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| Kino Releases The General... Again; From camera negative w/ Carl Davis score | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 29 2008, 07:26 PM (553 Views) | |
| Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | Oct 29 2008, 07:26 PM Post #1 |
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Charter Member
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Few films have been released on DVD more times than Buster Keaton's THE GENERAL (only Sam Raimi's EVIL DEAD films spring to mind); and on November 11th KINO is releasing what they call the "Ultimate 2 Disc Edition." But wait... This is a double-dip (or quadruple-dip) that may just be worth picking up. For one thing, this DVD was mastered in HD from a 35mm archive print struck from the original camera negative. The clarity is supposed to be pretty striking. There's a trailer on the Kino site that looks very promising. Just as importantly, this disc includes three choices of soundtrack, and the default option is the Carl Davis score previously released on the Thames Silents' laserdisc and VHS. I used to own THE GENERAL on laserdisc, and I loved Davis' score so much that I've had trouble watching the film without it. It didn't help that the previous KINO DVD release of the film had a softer picture than my old laserdisc. I have a feeling the Ultimate 2 Disc Edition is the DVD of THE GENERAL that I've been craving since the advent of DVD. The link to the trailer above will take you to the full specs on the release, but here are the extras: * Three musical scores to choose from: o Music composed and conducted by Carl Davis, performed by The Thames Silents Orchestra (in 5.1 Stereo Surround or 2.0 Stereo) o Music arranged and directed by Robert Israel o Theatre organ score by Lee Erwin * A video tour of the authentic General, presented in association with The Southern Museum * A tour of the filming locations, presented by John Bengtson, author of Silent Echoes * Behind-the-scenes home movie footage * Filmed introduction by Gloria Swanson * Filmed introduction by Orson Welles * "The Buster Express," a brisk montage of train gags from throughout Keaton's career |
| IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF! is a movie recommendation site, focusing on forgotten classics, lesser-known gems, and oddball discoveries. https://www.bottomshelfmovies.com | |
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| Bonga | Oct 29 2008, 09:14 PM Post #2 |
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Charter Member
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I'd be interested in the tour of the filming locations. The General was filmed here in Oregon, near the town of Cottage Grove (a bit south of Eugene). I've been through three many times, and all I've been able to locate that officially commerates the filming is a garish mural on the wall of a drugstore. |
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| Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer | Mar 13 2010, 07:26 AM Post #3 |
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Sapient Balconeer
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Brothers and sisters, *slams fist down on the podium in the pulpit* we are gathered here today to talk about The General on Blu-Ray! *slams fist down on Maltin Movie Guide* I have watched quite a few Kino silent films the last few years, and this is the only one that looks like it was filmed last year! *slams a shot of tequila* the extras mentioned by Brother Ignatz in the first post are on the Blu disc. *slams fist on the monkey cage and slips on a banana peel* Brother Bonga! There is only one house left standing in town from the original shoot. In the background of many of the shots are a hill and a bluff, and that's because many scenes were shot outside of town, on 2 parallel tracks;one for the train with the actors and the other for a train with the camera. *beats a dead horse to a bloody pulp in the pulpit* if you aren't watching films in Blu-Ray (Brother Panzer) you ain't watching movies! Let us bow our heads into our popcorn bowls! Amen. Please send all tithes to Brother Brooke Somewhere Outside Of Reality, Tn. |
| It's like Rodney King used to say, "Can't we all get a bong." | |
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| CliffClaven | Mar 13 2010, 06:32 PM Post #4 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Odd favorite moment: At one point, the fleeing Yankees have released a freight car, which ends up slowing the engine Buster is driving. He is momentarily distracted by a blast of steam when a wooden tie on the tracks -- also dumped by the Yankees -- causes the freight car to derail and fall out of the way. Buster looks and realizes the freight car has vanished. He suddenly looks very suspicious, eyes shifting left and right for whoever pulled this. |
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| Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer | Mar 15 2010, 03:52 PM Post #5 |
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Sapient Balconeer
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There's a scene in the film that received a hearty laugh from me because it reminded me of myself. Early on Buster is about to enter his girlfriend's house, but he decides to put a little shine on his shoes by taking the top of his shoes and polishing them on the back of his pants legs. When I'm getting ready for work and my shoes need a little buff, I use the bottoms of my socks as a buffing rag. |
| It's like Rodney King used to say, "Can't we all get a bong." | |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Jun 28 2010, 01:11 PM Post #6 |
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Mouth Breather
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This may be the one that tips me over into Blu-Ray, if I could just figure out a place on the shelves to put the damn thing. Plus I'm going to have to rig a signal splitter because I'm not giving up my VHS/DVD recorder/player. I still have stuff on VHS that doesn't seem in any hurry to come out on DVD: Senso for one, and lots of home videos for some others. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| The Batman | Jun 28 2010, 07:05 PM Post #7 |
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Charter Member
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Mr P, I have both my Blu-Ray player and my 5-disc DVD player hooked up to my plasma TV and to switch between the two requires but the push of a button on the remote control. You can go Blu without giving up your DVD/VHS recorder, too. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
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| JazzGuyy | Jun 29 2010, 09:12 AM Post #8 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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You can always convert your VHS tapes to DVD. |
| TANSTAAFL! | |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Jun 29 2010, 09:50 AM Post #9 |
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Mouth Breather
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I am doing that, and it will take at least another year. In the meantime I need to rig up shelf space for another player and rig up some kind of splitter. Pain in the butt. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| JazzGuyy | Jun 29 2010, 10:00 AM Post #10 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Take a look at video and/or audio switches. www.monoprice.com is a good place for low-cost solutions. |
| TANSTAAFL! | |
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| JazzGuyy | Jul 1 2010, 11:43 AM Post #11 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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By the way, the new Blu-Ray of "Steamboat Bill, Jr." is getting very poor reviews. Apparently considerable processing was done to this and the contrast in many places is way too high. There are reports of facial detail washing out and other negatives with regard to picture quality. Being on a Blu-Ray is no guarantee of improved picture quality. |
| TANSTAAFL! | |
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| The Batman | Jul 1 2010, 11:53 AM Post #12 |
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Charter Member
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Thanks, Jazzy. Is this info pretty reliable? If so, I will be cancelling my order. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
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| JazzGuyy | Jul 1 2010, 12:40 PM Post #13 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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See this: http://www.doblu.com/2010/06/21/steamboat-bill-jr-review/ |
| TANSTAAFL! | |
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