The General 4K 1926

One of the most iconic comedy blockbusters in the history of cinema. Although the film flopped at the box office upon its release, it is now rightly considered one of the most culturally and artistically important films in history.

What I like about Buster Keaton is his facial expressions, which are very precise and realistic. His image is not as memorable as, say, that of another outstanding comedian of those years, Charlie Chaplin, but thanks to his facial expressions, Buster is rightly considered one of the most outstanding comedians of the silent film era.

The film is impressive in its scope, with chase scenes, explosions, and various tricks on the railroad. The scene with the cannon fire alone, when Keaton's character chases the Northerners who hijacked the train, is both funny and exciting, and strikingly realistic. And the famous scene of the bridge collapsing with the train is one of the greatest achievements in cinema of that era in terms of spectacle.

In addition to everything else, the film has a good and instructive plot, based in part on real events, so I can safely say that I took something useful from watching it: everyone has their place in society, everyone should do what they are good at and love most, and in that place they will be much more useful to themselves and those around them.

In 1989, the film was included in the National Film Registry as a cultural and artistic treasure.

And in 2007, the American Film Institute (AFI) included The General in its list of the 100 most outstanding films in the history of American cinema, placing it in 18th place. It also ranked 18th on the AFI's list of the 100 greatest comedy films, AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs.