What short film did my teacher show us repeatedly in 1983?
January 3, 2007 3:12 PM Subscribe
What short film did my teacher show us repeatedly in 1983?
A really long time ago (like 1983) when I was in the third or fourth grade our teacher used to show us a few short films on Friday afternoons before letting us leave for the weekend. One of the films our teacher showed over and over featured a man who was riding for miles and miles (maybe in Europe?) on some kind of tiny yellow one-man motorized vehicle on train tracks. It was open-air, with a seat. It even had some kind of compartment where he was able to cook something (was it tea? soup?). I think at the end he reached a destination and got off.
I know this is bizarre and obscure, and the vision of it is stuck in my head. Anyone have the slightest idea what this is?
A really long time ago (like 1983) when I was in the third or fourth grade our teacher used to show us a few short films on Friday afternoons before letting us leave for the weekend. One of the films our teacher showed over and over featured a man who was riding for miles and miles (maybe in Europe?) on some kind of tiny yellow one-man motorized vehicle on train tracks. It was open-air, with a seat. It even had some kind of compartment where he was able to cook something (was it tea? soup?). I think at the end he reached a destination and got off.
I know this is bizarre and obscure, and the vision of it is stuck in my head. Anyone have the slightest idea what this is?
Best answer: That sounds like a National Film Board of Canada film produced in (I think) the sixties and starring Buster Keaton. Maybe The Railrodder?
posted by Turtles all the way down at 3:22 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by Turtles all the way down at 3:22 PM on January 3, 2007
Jinx!
posted by Turtles all the way down at 3:23 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by Turtles all the way down at 3:23 PM on January 3, 2007
I don't know if it still is available, but I rented The Railrodder through Netflix about a year ago. IIRC, it was an included extra on a Keaton CD.
posted by buggzzee23 at 3:42 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by buggzzee23 at 3:42 PM on January 3, 2007
But yes, we used to see that all the time in school. It was a long long time before I saw any other Keaton films, i.e., from the golden era of silents, etc. etc.
posted by stevil at 5:37 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by stevil at 5:37 PM on January 3, 2007
That was great. I vaguely remember that film. We showed a lot of old movies at parties when I was a kid, especially when Uncle Dan, who wasn't really our Uncle, came by- Keaton, Fields, Stan & Ollie, etc. My dad always loved Buster; I think his parents might have known him. Whatever, we got our fill and this is a really great film because almost no one was making silent film by 1965. I love the part where he reaches into the box and finds his trademark flat hat. There sure is a lot of room in that box.
posted by caddis at 6:47 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by caddis at 6:47 PM on January 3, 2007
Definitely the Railrodder. It's still around. A friend of my SO has a copy on DVD. I don't know who enjoyed it more, us old foagies or the kids. Very funny, and a great old 60s view of all the identifiable landmarks across Canada. I love the old Ottawa trainstation downtown (where I grew up). Keep after it!
posted by kch at 10:16 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by kch at 10:16 PM on January 3, 2007
Yeah it was weird seeing the train tracks beside the canal!! And no NDHQ either. And the scene shortly after crossing the river looks like Wakefield.
posted by smcniven at 4:10 AM on January 4, 2007
posted by smcniven at 4:10 AM on January 4, 2007
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Google Video here.
posted by DefendBrooklyn at 3:21 PM on January 3, 2007