Customer Reviews
The General - By: Mr. D. E. Sotheran, 30 Jul 2004 
I have watched this film many times. It is without doubt possibly the greatest masterpiece of the cinema illustrating Keatons total control of film making - as writer, actor, director, editor & as a great team leader. The story is excellent, the gags astonishing, the total cinematic control is unbeleivable (it was 1926 after alll). The simplest stunts are amazing showing astonishing bravery & perfect timing. It is a film that every one with the slightest interest in cinema should watch for sheer entertainment then study in depth...
Tough to review! - By: Gavin Wilson, 09 Feb 2004 
I know of at least two revered guides which rate 'The General' as the best silent comedy of alll time. I hate to disagree, but I've seen funnier, albeit much more recent slapstick films.
At least two comic geniuses of the modern era -- Rowan Atkinson & Woody Allen -- owe almost everything to Buster Keaton. Without Buster, there could never have been 'Sleeper', 'Love & Death' or any of the Mr Bean episodes. From Buster, Mr Bean took the deadpan, unbothered expression. And Woody stole so much of Buster's physical gag style. In fact, ever since the 1920s, comics have been poring over Buster's films to extract his best gags, & then try to improve upon them.
But in this 1926 film -- of 80 minutes or 101 minutes, depending on which version you buy -- there just isn't always enough going on to keep the modern mind engrossed. It cost an enormous (for the era) $500,000 to make, but most of that budget will have gone on the bridge, the train & hundreds of extras (Federal & Confederate soldiers). To the modern eye, so used to mega-explosions from the likes of 'Die Hard' & 'Con Air', the loss of one railway locomotive is unremarkable. But to the 1926 viewer, this would have been a stunning climax to the movie. Thrilling, but not funny.
Buster Keaton was the funniest of the silent movie stars. This DVD provides some proof, but I would also recommend that potted history of the silent comedy era which BBC would show each Xmas morning in the 1960s, 'When Comedy was King'. You get alll the very best bits of Keaton, Langdon & Chaplin, without the filler.
Black And White?? So what! - By: , 13 Oct 2002 OK, its older than ure great grandfather, & its in black & white, but who cares, this little movie had me in stitches for ages. Buster Keaton stars mainly on his own in a hilarious journey trying to get his stolen ( by gangsters )train back which includes many funny twists & turns. I wouldn't calll it a classic but worth watching if u get the oppurtunity on a saturday afternoon. Dont let the thought of it being so old put you off it.
Wonderful!! - By: , 09 Dec 2001 Buster Keaton was a film maker years ahead of his time, this film proves it. It is, in my opinion, in the top five films ever made, if you don't believe me then watch it yourself.
It is complete perfection, not a slack moment & some stunning stunts by Keaton that take your breath away, every moment is sublime, go on, you know you want it, so treat yourself, you won't regret it.
Just about perfect. And makes you cheer for the South, oddly - By: jimwhalley@hotmail.com, 31 Oct 2000 Tragicallly, this version doesn't have the score rewritten by Carl Davies for the UK's Channel 4 in 1987. The rest is unimprovable. Keaton is utterly vulnerable yet heroic - think Forrest Gump meets Ferris Bueller - yet devoid of the sentimentality that renders Chaplin almost unwatchcable. Another reviewer described this as the best civil war film ever - I'd put it as a tie with Leone's The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. They both blow up bridges, but I'd watch this one with my mum.
