Train Expert Reacts to Buster Keaton's The General

It's worth remembering that the "bad guys" in this film are Union soldiers.

I like how they crush the pilot of the 4-4-0s it's like "How to convert your 4-4-0's cowcatcher to a switching pilot in under a minute!", this is the stuff you can't do today because there aren't many pieces of this equipment left.

The expensive box office flop that is almost entirely fictional, yet became a loved movie in its later years and is seen as a railroad enthusiast’s classic

19:30 no worries, those actors probably had plenty of asbestos fabric sewn into their jackets to do that stunt "safely" ! Great video, btw. Buster Keaton is the GOAT

I'm just now realizing just how much most sessions of Derail Valley have the same vibe as buster Keaton; someone needs to make a mod for the cannon and give us a truly Explody Boy.

23:26 You'd be correct, they did indeed put a dummy in the cab, however they didn't tell any of the actors that there was dummy inside the locomotive, so all the reactions to the crash are as real and natural as they could be. They did a similar thing with the water tower at 20:11 were the actress didn't know what the joke of the scene was going to be before hand. (at least so I've heard)

At 21:49, you can see they ran the film backwards, which is a clever thing. You can see the smokestack inhaling all that smoke!

Fun Fact: The General is actually the first movie that any V&T equipment makes its silver screen debut. The equipment in question was the 16, the Ophir. While the mogul itself would be seen towards the end of the movie during the final stages of the chase, the locomotive was actually used throughout the movie off camera during some of the more ridiculous scenes, such as Keaton getting his foot stuck in that one link, holding the Texas in place while she was spinning her wheels, and making sure certain cars kept on moving for specific shots (including the one howitzer scene). And after the movie was released, the 16 was scrapped, albeit not entirely a surprise as the locomotive was extremely worn out after over 50 years of ops.

If I'm not mistaken the film was filmed in Oregon on a logging railroad, and then backdated a few 4-4-0s

You should watch "The Railrodder". it was a film done in the late 1960s in Canada with the National FIlm Board (of Canada), where Buster goes across the country on a rail service vehicle (basically a powered handcart). It is freely available from the NFB and on youtube as well.

I agree with other recommendations to check out Keaton's last film The Railrodder. But let me add the documentary that the National Film Board of Canada made about the making of The Railrodder called "Buster Keaton Rides Again". The documentary gives some great shots of Keaton setting up scenes and gags, as well as his interactions with the professional railroaders that helped make the film. The Great Stone Face was a lover of trains!

Ohhhh I loved this movie since I was a kid. There's a chance one of the guys who stole the engine was a distant relative of mine! (In the real story). I love Buster Keaton's 'The Railrodder' too, - his last movie 😁

22:00 You can see that they first brought the locomotive up there because of the steam entering the cylinder instead of leaving it lol

go to 21:49 in Hyce's video and notice that after the initial run UP the ramp, the rest of this scene was shot in reverse and that film was then played in reverse! Watch the smoke stacks gobbling up their own smoke, even as The General runs from left to right out of the screen you can see the trail of smoke returning to her stack!

I’m so glad you did a reaction to Buster’s masterpiece. (You’re right for sure—I remember we used The General as an example in film class for the basics of establishing shots and framing. ) And as to extensive stunts, FWIK Buster did do most of his train handling himself, and really enjoyed it. (16:30 is the train handling of all time.)

That army video with them trying to derail a train, was shot just a hour from me at the old abandoned Camp Claiborne in central Louisiana. I've been to the test site, now completely overgrown by miles of woods. Can still walk the old Louisiana and Gulf roadbed and see the overpass called Big Cut. Lots of railroad history in Louisiana, most of which has been forgotten sadly. (I've lost count of all the back roads I've found that used to be old logging right of ways, paved over for cars and trucks)

Fun fact- the YouTuber "Train of Thought" got drunk once and watched The General on a Livestream.

It doesn't portray an accurate representation of historical events. It does portray an accurate representation of Buster Keaton's style though. And here's the fun fact kids who don't know yet or appreciate film for what it is now; that was all live action. There was very few editing tricks they could do back then with physical film and computer graphics absolutely was not a thing back then. So Keaton riding on the front of that locomotive, he did that in person. All the spills and tumbles he takes, that's all him doing that. There's no stunt double and very rarely is there any perspective trickery going on (which would have been the main "effect" they were capable of back then.) So do yourselves a favor and check out some of Buster Keaton's old films and just know that it's some guy doing all of those stunts on camera with very editing and visual tricks available to cover up anything. And if he fails at any time, they have to set it all back up and have him do EVERYTHING from the beginning of that cut.

This is the right movie for safety breefing : How to do things correctly that you aren´t supposed to do.

The coal tressle scene at 21:50 you can see the smoke pour back into the stacks so it was filmed in reverse. I never noticed how obvious it looks until now lol