But keaton had understatement, and keaton had a keen, almost prophetic sense in knowing that his jokes would still be funny 80 years later. The film stars buster keaton who codirected it with clyde bruckman. The greatest of the silent clowns is buster keaton, not only because of what he did, but because of how he did it. It was inspired by the great locomotive chase, a true story of an event that occurred during the american civil war. Buster keaton, american film comedian and director, the great stone face, known for his deadpan expression and his imaginative and often elaborate visual comedy. Buster keaton list of movies and tv shows tv guide. Keatons the general and the pernicious myths of the. Buster keaton the general music score by angelin fonda duration. Cut to the chase by marion meade highlighted the comedians background in an attempt to shed light on the performers demons. The copies previously uploaded here were either incomplete or too blurry. The screenplay, by sidney sheldon, who also directed the film, was loosely based on keatons life but contained many factual errors and merged his three wives into one character.
In films that combined comedy with extraordinary physical risks, buster keaton played a brave spirit who. Nov 18, 2008 the generals engineer, johnny grey keaton, spends the first half racing after iton foot, handcar, bicycle, and another trainand, once he has stolen it back, the second half in flight. Buster keaton, charles reisner and clyde bruckman the general steamboat bill jr. The general is buster keaton s most memorable work. He went on to garner immense popularity earning the epithet the great stone face for his physical comedy that became his trademark. Why, joseph frank buster keaton s 1926 the general, unsung in its day but heaped with critical acclaim ever. What motion picture did no less an auteur than orson welles call the greatest comedy ever made, the greatest civil war film ever made, and perhaps the greatest film ever made. Silent film may or may not be your thing, but the work buster keaton demands to be seen, studied, and marveled at for its ingenuity. The general is one of the greatest films ever made.
The general is an american silent comedy film released by united artists inspired by the great locomotive chase, which happened in 1862. How buster keaton filmed the general chaplinkeaton. One of our goals here at ultimate movie rankings is do a career movie page on every member of the american film institutes top 50 greatest screen legends list. Johnnie loves his train the general and annabelle lee. With buster keaton, marion mack, glen cavender, jim farley. Jan 25, 2017 a complete and remastered version of this movie was released on bluray by kino international in 2009. Buster keaton plays johnny gray, a southern railroad engineer who loves his train engine, the general, almost as much as he loves annabelle lee marion.
In a comical takeoff inspired loosely by a wellknown, true story of the civil war, johnnie gray buster keaton is a young locomotive engineer in the south at the outbreak of hostilities, devoted to his sweetheart annabelle marian mack and an engine nicknamed the general. At the time of its initial release, the general, an actionadventurecomedy. It featured scores by carl davis, robert israel and lee irwin. The first appearance of keaton in the silent movie was in the butcher boy. Lesters selfconsciously wacky approach is ohsovery swingin. The general, american silent comedy film, released in 1927, starring and directed by comedian buster keaton, and cited by many film.
Consider an opening sequence in the general 1927, his masterpiece about a southern railway engineer who has only two loves in his life his locomotive and the beautiful annabelle lee. Check out the official the general 1926 trailer starring buster keaton. I have never seen a buster keaton film before and was recommended to watch the general and as i expected there was plenty of death defying stunts for the audience to feast their eyes upon. This entry was posted in buster keaton, the general and tagged buster keaton, cottage grove, how buster keaton filmed the general, keaton locations, keaton studio, san francisco silent film festival, silent comedians, silent comedies, silent movie locations, silent movies, the general, then and now. The general s engineer, johnny grey keaton, spends the first half racing after iton foot, handcar, bicycle, and another trainand, once he has stolen it back, the second half in flight. Buster keaton the general 1926 silent movie action comedy. In 1862, after spies steal his locomotive, the general, he wages a oneman battle to recover it. Theres no use trying to avoid exaggeration on this point. Buster keaton full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Mar, 2020 buster keaton, american film comedian and director, the great stone face, known for his deadpan expression and his imaginative and often elaborate visual comedy. Why buster keatons the general is the one film you should watch. The general is a civil war tale, the fictionalized account of an attempted hijacking of a confederate train called the general by union spies in 1862. Joseph frank keaton was born on october 4, 1895 in piqua, kansas, to joe keaton and myra keaton.
