The Buster Keaton movie Peter Jackson called “one of the great films”
New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson has developed a massive global fan base due to the incredible success of his Lord of the Rings adaptations, widely recognised to be among the greatest movie trilogies in existence. Although his body of work extends far beyond that, it is safe to say that his cinematic translations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s seminal fantasy series define his legacy because of their unparalleled impact on popular culture.
Jackson was drawn to the cinematic medium at an early age, completely mesmerised by the subversive humour of iconic works like Monty Python’s Flying Circus. As a child, he also used a Super 8 camera to shoot footage, being inspired by movies such as King Kong. As he eventually pursued it professionally in his later years, his vault of influences kept growing in size while he constructed his own elaborate cinematic spectacles.
During a conversation with Rotten Tomatoes, Jackson cited Martin Scorsese as a primary source of inspiration: “I’m a huge fan of his — but at the top, I would say Goodfellas, probably, as my favourite Scorsese film. That’s a movie that I always see when I feel that my imagination is kind of stuck and trapped, and I can’t think of a way forward. I watch Goodfellas, and suddenly, it frees me up entirely; it reminds me of what great film directing is all about.”
In addition to including the works of Steven Spielberg and George A. Romero, Jackson placed special emphasis on Buster Keaton’s brilliant comedy The General. Based on a true event that occurred during the American Civil War, the film stars Keaton as a train engineer who embarks on a whacky journey while attempting to prove his courage within the volatile landscape of war. Featuring some of Keaton’s most unbelievable stunts, it’s a true masterpiece.
When asked about his thoughts on the movie, Jackson insisted that it hadn’t aged a bit even after all these decades. According to the director, the restored version has given it a new life: “Buster Keaton’s The General… is still one of the great films of all time. They’ve just released a beautiful Blu-ray disc of that movie — so if you haven’t seen it, go get the Blu-ray and treat yourself to one of the most incredible filmmakers at the height of his power.”
Although it is now widely considered to be Keaton’s magnum opus by fans and critics, The General was deemed a failure when it was first released. However, Keaton always maintained that it was the project he was the proudest of and it eventually got its due recognition in the years that have followed. Its legacy was bolstered by other great pioneers like Orson Welles endorsing it, ensuring that Keaton’s genius is immortalised for posterity.
Watch the film below.
