The Saphead (Ultimate Edition)
Directed by Herbert Blaché
Synopsis
In 1920, having served a slapstick apprenticeship in the shorts of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Buster Keaton had earned the opportunity to headline his own series of two-reel comedies. The very moment at which he emerged as a star of his own shorts, Keaton was recruited to appear in his first feature film, THE SAPHEAD, based on a popular stage play. Though Keaton was not the primary creative force behind THE SAPHEAD, as he was on his short films, it became hugely important in shaping the actor's on-screen persona: the lonely, stone-faced man thwarted by circumstance, inept at the art of romance, yet undaunted in his struggle for love within a chaotic world.
Keaton stars as Bertie Van Alstyne, the pampered son of a powerful Wall Street financier (William H. Crane). Having no other lifestyle but privilege, he wanders through a variety of misadventures - an attempt at courtship, a trip to an illegal gambling den, and a tumble onto the floor of the Stock Exchange - oblivious to the obstacles that stand before him.
| Directors: | Herbert Blaché |
|---|---|
| Country: | U.S. |
| Language: | English intertitles |
| Running Time: | 77 Minutes |
DVD Features
- Complete alternate version of THE SAPHEAD, comprised entirely of variant takes and camera angles.
- "A Pair of Sapheads," an eight-minute featurette comparing the two versions of the film.
- Buster Keaton: Life of the Party, a rare audio recording from 1962, in which Keaton recalls the memories and songs of his vaudeville youth, amid an intimate gathering of friends.
- Gallery of personal photographs from Keaton's childhood in vaudeville.
- Music arranged and directed by Robert Israel, in 2.0 Stereo and 5.1 Surround
- Music composed and performed by Ben Model, in 2.0 Stereo
Blu-ray Features
- Complete alternate version of THE SAPHEAD, comprised entirely of variant takes and camera angles.
- "A Pair of Sapheads," an eight-minute featurette comparing the two versions of the film.
- Buster Keaton: Life of the Party, a rare audio recording from 1962, in which Keaton recalls the memories and songs of his vaudeville youth, amid an intimate gathering of friends.
- Gallery of personal photographs from Keaton's childhood in vaudeville.
- Music arranged and directed by Robert Israel, in 2.0 Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Music composed and performed by Ben Model, in 2.0 Stereo