facts
Buster Keaton
https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/buster-keaton-a-timeless-comedian/
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220121-why-buster-keaton-is-todays-most-influential-actor
Public Domain
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-public-domain-definition/
https://publicdomainreview.org/
Sherlock Holmes
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20160106-how-sherlock-holmes-changed-the-world
https://www.historynet.com/sherlock-holmes-history/
https://historydaily.org/the-origin-of-sherlock-holmes
DOWN TO BUSINESS
Going into a new domain
Deep Dark Night United
Neil K & Family (Polysleep)
PLUGS
WGA/SAG-AFTRA Strike Update; Orlando Park Stop / Trevor Project; Patreon; SleepPhones; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline
SPONSORS
Odoo; Polysleep; Helix Sleep; Progressive; Zoc Doc
INTRO
Repetitive Thoughts about Thoughts
Maybe school is starting soon
This may just be digital and pseudo, but you are not alone
Alone Together & Together Alone
That Rambling Pod Guy
Who would’ve thought it would take me 10 years to cover a silent movie
I tell you what, a lot of people wish I were a silent movie
I don’t want to promote any content that’s being struck
Statistically, someone else is listening right now with you
33% Filler Word
SWM: Now with gratuitous filler words
A Time-Traveling Machine sounds way too formal
One day, you’ll laugh at filler words!
It’s already been broughten
I’m happy if I’m just background noise
Maybe I’ll do some research on Buster Keaton
Is he the man with no expression or with too little expression?
I’m recording in a car, and I just saw the cutest little chipmunk driving by
Breaking news, this chipmunk is cute
It left before I could sing to it
Don’t even get me started on Chip n Dale
Explaining the Wind Down Routine
Different types of Chill Crafts
This chipmunk is back, oh boy
This chipmunk is transfixed
This is the most attention I’ve gotten all day
Maybe this chipmunk is a Buster Keaton fan
STORY
Sherlock Jr, now in the public domain
Buster Keaton Facts
Worked nonstop from 1920 – 1929
The greatest actor / director in the History of movies
Born into a vaudeville family
Joseph Frank Buster Keaton
The 3 Keatons, performing in 1899
Summered 1908 – 1916 doing vaudeville stuff
Met Roscoe Arbuckle in NY and got into film
Let’s watch this movie
About 44 minutes long
I will be muting this silent form
Copyright 1924
Passed by the National Board of Review
Opening on a theatre
Studying how to be a detective
His boss tells him to clean up
Katherine Maguire is the woman on the case
He swept stuff into a pile, but didn’t clear up the pile
Going to the cigar and candy store
He’s a handsome man, Buster Keaton
He can’t afford this nice candy
A piece of newspaper caught on his body
Another guy with a bowler hat is at the candy store
Checks all 6 pockets for his money
Buster Keaton found a dollar in the garbage
Pulls more dollars
A moral test – will he return this money to the woman who lost it
What a nice guy, he gives the money back
Now he’s bummed, he only has one dollar
The guy is looking for something else other than a dollar
Keaton buys the dollar box of candy
He changes the price tag to say it costs $4
The girl with the dog from earlier welcomes him in
The bowler hat guy also walks in!
The bowler hat guy is spying
He steals Buster Keaton’s watch!
BK puts an engagement ring on the girl
A comedically small diamond
Bowler hat sold the watch at a pawn shop
He bought a giant box of candy
BK is too nervous to hold her hand
This is really good comedy
Lady goes off with Bowler Hat after he brings even more candy
Go in the other room with this banana
The other guy kind of looks like John Cleese
BK forgets about his banana peel trap
Oh, Bowler Hat stole her Dad’s watch!
BK will solve this stolen watch mystery
Bowler Hat reads the manual first and puts the pawn receipt in BK’s pocket
Will Smith is the guy who signed for it at the pawnbroker
BK is no longer welcome at this house
She gives her engagement ring back to Buster
This is where BK’s deadpan expressions really sing
Bowler Hat is very tall
Really good physical comedy and camera work
Bowler Hat notices that he’s being followed by BK
BK gets soaking wet from the steam engine
BK goes back to his theater job
He starts the projector
Young woman figures out that John Cleese pawned the watch
BK falls asleep while projecting
BK wakes up in a dream state
Now they’re all in the movie!
They’re in top hat and tails
We see the theatre and the dream self
Talking about pearls and romance
He jumps into the movie
A Great Seamless Effect
BK is breaking the 4th wall of this movie
In an outdoor garden
He isn’t prepared for every time the film shot changes
Pulls a cactus out of his rear end
Splashed in the ocean
Jumps into a snowbank
This effect is so good
Father says a pearl is missing from his safe
Father’s co-worker and John Cleese are in cahoots
They’re calling in the famous Sherlock Jr.
These 3 13 balls have a hidden surprise for Sherlock Jr.
