. . . like "Everybody should get pied." That seems to be the idea behind KEYSTONE HOTEL, but of course Our Modern 21st Century has put a sinister spin on this offering from the always eponymous Warner Bros. While the mindless finale of the entire cast getting pie-eyed allows the Prophetic Prognosticators of Warner to foreshadow this week's ranting from the core-supporting ilk that all of us should acquire their "scourge" to promote "herd immunity," this alert may have been too subtle to preempt the Brainless Bunch's current crimes against U.S. Humanity. (Of course, the side benefit of this "culling" process is to liquidate millions of Medicare and Medicaid recipients, freeing up even more trillions to enrich a handful of American Oligarchs.) Certainly such a sobering "comedy" will leave many of Today's viewers crying in their beer, now that the chicken pot pies are coming home to roost in our faces and lungs in Real Life!
8 Reviews
There was a hit pop song in the second half of the 1900's that went something . . .
oscaralbert17 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
All The Old Comedy Hands
boblipton17 September 2020
Count Ben Turpin shows up to judge the beauty contest at the Keystone Hotel. On hand are such local luminaries as mayor Chester Conklin, police chief Ford Sterling, and hotel detective Hank Mann.
It's a straight-up, old fashioned slapstick comedy that uses the comics who prospered during the silents, usually at Mack Sennett's studio, doing gags derived from that era, complete with a collection of comics emulating the Keystone Kops; the contestants for the contest include several former Sennett Bathing Beauties, and a nice-sized pie fight. It was undoubtedly a lot of fun for those who remembered slapstick comics in the contemporary audience. As a fan of silent comedy, it was a pleasure for me.
It's a straight-up, old fashioned slapstick comedy that uses the comics who prospered during the silents, usually at Mack Sennett's studio, doing gags derived from that era, complete with a collection of comics emulating the Keystone Kops; the contestants for the contest include several former Sennett Bathing Beauties, and a nice-sized pie fight. It was undoubtedly a lot of fun for those who remembered slapstick comics in the contemporary audience. As a fan of silent comedy, it was a pleasure for me.
Big stars in their declining years
mcalfieri13 February 2021
A silent classic -- with sound
proffate12 July 2004
In 1935, somebody came up with a brilliant idea: make a talking short that would epitomize the slapstick comedies of the silent era. Silent comics, pushed into obscurity by the advent of talkies, were readily available.
Never mind about the plot; it only exists as a framework on which to hang new renditions of classic silent gags. The finale, of course, is a massive pie fight in the hotel ballroom while the Keystone Kops rush to quell the riot. Segments of the pie fight are frequently used as stock footage; it's likely that everyone has seen portions of it at one time or another.
Altogether, a nostalgic short that captures the flavor of the silent era. Good fun.
Never mind about the plot; it only exists as a framework on which to hang new renditions of classic silent gags. The finale, of course, is a massive pie fight in the hotel ballroom while the Keystone Kops rush to quell the riot. Segments of the pie fight are frequently used as stock footage; it's likely that everyone has seen portions of it at one time or another.
Altogether, a nostalgic short that captures the flavor of the silent era. Good fun.
One of the greatest comedy shorts of the sound era
2reelers1 February 2005
My specialty in the comedy shorts field are those produced by Columbia Pictures, however, "Keystone Hotel" (Warner Brothers-Vitaphone Corporation), is perhaps my all-time favorite of any comedy short from any studio. What more could one ask for in a two-reeler paying homage to the early slapstick comedy of Mack Sennett? There's plenty of everything Sennett made famous...The Keystone Kops, car chases, bathing beauties (well sort of...there is a beauty contest), pie fights, and a dream cast of former Mack Sennett players still doing what they did best some 10-20 years earlier. I highly recommend this film. It's funny, fast-paced, and a real delight to see old timers like Ben Turpin and Ford Sterling at the top of their game.
It's too bad that a series wasn't developed from this terrific crowd pleaser.
It's too bad that a series wasn't developed from this terrific crowd pleaser.
A Comic Blueprint for the Three Stooges
alonzoiii-119 January 2009
This is not the best sound comic short ever made (I would give that to either Laurel & Hardy or WC Fields), but it is a very good one, and perhaps the best illustration that much of the best of the Three Stooges really was handed down from Keystone, as the first two thirds of this really do resemble a particularly good Del Lord Stooges short. The gags surrounding cross-eyed Ben Turpin, in particular, are superb, as are the gags around a shaking reducing machine, and naughty old Keystone stalwarts gazing through keyholes.
The giant pie fight and Keystone Kops scene leave me a bit cold, though I suppose they were deemed essential in a short using old Keystone people. But, frankly, if you're the type to seek this kind of short out, you've seen all these gags before in better silent versions.
