The Circus (1928 film): Difference between revisions
LuckyLouie (talk | contribs) Back to least offensive version. Explained on Talk |
better revision, actually noting the actual event, with citations |
||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
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 2010, media outlets reported on a [[YouTube]] broadcast by [[Irish]] filmmaker George Clarke who claimed that a person in a filming of the cinematic debut of ''The Circus'' was perhaps a [[Time travel|time traveler]], based upon the apparent usage of a [[cellular phone]], a theory widely dismissed.. |
|||
==Plot== |
==Plot== |
||
| Line 63: | Line 65: | ||
Chaplin reissued the film with a new musical score and with a recording of him singing "Swing High Little Girl" playing over the opening credits. It is unclear what year this re-release took place, as the official Charlie Chaplin website reports that it was in 1969,<ref>http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/1-The-Circus</ref> but numerous other sources say it happened in 1970.<ref name="DVDJ"/><ref>Vance, Jeffrey. " 'The Circus': A Chaplin Masterpiece". ''Film History''. vol.8 pp.186-208, 1996.</ref> The newly produced music is dated 1968, as is the copyright date on the print of the reissue.<ref>http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/84-Swing-little-girl</ref> |
Chaplin reissued the film with a new musical score and with a recording of him singing "Swing High Little Girl" playing over the opening credits. It is unclear what year this re-release took place, as the official Charlie Chaplin website reports that it was in 1969,<ref>http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/1-The-Circus</ref> but numerous other sources say it happened in 1970.<ref name="DVDJ"/><ref>Vance, Jeffrey. " 'The Circus': A Chaplin Masterpiece". ''Film History''. vol.8 pp.186-208, 1996.</ref> The newly produced music is dated 1968, as is the copyright date on the print of the reissue.<ref>http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/84-Swing-little-girl</ref> |
||
== |
==In popular culture== |
||
{{See also|List of Internet phenomena#Videos}} |
|||
In late 2010, media outlets reported on a [[YouTube]] broadcast by [[Irish]] filmmaker George Clarke who claimed that a film of ''The Circus's'' 1928 premiere showed a woman talking and listening into a cellular phone, and suggested that she was perhaps a time traveler, based upon the apparent [[anachronism]]. The internet speculation led to coverage by news outlets,<ref name="Huff">{{cite web|title='Time Traveler' Caught In 1928 Charlie Chaplin Film? (VIDEO)|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/28/time-traveler-caught-in-1_n_775194.html|publisher=Huffington Post|accessdate=31 October 2010}}</ref><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|quote=Clarke believes the woman could be a time-traveler who is using technology 81 years in the future.}}</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><ref name="ITN">{{cite web|title=Time traveller spotted in 1928 clip?|url=http://itn.co.uk/7219ff6abbb988e755117a008b817c45.html|work=ITN Entertainment|publisher=ITN|accessdate=31 October 2010}}</ref> |
|||
Nicholas Jackson, associate editor for [[The Atlantic]], seeking to [[debunk]] that hypothesis, believes that the item in question was either a [[Siemens]] or [[Western Electric]] brand hearing aid<ref name="atl">{{cite web|last=Jackson|first=Nicholas|title=Debunking the Chaplin Time Travel Video|url=http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/11/debunking-the-charlie-chaplin-time-travel-video/65486/|work=Technology|publisher=The Atlantic|accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref>. Philip Skroska, quoted from ''LiveScience'', thinks that the item in question could have been a rectangular-shaped [[ear trumpet]]<ref name="LSci">{{cite web|last=Hsu|first=Jeremy|title=Time Traveler' May Just Be Hard of Hearing|url=http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/time-traveler-chaplin-film-101028.html|work=Strange News|publisher=LiveScience|accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref> |
|||
==References== |
==References== |
||
Revision as of 22:18, 4 January 2011
| 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[1] 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[2].
In 2010, media outlets reported on a YouTube broadcast by Irish filmmaker George Clarke who claimed that a person in a filming of the cinematic debut of The Circus was perhaps a time traveler, based upon the apparent usage of a cellular phone, a theory widely dismissed..
Plot
After being mistakenly suspected as a pickpocket and chased by the police, a Tramp (Chaplin) happens to stumble in the middle of a circus performance and unknowingly becomes the hit of the show. He is hired by the circus Ring Master and thus he becomes a part of the group. His romantic attraction to Merna, the Ring Master's stepdaughter is thwarted by a rival suitor, a tightrope walker called Rex. This results in the tramp's failure as a clown as well as a lover. In the end, the tramp takes the initiative for the marriage of Merna and Rex and he leaves the group, though the new couple wanted him to remain as a part of the circus.
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 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. |
Re-release
Chaplin reissued the film with a new musical score and with a recording of him singing "Swing High Little Girl" playing over the opening credits. It is unclear what year this re-release took place, as the official Charlie Chaplin website reports that it was in 1969,[3] but numerous other sources say it happened in 1970.[2][4] The newly produced music is dated 1968, as is the copyright date on the print of the reissue.[5]
In popular culture
In late 2010, media outlets reported on a YouTube broadcast by Irish filmmaker George Clarke who claimed that a film of The Circus's 1928 premiere showed a woman talking and listening into a cellular phone, and suggested that she was perhaps a time traveler, based upon the apparent anachronism. The internet speculation led to coverage by news outlets,[6][7][8][9]
Nicholas Jackson, associate editor for The Atlantic, seeking to debunk that hypothesis, believes that the item in question was either a Siemens or Western Electric brand hearing aid[10]. Philip Skroska, quoted from LiveScience, thinks that the item in question could have been a rectangular-shaped ear trumpet[11]
References
- ^ Variety; Biggest Money Pictures
- ^ a b Bourne, Mark. "The Circus: The Chaplin Collection". Reviews. DVDJournal,com. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/1-The-Circus
- ^ Vance, Jeffrey. " 'The Circus': A Chaplin Masterpiece". Film History. vol.8 pp.186-208, 1996.
- ^ http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/84-Swing-little-girl
- ^ "'Time Traveler' Caught In 1928 Charlie Chaplin Film? (VIDEO)". Huffington Post. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
- ^ Malkoff, David (27 October 2010). "Mysterious 'Time Traveler' Spotted in Charlie Chaplin Film". 720 AM WGN News. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
Clarke believes the woman could be a time-traveler who is using technology 81 years in the future.
- ^ Lee, Joyce (27 October 2010). "Charlie Chaplin Cell Phone Clip Puzzles Irish Filmmaker". CBS News. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ "Time traveller spotted in 1928 clip?". ITN Entertainment. ITN. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
- ^ Jackson, Nicholas. "Debunking the Chaplin Time Travel Video". Technology. The Atlantic. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
- ^ Hsu, Jeremy. "Time Traveler' May Just Be Hard of Hearing". Strange News. LiveScience. Retrieved 4 January 2011.