Buzzin' Around (1933)

This is where we can put reviews for photoplay created after the silent era.
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donnie
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Buzzin' Around (1933)

Post by donnie »

I recorded this from TCM awhile back, and only watched it today. It is a 20 minute short starring two comedy mainstays of the silent era—Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and Al St. John. It is full of the standard gags and physical comedy you expect with these two, and is pretty well-written.

The title comes from a rather strange sequence in the middle where a swarm of animated bees attack Fatty as he is driving. The bees actually make only a short appearance, the main plot featuring a mixup involving Fatty's invention of a chemical to paint on china to make it unbreakable. (You have to see it to understand.) Luke the dog, often co-starring with Fatty, makes an appearance here as well, and is involved in the hijinks.

The most interesting thing about this short to me was that this was the first time I had heard Roscoe and Al's voices. That was really odd, hearing them speak after seeing them in so many silents over the years, and their voices did not sound as I expected. I'm not sure what I expected them to sound like, but whatever it was, this wasn't it. I think I remember having the same impression the first time I heard Harold Lloyd's voice. It's almost as if we subconsciously assume, perhaps, that silent stars such as these didn't have voices, so any sound coming out of them seems odd, even if it isn't that unusual on its own terms.

All in all, an oddity, but worth 20 minutes of your time, if you're a fan of Arbuckle-style slapstick.

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Kitty
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Re: Buzzin' Around (1933)

Post by Kitty »

Cool! Thanks for this review. I've never heard of it. I didn't even make the connection that this was in the soundies section until you started talking about voices. Very intriguing!!
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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donnie
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Re: Buzzin' Around (1933)

Post by donnie »

Kitty wrote:
Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:24 pm
I didn't even make the connection that this was in the soundies section until you started talking about voices.
I almost posted it in the silents section. :) With Arbuckle and Al St. John, you naturally think silents.

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BettyLouSpence
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Re: Buzzin' Around (1933)

Post by BettyLouSpence »

That film sounds so bizarre. I need to watch this!
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
~ Cicero, Letters to Friends, Book IX Letter IV

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donnie
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Re: Buzzin' Around (1933)

Post by donnie »

BettyLouSpence wrote:
Sun Jun 14, 2020 4:45 pm
That film sounds so bizarre. I need to watch this!
I'd almost forgotten about this one. I need to watch it again myself. Here it is on the Internet Archive. Poor quality print, though watchable. But much better prints exist.

https://archive.org/details/BuzzinAround1933

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Kitty
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Re: Buzzin' Around (1933)

Post by Kitty »

I reread the initial post, and thought it was new..... Reading my response was weird because I don't remember reading this at all. :lol:
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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donnie
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Re: Buzzin' Around (1933)

Post by donnie »

Kitty wrote:
Sun Jun 14, 2020 5:53 pm
I reread the initial post, and thought it was new..... Reading my response was weird because I don't remember reading this at all. :lol:
That makes us even because I don't remember writing it. :oops: :lol:

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