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DOUBLE FEATURE: The Circus (1928) & Parade (1974)
Sep 3rd
Day two of The Cinefamily‘s Chaplin Retrospective included a wonderfully inspired double bill of Chaplin’s The Circus (1928) and Jacques Tati’s Parade (1974). It seems only natural that the two are paired up together considering the influence Chaplin had on Tati’s work. Both masters of the pantomime, these two films share similar themes of developing exuberant joy within a circus setting.
THE CIRCUS
This is Chaplin’s least sentimental of his feature films. It doesn’t center around a tragicomedy story blending comedy with drama, but rather is his most gag filled film. It follows The Tramp as he finds himself wandering around a travelling circus and its carnival festivities in the search for free food and perhaps to take in a free show. After one of his most hilarious opening sequences, the Tramp finds himself on the run from the police, which interrupts the big ring show. His antics of trying to evade the police officer put the audience in stitches, and the ring leader offers the Tramp a job on the spot.
First of all, these new 35mm prints of Chaplin’s films look amazing. They look better than ever, (and I’d even argue that it’s comparable to how they looked upon their first release!) If you are at all interested in seeing Chaplin on the big screen, this is the way.
The Circus has always had a place in my heart despite it being one of the lesser discussed films. There are some truly innovative gags in this film that demonstrate just how awesome Chaplin was at physical comedy. It didn’t even take ten minutes before the film had me in tears of laughter. No sooner than the Tramp sliding into the hall of mirrors did it become hard to breathe.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m never happier than when I’m watching a Chaplin film, but something happened during the screening last night that sent me into pure euphoria. Perhaps it helped that I was already high on laughter, but sharing giggle fits with the audience tickled me like none other. But what sent me into nirvana was seeing a father who brought his three year old son to see his first Chaplin film. During the title screens the father would lean over and read them to his son, then the Tramp would get chased by a donkey and the kid’s explosive laughter filled the cinema. It was possibly one of the most touching and joyous things I’ve ever seen. I have a hard time even typing about it without getting teary eyed.
Tight-rope sequence from The Circus
Personally, I find the gags in The Circus some of Chaplin’s best. The aforementioned fun house scene (fully equipped with the animatronic puppet sequence,) is one of my favorites, but there are many other brilliantly developed gags. The lion’s cage scene is ridiculously thrilling; the magician’s table is Chaplin at his most over the top; and perhaps most memorably is the tight-rope walking segment. Out to impress a girl, he poses as a tight-rope walker. Unbeknownst to the girl or the audience, the Tramp has paid a stagehand to put him in a harness so that he’d be safe from falling. Off to the side the stagehand hoists up the Tramp, and he seemingly flies up to the tight-rope with superhuman-like skill. He gloats by doing absurd stunts on the tight-rope, until his harness comes undone and he must balance to save his life. Naturally this is the moment when the circus monkeys find their way onto the tight-rope. They tug at his clothes and face, (one monkey HILARIOUSLY keeps biting Chaplin’s nose,) while the poor Tramp struggles to stay alive. The sequence ends with the best banana-peel jokes ever put on film. It’s truly a spectacle of physical comedy.
PARADE
I’m not as familiar with Tati’s work as I am Chaplin’s. I’ve seen and liked M. Hulot’s Holiday, I’ve endured viewed Mon Oncle, and have been witness to the first half hour of Playtime. Outside of Holiday, I’ve yet to find that one thing that connects me to Tati’s work. I can appreciate those films (particularly the latter two) for their aesthetic values – it’s some of the greatest misc-en-scene ever – but they are an exercise in tedium.
Maybe it was the elation from The Circus, but once Parade started I was much more on board with what was being presented. The film has zero
Tati pantomiming a boxing match in Parade.
narrative. It’s basically a filmed stage show utilizing bits that Tati had developed in his stage days. Here Tati is the ring master to a group of hippie circus performers, all with their own act. The setting is assembled much like a stage show, where an audience is seated around a stage area watching the performers, um, perform. But the seating area is also part of the stage for us, the audience watching the film. Audience members who seem to purely be in attendance sometimes reveal themselves to be performers in street clothes.
