Slapstick Blog-a-Thon

Welcome to the Slapstick Blog-a-Thon! At long last the time has arrived to celebrate our favorite slapstick films and the people who make them. When I proposed the blog-a-thon I had no idea that slapstick films were so popular among film bloggers, but twenty-six writers have been generous enough to share their thoughts on this most funny and durable of cinema traditions.

Slapstick Blog-a-Thon Posts
Ouch! That's Funny by Thom at Film of the Year
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein by Pierre at Frankensteinia
Round is Funny by Edward Copeland at Edward Copeland on Film
Chaplin in Easy Street (1917) courtesy of Ray at Flickhead
Slapstick City! There's Pain in Them Thar Hills by Squish at Filmsquish.com
Best Movie Experience Ever by Sal of SilentComedians.com
The Slapstick Encyclopedia by Lloyd at Mar de Cortes Baja
Brain Donors by J.D. at Radiator Heaven
With Their Odd Little Youngster, "Buster" by Joe at The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion
Slapstick, European-style - part 1 by Luke at The Bioscope
Grounding Absurdity in Reality: Looking at 3 Short Films by Buster Keaton by Ed at Shoot the Projectionist
The Poor Soul by Bill at A Broken Heart and a Glass of Beer
Fred Karno's Army by Joe at The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion
Frankenstein Gets Knocked Off by Pierre at Frankensteinia
There's Not Enough People Being Kicked in the Butt in Cinema these Days by Beckles at Scones with Jam and Ramblings...
Slapstick, European-style - part 2 by Luke at The Bioscope
Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost (1990) by StinkyLulu at StinkyLulu
Inspired Lunacy by Anna at Verging Writer
Killed by an Ostrich by Joe at The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion
Slapstick, European-style - part 3 by Luke at The Bioscope
The Sounds of Chaplin by Dan at Cinemathematics
Slapstick at the Altar by Mike at goatdogblog
Young Frankenstein Lives Again, and Frankenstein Meets The Mermaid by Pierre at Frankensteinia
Slapstick - A Family Affair by Bob at Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind
Slapstick to Screwball by Jacqueline at Another Old Movie Blog
Steamboat Buster by Brian at Hell on Frisco Bay
The Living Cartoon by Piper at Lazy Eye Theatre
Crazy Slapstick in a Race of Rats by Emma at All About My Movies
German Expressionist Slapstick Romantic Comedy? by Thom from the archives of Film of the Year
Slapstick, European-Style - part 4 by Luke at The Bioscope
Jane Fonda and Wanda Sykes in "Monster in Law" by James Henry at Rants of a Diva
The Mechanical Comedy of Buster Keaton by AR at My Life in Movies
Don't You Know that Slapstick is Dead?! by Bob at gee bobg
Lilies of the Field Lawn by Nathaniel R at Film Experience Blog
Popeye--a belated tribute by Noel Vera at Critic After Dark

Comments

[Luke]

I've just posted my first Slapstick item, on European comedians of the pre-WWI era. I hope to be able to produce three more such posts for each day of the Blog-a-Thon.

Luke

[Ed Hardy, Jr.]

Hey, my essay "GROUNDING ABSURDITY IN REALITY: Looking at 3 Short Films by Buster Keaton" is up at http://shoottheprojectionist.blogspot.com/
2007/09/grounding-absurdity-in-reality-looking
.html

Hope you like it. There have already been some great posts today!

[Thom]

The day one turn-out was even better that I expected, and we're attracting a lot of attention around the internets too. The posts are excellent—you guys really know your slapstick. Joe Thompson is already on his second post, Pierre and Luke have hinted that more good things lie ahead at their respective blogs too, and a mass of writers who signed up haven't posted yet. Here's looking foward to another three days with this funny and creative film style!

[Beckles]

Dr Plonk review and tongue-in-cheek defence of the lost cinematic art of being kicked in the butt is up here:

http://sconeswithjamandcream.blogspot.com/2007/08/theres-not-enough-people-being-kicked.html

[Thom]

The day two box office draw of the Blog-a-Thon nearly doubled that of the opening day! Keep the great posts coming.

Check out the latest from Beckles, Luke, Pierre, and StinkyLulu.

[Movie_Star]

Thom - what a fantastic Blog-a-Thon! This has inspired me to view several slapstick comedies this weekend and my side is aching from all the laughter. Based on all the wonderful posts out there, I am certainly not alone! Thank you for spreading a little joy this weekend and I hope that this is the first of many Blog-a-Thon's that you host.

[Thom]

Thank you, Movie_Star. Happy to read that we're spreading the laughter around this weekend!

[Luke]

Slapstick, European-style part 3 now added. I'll try and come up with a concluding post tomorrow.

Luke

[Dan]

I've just put up my post on Chaplin's use of sound in The Great Dictator and City Lights. You can find it here.

[Thom]

Day Three is almost over but the blog-a-thon hasn't slowed down at all. See the latest superb slapstick posts from Anna, Joe, Luke, Dan, and Mike. One more day of celebrating slapstick to go...

[Pierre Fournier]

Hey Thom, my emails to you are bouncing. Getting a "Blocked for spam" warning. Thought you'd want to know about that.

My 3rd and final Slapstick Post is up:

"Young Frankenstein Lives Again, and Frankenstein Meets The Mermaid"

http://frankensteinia.blogspot.com/2007/09/young-frankenstein-lives-again.html

It's been a blast. Thank you very much for putting yourself through all this. Be proud, you did a helluva job.

Pierre.

[Bob Turnbull]

Hi Thom...My post is here:

http://eternalsunshineofthelogicalmind.blogspot.com/2007/09/slapstick-family-affair.html

I have to catch up on all the links you've already put up. Looks like another great blog-a-thon. Fine job.

[Jacqueline T Lynch]

I've just left my post on my blog, "Slapstick to Screwball." Thanks so much, Thom, for the opportunity to participate. There are some terrific essays contributed by the other bloggers. Looking forward to reading them all.

http://anotheroldmovieblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/slapstick-to-screwball.html

[Thom]

The fourth and final day of the blog-a-thon opens up with fantastic slapstastic posts by Pierre (his third!), Bob, Jacqueline, and Brian.

[Emma]

My entry is up!

[Luke]

Part four of the Europeans now published. Many congratulations on organising the Blog-a-Thon - a huge success, and I still haven't managed to read them all as yet.

Luke

[James Henry]

Here's my entry!

http://rantsofadiva.blogspot.com/2007/09/slapstick-blog-thon-jane-fonda-and.html

[James Henry]

I don't think that last link works. Here it is again:

http://rantsofadiva.blogspot.com/2007/09/slapstick-blog-thon-jane-fonda-and.html

[Thom]

Day four is about to set a new traffic record for the Blog-a-Thon. And no wonder! Look at the latest posts from Luke (believe it or not he's on number four!), Piper, Emma, James and a discovery from the archives of your host.

[Joe Thompson]

Thom: This is what you call a wealth of information. I just finished reading the latest entry to date, from James, and I have to say there are a lot of movies I need to find on cable or dvd. Thank you for taking all the trouble to organize this and to all the posters for sharing your knowledge and your opinions. This has been almost as much fun as two guys trying to deliver a piano up a long stairway.

Regards,
Joe Thompson ;0)