Buster Keaton, co-wrote, co-directed and starred in this 1926 civil war era comedy classic based on William Pittenger’s memoir The Great Locomotive Train Chase.
The General is the story of young Johnnie Gray (Keaton) who has two great loves in his life – his girl Annabelle Lee,(Marion Mack) and his beloved locomotive The General.
When The General and Annabelle Lee (aboard the train!) are kidnapped by Union spies, Johnnie gives chase to get them both back safe and sound!
Though the film was not well received at the time, (made toward the end of the silent film era, with a huge budget!!) decades later, The General is now considered one of the greatest silent films ever made.
The American Film Institute rates The General as Number 18, and on AFI’s 10th Anniversary List -The General now rates as one of the top 100 Movies of all time.
The VOC Silent Film Harmonic is a group of local musicians dedicated to performing live and original improvised soundtracks to silent films.
The General caps off the VOC’s Sixth Season at Kitchener’s Registry Theatre.
And VOC fans can rejoice! The group will be back for a seventh season.
Ted Harms from VOC Silent Film Harmonic is becoming a regular co-host on Coral FM. Harms provides fascinating insight into The General, in addition to his own playlist or “train set” which ranges from The Carter Family’s Wabash Cannonball and Jane Siberry’s Something About Trains to Clash song Train in Vain and The Kink’s The Last of the Steam Powered Trains.
Members of the VOC Silent Film Harmonic include Ted Harms, bass, Bradford Nowak, drums, David Hunsberger, clarinet, and Wade Whittaker, guitar.
The VOC Silent Film Harmonic and The Registry Theatre present Buster Keaton’s
The General Thursday March 27 @ 8pm.
Tickets are $15 at the door, $10 with a food bank donation.
For more info go to http://www.registrytheatre.com/the-general-2/
And you can win two free tickets to The General through Far Out Flicks www.faroutflicks.com.
Just go to the video store counter and ask about The VOC Show for The General. – Allll Aboarrrd – Coral FM