Sherlock Jr.

First off, I thoroughly enjoyed Sherlock Jr. It was a semi-introduction into the world of slapstick comedy, as I had never seen one all the way through. But onto the actual assignment: the visual gags and stunts in Sherlock Jr. were very effective. They hold up well, despite its 1924 release date. The 13 ball that was actually a bomb came as a surprise to me actually - but in a great way. The visual stunt proved that even silent films from the 20s can get a modern viewer to laugh/respond to them. Another example from the film that held up well was when Keaton rode the barrier down and landed in the car. It showed how some things are timelessly effective, regardless of their age.

There is a clear influence that the film (and related films) had on contemporary comedy. One scene that comes to mind is the one in which Keaton follows that main villain of the narrative in his (literal) every step. There have been many modern examples that clearly mimic the scene, and a number of others that do it in a way that does not show a direct influence, but an influence that has evolved through the ages. Visual gags/stunts are still very alive today and they would not be what they are without films like Sherlock Jr.