The Haunted House (2015 Lobster Films restoration with a Neil Brand score)

Noiduttu talo / Kummitustalo.
    US 1921. PC: Joseph M. Schenck Productions / Buster Keaton Productions. Original distributor: Metro Pictures Corporation. P: Joseph M. Schenck. D+SC: Edward F. Cline, Buster Keaton. Cin: Elgin Lessley. Technical director: Fred Gabourie. ED: Buster Keaton.
    C: Buster Keaton (bank clerk), Virginia Fox (bank president's daughter), Joe Roberts (bank cashier), Dorothy Cassil (flirty bank customer), Mark Hamilton (tallest ghost), Natalie Talmadge (fainting female bank customer).
    Loc: Bonebrake Mansion, Los Angeles (haunted house).
    Premiere: 21 Feb, 1921.
    Helsinki premiere: Apollo 19.11.1923, distributed by Adams Filmi Oy – telecast 13 Jan 1989, 6 March 1990 Yle TV1 – film control 12381 – S – 494 m.
    Lobster Films restoration (2015) with a simulation of toning and a Neil Brand piano score at 24 min.
    2K DCP screened at Kino Regina, Helsinki (Buster Keaton), 10 March 2019.

Wikipedia plot synopsis:

"Keaton plays a teller at a successful bank. Unbeknownst to him, the manager at the bank and his gang are planning on pulling off a robbery and hiding in an old house which they have rigged up with booby traps and effects to make it appear to be haunted."

"After a mishap that afternoon with Keaton getting glue all over the money and himself, he almost thwarts the gang's robbery but when the owner of the bank walks in and sees Keaton armed with a gun he assumes it was he who tried to rob it."

"Keaton flees and takes refuge in the old house; however, a troupe of actors from a theatre production are also in the house and are clad in their scary costumes (ghosts, skeletons etc) leading Keaton and the gang of robbers to believe the house actually is haunted."

"After Keaton has many encounters with the "ghosts" and the house's booby traps, he discovers the scam and the manager is revealed as being behind the robbery. As the manager is about to be taken away, he hits Keaton over the head and knocks him out before escaping."

"Next we see Keaton being awoken by two angels at the foot of a large stairway which he ascends all the way to Heaven. He asks Saint Peter to be let in but is denied and is sent all the way down to Hell. However, this is all revealed to be a dream sequence as Keaton regains consciousness in the house seconds later."

AA: The Haunted House, Buster Keaton's fifth released independent production, might not be one of his greatest, but who's complaining? In his independent productions he maintained a constantly high level of inspiration. Also The Haunted House is full of jaw-dropping incidents and inventions, sometimes flashing past in split seconds. The story takes place on three locations.

THE BANK
The first location is a bank where Buster the teller botches a burglary by spilling glue on bank notes. There is an escalating process of catastrophe comedy as everything gets stuck, including hair and trousers. On the other hand Buster is a wizard who can tell the correct amount of money just by ear while riffling through a wad of notes. In the middle of the mayhem the bank owner and the police mistake Buster for the robber, and he must escape.

THE THEATRE
"That night the Daredevil Opera Company was executing Faust – and he deserved it". Irate patrons repay an incompetent production of Faust by throwing vegetables on the actors who take flight before the fury of the audience.

THE HAUNTED HOUSE
The bank robbers' lair is "a haunted house" rigged to fool the police. For instance a staircase can turn into a slide. Buster the fugitive falls into all the traps before he realizes how the place works. Also the artists on the run from the Daredevil Opera Company find their refuge there, and Faust, Marguerite, and Mephisto emerge amongst the great race between robbers, police, and Buster.

An example of the split-second gags is a fainted Marguerite waking up between two robbers in skeleton costumes and instantly knocking them out. (This "young maiden" soprano belongs to the venerable operatic stout madam category).

A fine restoration with an appealing colour toning simulation and a reliably brisk Neil Brand piano score. The score is heard already before the image during the footage in which the opening credits are missing.