Chaplin Centenary......Whup-de-dup

[Richard M Roberts]

So Richard, I'm guessing that you missed the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination, the 50th anniversary of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan this last weekend, and you'll be skipping out on remembrances of the 100th anniversary of the First World War later this year.

No Calvert you don't quite get it. Those are actually important Anniversaries, most likely way more important than the release of MAKING A LIVING.

I guess that I'm just a glass-half-full kind of person, but I don't care how we rope 'em into the silent comedy universe, as long as they make it eventually. There's a lot of local film festivals that screen all kinds of navel-gazing independent movies, Kung Fu schlock and Bollywood stuff that also devote a single slot to a silent film with live music. As long as they do it right (not the Phillip Glass DRACULA or Stewart Copeland BEN HUR way), and screen a Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd or other classic, I think it's great. There won't be much of a Silent Comedy Mafia in 10 years if you don't get new recruits somehow. There's plenty of time later to steer 'em to Charley Chase, Lloyd Hamilton and Colleen Moore, and away from Al Joy...

And again, you're still not getting it, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with anything you describe above, as long as we're not re-writing or obscuring history. Run all the damn Chaplin you like, as long as you keep him in context and show his peers as well, and keep the speeds right and the Alloy Orchestra away from it. But there's too damn much "Chaplin was the true comedy genius over all others blah blah blah" going on where no one else gets even a mention. 1914 is an important year for Silent film Comedy, and Silent Film in general, far beyond Chaplin, so lets start talking about the others too.

And there is indeed an answer to the "is the glass half-full or half-empty" question: all depends on whether you're drinking or pouring.



RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Gary Johnson]

It's nice to see that Richard has his shoes on straight and is back to being his normal feisty self again, but honestly......I have no idea who you are lecturing to? Who thinks that Chaplin is the end-all of be-all in screen comedians? It certainly isn't anyone here. Until Bruce and the other fine gentleman chimed in, no one here could even come up with anything of substance to follow up on what I wrote about Chaplin. Which only re-enforces my growing feelings that as a comedian his work is being diminished with each passing generation.

Maybe you are referring to those loud next door neighbors over at N-Ville? That makes sense. You're always reminding us of how mis-informed they are. Except that I recall 3 or 4 to a dozen threads on Chaplin where the majority of those hooligans came right out with the learned opinion that Chaplin was "over-rated!!!" Holy moly!! Instead of making such jack-ass statements maybe they just need to admit that they hate silent comedy.

So was film history once written with only Chaplin in mind? Of course! But that was over 60 years ago. And Keaton's revival was just around the corner and the Tramp has been running a distant 3rd ever since. The knock was that Chaplin was the critics choice for far too long a time (is that his fault?) but Keaton has vaulted into the lead ever since as the modern film historians pet for being 'more modern' (which is such an asinine statement on so many levels). Is anyone complaining that Keaton has been the critics favorite for far too long of a time? Certainly not by me, but then I was never one who felt the need to minimize the accomplishments of one artist over the building up of another. I find there is more than enough room to talk up every clown as long as they are able to make us laugh. And in 1914 I can't think of too many film performers from that time who can make me laugh like Chaplin. Well.....maybe Ham & Bud.....but then I have a slightly perverse sense of humor.

[Richard M Roberts]

Jeez, you lazy layabouts, I challenged you all to find some other more interesting Centenaries in Film Comedy History and you all failed. Call yourself Mafians!

Well, here you go, here’s some to mark your calendar for or feel sorry you already missed:


March 5th will be the 100th Anniversary fo the release of the earliest surviving Lloyd Hamilton Comedy, PRETZEL CAPTURES THE SMUGGLERS, and November 3 marks the Centenary of the creation of the greatest psychotic comedy team of all time, Ham and Bud, as they make their first appearance together in LIZZIE THE LIFE SAVER.

We missed the January 17th Century Mark of the film that gave us the ultimate Keystone Cops still, IN THE CLUTCHES OF A GANG, but I will definitely be celebrating the December 17th hundredth happy birthday of my favorite weird Keystone title, FATTY’S MAGIC PANTS.

February 7th was the 100th for the release of a great Vitagraph Comedy starring Sidney Drew and Clara Kimball Young, GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

And for those who can’t celebrate a 100th Cinema Anniversary without the name Chaplin included, November 21st will herald the Century Mark for the appearance of Syd Chaplin on the motion picture scene in FATTYS WINE PARTY, butt padding futures immediately went up exponentially after that.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Richard M Roberts]

And, on July 23rd, we can celebrate the 100th Anniversary of an event that has brought more laughs to the planet than that Chaplin Guy ever has. On that date, The Rolin Film Company was formed, and Hal Roach went into the film comedy business..........


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Richard M Roberts]

Hey, the Chaplinistas are slipping, yesterday was the 100th Anniversary of A THIEF CATCHER!



RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Michael J Hayde]

And, on July 23rd, we can celebrate the 100th Anniversary of an event that has brought more laughs to the planet than that Chaplin Guy ever has. On that date, The Rolin Film Company was formed, and Hal Roach went into the film comedy business..........


RICHARD M ROBERTS

THANK YOU!!!! For the past 38 years, that date has been rattling around my brain as my first-ever girlfriend's birthday. Finally I can push that out in favor of something much more worthwhile!

Now, if only we could have a WILLIE WORK & SKINNY marathon that ran for something longer than 5 minutes...

Michael

[Pasquale Ventura]

July 31 will be the 107th anniversary of Ben Turpin's Essanay comedy, AN AWFUL SKATE. Come to think of it Max Linder, Ben Turpin, Ford Sterling, Mabel Normand, Fred Mace and Mack Sennett have appeared in comedies well over a hundred years ago.

Richard M Roberts
Hey, the Chaplinistas are slipping, yesterday was the 100th Anniversary of A THIEF CATCHER!

Let's wait and see if they ignore the 100th anniverasry of Roscoe Arbuckles THE KNOCKOUT on June 11.

Pasquale