Happy to say that this buster keaton page is the 49th afi page leaving only mary pickford to complete. The general 1926 buster keaton the general is a 1926 american silent comedy film released by united artists. Harold lloyd made us laugh as much, charlie chaplin moved us more deeply, but no one had more courage than buster. In the earliest days on stage, they traveled with a medicine show that included family friend, illusionist harry. It is set during the american civil war 186165 and highlights the theme of personal redemption. A 1957 film biography, the buster keaton story, starring donald oconnor as keaton was released.
When the civil war begins he is turned down for service because hes more valuable as an. A railway engineer caught up in the civil war makes good, and saves his girl from the enemy. The general 1926 starring buster keaton internet archive. And the general is his comedy masterpiece, and it truthfully gets funnier every time. The railroad initially permitted him to do so, even providing him with a branch line to film on. Andrew pulver recommends buster keatons 1926 silent actioncomedy film, the general, set during the american civil war. Bits of 1926 hollywood train wreck are still in row river. Buster keaton was not the great stone face so much as a man who. The usual stuff is there trying to impress a girl, the obstacle thrown into his path, daring stunts and hijinks ensue. The general 1926 original piano score by william p. The general is a 1926 american silent comedy film released by united artists. But now its up to gray and his love, annabelle lee, to reclaim the general, recross enemy lines, and warn the confederates.
The general buster keaton film analysis senses of cinema. Even though this wasnt my favorite of buster keaton films, its still a really great one. Joe and myra were vaudevillian comedians with a popular, everchanging variety act, giving keaton an eclectic and interesting upbringing. The general 1926 film buster keaton as johnnie gray. He made numerous short films as well as such feature films as three ages, sherlock, jr.
The full length featured movie of keaton was the saphead in 1920. Buster keatons masterpiece and one of the greatest silent movies of all time was filmed in the cottage grove area in the summer of 1926. This kino ultimate 2 disc edition was mastered in hs from a 35mm archive print struck from the original camera negative. It utilised some incredible stunts and good comical tricks, but i find it rather distasteful to make a comedy about the civil war. Sep 06, 2016 in the movie, a stubborn confederate train engineer named johnnie has his beloved locomotive, the general, stolen by union spies with his girlfriend on board. However, when it became known that the film was to be a comedy, the railroad withdrew permission and keaton had to look elsewhere. Buster keaton plays johnnie gray, an engineer on the western and atlantic railroad whose train is called the general. The general, perhaps the greatest film ever made, and 20. Joe keaton disapproved of films, and buster also had reservations about the medium. He pursues them and his train into union territory, overhears a group of union generals planning an attack across a certain railroad bridge, and decides to repossess his train and bring it and his girlfriend back south. A complete and remastered version of this movie was released on bluray by kino international in 2009.
Buster keaton s the general, about a man and his engine, puts you in a world where the most comically inventive situation that could happen will happen. Sep 26, 2014 this entry was posted in buster keaton, the general and tagged buster keaton, cottage grove, how buster keaton filmed the general, keaton locations, keaton studio, san francisco silent film festival, silent comedians, silent comedies, silent movie locations, silent movies, the general, then and now. Early in the film, keaton, dressed in his sunday best, walks to his girls house. Just because youre stuck at home answering the door for trickortreaters on halloween doesnt mean you cant have a delightfully spooky evening yourself. Jan 17, 2017 sherlock jr 1924 hd movie buster keaton 0. It is really good news for movie lovers like me that his movies are available online. Chinese movies have all emotions and actions that a movie should have. Zero mostel, phil silvers, buster keaton, michael crawford movie version of the hit broadway musical by shevelove, gelbart and sondheim, with manic performances from mostel, silvers and crawford. Buster keatons pioneering 1926 film, now rereleased, more or less invented the action movie and looks even more startling than ever, writes. At the time of its initial release, the general, an actionadventure comedy.
