**This class will be taught on Zoom**
Silent film comic Buster Keaton is recognized as one of the most daring, inventive and hilarious comedians ever. (And the subject of two biographies last year.) Using copious clips, we’ll look at how Keaton’s art springs from the beginnings of comedy – the mythical Trickster – and how, without dialogue, he employs almost every other element of cinema. While Keaton’s physical courage, astonishing conceptual innovations and technical breakthroughs remain un-equalled, maybe the most remarkable aspect of his work is his acting; how the Great Stone Face is able to communicate a panoply of emotions without speaking… or even changing expression! His ability to get us to intuit and then feel feelings which are never actually shown is one of the great examples of screen performance, and the reason he became the inspiration for countless contemporary actors and filmmakers, including Jackie Chan, Johnny Depp and Tom Cruise. Join us for an overview of Keaton’s amazing career, from his first (and pretty much last) onscreen smile at age 22 to doing pratfalls at 70, scenes that show both his cinematic ingenuity and almost unbelievable physicality, including both the most expensive and the most dangerous stunts in Hollywood history. See why Orson Welles called Keaton “a supreme artist”… and, not incidentally, really really fun
