The General (1927) [HD] 720p - Buster Keaton Riding the side rods of the train

One of the most dangerous stunts when Buster sits on one of the side rods, which connect the drivers of the locomotive. The train starts gently and gradually picks up speed as it enters a shed. The visual effect of the forlorn Buster as the motion of the side rod moves him gently up and down is very poignant. But in real life, it is nearly impossible for any engineer to start any train moving this precisely. If he had not accelerated by exactly the correct amount, the rods would have moved so fast as to send Buster flying, certainly injuring or killing him. The story goes that it took considerable persuasion on his part to convince the engineer to go through with it.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• The
• General
• Buster
• Keaton
• HD
• Train
• 1927
• 720p

[hermankatnip]

This is Keatons best preserved film so I dont think we will see him look better, Its his only surviving movie that has a print struck from the original negative..All his others are dupes of dupes.

[bproElwin]

Buster Keaton's The General on Bluray is a movie geek dream coming true.

Can't wait for his other titles in HD!!!

[Anathwin]

He just got rejected by two people, his love and the army. Keaton is known for using inanimate objects as actors and so if you think of things that way, what's cool is his other love is almost saying "It's alright, I'm here for you" and rocks him.

[MAPFWH]

@breathholdchamp Daguerrotypes.... but I got what you meant!

[cheradinine]

does anyone know how i get a copy of this film with this particular soundtrack? i can get a copy but it always has awful music to it.

[picaVpica]

@tomomontana7 It is mentioned in the wonderful 3 hr documentary of Keaton 'A Hard Act to Follow', there is also a book, 'Tempest in a Flat Hat' by Edward McPherson - apparently there are better bios' but that's the one I read.

[toffeemomma]

I have always felt that Buster Keaton was a genius, and could hold his own along side with Chaplin. Though they've been seen as contemporary rivals, they were definitively equals with different styles. I could never pick one over the other!

[tomomontana7]

How do you know the story about the long time he had to spend on convincing him to do the stunt ? Is it in a book ? If you can give me the title, the author and the editor it would be great !

[Hypnoteaseable]

So beautiful... Makes me shiver...

[southern4501isawesom]

lmao

[breathholdchamp]

amazing picture quality because of the old highly flammable acetate film. Look at some Civil War duraugatypes somtime, you can look right into the soldiers eyes. HDTV is lame compared to this stuff

[InsanelyINsane]

Amazing picture quality.