1 / 10

Explaining Chaplin

Explaining Chaplin. Chaplin timeline 1914, Mack Sennett studio 1916, Mutual Film Corp - 1917, First National 1925, Gold Rush 1931, City Lights – 1936, Modern Times 1952 , exile from U.S. Gold Rush (1925) Meeting and courting the lady (26:00, 29:20). Two Theories. Noël Carroll

hedia
Télécharger la présentation

Explaining Chaplin

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Explaining Chaplin • Chaplin timeline • 1914, Mack Sennett studio • 1916, Mutual Film Corp - 1917, First National • 1925, Gold Rush • 1931, City Lights – 1936, Modern Times • 1952, exile from U.S. • Gold Rush (1925) • Meeting and courting the lady (26:00, 29:20)

  2. Two Theories • Noël Carroll • analytical philosopher • comedy = conceptual • Charles Musser • social historian • comedy = contextual

  3. Carroll: “Notes on the Sight Gag” • History of comedy • Transgressive: Melies (marvelous); Sennett (mayhem) • Structural: e.g., the sight gag • The Goldrush(1:05) • Structure of the sight gag • Amusement from “play of alternative interpretations” • Key concepts: • Emotional state (directed at something; not a mood) • Incongruity (incompatible ideas of visible event) • Simultaneity (held in mind at same time) • May also portend trouble (not essential)

  4. Carroll: “Notes on the Sight Gag” • E.g. • “Visual metaphor: The Goldrush (12:58) • “Switch image,” “switch movement, “oblject analog…” • Seeing reality differently “[These] examples all hail from Chaplin. And this is no accident. For Chaplin is particularly invested in the theme of imagination, and it is an essential feature of his character that he can see things differently from others, that is to say, imaginatively.”

  5. Got it? Noël Carroll analytical philosopher comedy = conceptual • What is funny and why? • What is film comedy and how does it work? • What are the functions and effects of film comedy?

  6. Musser: “Work, Ideology, and Chaplin’s Tramp” • Universal and timeless comedy • Chaplin’s comedy is situated and unique • He got away with breaking the rules • Not so funny in 1952 • Situation • 1913, Model T • 1913, Thomas Ince and the movie studio • Chaplin’s persona: “gentleman tramp” • Polite, abides by rules… doesn’t need to work • Unruly, scoffs at rules… refuses to work • “Comic instability” built into his character

  7. Musser: “Work, Ideology, and Chaplin’s Tramp” • Disruptive presence • Independent of the tyranny of the workplace • Breaking the rules of “productive labor” • Authorized breaking other rules (sexuality and anality) • “Recognition and release through laughter.” • Played off their experiences • Resonated with their fantasies • Context specific! • Goldrush: idle poor to idle rich — work is key • But in 1925, times are good, the tramp in decline • Wistful romance vs. “recognition and release.” • Happy ending (1:03:25)

  8. Got it? Charles Musser social historian comedy = contextual • What is funny and why? • What is film comedy and how does it work? • What are the functions and effects of film comedy?

  9. Assignment Based on the arguments and the evidence I’ve provided, in as few words as possible, write a thoughtful assessment of the relative merits of the two theories.

  10. Readings Eitzen Evolutionary explanation Comedy mobilizes humor Mechanisms of humor are innate 2 problems: Comedy is not just about humor “Just so stories”

More Related