Best Buster Keaton Podcasts (2024)

1
ep. 64: The Fierce Urgency of Silent Film Music 1:10:43

2M ago1:10:43

1:10:43

In this episode: Ben talks about accompanying Laurel & Hardy’s pie fight in “The Battle of the Century”, for a decisive moment for Keaton’s character in “Steamboat Bill, Jr.”, for Ozu’s “A Story of Floating Weeds”, and for Raymond Griffith and Max Fleischer silents at the 15th TCM Classic Film Festival. Performance clips include recordings from sho…

1
BONUS: Talking Buster Keaton on North of Normal 1:17:09

2M ago1:17:09

1:17:09

Where to find Buster: A Life in Pictures Returning to NoN is Ryan Barnett, the host of the podcast "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood North". Ryan has also written a graphic novel about silent film star Buster Keaton. One of Keaton's final films was a project with the Canadian National Film Board called, "The Railrodder" (1965), so Ryan was the perfect…

1
ep. 63: Scoring Decisions and Transitions 43:54

5M ago43:54

43:54

In this episode: Ben recaps his month’s activities in March 2024, talks about the subtleties of underscoring dramatic moments when a main character thinks through an important decision, a creative way to invent main themes for a program of 7 animated shorts, accompanying a 1914 “Italian Diva” melodrama, and picking up on something about the film fr…

1
New from Knockabout Media: How I Wrote This w/ Pamela Hensley 51:34

5M ago51:34

51:34

New from Knockabout Media: How I Wrote This w/ Pamela Hensley There’s mystery within the creative process and a story behind every story. In the new podcast How I Wrote This, host Pamela Hensley sits down with acclaimed novelists, essayists, playwrights, translators, poets, and short story writers to learn more about their lives and the events that…

1
ep. 62: accompanying a Mary Pickford film on campus, Marcel Perez at the Silent Clowns, Monta Bell at MoMA, and more 51:36

7M ago51:36

51:36

In this episode: Ben accompanies Tom Mix in “Sky High” at the Library of Congress, adapting for organ some themes he originally composed for piano; Ben and Kerr discuss the importance of seeing silents with live music, and how a film may play one way when watched alone and completely differently at a show; Ben and Kerr discuss the hilarious and gif…

1
BONUS | North of Normal 1:23:24

8M ago1:23:24

1:23:24

Today, we’re lending our feed to one of our podcast friends. I was resently a guest on an episode of North of Normal, a podcast series that talks about Canadian films. In this episode the host, Andrew, and myself, discuss Guy Maddin’s 2003 feature film, the Saddest Music in the World. I hope you’ll listen, and check out other episodes in the North …

1
ep. 61: Improvising Themes for Re-Use and Development 59:52

9M ago59:52

59:52

In this episode: Ben shares his experiences accompanying the silent era blockbuster “The Big Parade”, the rare Italian film “A’ Santanotte”, Laurel & Hardy shorts, and others; he and Kerr discuss the practices of creating leitmotifs on the fly during a show, and then repeating them later in the film’s score; there’s some deep info and history on th…

1
Among Equals | The Image Makers 38:40

9M ago38:40

38:40

In this episode, we look at the factors that resulted in the dissolution of the PNIAI, what happened to the artists in the years that followed, and the group's ongoing legacy, today. Download the listening guide Hosted by Soleil Launière Produced by Ryan Barnett, Maia Foster-Sanchez and Nahka Bertrand Artwork by Caleb Ellison-Dysart Theme by Justin…

1
Among Equals | Breaking Glass 40:08

9M ago40:08

40:08

In this episode, Daphne, Jackson, Alex, Eddy, Carl, Joseph and Norval begin exhibiting together. And then, an idea starts to take form. The seven of them will form a collective; one of the first self-organized art activist groups in Canadian history. One of its main goals: to fight to establish a forum and the spaces for the voices and perspective …

1
Among Equals | Daphne's Place 32:07

10M ago32:07

32:07

In this episode, we meet Joseph Sanchez and Eddy Cobiness, and Daphne reconnects with her roots and opens her own little shop inspired by Andy Warhol's famed studio: The Factory. Download the listening guide Hosted by Soleil Launière Produced by Ryan Barnett, Maia Foster-Sanchez and Nahka Bertrand Artwork by Caleb Ellison-Dysart Theme by Justin Del…

1
Among Equals | Indians at Expo 67 37:27

10M ago37:27

37:27

In this episode, we’re looking at the quiet aftermath of Norval Morrisseau's Pollock Gallery exhibition, and what happened next for First Nations artists in the wake of his celebrated debut, including the Indians of Canada Pavilion at Expo 67. Download the listening guide Hosted by Soleil Launière Produced by Ryan Barnett, Maia Foster-Sanchez and N…

