The General

Buster Keaton’s The General (1926) is a thrilling and comedic silent film set during the American Civil War. It follows the adventures of Johnnie Gray, a train engineer who must rescue his beloved locomotive, "The General," after it is stolen by Union spies.

This film is celebrated as one of Keaton’s greatest achievements. Through the combination of breathtaking stunts, masterful physical comedy, and epic action sequences, the film solidifies itself as a landmark in silent cinema.

Anthime Miller’s score for The General was the first of the series to be fully improvised. Based off of many classics of Americana and a few best kept secret, the score featured lush textures provided by two cellos, violin, horn, woodwinds, piano and percussion.

bReAd (woodwinds)

Jon Cantiello (percussion)

Josh Dent (cello)

Jeffery Edenberg, (horn)

Anthime Miller (cello, violin, piano)