Something big western movie in full length, english, classic cowboy film. The general, a thrilling comedy about the civil war, lifted buster keaton from the ashes of oblivion decades after his name and legacy were forgotten. Autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will. Of the three great american clowns of the silent era, charlie chaplin, buster keaton and harold lloyd, keaton has emerged, by and large, as the cinephiles favourite over chaplin, who was the greater star of his day and held the preeminent position in critics eyes for the first half of the last century. Nov 10, 2002 the greatest of the silent clowns is buster keaton, not only because of what he did, but because of how he did it. How buster keaton filmed the general chaplinkeatonlloyd.
The general, american silent comedy film, released in 1927, starring and directed by comedian buster keaton, and cited by many film historians as one of the greatest american movies. Consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made, buster keatons the general is so brilliantly conceived and executed that it continues to inspire awe and laughter with every viewing. In fact, a short while ago id have been totally fine with this. Lee bronze from charlottesville may have been chucked on the scrap heap, but what about another general, not a human but the machine piloted by. Academy honorary award winning famous yesteryear american actor, comedian, filmmaker, screenwriter, and stunt performer buster keaton began his journey in the entertainment industry as a child artist. Pixars newest movie has arrived on the streaming service early. The general is an epic of silent comedy, one of the most expensive films of its time, including an accurate historical recreation of a civil war episode, hundreds of extras, dangerous stunt sequences, and an actual locomotive falling from a burning bridge into a gorge far below.
However, one thing that did surprise me was how well the story, even in. Between 1920 and 1929, buster keaton created a peerless run of feature films that established him as arguably the greatest actordirector in the history of the movies. The generals engineer, johnny grey keaton, spends the first half racing after iton foot, handcar, bicycle, and another trainand, once he has stolen it back, the second half in flight. Audiences and critics in the 1920ies did not appreciate this extraordinary masterpiece, but buster keaton always regarded the general as. Audiences and critics in the 1920ies did not appreciate this extraordinary masterpiece, but buster keaton always regarded the general as his best film. Bits of 1926 hollywood train wreck are still in row river the movie was the general, starring buster keaton.
Nov 08, 2018 buster keaton s masterpiece and one of the greatest silent movies of all time was filmed in the cottage grove area in the summer of 1926. Not only was the movie hilarious with the constant problems that was happening on the ship but i must give a huge pound of applause to the photographers and director buster keaton. The general 1926 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Why you really do need to see buster keatons the general. Buster keaton celebrity profile check out the latest buster keaton photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Besides, buster keaton movies, i am great fond of chinese movies and dramas as well. Many critics consider the general to be the last great comedy of the silent era, and it consistently ranks as one of the greatest comedies of.
In the movie, a stubborn confederate train engineer named johnnie has his beloved locomotive, the general, stolen by union spies with his girlfriend on board. The train scene from buster keatons the general is the. Buster keatons the general, about a man and his engine, puts you in a world where the most comically inventive situation that could happen will happen. With his athleticism, precision and comic timing, keaton more.
In february 1917, keaton met roscoe fatty arbuckle at the talmadge studios in new york city, where arbuckle was under contract to joseph m. From major comic situations to throwaway gags, the general always knows what to do. At that time, he was hired as gag man and a costar. The general based on a real incident during the american civil war when a posse of northern soldiers hijacked a confederate train and a lone southern engineer found himself fighting the lot of them alone. Buster keaton, who produced and directed the film, plays johnnie gray, the engineer of the general, whose. 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. Buster keaton is one of the very greatest filmmakers ever to get behind a camera bfi buster keaton s timeless 1926 silent the general is the perfect chase movie. When union spies steal an engineers beloved locomotive, he pursues it singlehandedly and straight through enemy lines. The general itself is a truetoform keaton picture, and yes, i did laugh in places, as i always do at buster keatons work now.
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