1
Introducing: Among Equals | A New Way of Seeing 30:57

10M ago30:57

30:57

Norval Morrisseau explodes onto the Canadian art scene with his inaugural exhibit at Toronto's Pollock Gallery. Daphne Odjig nurtures her gift as a precocious visual artists, and struggles with her identity as an Indigenous woman in 1930s Parry Sound. Download the listening guide. Hosted by Soleil Launière Produced by Ryan Barnett, Maia Foster-Sanc…

1
ep. 60: Music on the Road: Late Summer – Autumn 2023 1:02:12

10M ago1:02:12

1:02:12

In this episode: accompanying several films at MoMA in August of new restorations and a series of early color process silents; audience response difference between San Francisco Silent Film Festival and MoMA screening, and how this affected Ben’s score in NYC; Ben talks about pivoting when presented before a show with a change of running time or of…

1
COMING SOON: AMONG EQUALS 1:16

10M ago1:16

1:16

*COMING SOON* a new five-part series. Fifty years ago the Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporation (PNIAI) transformed the art world forever. As part of Indigenous activism happening across the Americas in the 1970s, the “Indian Group of 7” (as they were dubbed by the press at the time) asserted First Nations artistic expressions and self-d…

1
David Cronenberg | Twins 37:29

11M ago37:29

37:29

In our final episode on the life and work of filmmaker David Cronenberg, we're transported with The Fly, and seeing double with Dead Ringers. Where to find: Buster: A Life in Pictures Consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/onceinhollywoodnorth Written and Produced by Ryan Barnett | Co-producer Sonia Gemmiti. Additional voices: Matt Bar…

1
Special Announcement! 2:00

12M ago2:00

2:00

It's Canadian Thanksgiving, so we're taking this time to preview what's to come in Season 3. Where to find: Buster: A Life in Pictures Consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/onceinhollywoodnorth Written and Produced by Ryan Barnett | Co-producer Sonia Gemmiti. Additional voices: Matt Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti. Special archival audio cour…

1
David Cronenberg | The New Flesh 30:58

12M ago30:58

30:58

In this episode, David uncovers the secrets behind Videodrome and has a brush with The Dead Zone! Where to find: Buster: A Life in Pictures Consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/onceinhollywoodnorth Written and Produced by Ryan Barnett | Co-producer Sonia Gemmiti. Additional voices: Matt Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti. Special archival audio…

1
David Cronenberg | Breaking Through 26:52

12M ago26:52

26:52

In this episode, David uses his art to work through his divorce and custody battle. He releases THE BROOD on a unsuspecting public, and the quickly follows it up with SCANNERS, his first hit in America. Where to find: Buster: A Life in Pictures Consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/onceinhollywoodnorth Written and Produced by Ryan Bar…

1
David Cronenberg | Sex in the Snow 26:47

12M ago26:47

26:47

In this episode, David is raked over the coals for his film SHIVERS. Will he kowtow to critics and censors as he attempts to mount his sophomore effort, a horror picture called "Mosquitoes"? Where to find: Buster: A Life in Pictures Consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/onceinhollywoodnorth Written and Produced by Ryan Barnett | Co-pr…

1
David Cronenberg | How to Lose Friends and Alienate Funders 27:07

1y ago27:07

27:07

In this episode, David is back from the Cannes Film Festival and he has a fire in his belly to make movies. He pens the script for a horror film entitled Orgy of the Blood Parasites. But getting his picture funded proves harder than he thought. Where to find: Buster: A Life in Pictures Consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/onceinholly…

1
David Cronenberg | From the Drain 25:27

1y ago25:27

25:27

DEAD RINGERS. THE FLY. VIDEODROME. SCANNERS. The films of David Cronenberg have delighted horror fans, grossed out audiences and challenged censors for the last five decades. His name was at one time cursed in the halls of parliament for using public film funding—Canadian tax dollars—to make movies like SHIVERS and RABID; films that earned him the …

1
ep. 59: San Francisco Silent Film Fest, Undercrank’s 10th Anniversary, Tom Mix, and More 48:59

1y ago48:59

48:59

In this episode: Ben talks about preparing for his performance at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, his first time at the fest; his Undercrank Productions home video label celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2023; Ben talks about the two newly restored Tom Mix silent films that were released by Undercrank on Blu-ray in July; he shares some tip…

1
Season 2 | Coming September 5, 2023 0:30

1y ago0:30

0:30

DEAD RINGERS. THE FLY. VIDEODROME. SCANNERS. The films of David Cronenberg have delighted horror fans, grossed out audiences and challenged censors for the last five decades. His name was at one time cursed in the halls of parliament for using public film funding—Canadian tax dollars—to make movies like SHIVERS and RABID; films that earned him the …

