At that time, he was hired as gag man and a costar. The general keaton and clyde bruckman, 1926, which he considered his favourite, was keatons last independently produced film and in many ways presents the apotheosis of his style. The wonderful gags of the founding father of visual comedy. Containing one of the most memorable chase sequences in the history of filmmaking, the general is widely considered to be keatons masterpiece. The hotel stands just a block or two west from where most the filming took place. The genius destroyed by hollywood 52 mins a new documentary on keaton and his struggles working within the hollywood studio system. In the earliest days on stage, they traveled with a medicine show that included family friend, illusionist harry.
The great classics josh jones is a writer and musician based in durham, nc. The railroad initially permitted him to do so, even providing him with a branch line to film on. Why buster keaton s the general is the one film you should watch this week duration. Get the best deals on buster keaton movie film stock when you shop the largest online selection at. When northern spies steal the general and, unwittingly, annabelle, the. I had the honor of introducing buster keatons 1926 masterpiece the general at the san francisco silent film festivals inaugural a day of silents festival held in 2014. The general is a 1926 american silent comedy film released by united artists. Why you really do need to see buster keatons the general.
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. Buster keaton plays johnny gray, a southern railroad engineer who loves his train. Kino lorber remains committed to releasing buster keaton featurelength silent films on bluray, which began almost a decade ago with several standalone and double feature discs, plus a handy boxed set rereleased last november with a few modest upgrades, to make things even more confusing. Bits of 1926 hollywood train wreck are still in row river the movie was the general, starring buster keaton. But the hotel, later renamed the cottage grove hotel, has another claim to classic comedy fame. Why, joseph frank buster keatons 1926 the general, unsung in its day but heaped with critical acclaim ever since. He is best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression that earned him the nickname the great stone face. A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meagre skills to work when he is framed. The general 1926 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The general buster keaton 1926 silent film is having something of a renaissance at the moment. Harold lloyd made us laugh as much, charlie chaplin moved us more deeply, but no one had more courage than buster. Buster keaton washes up in the general march 12, 2020 ben model leave a comment i received notice tuesday from the nypl library for the performing arts that that silent clowns film series screening of keatons our hospitality on sat march 14 was going to be cancelled. The general, as roger ebert describes it, 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. The full length featured movie of keaton was the saphead in 1920.
The general is not just the greatest of all silent comedies, it might well be the greatest of all silent films. Buster keatons greatest filmthe general civil war railroad story steam train. Thats one reason his best movies have aged better than those of his rival, charlie chaplin. Buster keaton, american film comedian and director, the great stone face, known for his deadpan expression and his imaginative and often elaborate visual comedy. A buster keaton creation that combines the classic form of his earlier manonaquest comedies with the visual heft of a civil war epic, the general isnt likely to be the favorite opus of the stars purist fans, but its the one with the trappings of ambition and historical poesy. As shown in this previous post describing how buster keaton filmed the general in cottage grove, oregon, buster and crew stayed at the bartell hotel during the production, staged the summer of 1926. Every now and then on the criticwire network an older film gets singled out for attention. Buster keaton performing stunts in the general with commentary from buster keaton rides again. The general, perhaps the greatest film ever made, and 20. Other silent actors might mug to get a point across, but keaton remained observant and collected. Joe and myra were vaudevillian comedians with a popular, everchanging variety act, giving keaton an eclectic and interesting upbringing.
In films that combined comedy with extraordinary physical risks, buster keaton played a brave spirit who. The film boasts the most sustained passages of virtuoso slapstick genius keaton. 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 melancholy behind keatons comedy, visible in his lionized great stone face, is a natural match with. Check out the official the general 1926 trailer starring buster keaton.
But its the brilliance of the gags that make him unique. The general is an american silent comedy film released by united artists inspired by the great locomotive chase, which happened in 1862. How silent filmmaker buster keaton revolutionized film. Buster keaton the general, 1926, 67 perc, amerikai. From nosferatu to the general why the 1920s is my favourite film decade chaplin and keaton made millions laugh, but silent cinemas greatest classics were the fruit of wild european fancy. The train scene from buster keatons the general is the. Together they represent a true master at his peak, and the masters of cinema series is proud to present all three films from. At the time of its initial release, the general, an actionadventurecomedy. With buster keaton, marion mack, glen cavender, jim farley. In his short video essay, buster keatonthe art of the gag, tony zhou of every frame a painting explores keatons genius and his enduring legacy. Buster keaton, who produced and directed the film, plays johnnie gray, the engineer of the general, whose.