It’s commendable that Tati’s intentions here are to do nothing but entertain and fill people with joy. And for the first hour he succeeds. At the film’s highest points, it seems perfectly natural for the film watching audience to applaud along with the the audience in the film, (until you realize that you’re in a darkened and quiet theater…) But it’s charm wears off before its finish. I chock this up to lack of dynamic energy. It’s always reaching for 10, but after so long it can’t reach above a 6 or 7.
Regardless, it was a pleasure to endure sit through Parade, particularly when it was teamed up with The Circus. The double-feature was nothing less than visiting the circus for the evening – only without the creepy clowns!
THE CINEFAMILY
The Cinefamily is running a Chaplin retrospective all through the month of September. If you’re in Los Angeles, do not miss out on this rare chance to see Chaplin on the big screen. It’s the best entertainment you can get for $10.00 in all of LA.
Chaplin, on a Personal Note
Sep 2nd
I’ve been an avid Chaplin fan for many years now. At least once a year I put on a great number of his films out of shear enjoyment, (as a blogger I find myself consistently with a pile of film I “have” to watch.) Chaplin never ceases to make me laugh, even at the worst of times, (though my petty ‘worst of times’ is nothing compared to the ‘worst of times’ when his films were first released…)
This summer a great friend of mine gave me one of the best birthday presents, in the form of the Tramp. David Robinson’s Chaplin biography. It’s considerably in-depth, and I love every second of it.
Also, I’ve been plucking through this BFI book on City Lights. I’ve read it numerous times already, but it’s a good reference on the film.
Chaplin, for lack of a more dignified term, um, rules.
If you’re in Los Angeles, be sure to check out the Chaplin retrospective on the big screen at The Silent Movie Theater thanks to The Cinefamily.
Chaplin Shorts: The Idle Class (1921)
Sep 2nd
To kick off an entire month of Chaplin films, I took in a double feature of 1921′s The Idle Class, a short pitting the Tramp against a doppelgänger of high society, and perhaps his most famous work City Lights (1931). The Cinefamily is running the entire Chaplin catalogue through the month of September, and decided to start things off with a bang!
Image from www.charliechaplin.com
A CLASS ABOVE THE REST
The Idle Class, a charming short from Chaplin’s days at First National. It was released the same year as Charlie’s breakthrough feature tragicomedy The Kid, and marked the decline of his days with the production company. Instead of providing First National with another hit like The Kid, Charlie churned out three short films instead, The Idle Class being amongst them.
In it, Charlie plays dual roles as his famous Tramp character, and a clueless upper-class husband to a lonely wife. The film opens with a train full of flagrant bourgeoisie – the women sporting minks, the men sporting a golf bag. After most of the aristocrats have departed, the Tramp awakens from a slumber in a luggage compartment from beneath the train – he also has his clubs and is ready to hit the links.
As per usual, the Tramp’s obliviousness entangles him in a web of confusions, misunderstandings, and hilarious shenanigans. On the links he makes enemies with fellow golfers when he accidentally hits their balls. Simultaneously, the troubled marriage of the Lonely Wife and clueless husband has taken on a life of its own. She refuses to be in the same room with her husband until he stops drinking. Naturally, his uncanny appearance to the Tramp sets up a slew of bits of mistaken identity.
There are quite a few themes in The Idle Class that Chaplin explored in some of his more substantial work. The case of mistaken identity and a look-alike plays an integral role in The Great Dictator, where Chaplin’s Jewish Barber gets mistaken for the Hitler-esque dictator. Another favorite subject of Chaplin was making buffoons of the wealthy. The Tramp’s low social status never dampers his nobility even in the grimmest of situations, while the resulting havoc usually shows the decline of civility among the upper-class. This shifting of social status allows the Tramp and the rich to meet somewhere in the middle of the social ladder.
AUDIENCE REACTION
There’s something heartwarming about watching a comedy that has been around and beloved for years on the big screen. So often we’re reserved to our couches with a plethora of distractions around us when we take in classic films at home. And when we take in the ‘new’ comedy in theaters on opening weekend there’s an inherent friction that comes from comprehending the events on screen for the first time.
