Film (1965)

A twenty-minute, almost totally silent film (no dialogue or music one 'shhh!') in which Buster Keaton attempts to evade observation by an all-seeing eye. But, as the film is based around ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Schneider

Writer:

Samuel Beckett

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Nell Harrison, James Karen

Cast

Credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	The Man
Nell Harrison	...	Passerby
James Karen	...	Passerby
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Susan Reed	...	Old woman

Storyline

A twenty-minute, almost totally silent film (no dialogue or music one 'shhh!') in which Buster Keaton attempts to evade observation by an all-seeing eye. But, as the film is based around Bishop Berkeley's principle 'esse est percipi' (to be is to be perceived), Keaton's very existence conspires against his efforts

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Plot Keywords:

eye | silent film | key | nap | silence | 

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Genres:

Short | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

8 January 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Samuel Beckett's Film

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Evergreen

Technical Specs

Runtime:

20 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

The story of making "Film" was the basis of a play "The Stone Face" by Sherry MacDonald. The play was read in Orlando at the 2006 New Playfest, and work shopped at the 2007 New Playfest.

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Connections

Version of Film (A Screen Play by Samuel Beckett) (1979)

User Reviews

Actually titled, The Goad?

I was under the impression this film is titled, The Goad, as a theatre prof. in college (who did her dissertation on Beckett) told my class. At the time I saw this film I thought it was weird, but I still remember it and it is an inspiration to my own short-film writing even now.