Plot: What’s it about?
The folks at Image have released a number of excellent silent films, with the Milestone label being behind quite a few of those discs. In this case, Milestone has conjured up a veritable treasure chest of silent shorts, sure to please those interested in such material. In this case, we have two featured shorts that were once thought lost, but thanks to extensive restoration work and some miraculous discovery of materials, we are able to see these classic comedies once again. And these aren’t unknown properties either, as we have legends like Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle involved, as well as a bonus short with Harold Lloyd. It took an immense amount of work to bring The Cook back to the public’s attention, but for silent film buffs, this release marks a landmark chance to see some previously lost material. Add in A Reckless Romeo and the bonus short Number, Please?, and this is a release that is certain to drum up a ton of interest. Below is a brief synopsis for both of the featured shorts.
1. The Cook- At the Bull Pup Cafe, Fatty Arbuckle serves as the head chef and Buster Keaton waits tables, making for an always comedic experience. As the day passes, an exotic dance distracts the entire staff and its customers, a dog makes short work out of a troublesome customer, and Keaton & Arbuckle put on a show like no other. Keaton does his best to catch every dish, while Arbuckle serves up immense laughs also. This short has no real main storyline, but is instead a series of skits inside the diner. So the skits are related, but there isn’t a central plot, so don’t expect a traditional kind of production. Even so, Keaton is hilarious and Arbuckle is on his game, plus some old school special effects sweeten the experience.
2. A Reckless Romeo- In this short, Arbuckle plays a young husband who ventures to the Palisades Amusement Park, in order to scope out the ladies. He finds himself drawn toward some beauties, but soon wishes he’d just stayed at home. As when he takes his wife and her mother to the movies, he is shocked by what is shown on the screen. A newsreel cameraman had been at the park and filmed his advances on a young woman, which was then run right on the big screen, in front of a packed house. As if his own wife and mother-in-law weren’t enough, the young girl’s boyfriend also happens to be inside the theater. Can Arbuckle escape this tense situation, or will he be forced to face the music?
Video: How does it look?
The shorts are presented in full frame, as intended. I wouldn’t even think of scoring these on a normal scale, as both clock in at well over eighty years old and were out of sight for a while, so you have to be flexible here. I have to think we’re fortunate to even be able to see these, given how much material is gone forever, so I can overlook some flaws, without question. So we have some grain, scratches, debris, and even missing frames, but think about the material and the efforts put into them to make them look this good. I’ve seen other material from this time look better, but because of the circumstances, I think these shorts look more than acceptable.
Audio: How does it sound?
These are both silent shorts, so the included stereo option is just the musical soundtrack that plays behind the material. And the music sounds good, with a clean presence that never seems to waver in the least. I wouldn’t say I liked the music or even thought it always fit the material, but on a technical scale, it sounds just fine. Not much else to discuss here, its all music and it all comes through well enough.
Supplements: What are the extras?
In addition to the bonus Harold Lloyd short Number, Please?, we have a special do-it-yourself restoration kit. You can download the raw footage the restoration experts started with, piece it together as you see fit, and then put a soundtrack behind it. A very cool feature, but one I feel most will overlook. But if you’re interested in restoration work, it makes for a fun little experience and is well worth the effort.
