For the Love of the Dame vs. The Dingbat

I just don't feel as good about The Dingbat as I would like to, though many people (and I mean MANY) think it is better than my previous effort, For the Love of the Dame. And while The Dingbat may contain the most spectacular 5 minutes I have ever shot (the end chase scene), there are minor problems that keep it from being, in my mind, as good as it should have been.
First of all, the main problem, is that it just plain isn't as funny. There are jokes throughout the movie, some of them as good or better than FTLOTD, but they aren't consistent. For the Love of the Dame packs in more humor in 7 minutes than the Dingbat does in 13.
Secondly, the storytelling. Well, I think some people would say The Dingbat is a better story, but it certainly doesn't have the magic that FTLOTD has. I feel like a whole other world was created in 'Dame', which stuck to it's rules and stayed consistent. The story made sense inside that world, and it came together very well. The Dingbat consists of three episodes of people getting mad at the dingbat, followed by a chase to conclude and bring everything together. I suppose this isn't bad, but I feel better about 'Dame'.
Third, maybe I am tainted, because it was so much harder shooting The Dingbat. The cast rarely wanted to shoot and it was very exasperating trying to get everybody involved. I had to scramble to find actors, and didn't always get the cream of the crop, though I don't think anybody would complain about the drunkards acting, or the cop for that matter. And Bryn is great as always. The store owner did as well as he could considering the circumstances. I think that Dylan (the store owner) if given the right role could be potentially funny, but I had to make him the store owner and that isn't the part he can shine in.
And finally, believe it or not, The Dingbat isn't as creative as the former. Everything in For the Love of the Dame is an idea that came from me (with the exception of the shot of Burles pulling the rope off his head). I had never seen anything like it before, and it was, in my mind, the most original and creative thing I had ever done. In The Dingbat, there are VERY few jokes/stunts that I didn't rip off from others (especially, you guessed it, Buster Keaton). I'm going to be completely honest here. The shot with me riding on the hood of the truck (it zooms fast towards the screen) was taken almost directly from Buster Keaton's "The Goat." Though, to be honest, I think I improved upon it by setting it in the dark and using headlights to hide me. But still, he originated it. The shot of me grabbing onto the back of the truck (it yanks me off screen) is taken from Buster Keaton's "Cops" though he did it better by far. The scene where I run up the stairs and pushed over the rail, hanging by one hand (you can see a pick of it in the media section) was a complete gimmick. In the context of the movie, there was little need for it. I get chased up the stairs, hang off the balcony (which was actually done, no wires no nothing. I can't tell you how many people ask me), and then run back down the stairs. No real purpose to it. But still, I don't think that takes away from anything, but in "Dame" everything had a purpose.
The Dinbat did have some creativity to it, however. The scene in the restaraunt with the drunkard and the dingbat is original. I actually am very fond of the scene, though I worry whether everybody gets the joke or not. The plot is original (to my knowledge) and most of the jokes are. In fact, there are many moments that shine in The Dingbat. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on it.

The Dingbat was a measuring stick for me. I wanted to see how I could measure up to Buster Keaton. I think, for how physically gifted I was at the time (I have since improved my abilities) I did well. I was able to put together a very silent-comedic story line (the movie could play in the 20's and fit in), strung together the best chase scene I'm ever done (which isn't saying a lot, I've only tried a couple of them), and was able to do three or four stunts that got some gasps from the audience (and gave my grandma nightmares, amazingly).
For the Love of the Dame was small, fast moving, tightly packed, very funny, creative, and consistent. The Dingbat was big, episodic, inconsistent, mildly funny and containted some spectacular sequences. The Dingbat was probably the better movie, but For the Love of the Dame was more enjoyable. Now I am working on another silent comedy that should be fast paced, big, tightly packed, very funny, consistent, and contain some spectacular stunts. It's a learning experience. Now that I've made the two movies, I think the third will blow them both out of the water.

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