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5.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Blue Blazes remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're a die-hard Keaton fan, sure, go ahead. If you're looking for the tight, perfect physical comedy of his earlier stuff, you might find this one a bit sluggish. It's essentially a series of slapstick beats that don't always land with the same crispness as his masterpieces. 🚒
It’s the classic setup: a guy who clearly has no business being near an open flame ends up in a fire station. You know exactly where this is going within the first thirty seconds. He’s clumsy, the equipment is temperamental, and the hoses have a mind of their own.
There's a sequence with a ladder that just goes on forever. I swear, it feels like they left the camera rolling just to see if Buster would actually fall off. He doesn't, of course, but the tension is more about the sheer logistics of the prop than the story itself.
The pacing is a bit weird, honestly. Sometimes it moves at a frantic, breakneck speed, and then it just stops dead for a reaction shot that feels like it was filmed on a different Tuesday. It’s not quite as fluid as King Kong, obviously, but that’s an unfair comparison anyway. Still, the lack of polish gives it a weird, frantic energy that I kinda liked.
I caught myself looking at the background extras more than Buster at one point. There’s a guy in the back left of the station who clearly forgot his blocking halfway through the take. He just stands there looking at the ceiling, waiting for someone to tell him to move.
It isn't a life-changing piece of cinema. It’s just a guy doing his best to look like he’s not failing. If you enjoy the raw, unfiltered, slightly broken side of 1930s comedy, you'll probably get a kick out of it. Just don't expect a masterpiece. It's more of a, "let's see what happens if we set a dummy on fire" kind of movie.