Brilliant
Added 4/10/2009
Not sure why I'd bother to write a review of a movie made in 1936 but I recently viewed the DVD and was just blown away by what a complete film this is on so many levels. Chaplin's genius is on full display throughout. An amazing crossroads moment as Chaplin maintains the silent film aesthetic with some concessions to the new "talkies" technology.
The story succeeds as a social satire, as a love story and as a comedy all in one. No mean feat. Chaplin's costar and "wife" Paulette Goddard is stunning and he frames every scene she is in with a close up that shows her face to be one that the camera loves. Chaplin sings a nonsensical song in French which is a classic scene and there are many others.
If you have any hesitation about watching older silent movies this is a great place to start because despite the age of this film there is enough here to delight any movie lover.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Dialague not required.
Added 1/31/2009
Chaplins's genius on display as he rails against a system that is still slowly driving us all insane. He was also a one man campaign against talkies as late as 1936. You know what? He won. Except for sound effects & music he made his points satirically, romantically, classically without words. The sound effects did help of course. I imagined watching The Three Stooges without coversation, only their trademark sound effects. Still hilarious. The political tone was not popular nor was Chaplin & even less so as post war paranoia seized the country a few years later. Chaplin was ahead of his time, ironically, with a silent movie. He has a romance, gets some anti-capitalist licks in, gets into legal trouble, stresses out & dances constantly. I never tire of the little tramp. A classic keeper for all times.
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black and white classic
Added 9/26/2008
Modern times. I saw this because it was chosen as one of the best of the century. Charlie Chaplin had a sort of magic with film and it shows in this one.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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A brilliant silent comedy
Added 8/3/2008
"Modern Times" is one of Charlie Chaplin's most memorable films. In this movie, the Tramp joins the ranks of the unemployed, and eventually teams up with a poor girl (Paulette Goddard) who's trying to make her way in the world. Like all Chaplin films, "Modern Times" features numerous slapstick routines that are just as funny today as they were 80 years ago when this film was made. This is one of the first Chaplin films that uses recorded sound effects and even some spoken dialogue in the form of a nonsense song, which was Chaplin's way of lashing out at talking motion pictures. Chaplin also composed the score to this movie, which includes "Smile," one of Chaplin's most famous songs. This is a truly fantastic film that people will continue to enjoy for many years to come.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Chaplin's Best
Added 7/27/2008
This is the best film of Chaplin's that I watch many times over. You can't get any better than this. Love the button scene and the dept. store skating. Fantastic!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Brilliant
Added 4/10/2009
Not sure why I'd bother to write a review of a movie made in 1936 but I recently viewed the DVD and was just blown away by what a complete film this is on so many levels. Chaplin's genius is on full display throughout. An amazing crossroads moment as Chaplin maintains the silent film aesthetic with some concessions to the new "talkies" technology.
The story succeeds as a social satire, as a love story and as a comedy all in one. No mean feat. Chaplin's costar and "wife" Paulette Goddard is stunning and he frames every scene she is in with a close up that shows her face to be one that the camera loves. Chaplin sings a nonsensical song in French which is a classic scene and there are many others.
If you have any hesitation about watching older silent movies this is a great place to start because despite the age of this film there is enough here to delight any movie lover.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Dialague not required.
Added 1/31/2009
Chaplins's genius on display as he rails against a system that is still slowly driving us all insane. He was also a one man campaign against talkies as late as 1936. You know what? He won. Except for sound effects & music he made his points satirically, romantically, classically without words. The sound effects did help of course. I imagined watching The Three Stooges without coversation, only their trademark sound effects. Still hilarious. The political tone was not popular nor was Chaplin & even less so as post war paranoia seized the country a few years later. Chaplin was ahead of his time, ironically, with a silent movie. He has a romance, gets some anti-capitalist licks in, gets into legal trouble, stresses out & dances constantly. I never tire of the little tramp. A classic keeper for all times.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
black and white classic
Added 9/26/2008
Modern times. I saw this because it was chosen as one of the best of the century. Charlie Chaplin had a sort of magic with film and it shows in this one.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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