The General / Three Ages Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The General / Three Ages Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 19, 2017

With 1923’s “Three Ages” and 1926’s “The General,” Buster Keaton developed into a master filmmaker with a defined interest in advancing the possibility of screen comedy to remain head of the competition. Already a household name, Keaton desired to take command of his career by testing the feature-length format, expanding ideas and storytelling while retaining his gifts for strange encounters and silly situations. “Three Ages” launched this need to achieve more with audiences, and “The General” eventually brought Keaton back to reality with a box office bomb, though, over time, it eventually achieved a stamp of approval from scholars and fans, repositioned from a disaster to one of his finest cinematic achievements.

For a review of "The General," please click here.
For a review of "Three Ages," please click here.

The General / Three Ages Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For a video review of "The General," please click here.
For a video review of "Three Ages," please click here.

The General / Three Ages Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For an audio review of "The General," please click here.
For an audio review of "Three Ages," please click here.

The General / Three Ages Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The General

• Commentary features film historians Michael Schlesinger and Stan Taffel.

• Orson Welles Introduction (12:23, SD) is taken from "The Silent Years," a film appreciation show, where the iconic moviemaker shares his love for Keaton's comedic abilities and "beautiful face." Welles talks about his personal history with Keaton and offers a wealth of clips from early shorts, all the while sucking on a cigar.

• Gloria Swanson Introduction (2:14, SD) showcases the famous actress sharing her fondness for Keaton's work, with particular attention to "The General."

• "Return of the General" (11:17, SD) is a short film on the restoration of the actual train that inspired Keaton's movie. A family favorite throughout the years, The General rides again after major repair work, dazzling riders of all ages as it tours the country.

Three Ages

• Vintage Alka-Seltzer Commercial (1:04, SD) features Buster Keaton as a frustrated mailman who can't catch a break, receiving a bit of digestive aid advice from a tiny stop-motion animated mascot named Speedy.

• "Candid Camera" (5:53, SD) is a clip from the long-running prank show, with host Arthur Godfrey setting up a skit where Keaton sits next to unsuspecting customers at a diner, using his expert physical comedy skills to turn his lunch into a grand mess of tiny accidents. In terms of television high jinks, it's remarkably tame compared to today's dedication to staged cruelty.

• "Man's Genesis" (9:12, SD) is a clip from a 1912 D.W. Griffith short that inspired Keaton to craft the varied eras of "Three Ages."

The General / Three Ages Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Restoration efforts are noticeable for "The General" and "Three Ages," and while the latter can only reach so far due to damaged elements, the double feature finds a comfortable home on Blu-ray, showcasing Keaton's ambition and his glorious slapstick construction.