The Film Genie's Universe

OK, so I know the main reason for this blog is to post my reviews of the IMDB Top 250 list and expand my knowledge of film but I watched a movie yesterday and simply had to give my opinion.

Why on Earth did these two versatile and respectable actors sign up for this piece of crap?!? OK, so there's the money but they could at least think of the dent in their reputations too. And maybe they'd always wanted to work with each other but they could have held out for something that won't go straight into the bargain bin at Blockbuster. I only bothered with movie this because my girlfriend, Sophie, had been visiting Venice at the time of production and she happened upon Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie filming 20 meters across a canal from her and wanted to spot the scene when we watched it. Wow, were we disappointed.

A masterpiece of cinematography and adventure storytelling - "The General" is the definition of how action should have been done.

It shows my complete ignorance of silent film (and American history) to say that I went into this picture thinking Keaton was playing a famous general, or at least, that a general of some kind was part of the story, perhaps somewhere along the lines of Chaplin's Dictator (this was also, I'd like to note, before I'd seen the cover to your left). I was right in some measure. There certainly was a general or two on screen, given the context of the American Civil War, however, the 'General' of the title is a locomotive engine, captured by Union troops and used to destroy communications and railroads in an attempt to win the war for the North. Luckily for the Confederates, Keaton's Johnnie Gray was the General's conductor at the time and chased tirelessly, not only to liberate his beloved train from the Union but to give warning to the Confederacy and bring the advancing troops to a standstill. And whilst there may be a change of names and a little dramatisation, OK more than a little, the story doesn't waver too far from the events of the 'Great Locomotive Chase' of 1862, a hijack that resulted in the first medal of honor recipient.

***Warning - May Contain Spoilers***

A tale of hardship, friendship and love in turn of the century Alaska - Chaplin continues to win over.

This is the film Chaplin most wanted to be remembered for and it certainly contains some of his most memorable moments: The Tramp eating his own shoe for Thanksgiving dinner, the elegant 'Oceana Roll' dance (perhaps more recognisable to a younger audience from Johnny Depp's rendition in "Benny and Joon" (1993)), the balancing-act on the edge of a cliff that Michael Caine would be proud of.... the list goes on.