The Circus (1928 film): Difference between revisions
LuckyLouie (talk | contribs) Specify citation for lead summary |
reverting WP:BOLD edit - far more succinct this way |
||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
The production of the film was the most difficult experience in Chaplin's career. Numerous problems and delays occurred, including a studio fire, the death of [[Hannah Chaplin|Chaplin's mother]], as well as Chaplin's bitter divorce from his second wife [[Lita Grey]], and the [[Internal Revenue Service]]'s claims of Chaplin's owed back taxes, all of which culminated in filming being stalled for eight months<ref name="DVDJ">{{cite web|last=Bourne|first=Mark|title=The Circus: The Chaplin Collection|url=http://www.dvdjournal.com/reviews/c/circus.shtml|work=Reviews|publisher=DVDJournal,com|accessdate=29 October 2010}}</ref>. |
The production of the film was the most difficult experience in Chaplin's career. Numerous problems and delays occurred, including a studio fire, the death of [[Hannah Chaplin|Chaplin's mother]], as well as Chaplin's bitter divorce from his second wife [[Lita Grey]], and the [[Internal Revenue Service]]'s claims of Chaplin's owed back taxes, all of which culminated in filming being stalled for eight months<ref name="DVDJ">{{cite web|last=Bourne|first=Mark|title=The Circus: The Chaplin Collection|url=http://www.dvdjournal.com/reviews/c/circus.shtml|work=Reviews|publisher=DVDJournal,com|accessdate=29 October 2010}}</ref>. |
||
In October, 2010, the film generated news interest when |
In October, 2010, part of the DVD collection of the film generated some news interest when some of the additional footage from the premiere showed a woman leaving the theater apparently talking into a [[cellular phone]], an [[Out-of-place artifact|anachronistic]] technological device in 1928. Some in the media {{who}} have even suggested that the woman is a [[time travel|time traveler]].<ref name="WGN">{{cite news|last=Malkoff|first=David|title=Mysterious 'Time Traveler' Spotted in Charlie Chaplin Film|url=http://www.wgnradio.com/entertainment/ktla-charlie-chaplin-time-travel-youtube,0,2650675.story|accessdate=28 October 2010|newspaper=720 AM WGN News|date=27 October 2010}}</ref><ref name="CBS">{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Joyce|title=Charlie Chaplin Cell Phone Clip Puzzles Irish Filmmaker|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20020951-10391698.html|accessdate=28 October 2010|newspaper=CBS News|date=27 October 2010}}</ref> |
||
==Cast== |
==Cast== |
||
Revision as of 18:06, 30 October 2010
| The Circus | |
|---|---|
| File:Chalincircus2b.jpg Original US poster | |
| Directed by | Charlie Chaplin |
| Written by | Charlie Chaplin |
| Produced by | Charlie Chaplin |
| Starring | Charlie Chaplin Al Ernest Garcia Merna Kennedy Henry Bergman |
| Music by | Günter Kochan (1969) |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date | January 6, 1928 |
Running time | 70 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Silent film English intertitles |
The Circus is a 1928 silent film which finds Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp character being chased by a police officer, having been mistaken for a pickpocket. Running into the circus main tent in an attempt to escape the law, the patrons there mistake his fleeing for part of the act - and the best part! Recognising potential profit, the ringmaster hires him, but discovers that The Tramp can only be funny unintentionally, not on purpose. It stars Chaplin, Al Ernest Garcia, Merna Kennedy, Harry Crocker, George Davis and Henry Bergman.
The movie was written by Chaplin and Joseph Plunkett (prologue, uncredited) and directed by Chaplin. It became the 7th highest grossing silent film in cinema history[citation needed] taking in more than $3.8 million dollars in 1928.
The production of the film was the most difficult experience in Chaplin's career. Numerous problems and delays occurred, including a studio fire, the death of Chaplin's mother, as well as Chaplin's bitter divorce from his second wife Lita Grey, and the Internal Revenue Service's claims of Chaplin's owed back taxes, all of which culminated in filming being stalled for eight months[1].
In October, 2010, part of the DVD collection of the film generated some news interest when some of the additional footage from the premiere showed a woman leaving the theater apparently talking into a cellular phone, an anachronistic technological device in 1928. Some in the media [who?] have even suggested that the woman is a time traveler.[2][3]
Cast
- Charlie Chaplin - A Tramp
- Al Ernest Garcia - The Circus Proprietor and Ring Master
- Merna Kennedy - His Stepdaughter, A Circus Rider
- Henry Bergman - An Old Clown
- Harry Crocker - Rex, A Tight Rope Walker/Disgruntled Property Man/Clown
- George Davis - A Magician
- Tiny Sandford - The Head Property Man (as Stanley J. Sandford)
- John Rand - An Assistant Property Man/Clown
Academy Awards
It was nominated for the four Academy Awards all for Charlie Chaplin but the Academy took Chaplin out of the running for competitive awards by giving him a Special Award. The Academy no longer lists his nominations for in their official list of nominees, although most unofficial lists of nominations do include him.
| Award | Nominee |
|---|---|
| Best Production | United Artists (Charlie Chaplin, Producer) |
| Best Director of a Comedy Picture | Charlie Chaplin |
| Best Actor | Charlie Chaplin |
| Best Writing (Original Story) | Charlie Chaplin |
| The Academy took him out of the running for the Awards and gave him a Special Award. | |
| Special Award | To Charles Chaplin for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus. |
In 1970, Chaplin reissued the film with a new musical score.
"Time traveler" footage
On 19 October 2010, Irish independent filmmaker George Clarke uploaded a YouTube video focusing on a scene from the film's extras available from the collection DVD. The scene, depicting the comings and goings of people at the premiere, shows a woman holding a device in her hand to her ear while speaking into it. Clarke interpreted the scene as "a time traveler using a cell phone", adding that he was "stumped" for alternative explanations. The popularity of the clip gained media attention, prompting speculation - some of it humorous - by several commentators,[4] with Alexandra Petri of the Washington Post calling the woman - if indeed she was a time traveler, "the worst time traveler ever".[5] Shortly after gaining widespread popularity on the internet,[citation needed] some skeptics have pointed out that the alleged cell phone may have actually been a pocket-sized hearing aid similar to one developed by Siemens in 1924.[6]
References
- ^ Bourne, Mark. "The Circus: The Chaplin Collection". Reviews. DVDJournal,com. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ Malkoff, David (27 October 2010). "Mysterious 'Time Traveler' Spotted in Charlie Chaplin Film". 720 AM WGN News. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ Lee, Joyce (27 October 2010). "Charlie Chaplin Cell Phone Clip Puzzles Irish Filmmaker". CBS News. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ Krassenstein, Ed. "Charlie Chaplin's Cell Phone Time Traveler Has People Talking". Entertainment. News of Today. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ Petri, Alexandra. "Charlie Chaplin Cell Phone Woman is the worst time traveler ever". ComPost. Washington Post. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ Millstone, Ken. ""Time-Traveler" Cell Phone Likely a 1924 Hearing Aid". CBS News. Retrieved 29 October 2010.