They’re prepping for Sherlock Jr like it’s a DnD game
Crime Crushing Criminologist
Sherlock Jr keeps avoiding the pitfalls
BK knows something is up
BK keeps missing hitting the 13 ball
He scratches the ball over 13
I don’t understand the rules of pool
A very tense game of pool
How did Keaton not die from the exploding ball?
BK has the 13 and realizes it’s dangerous
How will this movie within a movie resolve?
His new assistant, Gillette
Is this his valet?
These are pretty good gags – this safe door is just his front door
Sherlock follows JC
JC realizes he’s being followed
JC manages to trap BK on a roof
BK jumps onto a train to lower himself into JC’s car stealthily
BK is gonna go in undercover
JC is looking at all his loot
BK cracks into their lair
They try to pickpocket him, but he pickpockets them back
The subtext becomes text
This is another Action Movie Trope
He has a giant circle that looks like a trampoline with a costume in it
He dives out of the window into his new costume so they can’t follow him
His date is going to a vacation cottage
Now there’s a running sequence in various costumes
Gillette hides BK in a box
A magical action sequence
Full Speed Action
Talk about rising action! This is great!
BK does different bits while sitting on the motorcycle handlebars of Gillette
BK doesn’t realize Gillette has been knocked off
Some sort of rope Tug of War in the country
BK is now dragging those guys along
He’s going over an unfinished bridge
A road blocked by two trees that he goes over
He still doesn’t know Gillette isn’t driving the motorcycle anymore
The Butler reveals that he’s evil
BK is riding his motorcycle to the hideout
He’s flung through a window and knocks the Butler out
He hands the wheel to the lady
He puts the evil car out of commission with the 13 ball
The brakes are so effective that the top of the car keeps going onto the water, like a boat
He gives the pearls back to her
He wakes up swimming in the projection booth
Projectors are steaming
His love comes and tells her she made a mistake
He’s now imitating the movie to tell her he loves her
Four Hand Sandwich
He can’t find his engagement ring
A very light peck and then a real embrace
Cut to the future where they have twins
That’s Sherlock Jr
PATREON THANKS
n/a
SUMMARY:
Episode: 1,192
Title: Sherlock Jr. Buster Keaton | Silent Film Sleepers
Deep Dark Night United: Neil K & Family (Polysleep)
Plugs: WGA/SAG-AFTRA Strike Update; Orlando Park Stop / Trevor Project; Patreon; SleepPhones; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline
Sponsors: Odoo; Polysleep; Helix Sleep; Progressive; Zoc Doc
Patreon Thanks: n/a
Notable Language:
- Domain
- Alone Together & Together Alone
- That Rambling Pod Guy
- Gratuitous Chipmunk Content
- Chill Crafts
- A comedically small diamond
- A Great Seamless Effect
- Crime Crushing Criminologist
- Full Speed Action
- Four Hand Sandwich
Notable Culture:
-
- Buster Keaton
- Sherlock Jr.
-
- Michael Keaton
- Chip n Dale
- Roger Ebert
- John Cleese
- Jack Nicholson
- The Matrix
- Dungeons and Dragons
Notable Talking Points:
- Repetitive Thoughts about Thoughts
- Maybe school is starting soon
- This may just be digital and pseudo, but you are not alone
- Alone Together & Together Alone
- That Rambling Pod Guy
- Who would’ve thought it would take me 10 years to cover a silent movie
- I tell you what, a lot of people wish I were a silent movie
- I don’t want to promote any content that’s being struck
- Statistically, someone else is listening right now with you
- 33% Filler Word
- SWM: Now with gratuitous filler words
- A Time-Traveling Machine sounds way too formal
- One day, you’ll laugh at filler words!
- It’s already been broughten
- I’m happy if I’m just background noise
- Maybe I’ll do some research on Buster Keaton
- Is he the man with no expression or with too little expression?
- I’m recording in a car, and I just saw the cutest little chipmunk driving by
- Breaking news, this chipmunk is cute
- It left before I could sing to it
- Don’t even get me started on Chip n Dale
- Explaining the Wind Down Routine
- Different types of Chill Crafts
- This chipmunk is back, oh boy
- This chipmunk is transfixed
- This is the most attention I’ve gotten all day
- Maybe this chipmunk is a Buster Keaton fan
- Sherlock Jr, now in the public domain
- Buster Keaton Facts
- Worked nonstop from 1920 – 1929
- The greatest actor / director in the History of movies
- Born into a vaudeville family
- Joseph Frank Buster Keaton
- The 3 Keatons, performing in 1899
- Summered 1908 – 1916 doing vaudeville stuff
- Met Roscoe Arbuckle in NY and got into film
- Let’s watch this movie
- About 44 minutes long
- I will be muting this silent form
- Copyright 1924
- Passed by the National Board of Review
- Opening on a theatre
- Studying how to be a detective
- His boss tells him to clean up
- Katherine Maguire is the woman on the case
- He swept stuff into a pile, but didn’t clear up the pile
- Going to the cigar and candy store
- He’s a handsome man, Buster Keaton
- He can’t afford this nice candy
- A piece of newspaper caught on his body
- Another guy with a bowler hat is at the candy store
- Checks all 6 pockets for his money
- Buster Keaton found a dollar in the garbage
- Pulls more dollars
- A moral test – will he return this money to the woman who lost it
- What a nice guy, he gives the money back
- Now he’s bummed, he only has one dollar
- The guy is looking for something else other than a dollar
- Keaton buys the dollar box of candy
- He changes the price tag to say it costs $4
- The girl with the dog from earlier welcomes him in
- The bowler hat guy also walks in!
