Our Gang Follies of 1938 (1937)

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhalnd
















Michael's Movie Grade:A+

Review: One of the best Our Gang films.

This short is extremely entertaining. Many of the musical numbers are very catchy and well performed, the humor is quite funny, and as we all know the Our Gang kids were fantastic actors.
Adding to just the Our Gang kids was Henry Brandon, playing a very similar role he did in the Laurel and Hardy film Babes in Toyland. He plays this role very over the top which is just perfect and very funny here. The silly overdramatic way he takes over Alflfa's life is absolutely hilarious. Speaking of Alflfa his singing scenes are always very funny, and this features those scenes at their best. On the more serious singing side Darla had a really good voice and her performance of The Love Bug'll Get You is fantastic (she is also very funny talking about how much money the performers make). As a Cab Calloway and an Our Gang fan, I love seeing Buckwheat as Cab Buckwheat.

Our Gang made many musical shorts around this time, and I think this is the best one. This is because it is never too sappy or trying to be too sentimental, but rather it is just pure fun at it's best.

One woman in the same theater as I was watching this film said that it felt like an adult production and this is completely true. The Our Gang kids were great professionals and easily as talented as many of the adult stars that appeared in movies.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928)

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland












Michael's Movie Grade:A+

Review: Incredible movie.

This was Buster Keaton's last film as an independent filmmaker. His films were getting too expensive and he was losing money. It seemed like the way to continue making films was to go to a big studio. After this film he went to MGM, which did not allow him as much creative control as he wanted. Many film buffs accuse MGM of ruining Buster Keaton's career, Steamboat Bill Jr. was an incredible way of ending his amazing career as an independent film maker, because it is an such an amazing movie.

Naturally with this being a Buster Keaton film one of the best things about it is the humor. This film features many laugh out loud moments. The scene with the dad trying to find his son at the train stop, the trying on hats sequence and the jail sequence are just a few of the bits from this movie that are pure comedy gold.

However there is even more to recommend here. The relationship between the father and son is handled fantastically. It is very charming and even somewhat touching. The father really cares about his son, but is still very disappointed that his son is what he considers a weakling. None of his disappointment of his son, ever makes us think even for a second that he doesn't care about him. The son while being very different from his father in way looks up to and admires him. Because of this the scene in which the father breaks the ukulele is surprisingly sad.

What most people talk about when it comes to this film is the climax with the wind storm. This is very understandable as this scene is absolutely incredible. With all that can be done with special effects, this sequence has probably never been topped. It is breathtaking to just look at this scene. It seems real (in fact the methods for the scene were the house falls down were so real the cameraman didn't even look), but it is still funny. This is the type of sequence that reminds you just why we have movies.

By the way if you can ever see this movie in a theater with live musical accompaniment, like I did (childish bragging, neener neener neener), you have to, it is an incredible experience.

-Michael J. Ruhland