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Buster Keaton: The General/Steamboat Bill Jr. Posters
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Rating:  -
Two of the best movies ever, but you should definitely get the remastered versions with outrageous soundtracks by the Alloy Orchestra.
Rating:  -
It's strange to think that both of these films - "The General" and "Steamboat Bill Jr." flopped at the box office when they appeared in 1927 and 1928 respectively. Today both are highly regarded silent films and "The General" is considered Keaton's finest film and perhaps the greatest silent film ever made.
What bothered 1927 audiences about "The General" is what makes the film great today - it is an artful combination of suspense and comedy. However, 1920's audiences just weren't willing to accept Buster in anything but a completely comic role. "Steamboat Bill Jr." was Keaton's last film as an independent filmmaker. In fact, the most famous scene from the movie - the one with Keaton standing still as the side of a house falls around him during a hurricane with just a small window in the wall fitting over him as it falls - was the result of Keaton learning about the decision of his benefactor, Joe Schenck, to close down Keaton's studio. Keaton often said he wouldn't have done this dangerous stunt if he hadn't been so angry and upset at the time.
I personally thought the video transfer on this set bordered on being too fuzzy. I'd stick with the Kino copy if you have the money. However, if you want a quick and cheap introduction to Keaton's best silents, I'd say that this copy is satisfactory, but nothing more. If public domain quality is OK with you, then I might suggest the even more cost effective Buster Keaton Collection - 15 Shorts, 5 Movies. For only ten dollars you get both of these films at about the same quality, maybe a little better, plus three other features and 15 of Buster's silent short films.
Rating: -
The General and Steamboat Bill are two great and classic films by Buster Keaton. However, the versions presented in this collection could be better.
The General as a movie has some great drama and thrilling stunts even more so than the comedy! The comedy is somewhat subtle and personally I think Steamboat Bill Jr. is actually funnier. However, The General is a great movie in both its construction and the way it was filmed. It easily blends comedy, action and drama into the film giving it a great storybook quality as well as epic feel to it. Sometimes you thin k you are really watching scenes from the Civil War!
Steamboat Bill Jr., in some ways was actually filled with more humor and more thrilling stunts! This film contains the single most thrilling and funny shot in silent film history that is the side of a building actually and literally falling around Keaton!
I would recommend trying to find the best transfers of these films because they are true classics of the genre. For people who like slapstick comedy and epic war time storylines I recommend the modern day silent comedy The Deserter. It takes place during the American Revolutionary War and has a lot more battle footage than The General but the film is very Keatonesque in style and comedy.
All in all I would give this collection 3 stars for film quality and 5 stars for the movies themselves.
Rating: -
Since nobody took the trouble of listing WHAT is inside of this edition, I bought one just to check it out. This DVD brings two of Buster Keaton's masterpieces: The General & Steamboat Bill Jr. Both transfers are worse than the Kino edition (which is the standard for Keaton's films). Even so, Steamboat... is not bad and the music is (if I remember well) the same as in Kino's edition. The General looks a bit fuzzier, the music is old jazz and not really related to the action, but not bad. If you take in consideration that this DVD is being sold for around a dollar... I think it's worth it. Still... to appreciate Keaton at his best, buy the Kino editions.
6-15-06 P.S.: Well, I see they finally put the title to this DVD. Mission accomplished... ¿¿¿???? I also see that the price went up a little... so beware...
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