A previous review rated this Vitaphone "short" only 2 stars. I think it deserves more. The Vitaphone short films were an important part of movie evolution. They were shown before, or between marquee films, and were a lot more interesting and entertaining than today's 15 minutes of trailers. Vaudeville was at a turning point when this short was made as it was competing with both radio and film. A lot of the sight gags used by performers couldn't be conveyed to the at-home audience except through the laughter of the studio audience. This short portrays a vaudeville troupe being filmed while playing to a radio audience. Vaudeville shows provided audiences with a variety of acts, and this short gives viewers a glimpse of the kinds of acts that could be found in live shows. This short includes an act known as the Stepping Stars, who perform a musical dance act on a staircase that has been rigged as xylophone. Think of it as what preceded the piano keyboard toy Tom Hanks used in the movie "Big", but the tune is created by four women and a man dancing on stairs. The other acts are similarly unique and creative, and showcase the talents of men and women who earned - on a daily basis - the title of entertainer.
6 Reviews
Long before Saturday Night Live began doing the same thing . . .
oscaralbert31 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
. . . Warner Bros.' psychic filmmakers were lampooning Don Juan Rump's Administration four score and three years BEFORE the fact. For instance, Warner warns We Americans of the (then) Far Future what to expect if we allow a Red Commie KGB Strongman such as Vlad "Mad Dog" Putin to install the clown of his choice into Our White House with VAUDEVILLE ("REEL #1"). REEL life begins with a half dozen Fact Twisters tumbling around Inconvenient Truths while arrayed in white, denoting the Steve Bannon\Jeff Sessions Coven of the KKK (if you watch closely, you'll see Imperial Wizard Sessions assuming his High Chair). Next, a couple tenors sing an ode to newly-installed Third Lady Melancholia Rump, voicing Don Juan's pledge to "keep her," at least until the Victoria's Angels White House Edition. Rump "Education" Secretary Betsy "Amway Calling" DeVos is then called upon to demonstrate her latest Pyramid Scheme, a nation-wide chain of for-profit Charter Learning Shacks Hell-bent on churning out heads full of mush, devoid of critical thinking skills. (Sadly, Betsy's final slide shows it's all downhill from here for America's Youth.) A geriatric complainer wraps up REEL Life by carping about a media "conspiracy" against him nine times in less than five minutes, while grousing that "this is embarrassing" on seven more occasions. Now, exactly WHO do you think that Warner Bros. is foreshadowing with this cranky old Bozo?
Two acts were pretty good, two were not very good
richspenc12 April 2017
The cute woman with the sign I liked.
The acrobatic act was pretty good with some pretty neat tumbling gymnastic skills. It must've taken an incredibly high level of work and practice to master those moves. I wonder how many times that guy injured himself learning the flip jump up onto the high chair on that pole.
The duet guys singing, I did not care for. The way they were looking straight at the camera with romantic love in their eyes while singing (singing not too good either), one would have to be a woman to enjoy watching this one.
I enjoyed the xylophone stairs. It was pretty neat for that time period seeing a device like that making that music while hopping up and down the stairs. And the women playing the music on the stairs were quite pretty.
I did not like this one. The guy was not funny, he actually acted quite creepy. And I found nothing funny about the main highlight of the clip being the guy finding harder objects to knock out the conductor, who was simply just trying to keep shoving a lead pipe into the guy's teeth? And the way he talked saying "how embarrassing", and what was the deal with his hat continuing to slip back halfway off his head and then back on again. I saw nothing even mildly amusing about any of that. And the piano falling apart every time he tried to stand on his head? And his reactions? It was just not funny. They didn't even attempt to show even two seconds of him playing his first piano notes while on his head. They should've at least done that. Was not a good skit.
The acrobatic act was pretty good with some pretty neat tumbling gymnastic skills. It must've taken an incredibly high level of work and practice to master those moves. I wonder how many times that guy injured himself learning the flip jump up onto the high chair on that pole.
The duet guys singing, I did not care for. The way they were looking straight at the camera with romantic love in their eyes while singing (singing not too good either), one would have to be a woman to enjoy watching this one.
I enjoyed the xylophone stairs. It was pretty neat for that time period seeing a device like that making that music while hopping up and down the stairs. And the women playing the music on the stairs were quite pretty.
