The General Buster Keaton

[matthew mckeon]

Just saw "The General" on DVD. Instead of piano music, there was selections from Strauss. Not good.

Still pretty funny. Incredibly complex sight stunts and gags. The swarms of Union and Confederate infantry and cavalry were played by members of the Oregon National Guard, and the movie was shot on a web of narrow gauge RR lines that serviced lumber camps in Oregon. It struck me that when this was filmed, 1926, the CW was as distant as WWII is to us.

 

[blue_zouave]

Matthew, I was just working on a presentation I'm going to give about writing historical fiction... I made that point, except I used the word "close" instead of "far." The ACW was as close to the 1920s as WWII is to us.

I read in the book "The Reel Civil War" that a lot of the costumes used in the Civil War movies made in the '20s were actual clothing of the time. People still had those "old clothes" in their trunks.

Online, "The General" is available to watch at http://tesla.liketelevision.com/liketelevision/tuner.php?channel=845&format=movie&theme=guide

with that Strauss accompaniment, woof!!

Zou

 

[blue_zouave]

Andrews Raid site

This is an Andrews Raid website. The particular page I've linked discusses the making of "The General" (click on the picture of Buster Keaton on the cowcatcher.) Interesting for train buffs, movie buffs, and Civil War buffs!

http://www.andrewsraid.com/1863.html

Zou

 

[matthew mckeon]

Great sites, b.z., thanks.

I prefer your formulation as well, "close as"