Buster Keaton's THE GENERAL - 100 Years - with Live Original Score (G)

Celebrate 100 years of Buster Keaton’s The General, one of the fineset masterpieces of silent cinema, with a special screening featuring a brand-new original score performed live by Ann Palumbo and The Flicksters!

Widely regarded as one of the greatest comedies of the silent era, The General is loosely based on a real locomotive chase during the American Civil War. It follows hapless Southern railroad engineer Johnny Gray as he sets off on a madcap pursuit when his beloved locomotive and fiancée are captured by Union soldiers.

Packed with breathtaking stunts, ingenious physical comedy and Keaton’s trademark deadpan brilliance, it remains as thrilling and funny as it was a century ago.

The original score has been written by Ann Palumbo especially for the 100th annivesary screening and will be performed live by Ann and The Flicksters, featuring Paul Laszlo, Jane Andino, James Gastineau-Hills and Dion Palumbo.

There’s also a lovely connection between this film event and the tradition of silent cinema. In those days, films were usually accompanied by a pianist and often a bass player. Travelling shows would take the musicians, film and projection equipment by horse and cart to country towns, bringing the whole cinema experience with them.

Remarkably, Ann’s double bass was once used for exactly this purpose. Its appearance at Mount Vic Flicks for The General makes this screening something of a homecoming for the instrument, and a fitting tribute to a century-old film masterpiece.

Doors will open 30 minutes before the published session time, with Ann Palumbo and The Flicksters performing a 1920's live set before the screening!

We love a good excuse to dress up at Mount Vic Flicks, so feel free to add a little silent-film-era flair to your outfit.

This event is proudly supported by Blue Mountains City Council and the Blue Mountains City of the Arts Trust Grants Program.

Cast: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender

Director: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton

★★★★★ "The peak of silent cinema." ABC RADIO

★★★★★ "In these times when all risk is assumed by CGI effects, Keaton's squealing funny, exquisitely timed, death-defying leaps are all the more breathtaking." TIMES UK

★★★★★ "A hilarious comedy and a thrilling action film. The General has it all." LWL

★★★★★ "A jaw-plunging blend of physical dexterity and bravura moviemaking." TOTAL FILM

★★★★★ "Silent masterpiece is enter-train-ment for all ages." COMMON SENSE MEDIA

★★★★★ "Spectacular chases, fires and explosions are captured with fluid camerawork. There are no stunt doubles for Keaton and of course no digital effects." GUARDIAN

★★★★★ "The birth of slapstick." EMPIRE

★★★★★ "Newcomers will doubtless be surprised at the excellent pacing of the action." BBC

★★★★★ "Keaton's genius lay not just in the nuts and bolts of invention, but in the creation of an endearing character." RADIO TIMES