Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Back Stage: Cult G...

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

Lupino Lane is a wealthy young sap very much loved by the young hostess at the party, but not by the young clubman athlete who is his rival. The latter finds cause to eject him from the house and does so. Lane is advised to start training in a gymnasium and eventually to get his revenge. After six lessons he thinks the time has arrived, but gets himself another beating. A month later a regular bout between them is arranged and after a terrific battle Lane is again defeated. Still later he meets the girl and his rival on the links and in a rough, and tumble fight wins, only to find the girl has fled over the course with two other suitors.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Stupid, But Brave perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A man is offered a great job, but with two drawbacks: it's on the other side of the country, and he has to be there by a certain date--and he's broke. He sets out anyway, and along the way gets tangled up with escaped convicts and long-distance runners.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

The Sheriff is a "desert hero," so lucky as never to get a scratch amid all the shooting, such a remarkable shot himself that he hits the cuckoo in a clock and causes it to drop into a glass of beer below, converting it to a cocktail. He thwarts all the villains, foils all the plots, rescues the persecuted maiden, destroys the bar, closes the dance hall, and is instrumental in converting a long line of hardened gunmen to lives of usefulness as members of the Salvation Army.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Desert Hero perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Buster manages the store while Roscoe delivers the mail, taking time out for hide-and-seek with Molly. The constable, also interested in Molly, steals $300 while being observed by Buster.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

Roscoe and Buster operate a combination garage and fire station. In the first half they destroy a car left for them to clean. In the second half they go off on a false alarm and return to find their own building on fire.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Hayseed perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Reggie Hemingway is a rich broker who continually bullies his valet. World War I breaks out and the valet enlists immediately. Reggie goes to the army later and arrives at the training camp to find that his valet is now a tough sergeant in charge of the recruits.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

Fatty is the suffering spouse who comes home every night to an empty house and a neglectful wife. His wife is furious when she discovers Fatty is cheating on her with a neglected wife.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Garage perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A man, working hard to avoid work, but keeping from the local Bastille by hiring out as a furniture mover, puts over several exciting moments in guiding a grand piano to a lofty apartment.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

A man buys his first car and celebrates by taking his family and the neighbors to the country for a camping trip. In hindsight, this was a terrible idea.

Dir: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

Johnny, the tourist, picks up the girl walking back from an auto ride. She invites him to dine with her folks. The pair of crooks are also dining there and discover the value of a well on the premises. Helen's parents are warned that unless the taxes are paid that day the property will be forfeited. Johnny overhears the crooks plotting and with Helen in the flivver starts for the tax office at the same time the crooks start in their touring car. Both machines meet with difficulties, with the flivver the eventual winner.