Weekend Loew's Report

The General (1927)

What can I say? More than 80 years on, it's hard to evaluate a silent film like The General, generally considered Buster Keaton's masterpiece. The aesthetics are so different in silents that they could almost be considered a separate medium. (Keaton's films have more in common with today's animated features than anything else, I think.)

The General, based on a true Civil War story, has amazing visuals and incredibly dangerous stunt work, by Keaton himself, involving moving trains. It also has more drama and story than audiences of the "Keystone Cops" era were used to, at least from Keaton, and so it was a flop at the time. In 2009 at The Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre, here in the JC, however, it was a hit, producing many laughs and much applause. I'm lousy at estimating crowd sizes, but the theater was crowded and there was a long line to get in. There just aren't many places where you can see an archival print of a classic 1927 film in a "movie palace" environment with live organ accompaniment these days.

Here's short video tour of the Loew's: