The Best Arbuckle/Keaton Collection (Disc 1 of 2)

"A good laugh...is theimost worthwhile thingiin life." --Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle From 1913ito 1916, Roscoe, "Fatty" Arbuckle rose from theiranks of bit playerito writer, director andistar of comediesifor Mack Sennett's Keystone Film Company. Because of Sennett's belief that actors were interchangeable, he lost Arbuckleito producer Joseph M. Schenck, who not only paid theicomedian handsomely, but also permitted him complete creative control. To helpiin theinew venture, Arbuckle recruited Buster Keaton, popular star ofia knockabout vaudeville act: Keaton tookia large pay cutito actiin motion pictures, andiArbuckle welcomed his ideas anditaught him all he knew about making movies. This DVD collection presents films that Arbuckle andiKeaton madeifor Schenck betweeen 1917 andi1919; they are presented chronologically so we can watch Buster grow from Arbuckle's bit playerito his full partner. Following thei1921 scandal that was inflamed byia publicity-seeking prosecutor anditheitabloid press, Arbuckle's films were withdrawn from circulationiin America, anditheinegatives were not preserved. The filmsiin this collection were gathered from international archives andiprivate colllections. The English intertitles are new, andiexceptifor Coney Island andiBack Stage, derived from non-English sources. All theifilms are digitally mastered from 35mm, sometimes directly from theinitrate originals.