By 1930, what did the studio do to buster keaton?

The movie was 'The General,' starring Buster Keaton; in the scene, a real locomotive is crashed through a real burning bridge into the river, at a cost (in dollars) of more than half a million dollars

By Finn J.D. John &#; February 14,

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Oregon has a reputation as a great place to make a movie – among other reasons, because it’s generally less expensive to film here.

But the most expensive scene ever shot in a silent movie was put in the can right here in the Beaver State – just south of Cottage Grove – 84 years ago.

A s "Waterworld"?

That scene went into a movie that cost a then-staggering $, to make – and went on to become a major money-losing flop at the box office, clearing roughly $, (Remember, these are dollars.

People were buying brand-new cars in for less than $)

But history has been far kinder to it than moviegoers were in , and today, it’s widely considered one of the best movies of the silent era. Film writer Tim Dirks introduces it as “an imaginative masterpiece of dead-pan ‘Stone-Face’ Buster Keaton comedy, generally regarded as one of the greatest of all silent comedies (and Keaton's own favorite) – and undoubtedly the best train film ever made.”

Buster's Folly

The movie was “The General,” starring Buster Keaton – who also produced the film.

(And if you’re from South Lane County, you already know this story by heart.

Buster keaton the general bridge destruction And always he did it in character, playing a solemn and thoughtful man who trusts in his own ingenuity. The Union men throw another tie onto the tracks, and Keaton, with perfect aim and timing, knocks the second off by throwing the first. There were also numerous on-set accidents that contributed to the growing budget. The train is stolen by Union spies, and Johnny chases it on foot, by sidecar, by bicycle and finally with another locomotive, the Texas.

You may even have a family member who was one of the hundreds of locals hired as extras for the picture.)

In the movie, a stubborn Confederate train engineer named Johnnie has his beloved locomotive, The General, stolen by Union spies (with his girlfriend on board). He pursues them and his train into Union territory, overhears a group of Union generals planning an attack across a certain railroad bridge, and decides to repossess his train and bring it and his girlfriend back south.

A lengthy train chase ensues, with two Union trains chasing The General southward as Johnnie pulls telegraph poles down and leaves bits of his train behind to slow them. It culminates in a $42, scene (in dollars; in today's dollars, that's about $,) in which the pursuing Union train tries to cross a railroad bridge after Johnnie has set it on fire.

Buster keaton the general review Faber Music. William P. Archived from the original on May 17, Archived from the original on June 17,

The bridge collapses in the middle and the train – a full, working steam locomotive and cars, not a model – plunges into the “Rock River” below.

A half-million-dollar movie scene

In reality, it was the Row River, just south of Cottage Grove. And thousands of people came from all over the area to watch the scene being shot.

It had to be done on one take – Keaton couldn’t afford to build a new bridge, buy a new locomotive and try again. It had to be perfect.

It was.

Most of the train is now gone, but Lloyd Williams of the Cottage Grove Historical Society told reporter Meghan Kalkstein in that bits of track and steel can still be seen in the river when the water level is low.

Buster keaton the general dvd Scarecrow Press. In , The General was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. Germany United States Israel. July 2, July 2, simoncolumb.

Several years ago, a mural was painted on the side of the historic Cottage Grove Hotel downtown, commemorating the filming.

By the way, this isn’t Cottage Grove’s only claim to box-office fame. Among other projects, “Stand By Me” was filmed along some of the same railroad beds Keaton chugged along, and the parade scene from “Animal House” was filmed on Main Street there.

(Sources: Dirks, Tom.

“AMC Filmsite” (); Kalkstein, Meghan. “Remains of ‘The General,’” KVAL-TV, May 23, ; Cottage Grove Historical Society)