The General (1926) Editing and Shot Sequence Analysis

 

Editing and cinematography within The General 

 

Buster Keaton most famous feature 1926’s the general acts as his blueprint of early cinema as vehicles to feature the skill and personality of a specific star. Keaton the eclectic gold era comedian was in the 20s at the top of his game and granted creative freedom the business and industry of cinema not designed yet into their calculated corporation it later would become. In the 20s, the heyday of Keaton, it was still designed around the idea of individuals running projects with complete individuality. Acting as star director and producer Keaton presided fully over the film and approached it with a workman’s eye of quickly and clearly expressing action and expression. 

Coming from a theatrical background Keaton was used to the comfort of the stage and its flat framing, how it could brightly and clearly express the physical feats of which he would present. Preferring a starkness of image to heighten the shock of his stunts. In the same way, Keaton shot and framed scenes with a similar starkness of shot choosing a standard height to get the maximum in frame without disorienting the audience. Though perhaps a technological limitation he additionally didn’t enlist much movement of the camera again choosing to instead use editing to move the camera to allow the audience to orient themself. 

An example being the scene with Keaton under the table at the union camp. He enters with a wide shot in the right corner with the whole room flatly shot and visible then throughout the sequence the camera cuts between flat shots above the table cutting to flat shots of Keaton under it. Prioritizing both the two actors conversating above the table or Keaton avoiding boots beneath it. This is possibly on account of Keaton's understanding of the abstract nature of the camera. Early cameras black and white and silent and as described by early reviews “only capable of capturing a spectator of reality, a ghostly vision”. On account of this Keaton would understand the limitations he was working within and so he punctuated clarity in framing in order to counteract this on both types of shots about and bellow the table Keaton makes sure all the expression of characters in understood and visible. A shot that shows this best whilst being probably being the most unique shot in the film being the one that appears with the shot reverse shot of Keaton looking through a hole in the tablecloth. First the camera showing a shot of Keaton's eye appearing in the whole perfectly lining through, then his view Annabel's face perfectly framed in the circle. 

A tendency to frame his shots being a continuous trend within his work and is one of the few signs of his expression behind the camera with all the shots mentioned prior but few a form of additional physical framing exists. In the first shot of the sequence Keaton includes the framing of a doorway its sides visible in the shots corners. Then all shots of Keaton under the table exist with in the square box of the table cloth and chairs. This again perhaps influence from the stage but also Keaton's intent to focus in on the movement of the scene framing it within the camera to close in on the action. 

The editing within sequences also seems souley motivated by movement and capturing action. Within action heavy sequences the length of shots varying but Keaton always looking to maintain pacing.  Keaton always prioritizes either himself or large set pieces, in the sequence of Keaton chasing the Union hijackers shots rarely linger on the villains whilst Keaton makes a point of accentuating those showing his feats or the trains in action. Even longer shots of action always include separation points between then there's never static action always movement be that Keaton moving logs of the track or one train shooting at another there are these points within shots that separate and section them.  

A flowing action always being maintained throughout the runtime, only about 80 minutes the movies never breaths, Keaton's animated nature constantly moving the story forward. Each shot shows what exactly what's necessary never sitting on static movement never looking at stillness the second whatever is on screen isn't principled or moving the camera a cuts. This again being an example of Keaton getting over the limitations of the time making up for the lack of camera movement with constant action on screen. 

Even in less action heavy scenes the camera prioritizes Keaton always looking for a shot reverse shot framing particularly in dialogue heavy scenes it rarely puts Keaton when he’s talking in the same shot as what he’s referring to. This adding a singularity to Keaton but also identifying him as one of the audience to react to it alongside them. The film the stage for souly him his face prioritizing the screentime. The movies silent nature limits the amount of character he can express so Keaton's big movements comes in handy thus expressing emotion for the audience to connect to. For example the scene when Keaton's and Anabelle arrive and the confederate camp and Anabelle runs to her father and hugs him. Even this still done in a shot reverse shot of Anabelle running ,longer shot of Keaton where he intersects a bit about dodging horses, shot of father daughter, shot of Keaton watching horses go. In that sequence every shot has a purpose one of the daughter finding her father to explain her emotion, then Keaton interjecting action and comedy anchoring the ton, the father and daughter recognizing Keaton setting up there later actions, Keaton watching the soldiers leave identifying his own emotions. 

These factions come together best in the final set piece of the film with the climactic ending fight scene opening with was about the longest sequence without Keaton's face where the shots linger longest on the size of all the stunts and spectacles including the crashing train and approaching armies. This then moves into a shot reverse sequence wherein it goes from large canon set piece to shot of Keaton reacting and directing where he flimsily and comedically moves. 

Fundimentally the way Keaton directs and shapes the film is whilst both around himself always focuses action. A performer first he periodizes and understood how to make a show and the factors that go into it pace, character and complete entertainment value.