1
ep. 58: “Potato Salad”, TCM Classic Film Festival, Ernie Kovacs, Undercrank Prods 10th Anniversary 1:03:05

1+ y ago1:03:05

1:03:05

In this episode: Ben talks about doing double-duty as both silent film accompanist and Blu-ray producer-distributor; Ben talks about accompanying “Clash of the Wolves” starring Rin-Tin-Tin at the TCM Classic Film Festival and the differences between this performance and the one of recording a score for this film, along; Kerr and Ben talk about the …

1
ep. 57: Recording silent film scores for Tom Mix and Rin Tin Tin 1:01:32

1+ y ago1:01:32

1:01:32

In this episode: Ben and Kerr discyss about Ben’s process for creating and recording silent film scores for home-video releases, and how it differs from scoring a silent in performance. Ben talks about composing by using the start-stop possibilities of recording in place of traditional notation, as well as using underscoring to help audiences regis…

1
ep. 56: Back to scoring silent feature films 58:40

1+ y ago58:40

58:40

In this episode: Ben and Kerr talk about the current theme music for the podcast and its impending replacement; Ben talks about playing for a recent screening of the newly restored Chaney film “The Unknown” and how he musically meets the issues of possible inadvertent laughter in this and other silent dramas; Ben and Kerr discuss Ernie Kovacs’ use …

1
ep. 55: Music for unconventional silent films and other purposes 52:59

1+ y ago52:59

52:59

In this episode: Ben talks about scoring silent films that lack a traditional narrative – films made for educational purposes – and creating music that is more “visual” than what is usually done for silents; films discussed are the 1922 “Making of a Bronze Statue” and the 1970 “Spirals” produced by the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Ben has been hired…

1
23 - Father Of The Bride (1991) 1:25:07

1+ y ago1:25:07

1:25:07

On episode 23 of Classic Movie Night, Anna and Sean talk about the 1991 film Father of the Bride.www.instagram.com/classicmovienightpodcast/www.instagram.com/annaoallen/www.instagram.com/seanjlallen/twitter.com/seanjlallenwww.seanandanna.comwww.youtube.com/channel/UC2fXDL-cYBOEojVOgA4ew8wBy Ivity Studios

1
Bonus 3 - Update & Sean's most anticipated Shows and Movies of 2023 15:30

1+ y ago15:30

15:30

In this episode Sean gives an update about what's going on with the podcast and He talks about his most anticipated shows and movies of 2023.www.instagram.com/classicmovienightpodcast/www.instagram.com/annaoallen/www.instagram.com/seanjlallen/twitter.com/seanjlallenwww.seanandanna.comwww.youtube.com/channel/UC2fXDL-cYBOEojVOgA4ew8w…

1
Bonus 2 - Update & Sean's TOP 111 Movies, Shows, and Games of 2022. 57:03

1+ y ago57:03

57:03

In this episode Sean gives an update about what's going on with the podcast and He talks about his top 111 shows, movies, and games of 2022.www.instagram.com/classicmovienightpodcast/www.instagram.com/annaoallen/www.instagram.com/seanjlallen/twitter.com/seanjlallenwww.seanandanna.comhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2fXDL-cYBOEojVOgA4ew8w…

1
ep. 54: playing different theatre or pipe organs at shows in Oct & Nov 2022 1:03:17

1+ y ago1:03:17

1:03:17

In this episode: Ben talks about the fun and challenges of playing a number of different organs at silent film shows during October and November in Ocean Grove NJ, Ursinus College in PA, and at the historic Everett Theatre in Delaware; Ben and Kerr discuss how often to use leitmotivs and some techniques Ben uses to create themes before or during a …

1
ep. 53: underscoring “Frankenstein” (1931), leitmotifs and how often to use them, listener questions, and more. 1:02:23

2y ago1:02:23

1:02:23

In this episode: Ben reflects on his conversation with William Perry heard in the previous two episodes of the podcast; discusses how considering a show's intended audience is part of his programming process; covers the different film options for Halloween shows; talks at length about his recent live-underscoring of the 1931 "Frankenstein" at the L…

1
ep. 52: William Perry interview (part 2) – MoMA, Lillian Gish, composing orchestrally for piano, and more. 59:22

2y ago59:22

59:22

In this episode: Ben interviews composer, silent film pianist and television producer William Perry. Perry is probably best-remembered for his scores for the now-legendary television series "The Silent Years", produced by Paul Killiam, that ran for two seasons on public television, in 1971 and 1975. For twelve years Perry was the music director and…

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Buster Keaton Podcasts

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