So -- definitely worth seeing, and its unfortunate (and a little odd) that Warners did not follow this one up with a series with this crew.
The giant pie fight and Keystone Kops scene leave me a bit cold, though I suppose they were deemed essential in a short using old Keystone people. But, frankly, if you're the type to seek this kind of short out, you've seen all these gags before in better silent versions.
So -- definitely worth seeing, and its unfortunate (and a little odd) that Warners did not follow this one up with a series with this crew.
The very best short comedy
thav6 May 2004
I actually thought this one was done in 1932, but that doesn't really matter. This has to be the best all time comedy short. We have here some of the very best actors & actresses of comedy from the silent years. Here we can finally hear them speak. I caught it about 15 years ago on TNT when it was a much better station not constantly showing that dog gone logo in the corner of the screen and managed to tape it. I have watched it 100's of times and never tire of it. Although many of the great old comedies has scenes that are politically incorrect which offends many these days w/ chips on their shoulders, but this one seems to be completely without. This one can never taken for real which seems to be the norm these days. This is total fun from start to finish. Starting out w/ some of the cool sappy dialogue leading into some great sight gags. Then we have the BEST pie fight I've ever seen and the great classic slap-stick of the Keystone Kops. It has all of the elements of the earlier Max Sennett silent comedies but w/ the sound, it ten times better. It may be only ten minutes in length, this short has more great belly laughs than any feature picture. See this one if you can. It may be available on tape or DVD; buy it if you can. It a classic & clean comedy from the days when we could laugh at something without foul language & sex as in today's films.
Reviving Kops And Kustard Pies
redryan6420 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
AT THE VERY beginning, let us make one thing perfectly clear. Neither Producer Mack Sennett nor the Keystone Motion Picture Company have anything to do with this production. It is the project of another well known entity altogether. It is a two reeler from the folks at Warner Brothers/Vitaphone Short Subjects Department.
TO BE SURE, it owes its very existence to the very name of "Keystone"; which is tactfully and royalty-free. Owing to there being other "Keystone" companies and municipalities so named, the Warners got its inborn name publicity for naught.
ONE COULD CONSIDER this short to be either a blatant rip-off of the old silent movies slapstick & custard pie humor or; view it as an homage to the pioneer laugh makers and to Sennett, himself. We switch-hit here; as we see it coming from both directions.
IT APPEARS THAT the producers cast every available veteran of the old comedy studios that they could. In order to insure that the production looked authentic and that the acting of the players matched up with the silent the cast featured: Ford Sterling, Ben Turpin, Chester Conklin, Hank Mann and Bert Roach-Keystone veterans all. Many other old pros from other studio rosters were also present like: Jack Duffy, Leo White and Vivian Oakland.
THE USE OF sound and a musical score was done in a very prudent manner; serving to enhance the visual as well as the verbal gags. The dialogue was not excessive and did not become a substitute for the use of the old sight gag.
WE'VE READ THAT the unexpected acclaim garnered by KEYSTONE HOTEL prompted the powers that be at Warner Brothers to consider that this be extended into a series. Anmy chance of that happening were dashed on the rocks when the players got ind of it and were demanding a hefty rai$e in their pay envelope$.
WHAT A SHAME that turned out to be for all of us!
TO BE SURE, it owes its very existence to the very name of "Keystone"; which is tactfully and royalty-free. Owing to there being other "Keystone" companies and municipalities so named, the Warners got its inborn name publicity for naught.
ONE COULD CONSIDER this short to be either a blatant rip-off of the old silent movies slapstick & custard pie humor or; view it as an homage to the pioneer laugh makers and to Sennett, himself. We switch-hit here; as we see it coming from both directions.
IT APPEARS THAT the producers cast every available veteran of the old comedy studios that they could. In order to insure that the production looked authentic and that the acting of the players matched up with the silent the cast featured: Ford Sterling, Ben Turpin, Chester Conklin, Hank Mann and Bert Roach-Keystone veterans all. Many other old pros from other studio rosters were also present like: Jack Duffy, Leo White and Vivian Oakland.
THE USE OF sound and a musical score was done in a very prudent manner; serving to enhance the visual as well as the verbal gags. The dialogue was not excessive and did not become a substitute for the use of the old sight gag.
WE'VE READ THAT the unexpected acclaim garnered by KEYSTONE HOTEL prompted the powers that be at Warner Brothers to consider that this be extended into a series. Anmy chance of that happening were dashed on the rocks when the players got ind of it and were demanding a hefty rai$e in their pay envelope$.
WHAT A SHAME that turned out to be for all of us!
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