I received my copy of The General from Mont Alto yesterday. First off, I could not believe how quickly it arrived. The Google checkout link on their website wasn't working, so I sent a personal check via snail mail. I was expecting it to take weeks. I got the DVD 7 DAYS after I sent out the check. Awesome.

But anyway, this was my first time viewing the movie, and I absolutely loved it. It was hilarious and epic. It's fun to see the railroad stunts that inspired all the imitations we've seen over the last 75 years. Buster Keaton's dry pantomime is great. Very naturalistic, especially compared to Chaplin (who I really like).

The picture quality is probably the best I've seen for a pre-1930 movie on DVD. Detail is good, dirt and scratches are minimal, and the picture is stable.

As for the main thing that sets this DVD release apart from the rest - the music. Absolutely PERFECT. This is by far the best silent movie musical score I've heard. It even beats the original Nosferatu track included on the new Kino release. The tempo and mood fit every frame of the movie precisely, always ending and beginning when it should, and always creating the correct atmosphere.

I know I'm pretty much just parroting the DVDTalk review, but I wanted to put my own thoughts in. If you're wondering which version to get, there is no question. Get this Mont Alto release.