The General - James Clarke

The grand scope of "The General" achieved with various long shots is probably what gives it the credibility and historical accuracy it possesses. Throughout the background in several scenes on the film different battles, advances, and retreats of the Civil War can be seen taking place. Pulling back and showing all the detail of what is taking place in the background of our main plot-line (Keaton chasing on the train) draws the audience in even farther to the realism of the film.

On the contrary to the long shots, the use of close ups on the main characters of the film also draws you further into their stories and allows you to invest in them further. A character that the audience identifies with is much more powerful than one that the audience is ambivalent toward. The use of costumes and contrast with the black and white color of the film is also key in picking up on various details. The light color of the 'good guy' uniforms (although the South) and the dark colors of the 'bad guys' (North).