Charlie Chaplin (in which I am behind the times by nearly 100 years)

Jun 25, 2010 15:20

I have a confession to make: Until about two weeks ago, I'd never seen a Charlie Chaplin film all the way through ( Read more... )

charlie chaplin, film

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my_daroga June 25 2010, 23:58:29 UTC
I don't feel qualified to comment much on that--obviously there's something going on but I don't know exactly what or what the legal complexities were--but while I don't think they all were there seem to have been a few around 16 or so, and several of them were just barely legal or out of their teens.

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my_daroga June 26 2010, 06:22:35 UTC
I'm guessing that it probably is a factor, whether it influenced how he worked or how society did, but it's one of those things I think is difficult to pin down. Surely, however, repeated failed marriages with much younger women hint at something. The film tries to posit that it has something to do with his losing a girl he was seeing at a more appropriate age, Humbert Humbert style, which I'm sure was an armchair analysis by someone but might just be an excuse to soften for film his attraction to teenage girls. I haven't read anything yet, incidentally, that hints at pedophilia, but rather ephebophilia. Which maybe wasn't perceived as quite as icky as we do today. And I think it's still true that in some countries/states, the age at which a person can marry can actually be lower than the age at which they're considered an adult. But I really don't know.

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finncullen June 26 2010, 07:55:21 UTC
"And weirdly, all of this is probably way more entertaining to me than his actual movies ( ... )

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my_daroga June 30 2010, 14:16:40 UTC
That does sound like an interesting book. And it makes sense. But there's a difference, for me, depending on who we're talking about. Or maybe I'm just wary of falling into a "cult of personality" way of doing business, where nothing is significant unless you know what's behind it. Obviously The Great Dictator and The Picture of Dorian Gray and Citizen Kane are awesome all by themselves. But knowing the people behind them can make those experiences more layered. At the same time, there are DVD commentaries and interviews with singers and whatnot I wish I could unhear. It depends, maybe, on how the person works. Kate Bush can't, as far as I can tell, talk about her work despite her being one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time. It doesn't take away from the impact of that work, but if I read more about her it might threaten to.

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cdaae June 26 2010, 10:41:02 UTC
I think my favourite Chaplin film is Modern Times, partly because it's still so miserably goddamn relevant.

On another note, when I have recovered from not having had any sleep, I am finally going to bloody well go and read your POTO fanfic, because suddenly I'm getting the urge to write fanfic, and that means I am also getting the wish to read it. I have meant to read yours for, what, years now, and feel really bad that it's taken me so long. Also glancing down your tags, I see that you not only have spike/angel, but mysterious cities of gold. see, this is all generally why you are one of the best people in the whole wide world.

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my_daroga June 30 2010, 14:19:07 UTC
I have heard that, and it's on reserve for me at the library!

Aw, you're sweet! And don't feel bad--not everyone even LIKES fic, and then the subset who are gonna like mine is even less. Some of the tags are for cracky drabbles, so my apologies. But the MCoG is fic. And there's some POTO I stills stand by, even if it's basically a progression from "huh, E/C makes no sense" to "omg gay porn!"

But! Regardless, I am both interested in what you think of it and in what you write.

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Whoa I didn't mean to write this much tilly_stratford June 26 2010, 11:14:12 UTC
Yay mention of Chaplinhair ( ... )

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Re: Whoa I didn't mean to write this much my_daroga June 30 2010, 14:24:05 UTC
Yes, it's interesting. Keaton appeals to me more as a screen persona, while I think when I'm watching the Tramp I am specifically watching Chaplin play the Tramp, the layers of which I find more interesting and while allow me a handle by which to enjoy it. Because if the Tramp is a child in a grown man's body, it is desperately interesting to me to wonder what was behind that. (Plus I do sort of have a thing... I would hesitate to actually call it sexual, but Chaplin is so wee and endearing.)

But I do find Chaplin's films less funny. Though, yes, his talent is prodigious and the music writing and everything else just shows a mutli-facted genius. We were watching a bit of Unknown Chaplin the other day that had a scene cut from City Lights where he basically plays with a stick in a grate for seven minutes. It was fantastic, and I was totally entertained.

I will totally see Limelight. It looks very meta!

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my_daroga June 30 2010, 14:24:21 UTC
OOOOH WE AGREE!!

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