Last week for my Film and American Society class we watched City Lights, the 1931 film by Charlie Chaplin. I am a big fan of Charlie Chaplin and have seen all his films and read several biographies about him, so I had already seen this film. I wasn’t complaining though….his films are worth watching again. They are truly timeless and just as relevant and entertaining 80+ years later. However flawed Chaplin may have been as a human being, he was a true genius. If you haven’t ye seen any of his films, I highly recommend them. Try to watch them with an open mind–they are certainly dated, but the content and the artistry really does hold up.
One of the most amazing scenes in cinematic history for me is the scene below from Chaplin’s 1921 film, The Kid. Take a look and see what you think. Isn’t it heart-wrenching? I am also a big fan of the movie he made with Paulette Goddard called Modern Times. Worth checking out as well.
That was powerful. It’s interesting how much more you get out of it when there are no words.