I give this movie a 9-star rating, not because of its importance in cinema, and not entirely due to the story, but because - put simply - it made me laugh. Sherlock Jr.'s bits, body language and general comedy allow it to rival, even outperform modern slapsticks and physical comedies before even beginning to look at the story. My experience with older comedies is limited mainly to Chaplin, as I am sure is the case with many rookie film enthusiasts; this did not worsen my experience whatsoever. I was surprised to see how different the styles were, and how both this comedy and Chaplin's have very much their own identity. I loved many of the scenes in this short film, and my laugh-to-time ratio was higher than city lights (not to take away from that incredible artwork). I don't want to spoil anything, but I will point out that this film is a meta-commentary on cinema as a medium, and shows this in a beautifully effortless manner. The editing was outstanding for the time (I assume), and the exciting scenes gave me more of an adrenaline boost than nearly any action could. It's not that I don't care for modern cinema - that is frankly untrue, but commentaries frequently seem to be more effective in older, often silent films. This - I believe - is due in part to the very nature of silent films. These words may have been uttered by many before me, but a good silent film would be only held back by dialogue. Upon watching this film, I believe I see why Chaplin chose to keep creating silents long after their peak. This all being said, I am sure many will struggle to enjoy this film, but as my introduction to Buster Keaton, I think this film has served him well.
Review of Sherlock Jr.
