Sherlock Jr.//1924//45 Min.//Comedy
"Be careful, one of us could get hurt."
I was weary of throwing on Sherlock Jr., for the fact that it is a silent film. The only exposure that I've had to silent film is The Artist, which I thought was enjoyable, but overrated. That being said, Sherlock Jr. blew me away.
The comedy in this movie is hilarious, and the fact that Buster Keaton didn't need words to do it makes it that much more impressive. Certain scenes are constructed so well that it's unbelievable thinking about the chemistry behind them - no CGI, no wire work, no stuntmen...just Buster and his camera. I was reading afterward that he actually broke his neck during one stunt...crazy.
The basic premise of this movie is that Buster is accused of stealing his girlfriend's father's watch (an act which he is framed for). He then falls asleep at his projectionist job and imagines himself as the worlds greatest detective, Sherlock Jr. - tailing the same man who set him up in the real world for a pearl necklace.
The timing is impeccable, the comedy is just laugh out loud funny, and I had to watch several scenes all over again just to try and figure out how the hell they did them. Plus, it's only 45 minutes, which means you don't have to dedicate a lot of time to it.
My score: 9/10 (IMDB Score: 8.3/10)
Come on, finish this list. I dare you.
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