I did not like this one. The guy was not funny, he actually acted quite creepy. And I found nothing funny about the main highlight of the clip being the guy finding harder objects to knock out the conductor, who was simply just trying to keep shoving a lead pipe into the guy's teeth? And the way he talked saying "how embarrassing", and what was the deal with his hat continuing to slip back halfway off his head and then back on again. I saw nothing even mildly amusing about any of that. And the piano falling apart every time he tried to stand on his head? And his reactions? It was just not funny. They didn't even attempt to show even two seconds of him playing his first piano notes while on his head. They should've at least done that. Was not a good skit.
Decent Look at Some Forgotten Acts
Michael_Elliott22 November 2010
Vaudeville (1934)
** (out of 4)
This Vitaphone short offers pretty much what you'd expect with a title like VAUDEVILLE as we get several acts doing their stuff be it with music or tricks. Herb Williams, Les Reis, Buster Shaver, The Honey Family, The Three Queens, Jack Pepper and His Society Pets and The Stepping Stars are just a few of the folks featured in this musical. I'm sure most of these names won't be familiar to very many people watching this short but that's the great thing about all these Vitaphone shorts and that's the fact that they can introduce you to music and acts. I'm sure many of these were probably forgotten about before the decade was over but there's always a refreshing feeling when you watch them today. That's not to say the film is a winner because it isn't. The cheap quality certainly shows during many of the numbers but at 9-minutes you really can't complain too much.
** (out of 4)
This Vitaphone short offers pretty much what you'd expect with a title like VAUDEVILLE as we get several acts doing their stuff be it with music or tricks. Herb Williams, Les Reis, Buster Shaver, The Honey Family, The Three Queens, Jack Pepper and His Society Pets and The Stepping Stars are just a few of the folks featured in this musical. I'm sure most of these names won't be familiar to very many people watching this short but that's the great thing about all these Vitaphone shorts and that's the fact that they can introduce you to music and acts. I'm sure many of these were probably forgotten about before the decade was over but there's always a refreshing feeling when you watch them today. That's not to say the film is a winner because it isn't. The cheap quality certainly shows during many of the numbers but at 9-minutes you really can't complain too much.
Mini vaudeville bill
bkoganbing27 May 2016
When vaudeville was at its height the bill would last from 2 to 2 1/2 hours whereas this short subject from Warner Brothers only runs barely over 11 minutes. But sound film which killed vaudeville also proved it's savior for posterity.
I'm sure none of these acts you know though Herb Williams had something of a reputation back in vaudeville's day. Imagine if you will these acts performing in the first 30 years of the 20th century in Chillicothe for a two week show. If they were lucky they may have gotten booking through their agents for a stint in Duluth without too much of a long layover. They might also just layover for weeks and maybe months. It was a tough life for people who only wanted to entertain.
The singing and dancing and Herb Williams comic routine are nice. More importantly their art is preserved.
I'm sure none of these acts you know though Herb Williams had something of a reputation back in vaudeville's day. Imagine if you will these acts performing in the first 30 years of the 20th century in Chillicothe for a two week show. If they were lucky they may have gotten booking through their agents for a stint in Duluth without too much of a long layover. They might also just layover for weeks and maybe months. It was a tough life for people who only wanted to entertain.
The singing and dancing and Herb Williams comic routine are nice. More importantly their art is preserved.
Four acts...none of which are memorable.
planktonrules5 March 2017
Watching "Vaudeville" is much like seeing a portion of a Vaudeville variety show...only a portion. This is because such a show would usually last a couple hours and deliver many, many acts. But since this is a Vitaphone short, you only see four acts...all introduced by a cute young lady carrying a sign. You see a decent co-ed acrobat act, Reis & Dunn who are advertised as "Wandering Minstrel" but thankfully they do NOT perform in black-face (they're okay), a bizarre dance number where four women (later joined by a man) tap up and down steps all set to bells (it was horrid) and Herb Williams doing a comedy musical act that was very light on comedy!
Despite most of these acts being pretty bad, the idea must have impressed the Vitaphone folks as they made three more films in this Vaudeville series. I haven't seen them yet but they MUST be better than this lame short!!
Despite most of these acts being pretty bad, the idea must have impressed the Vitaphone folks as they made three more films in this Vaudeville series. I haven't seen them yet but they MUST be better than this lame short!!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