In an audience who was there to see Chaplin out of shear love, who knew what to expect, and had no reservations expressing their love for the little fellow, an entirely different energy is created. The laughs are heartier. The smiles are tangible. It’s truly a warm feeling.
It occurred to me while watching Charlie do his thing, and listening to an audience so viscerally enjoying his work, that there’s no other time I’m happiest than when watching a Chaplin film.
WATCH THE FILM:
The Idle Class (1921) approximately 31 mins.
A Chaplin Retrospective
Sep 1st
If you live in Los Angeles and are a film enthusiast of any sort, you’ve no doubt heard of The Silent Movie Theater. They’ve provided a wonderful alternative to mainstream cinema, (what I call AMC cinema), by screening a plethora of underground cult classics, forgotten gems, and modern classics. In sticking to the roots of the theater itself, they have dedicated themselves to showing films of the silent era resiliently.
September marks an exciting time for The Cinefamily, who runs the programming of the theater, as they have decided to show the entire filmography of the greatest comedian and filmmaker of all time: Charlie Chaplin. Starting on September 1st, (that’s today!) they are screening a new print of City Lights with the charming short The Idle Class beginning at 8pm, and will continue through the month showing Chaplin’s silent films on Wednesday evenings and his ‘talkies’ on Saturday afternoons. Additionally, they’ve paired up a selective few of Chaplin’s features with the works of Jacques Tati for a knock-out double feature on Thursdays.
These are all new 35mm prints, and will no doubt knock your socks off. So if you have any love for the little Tramp, be sure to get your tickets early! You don’t want to miss this rare opportunity to see all of the films by Mr. Chaplin.
Also, in dedication to this wonderful month-long event, I will be hosting a Chaplin blog-a-thon where I will provide random musings and thoughts throughout the month coinciding with the films shown during the film-a-thon. The Tramp will be taking over the site for awhile…. sorry Keaton fans!
Top 10 Directorial Debuts of the 2000s
Aug 15th
There’s nothing more exciting than the potential of a fresh and exhilarating new director. Great talent usually takes many features to develop, but these directors stand out as crafting some of the most impacting, memorable, and extraordinary first-time feature length films. Some of these filmmakers we’ve already seen establish themselves into well respected and acclaimed directors, and others have yet to show us their next work.
This list is accumulated chronologically by the first feature length film helmed by the following directors, (it’s not by official theatrical release, which is why directors like Christopher Nolan and Edgar Wright aren’t on here.) The list will also be updated regularly, as these things are always in a constant state of changing.
David Gordon Green – George Washington (2000)
Over the last decade, David Gordon Green has shown an uncanny ability to paint an indescribable tone stemming from the confines of small towns. Sometimes nostalgic, sometimes tense, sometimes sweltering, sometimes sweet, Green’s ability to capture that je ne sais quoi is unparalleled, and it all started with the quiet storm that is George Washington.
1st Annual Hollywood Fantasy Draft
Jul 31st
We’re all familiar with the concept of Fantasy Football, whether we’ve participated or not. A group of sport fanatics get together, choose different players and build their teams to follow through the football season. Well, it was only a matter of time before a bunch of film fanatics got together and applied the same principals to movies. We all love to speculate over who might be cast in recently announced projects, and now a game has been made out of it!
This fabulous idea was brought to fruition by the geniuses over at Anomalous Material. The rules are simple:
• Twenty-some cinefiles are assigned a random number
• Round by round each blogger chooses a director and the stars to fill out their film
• After seven rounds, one director and six actors should be chosen
• No actors or directors can be picked twice
• Then, on the assigned date, the blogger pitches the movie that they’ve developed with their cast and crew.
The seven rounds have already occurred with a supplementary draft allowing for three additional actors for those who needed them.
