Buster Keaton Short Films: Mise-en-scene
Questions in the exam could focus specifically on the ways in which mise-en-scene (colour, setting, props, costume/make-up, figure behaviour) creates meaning for audiences BUT a number of other types of questions may require you to make reference to mise-en-scene - even if the term is not in the title. Answers to questions on representation or aesthetics may be dominated by discussion of elements of mise-en-scene and you should mention mise-en-scene in essays about institutional context or social and cultural contexts and the critical debate studied for silent cinema - the realist and the expressive. To refresh your memory about the key terms for mise-en-scene, click on the links below.
Remember, questions on mise-en-scene will require you to discuss, in detail, certain scenes from at least two of the short films studied - so make sure you have at least two scenes from two different short films that you can recall in detail. In reality (time permitting) it would be a good idea to also mention another scene from a third short film.
Opening and closing scenes are always useful to know in detail but try to memorise at least one other key scene - and make sure that you are able to make brief passing references to a number of other moments in the short films. To re-familiarise yourself with the Buster Keaton short films, click on the links below.
Many scenes in Keaton’s short films take place on location rather than in constructed sets (a typical convention of silent films prior to the 1920s, before the Studio Era was truly established). These locations play an important role in many of the physical gags that dominate Keaton’s films and American silent film comedies in general.
Good examples can be found in The Scarecrow, such as the fields and hay bales where Keaton's character is shot out of a threshing machine (minus many of his clothes) and the abandoned building where Keaton’s character is chased by the dog.
In fact, there are many excellent examples of scenes being shot on location across all of Keaton's short films (the railroad track on which the house is destroyed and the streets around Los Angeles where the car stunts take place in One Week; the river the couple end up in at the end of The Scarecrow; the beach where Keaton's character shoots the bottles with the policeman's gun in The 'High Sign'; and various locations around Los Angeles where Keaton is chased by the police in Cops). Essentially, it does not matter which of these examples you use BUT just make sure that you include a number of examples and that you discuss how these locations enable the stunts and gags to develop.
Alongside shooting on location, numerous scenes in Keaton's short films take place in carefully constructed sets. Again, these provide much of the comedy as they have been constructed specifically so that Keaton is able to interact with his surroundings. A good example of this are the houses in One Week, The Scarecrow and The 'High Sign' and other locations such as the shooting gallery in The 'High Sign'.
In One Week, for example, Keaton uses a pulley to bring the over-sized, heavy piano into the house which in turn pulls the ceiling down resulting in in another character being catapulted through the roof.
Another good example is August’s house in The 'High Sign' which has been constructed with booby-traps and trapdoors, so that Keaton can emphasise stunts and physical comedy during the chase scene with the Blinking Buzzards' gang.
This interaction with the surroundings forms the basis of the humour in the opening part of The Scarecrow, where the house Keaton shares with his love rival contains numerous props that serve multiple purposes, such as the gramophone that doubles up as a cooker and the bed which becomes a piano.
Mise-en-scene - Colour
Mise-en-scene - Setting
Mise-en-scene - Props
Mise-en-scene - Costume and Make-up/Hair
Mise-en-scene - Figure Behaviour
Mise-en-scene - Setting
Mise-en-scene - Props
Mise-en-scene - Costume and Make-up/Hair
Mise-en-scene - Figure Behaviour
Opening and closing scenes are always useful to know in detail but try to memorise at least one other key scene - and make sure that you are able to make brief passing references to a number of other moments in the short films. To re-familiarise yourself with the Buster Keaton short films, click on the links below.
Many scenes in Keaton’s short films take place on location rather than in constructed sets (a typical convention of silent films prior to the 1920s, before the Studio Era was truly established). These locations play an important role in many of the physical gags that dominate Keaton’s films and American silent film comedies in general.
Good examples can be found in The Scarecrow, such as the fields and hay bales where Keaton's character is shot out of a threshing machine (minus many of his clothes) and the abandoned building where Keaton’s character is chased by the dog.
In fact, there are many excellent examples of scenes being shot on location across all of Keaton's short films (the railroad track on which the house is destroyed and the streets around Los Angeles where the car stunts take place in One Week; the river the couple end up in at the end of The Scarecrow; the beach where Keaton's character shoots the bottles with the policeman's gun in The 'High Sign'; and various locations around Los Angeles where Keaton is chased by the police in Cops). Essentially, it does not matter which of these examples you use BUT just make sure that you include a number of examples and that you discuss how these locations enable the stunts and gags to develop.
Alongside shooting on location, numerous scenes in Keaton's short films take place in carefully constructed sets. Again, these provide much of the comedy as they have been constructed specifically so that Keaton is able to interact with his surroundings. A good example of this are the houses in One Week, The Scarecrow and The 'High Sign' and other locations such as the shooting gallery in The 'High Sign'.
In One Week, for example, Keaton uses a pulley to bring the over-sized, heavy piano into the house which in turn pulls the ceiling down resulting in in another character being catapulted through the roof.
Another good example is August’s house in The 'High Sign' which has been constructed with booby-traps and trapdoors, so that Keaton can emphasise stunts and physical comedy during the chase scene with the Blinking Buzzards' gang.
