Buddy's Theatre: A Surreal Jump Into the Screen

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, if you have a soft spot for early animation-style antics or just want to see something truly weird for ten minutes, yeah, watch it. If you’re looking for a serious narrative or characters that make sense, you’ll probably want to skip this one entirely.

It’s the kind of movie that feels like someone had a fever dream about their shift at work. Buddy is just a guy trying to get through the day, but then he sees a damsel in distress and loses his mind. I mean, we’ve all been there, right? Maybe not literally jumping into the screen, but the feeling of being trapped by the movies you're showing is real.

The transition from the booth to the screen is the best part. It’s just so absurd. He grabs a reel of film and swings like he’s Tarzan. It’s physically impossible, obviously, but that’s exactly why it works.

It kind of reminded me of the frantic energy in The Finishing Touch. There’s that same sense of chaos where objects and people aren't quite obeying the laws of physics. Everything is just moving because it needs to get to the next punchline.

Also, 15 features for 15 cents? I’d pay that today just to sit in a dark room and lose my mind for an hour. The scale of the ape is a bit inconsistent, but who cares? It’s a classic trope, and it’s handled with just enough silliness to keep it fun.

There’s a weird, grainy texture to the whole thing that makes it feel like it might disintegrate if you look at it too hard. I kind of loved that. It feels like a piece of history that wasn't meant to survive this long.

If you liked the more experimental side of things like Strange Innertube, you might get a kick out of this. It’s not trying to be high art, and it doesn't try to explain itself. It just does the thing and then it’s over. Sometimes that’s enough. 🎞️