"City Lights" by Charlie Chaplin (The Coli Movie Club)
- Thread starter HHR
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OK, full disclosure time...I am not a fan of silent films and I have never watched a full length Chaplin movie before. I have seen some of his "The Tramp" shorts but that is about it.
That being said I do recognize why City Lights is seen as one of the pinnacle of Chaplin's career but also as a major cinematic achievement period.
I liked the parallels of The Tramp's relationships with the blind flower girl and the drunken millionaire. he was helping both people embrace life while neither one was really able to "see" him for who he truly was.
And Chaplin's gifts as a physical actor are very impressive. His comedic physicality is such that you can see how he influenced so many of the comedic actors that sprung up over the years.
This movie also had a surprising amount of heart and the final scene where the Tramp and The Flower Girl reunite was incredibly charming and emotional especially in light of the lack of dialogue.
I do think that a smiling Chaplin in his Tramp persona is one of the most frightening things to ever be put on a movie screen though:
So recognizing it's place in movie history and influence on cinema as a whole I give City Lights 4 Roger Eberts:
:ebert::ebert::ebert::ebert:
That being said I do recognize why City Lights is seen as one of the pinnacle of Chaplin's career but also as a major cinematic achievement period.
I liked the parallels of The Tramp's relationships with the blind flower girl and the drunken millionaire. he was helping both people embrace life while neither one was really able to "see" him for who he truly was.
And Chaplin's gifts as a physical actor are very impressive. His comedic physicality is such that you can see how he influenced so many of the comedic actors that sprung up over the years.
This movie also had a surprising amount of heart and the final scene where the Tramp and The Flower Girl reunite was incredibly charming and emotional especially in light of the lack of dialogue.
I do think that a smiling Chaplin in his Tramp persona is one of the most frightening things to ever be put on a movie screen though:
So recognizing it's place in movie history and influence on cinema as a whole I give City Lights 4 Roger Eberts:
:ebert::ebert::ebert::ebert:
their criterion collection has had me eating for months
TheGodling
Los Ingobernables de Sala de Cine
City Lights has some good scenes, but personally I'd put it below Modern Times and The Great Dictator which have a bit more depth with social and political layers.
I debated between this and Modern Times. I like The Great Dictator, though it gets really odd in the films final scene. It takes a pretty severe departure from the overall feeling of the rest of the film.
StraxStrax
I'm selling these fine leather jackets
C'mon brehs we all know Gold Rush is the best
Dr. Narcisse
Veteran
Damn...
Aint no Buster Keaton up in this bytch?
Aint no Buster Keaton up in this bytch?
Damn...
Aint no Buster Keaton up in this bytch?
Keaton is awesome. He's the forefather of modern action films....and was doing it in 1924
The stunt work
haven't seen this...I need to check it out
I've only seen The General and Sherlock, Jr.......I want to pick up the Buster Keaton collection but it's never under $140
Dr. Narcisse
Veteran
Just a suggestion on the next black and white movie.
Yea its got some stereotypical shyt going on (which at first had me like
) Yea the story can be viewed as a tragedy. I understand all of that. But this is a movie I saw on TCM about a year ago. King Vidor (well known director from that time) put it down with this.
Its got somelevel GIF material while in the club and also at church. But I really enjoyed the movie overall. It was like damn...back in 1929 they focused the story on the struggle? Also shows how a man can be tempted by a woman 
The main actor has such an interesting character arc.
I'm just saying. At least for historical purposes it was worth a watch.
Yea its got some stereotypical shyt going on (which at first had me like
) Yea the story can be viewed as a tragedy. I understand all of that. But this is a movie I saw on TCM about a year ago. King Vidor (well known director from that time) put it down with this.Its got some
level GIF material while in the club and also at church. But I really enjoyed the movie overall. It was like damn...back in 1929 they focused the story on the struggle? Also shows how a man can be tempted by a woman The main actor has such an interesting character arc.
I'm just saying. At least for historical purposes it was worth a watch.
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xx001234448
Visual Storyteller
This one was really good, it lived up to the hype. I haven't seen it in about 6 years, but it legitimately made me laugh. Also, it' a good intro for people looking to get into silent films(this and Buster Keaton's "Our Hospitality" IMHO). Nice choice.
off topic, but you seen boyhood yet breh? was supposed to last night but we got distracted at the mall too long and missed the 2nd to last showingI've only seen The General and Sherlock, Jr.......I want to pick up the Buster Keaton collection but it's never under $140
didnt wanna see a 10 pm one when its almost 3 hrs