- The bowler hat guy is spying
- He steals Buster Keaton’s watch!
- BK puts an engagement ring on the girl
- A comedically small diamond
- Bowler hat sold the watch at a pawn shop
- He bought a giant box of candy
- BK is too nervous to hold her hand
- This is really good comedy
- Lady goes off with Bowler Hat after he brings even more candy
- Go in the other room with this banana
- The other guy kind of looks like John Cleese
- BK forgets about his banana peel trap
- Oh, Bowler Hat stole her Dad’s watch!
- BK will solve this stolen watch mystery
- Bowler Hat reads the manual first and puts the pawn receipt in BK’s pocket
- Will Smith is the guy who signed for it at the pawnbroker
- BK is no longer welcome at this house
- She gives her engagement ring back to Buster
- This is where BK’s deadpan expressions really sing
- Bowler Hat is very tall
- Really good physical comedy and camera work
- Bowler Hat notices that he’s being followed by BK
- BK gets soaking wet from the steam engine
- BK goes back to his theater job
- He starts the projector
- Young woman figures out that John Cleese pawned the watch
- BK falls asleep while projecting
- BK wakes up in a dream state
- Now they’re all in the movie!
- They’re in top hat and tails
- We see the theatre and the dream self
- Talking about pearls and romance
- He jumps into the movie
- A Great Seamless Effect
- BK is breaking the 4th wall of this movie
- In an outdoor garden
- He isn’t prepared for every time the film shot changes
- Pulls a cactus out of his rear end
- Splashed in the ocean
- Jumps into a snowbank
- This effect is so good
- Father says a pearl is missing from his safe
- Father’s co-worker and John Cleese are in cahoots
- They’re calling in the famous Sherlock Jr.
- These 3 13 balls have a hidden surprise for Sherlock Jr.
- They’re prepping for Sherlock Jr like it’s a DnD game
- Crime Crushing Criminologist
- Sherlock Jr keeps avoiding the pitfalls
- BK knows something is up
- BK keeps missing hitting the 13 ball
- He scratches the ball over 13
- I don’t understand the rules of pool
- A very tense game of pool
- How did Keaton not die from the exploding ball?
- BK has the 13 and realizes it’s dangerous
- How will this movie within a movie resolve?
- His new assistant, Gillette
- Is this his valet?
- These are pretty good gags – this safe door is just his front door
- Sherlock follows JC
- JC realizes he’s being followed
- JC manages to trap BK on a roof
- BK jumps onto a train to lower himself into JC’s car stealthily
- BK is gonna go in undercover
- JC is looking at all his loot
- BK cracks into their lair
- They try to pickpocket him, but he pickpockets them back
- The subtext becomes text
- This is another Action Movie Trope
- He has a giant circle that looks like a trampoline with a costume in it
- He dives out of the window into his new costume so they can’t follow him
- His date is going to a vacation cottage
- Now there’s a running sequence in various costumes
- Gillette hides BK in a box
- A magical action sequence
- Full Speed Action
- Talk about rising action! This is great!
- BK does different bits while sitting on the motorcycle handlebars of Gillette
- BK doesn’t realize Gillette has been knocked off
- Some sort of rope Tug of War in the country
- BK is now dragging those guys along
- He’s going over an unfinished bridge
- A road blocked by two trees that he goes over
- He still doesn’t know Gillette isn’t driving the motorcycle anymore
- The Butler reveals that he’s evil
- BK is riding his motorcycle to the hideout
- He’s flung through a window and knocks the Butler out
- He hands the wheel to the lady
- He puts the evil car out of commission with the 13 ball
- The brakes are so effective that the top of the car keeps going onto the water, like a boat
- He gives the pearls back to her
- He wakes up swimming in the projection booth
- Projectors are steaming
- His love comes and tells her she made a mistake
- He’s now imitating the movie to tell her he loves her
- Four Hand Sandwich
- He can’t find his engagement ring
- A very light peck and then a real embrace
- Cut to the future where they have twins
- That’s Sherlock Jr
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