Buster Keaton's 'The General' gets 4K restoration

Buster Keaton's 1927 film The General is hailed as one of the most culturally significant films in history. Now a 4K remaster gives it new, HD life.

Buster Keaton's 1927 film The General is hailed as one of the most culturally significant films in history. Now, almost a century after its release, it is getting a 4K restoration that has given the classic new, high-definition life. Cohen Media has released the trailer for the 4K restoration of the film, which you can watch above.

The General is an American Civil War film based on the true story of the 'Great Locomotive Chase', and sees Keaton in perhaps, his defining role. There are very few film classes you'll take as a student that won't at some point, feature Keaton and The General. In one of the film's most iconic scenes, the train is seen crashing into the river- a scene done with no props- costing a then-staggering $42,000 to film. The General ended up costing $750,000 in 1926 money to make, with that iconic scene becoming the most expensive silent-era shot ever composed. Parts of the train and track were still found in the river in 2007.

The film is ranked as the American Film Institute's 18th 'Greatest American Film' (ever made) and Orson Welles deemed it;

"The greatest comedy ever made, the greatest Civil War film ever made, and perhaps the greatest film ever made."

High praise from the man who made the greatest film ever made.

The remastered 4K edition of The General is available now via Cohen Media Group and is available on Blu-Ray at Amazon.