On September 16th I shall be pitching my film. But in the meantime, here is the director and cast that I have assembled:
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“Quentin Tarantino.: The master of the homage is the [re]definition of cool. From his canon blast of a debut (Reservoir Dogs) to his creme de le creme (Pulp Fiction), and even his underrated gems (Jackie Brown, Deathproof) Tarantino has proved that he wholly deserving of the title ‘son of cinema’. Oh yeah, and I think he directed Inglourious Basterds and those Kill Bill films, but I’m not sure. I’ll have to do an IMDb check on that.” |
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“My first actor pick is none other than Chloe Moretz. Perhaps the youngest bona fide badass in the history of bona fide badassery. She KICKED ASS as Hit Girl. She, uh, provided the VOICE OF REASON in (500) Days of Summer. Soon she will suck your emotions dry in LET ME IN. Under the supervision of badass director Quentin Tarantino she’s going to be inducted into the hall of badass legends next to other badass icons. Plus, there’s that ‘acting’ thing that she’s pretty good at too.” |
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“Zoë Saldana. Fierce. Sexy. Hip. Cool. Talented. Beautiful. Tough. Rinse. Repeat.” |
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“Gandhi. Sexy Beast. Elegy. And everything in between. Sir Ben Kingsley is THE actor of our lifetime. Brando has nothing on this dude – a bold, but true statement. As a friend of mine once so aptly put it: “There could be a scene where multiple people are screaming and spouting off flamethrowers in the background, and you still wouldn’t be able to take your eyes off of Ben sitting quietly at the dinner table.”" |
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“Ken Watanabe. Because I need him more than he needs me. Because he’s perhaps one of the only international actors that projects enough confidence to go toe to toe with Ben Kingsley. Because his name is an anagram for “Wanna Be Take”. Yes, it’s true.” |
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“There are a number of things required by this Tarantinoian role: 1. The ability to deliver an over-the-top character with over-the-top lines without it coming off cartoony, 2. To have raw physical talent, 3. To pose a reckless menace. Tak Sakaguchi has these things in spades, as seen in his Japanese B-Movie career spanning from Versus to Tokyo Gore Police. Where better to find a Tarantinoian villain than Japanese B-Movies?” |
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““Staying true to the “Tarantino Touch”, I’m selectingMr. Kevin Bacon to be revitalized and made cool beyond novelty once again. His fearlessness to go to the dark side is amazing but well-balanced with a great sense of humor. Not to mention he works well within an ensemble AND can be connected to every actor in this Fantasy Draft within six degrees!”” |
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“I chooseth Mr. Method Man. I need someone with raw unabashed hipness that also has a sense of humor. His part is smaller, but definitely memorable.” |
Have You Seen This? (Scandinavian Edition)
Jul 23rd
International films have always played an interesting role in the American film market. They aren’t usually embraced by the majority of the nation, unless under the most extreme word of mouth or marketing. While I can only speak for my own time on this planet, I don’t feel like this was always the case. During the height of huge international directors like Truffaut, Kurosawa, Bergman, or countless other names, it seems like even if most American’s weren’t familiar with the films, they were familiar with the names. But most foreign and international films have always been subjected to art house releases, particularly in New York and Los Angeles with only select few making it to markets in each state’s Big City.
Understandably, subtitles are a bit laborious for viewers who are just looking for escapism. AMC Theaters provide a plethora of options for each week’s new releases, so why bother seeking out a film that will put you to work? Well, the independent and foreign market have some amazing pieces of art that should absolutely be seen at some point in your life. You can find any number of top 10, 100, or 1000 lists on the internet for suggestions. But a foreign market that greatly gets overlooked is Scandinavian cinema.
Outside of it’s one great master, Ingmar Bergman (and perhaps the master of all things cinema), most people might not know much about this territory’s films. Firstly, Scandinavia is kind of an amorphous location for most American’s. “It’s that one part of Europe that has those countries in it, right? It IS part of Europe, right? Is the Swiss part of it?” So it’s no real surprise that the films of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland (and Iceland) elude the general population of America.
But! There are a number of directors like Susanne Bier (who directed the 2004 film Brothers which the 2009 Jim Sheridan version was based on,) Lasse Halström (Academy Award winning director of Chocolat and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?), and the controversial Lars von Trier (Antichrist, Dancer in the Dark) who have been making films in both countries for years. And with the popularity of the Stieg Larsson’s Millenium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest,) 2008′s Let the Right One In, and the novelty of the Nazi zombie film Dead Snow, Scandinavian films seem to be rising in popularity.
