The General 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The General 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 19, 2026

Buster Keaton's "The General" (1927) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by critic David Kalat; new video essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith; new video essay by critic Luke Ryan; archival introductions by Orson Welles and Gloria Swanson; archival raw footage from the shooting of the film; filming locations featurette; and more. Region-Free.

The text below was first used in our review of Eureka Entertainment's Blu-ray release of The General, produced in 2017.

A good friend of mine used to insist that Jan de Bont’s Speed exists only because of Buster Keaton’s The General. Of course, it was a pretty silly joke, and I don’t know of any legitimate connection between the two. However, there might actually be a little bit of truth in it because The General really is one of those monumental trendsetters that in the grand scheme of things is impossible not to consider an inspirational film. If you look closely -- and then even closer -- I guarantee you will find plenty in The General that, throughout the years, countless directors across the world have copied in their films. It is just astonishing what Keaton and everyone else who worked on The General were able to accomplish with what now plenty of people would describe as ‘primitive equipment’.

The Civil War breaks out while Johnny Gray (Keaton) is spending time with the beautiful Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack) in Marietta, Georgia. Johnny is the first in line to enlist in the Confederate Army. However, when he tells the clerk that he is a train engineer, his application is instantly rejected because he would be much more valuable with a box of tools than with a rifle in his hands. Determined not to disappoint Annabelle and her family, Johnny tries to outsmart the clerk and sign up under a different name, but promptly gets booted from the recruiting center. Johnny’s humiliating failure just about destroys his relationship with Annabelle as she angrily announces that she does not want to see him again without a uniform.

Fastforward. Union spies hijack The General, Johnny’s favorite locomotive, which will be used to destroy crucial bridges and supply stations controlled by the Confederate Army. During the operation, Annabelle is also kidnapped. Johnny then instantly vows to reclaim The General and free the girl of his dreams.

The General is truly one giant feast for the eyes. Some of the material in it is so ambitious and so dangerous that it is hard to even begin to imagine the type of coordination and precision that may have been required to get it right while the camera was rolling. Remember this when you sit down to watch the film: there are no special effects in it, only tremendous human skill and imagination.

Keaton, of course, is extraordinary, which is why many consider The General to be his finest work. The endless brilliant facial expressions and the seemingly casual but incredibly accurate movement reveal a genius at the top of his game, a true visionary whose talent was matched only by that of the iconic Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd.

The General 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Eureka Entertainment's 4K Blu-ray release of The General does not have a Blu-ray copy of the film. If you need a Blu-ray copy, you should consider tracking down this three-disc set.

The 4K Blu-ray offers a native 4K presentation of Cohen Media's 4K restoration of The General. The 4K presentation can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I viewed it with HDR.

Several years ago, we reviewed this Blu-ray release, which was the first to introduce the 4K restoration of The General. At the time, I thought that the 4K restoration and its presentation were wonderful. I have not changed my mind.

The native 4K presentation is wonderful, too. It produces healthy and stable visuals, making it exceptionally easy to enjoy the film. However, I do not think that the native 4K presentation is a meaningful upgrade in quality when compared to the previous 1980p presentation. Yes, in some areas of the film, delineation is probably slightly better. However, the native 4K presentation also tends to expose more of the source limitations that the 4K restoration has retained. This development is particularly obvious during the outdoor footage in the final third of the film, where flatness and general unevenness in the visuals are exaggerated. On the other hand, the HDR grade definitely helps most of the film appear slightly richer. On my system, this was the most meaningful improvement. However, the blacks, grays, and whites are part of a grayscale that is impacted by some of the source limitations mentioned above as well. All in all, folks with very large screens could consider upgrading their Blu-ray release of The General. However, I think that the previous Blu-ray release offers an equally satisfying presentation of the 4K restoration of The General.

The General 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Music DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The film has original English intertitles.

The film is presented with Carl Davis' original score, which the lossless track handles very well. The audio has great depth and clarity, and balance is outstanding. There are no audio dropouts, pops, or digital distortions to report in our review.

The General 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic David Kalat.

• Bound for Glory - presented here is a new video essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith. In English, not subtitled. (25 min).

• A Brave Engineer - presented here is a new video essay by critic Luke Ryan. In English, not subtitled. (53 min).

• Interview with Peter Kramer - in this archival program, film historian Peter Kramer discusses the production history of The General and Buster Keaton's illustrious life and legacy. In English, not subtitled. (40 min).

• Introduction by Orson Welles - presented here is an archival filmed introduction by Orson Welles. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Introduction by Gloria Swanson - presented here is an archival filmed introduction by Gloria Swanson. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Filming Locations Featurette - in this archival featurette, John Bengston, author of Silent Echoes, discusses some of the locations in Oregon where The General was shot. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Video Tour of The General - in this archival featurette, locomotive expert Harper Harris takes a closer look at the real General and discusses the shooting of Buster Keaton's legendary film. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• Home Movie Footage - archival raw footage from the shooting of The General. Silent. (1 min).

• Booklet - a limited edition booklet featuring archival material and essays by critic Philip Kemp and animator Richard Haynes.

The General 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is pretty wild to have Buster Keaton's The General look as good as it does on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray. During the VHS and DVD eras, The General looked pretty rough, and theatrical screenings of it, which were far from ideal, were rare as well. A few nights ago, I was viewing Cohen Media's 4K restoration in native 4K, and I must say it is an amazing accomplishment that many people should be very proud of. Eureka Entertainment's 4K Blu-ray presents it with a few exclusive new bonus features. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.