He made numerous short films as well as such feature films as three ages, sherlock, jr. However, when it became known that the film was to be a comedy, the railroad withdrew permission and keaton had to look elsewhere. The copies previously uploaded here were either incomplete or too blurry. The story was adapted from the memoir the great locomotive chase by william pittenger. The general contains all the values of the keaton canon, in which his sense of parody the birth of a nation here and irony are supreme. The general buster keaton film analysis senses of cinema. It is set during the american civil war 186165 and highlights the theme of. The general 1926 with buster keaton is an american classic silent film period. Buster filmed the general on location in cottage grove oregon during the summer of 1926. Az buster keaton the general cimu videot frankyking nevu felhasznalo toltotte fel az film animacio kategoriaba. Buster keatons neighbors with original film score by redhooker duration.
Buster keatons the general 4k restoration official us trailer. At the time of its initial release, the general, an actionadventure comedy. Buster keaton performing stunts in the general youtube. When word got out that keaton was making a comedy of pittingers story, he was refused permission to use the general, which had survived and would laterpartly because of keatons filmbe. Preceding the show, these informational slides below prepared by the festivals artistic director anita monga, ran on a loop as people took their seats. 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. It was inspired by the great locomotive chase, a true story of an event that occurred during the american civil war. When union spies steal an engineers beloved locomotive, he pursues it singlehandedly and straight through enemy lines. Joseph frank keaton was born on october 4, 1895 in piqua, kansas, to joe keaton and myra keaton. 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. It is set during the american civil war 186165 and highlights the theme of personal redemption. This time around, its back to the well for a few of keatons biggest hits, paired with a lesser.
The general is one love in the life of johnnie gray buster keaton. Buster keaton was not the great stone face so much as a man who kept his composure in the center of chaos. The general is a 1926 silent film starring buster keaton and codirected by keaton and clyde bruckman. A complete and remastered version of this movie was released on bluray by kino international in 2009. In 1862, after spies steal his locomotive, the general, he wages a oneman battle to recover it. I know silent films can be very taxing with organ music sound track, flickering picture, washed out images and reading of the frequent dialogue cards flashing up on the screen every few minutes to keep you on the. Buster keaton wanted to use the real locomotive the general, which was at the nashville, chattanooga, and st louis union depot in chattanooga, tn. How buster keaton filmed the general chaplinkeaton. The film stars buster keaton who codirected it with clyde bruckman. The general buster keaton 1926 celluloid wicker man. The train scene from buster keatons the general is the most expensive scene in silent film history. 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 mack. Buster keaton was not the great stone face so much as a man who. Set during the civil war and based on a true incident, the film is also an authentic looking period piece, bringing the scope and realism of.
Bits of 1926 hollywood train wreck are still in row river. Would also have to rank high on any respectable list of greatest thrillers andor action movies as well. Buster keatons the general 4k restoration official us. Joseph frank keaton october 4, 1895 february 1, 1966, known professionally as buster keaton, was an american actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer. The film stars buster keaton who codirected it with clyde bruckman at the time of its initial release, the general.
In september of 1925, one of buster keatons head gag writers, clyde bruckman, was doing some research on the civil war when he found a reprint of pittengers book which was retitled the great locomotive chase in 1893. A new video interview with film scholar peter kramer discussing the general. The general, perhaps the greatest film ever made, and 20 other buster keaton classics free online. No silent moviemaker ever engaged with the machinery of modern life as resourcefully as buster keaton did. The title refers not to buster keatons character, but to his engine, the general, which figures prominently in one of the most harrowing and hilarious chase scenes ever filmed. I had the honor of introducing buster keaton s 1926 masterpiece the general at the san francisco silent film festivals inaugural a day of silents festival held in 2014. How buster keaton filmed the general chaplinkeatonlloyd film. The greatest of the silent clowns is buster keaton, not only because of what he did, but because of how he did it. Though its doubtful whether the success of the artist will actually bleed through into the industry itself and create more silent film, the interest in it is currently the highest its been for decades. The first appearance of keaton in the silent movie was in the butcher boy.
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