One of Buster Keaton’s most infamous stunts is recreated with Muppets in a unique mashup. Best known as a silent film star, Keaton remains one of the most iconic physical actors to this day. He acted in films such as Sherlock Jr. and The General as well as a number of notable silent shorts.
Now, art from @brucemccorkinda recreates one of Keaton’s most famous roles. Taking after Steamboat Bill Jr., the art replaces Keaton with Muppet star Gonzo. In the first frame, Gonzo blows his cornet, and in the second, a building falls over to reveal a cast of fourteen familiar Muppet faces including Kermit and Miss Piggy.
@brucemccorkinda captioned their post with “New commission: a Muppet version of Buster Keaton’s STEAMBOAT BILL, JR. featuring Gonzo and a cast of thousands (well, over a dozen, anyway)! Mixed media on 9 X 12″ watercolor paper. #MuppetMonday.”
Buster Keaton’s Physical Acting Genius Explained
Steamboat Bill Jr. was a 1928 silent film following the story of a riverboat captain who comes to join his father’s crew. Keaton starred as this riverboat captain, performing a number of stunts in the raucous adventure. One of the most notable stunts came from a part of the film wherein a two-tone house collapses on top of Keaton. This visual gag is the one that is recreated humorously with the Muppets in this art.
Steamboat Bill Jr. was a critical work of the silent film era both in the scale of its production design and its showcasing of the talents of Keaton. While the house collapse stunt may be his most infamous, Keaton had a number of other impressive stunts in his career that stand out. One of said stunts comes from the 1921 short film The Boat, where Keaton’s character attempts to travel by homemade boat. When cracks in the hull start to form, Keaton is sent into gymnastics at sea in an act of humorous contortion.
10 Silent Movies Every Film Buff Should See
The silent era produced some of cinema’s most influential projects. Here are 10 silent movies every film buff should check out.
Through roles in films like Steamboat Bill Jr. and The Boat, Keaton established himself as one of the most talented actors of the 1920s. His physical acting is revered today, and many still try to emulate his skill after the transition to talkies. In the case of this recent art, Keaton is even admired by human-and Muppet-kind alike.