This interaction with the surroundings forms the basis of the humour in the opening part of The Scarecrow, where the house Keaton shares with his love rival contains numerous props that serve multiple purposes, such as the gramophone that doubles up as a cooker and the bed which becomes a piano.
Objects and props in
Keaton’s films often function as characters and appear to take on a life of
their own (a typical convention of American silent film comedy that emphasises
physical gags and character interaction with their surroundings). This is
evident in the use of the houses in One Week, The Scarecrow and The 'High Sign' which all seem to come to life; the house in One Week, in particular, seems to
conspire against Keaton and his bride.
Here, a hurricane causes the house to spin frantically out of control which makes a focal point of Keaton’s physical stunts as he throws himself in and out of the windows repeatedly (a physical gag he repeats numerous times in The Scarecrow).
Other good examples of props that add comedy to the films include the over-sized newspaper at the beginning of The 'High Sign' which engulfs Keaton’s character as he tries to read it.
Other props in Keaton's films that are used for comic effect are the policeman’s gun that Keaton replaces with a banana in The 'High Sign' and the boxing glove used an indicator in Cops.
Keaton, as the director, draws the audience's attention to both of these props relatively early in the films, foreshadowing that they will have a comic narrative function later (the policeman pulls out the banana later when trying to apprehend a member of the Blinking Buzzards and the boxing glove indicator inevitably causes mayhem, knocking over a policeman at a traffic junction).
Each of the short films we have studied emphasises Keaton’s fascination with engineering and gadgets. He often creates and builds inventions from the props around him, such as the houses in One Week, The 'High Sign' and, most notably, The Scarecrow. Other good examples of this inventiveness (used for a comic pay-off) include the use of the bell (rigged up to a foot-pedal in the shooting gallery) in The 'High Sign' (which backfires once the dog pulling the rope attached to the bell spots a cat and chases it) and the use of the boxing glove in Cops.
Much of the comedy in Keaton's short films, alongside revolving around chases and stunts, is built on his use of mechanical objects or new-fangled, labour-saving devices. It would be worth exploring in detail the use of household furniture in The 'High Sign' and all of the props in the house in The Scarecrow (each of which have a dual purpose) so that you have a number of examples you could use in your essay. For more information on how this obsession with mechanical objects and labour-saving devices reflects the social and cultural contexts of the time, click on the link below.
Typical questions related to mise-en-scene can be found below. It is important that you attempt them, combining the notes above with your own analysis of key scenes. When practicing essays it will help with your revision if you re-watch moments from the film and pick appropriate scenes to analyse.
1. 'Mise-en-scene was central to the visual storytelling of silent cinema.' Discuss this statement with reference to key sequences from your chosen film option.
2. Explore how aspects of mise-en-scene are used to enrich meaning in your chosen film option. Make detailed reference to particular sequences in your answer.
Here, a hurricane causes the house to spin frantically out of control which makes a focal point of Keaton’s physical stunts as he throws himself in and out of the windows repeatedly (a physical gag he repeats numerous times in The Scarecrow).
Other good examples of props that add comedy to the films include the over-sized newspaper at the beginning of The 'High Sign' which engulfs Keaton’s character as he tries to read it.
Other props in Keaton's films that are used for comic effect are the policeman’s gun that Keaton replaces with a banana in The 'High Sign' and the boxing glove used an indicator in Cops.
Keaton, as the director, draws the audience's attention to both of these props relatively early in the films, foreshadowing that they will have a comic narrative function later (the policeman pulls out the banana later when trying to apprehend a member of the Blinking Buzzards and the boxing glove indicator inevitably causes mayhem, knocking over a policeman at a traffic junction).
Each of the short films we have studied emphasises Keaton’s fascination with engineering and gadgets. He often creates and builds inventions from the props around him, such as the houses in One Week, The 'High Sign' and, most notably, The Scarecrow. Other good examples of this inventiveness (used for a comic pay-off) include the use of the bell (rigged up to a foot-pedal in the shooting gallery) in The 'High Sign' (which backfires once the dog pulling the rope attached to the bell spots a cat and chases it) and the use of the boxing glove in Cops.
Much of the comedy in Keaton's short films, alongside revolving around chases and stunts, is built on his use of mechanical objects or new-fangled, labour-saving devices. It would be worth exploring in detail the use of household furniture in The 'High Sign' and all of the props in the house in The Scarecrow (each of which have a dual purpose) so that you have a number of examples you could use in your essay. For more information on how this obsession with mechanical objects and labour-saving devices reflects the social and cultural contexts of the time, click on the link below.
Typical questions related to mise-en-scene can be found below. It is important that you attempt them, combining the notes above with your own analysis of key scenes. When practicing essays it will help with your revision if you re-watch moments from the film and pick appropriate scenes to analyse.
1. 'Mise-en-scene was central to the visual storytelling of silent cinema.' Discuss this statement with reference to key sequences from your chosen film option.
OR
OR
3. With close reference to key sequences from your chosen film option, analyse how mise-en-scene is used to create meaning for the audience.
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