Just finished watching Buster Keaton's The General. Though I've shown it in class before and the students - to their credit - received it warmly, today was the first time I noticed a funny coincidence.
The action of the film is partially based on an actual Union raid involving the Western & Atlantic Railroad. Or, as it's emblazoned on the side of the boxcars: W. & A. R. R. Get it? War. That's neat-o.
If I could only watch one Civil War movie told from the southern perspective, this would be it. Yeah, I said it. Gone With the Wind is a bunch of hot air. Foul-smelling hot air. Rhett Butler, I'm looking at you and your false teeth.
So, if you'd like a painless introduction to silent comedies, I recommend Netflixing The General. Kino has restored it with a great soundtrack (listen for "Teddy Bears' Picnic" when Johnnie Gray is attacked in the forest by a foe worthy of a Colbert "Threat Down") and made it available here for what I think is a fair price for Keaton's genius:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment