I also love Buster Keaton, so don't get me wrong I'm an equal opportunity lover of silent film comedians. I even have a Harold Llyod film recorded on my DVR right now so I may soon have more love to spread around.
I watched City Lights recently, and was truly smitten with this silent film star all over again. Chaplin has such incredible comedic timing. When I think of modern comedy and what it now takes to be funny in a movie, I am saddened that no one carries this torch of smart, physical comedy. There are physical comedians, I think of Jim Carrey's Ace Ventura trying to be stealth while dancing on of a roll of bubble wrap or the football play that Ace physically rewinds and plays again in slow motion. It's not that a market doesn't exist for these guys its just that they are truly special and there are not that many of them around. I guess we should just cherish these gems when they are captured on screen. The boxing scene in City Lights is probably one of the funniest things I have seen in a movie, and every time I watch another Chaplin or Keaton film I am amazed at the timelessness of the laugh that has been and will always be enjoyed by those who watch these films.
2 comments:
I'm not going to discount Chaplin's abilities, but I don't think his acts were enough to carry the length of his movies. True, he has created some very funny scenes, but I typically get bored halfway through. That probably has more to do with the story telling rather than comedic timing. But since he was the driving force, behind all of his pictures, I have to put some of the blame on him. The rest of the blame goes on the "times." Movie story structure was different back then, and since i'm a non-purist, I don't prefer it.
I also have to look at his style and try to implant in today's cinema. I have a hard time deciding if he would be revered or just come across as another Ben Stiller.
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