MASTERED FROM A 35MM ARCHIVE PRINT STRUCK FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE THE NUMBER 18 GREATEST FILM OF ALL TIME (AFI 100 YEARS... 100 MOVIES) Consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made, Buster Keaton s THE GENERAL is so brilliantly conceived and executed that it continues to inspire awe and laughter with every viewing. This Kino Ultimate 2 Disc Edition was mastered in HD from a 35mm archive print struck from the original camera negative. Rejected by the Confederate army as unfit, and taken for a coward by his beloved Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack), young Johnny Gray (Keaton) is given a chance to redeem himself when Yankee spies steal his cherished locomotive. Johnny wages a one-man war against hijackers, an errant cannon and the unpredictable hand of fate while roaring along the iron rails. Every shot has the authenticity and the unassuming correct composition of a Mathew Brady Civil War photograph, wrote film historian David Robinson, No one not even Griffith or Huston and certainly not Fleming (Gone With the Wind) caught the visual aspect of the Civil War as Keaton did. SPECIAL FEATURES: - Three musical scores to choose from: (1) Music composed and conducted by Carl Davis, performed by The Thames Silents Orchestra (in 5.1 Stereo Surround or 2.0 Stereo) (2) Music arranged and directed by Robert Israel (3) Theatre organ score by Lee Erwin - A video tour of the authentic General, presented in association with The Southern Museum - A tour of the filming locations, presented by John Bengtson, author of Silent Echoes - Behind-the-scenes home movie footage - Filmed introduction by Gloria Swanson - Filmed introduction by Orson Welles - The Buster Express, a brisk montage of train gags from throughout Keaton s career
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Official Movie Discussion
Talk about General 4K 04/26 with the 3BR community.
THE GENERAL is a 1926 silent comedy directed by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman. One of Keaton’s finest silents though it is not perhaps his funniest. His physical comedy is peerless and his direction of the elaborate action sequences involving multiple moving trains has never been topped. Made a century ago with NO CGI and Keaton did his own stunt work. Few have been able to combine comedy and spectacle so effectively. In short—Buster is the best! Newly released on Eureka 4K.
This is an enjoyable movie to see what silent comedies were like. It is deliberately silly and a bit over the top. Definitely a must watch for those who want to experience older cinema.
I did not watch any of the extras.
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