Review #922: Fantasmagorie (1908)

Title: Fantasmagorie
Year: 1908
Director: Emile Cohl
Country: France
Language: N/A

Fantasmagorie resembles much of what we have typically seen in early silent animation. The character(s) are physically malleable, and capable of conjuring something from nothing—from an unbounded, undefined, unlimited supply of surrounding space. With no story, no distinctive identities, and no visible backgrounds. The lack of anything even resembling realistic physics means the relationships each object has to each other is a bit wacky at best.

Fantasmagorie follows the adventures of an unnamed clown, who performs tricks for us and acts in very unusual ways.

The chalkboard drawn animations seem influenced by an earlier film pioneer J. Stuart Blackton. Drawn and filmed over a period of about four months, French cartoonist and puppeteer Emile Cohl gives us a fairly strong narrative with a passable stick figure cartoon. Honestly this type of art is something any 6 year old could draw, albeit perhaps the child-like look of the short was why it was successful.

Fantasmagorie is a well made picture, even if the drawings are sub-par. The images progress and evolve, they move quickly and trick the eye into thinking we are seeing something resembling movement. The film is not grounded in any sense of reality however and it can be difficult to follow, much like a dream. In one scene a woman wearing a large feathered hat is obstructing our main character's view, so he rips a hole of black void behind him and throws the feathers into it.

This is a very strange picture that is simultaneously entertaining and confusing. The story, not grounded in any reality, plays more like a fantastic dream and takes us on a very strange journey. Fantasmagorie is worth a view if you're interested in silent animation.

No Rating

Review #921: Sex (1920)

Title: Sex
Year: 1920
Director: Fred Niblo
Country: US
Language: N/A

I found the film Sex (1920) when I was searching for the most outrageous films made during the roaring twenties. Never in my film education did this film come up, albeit it's so far off center that it must have missed most silent buffs' radar. Why was this picture made and how has it not been lost like so many others? Was it controversial for its time? I had to find out.

A broadway actress (Louise Glaum) uses her sex appeal to ruin a marriage only to dump her lover for a richer prospect. 

Upon theatrical release Sex was a sensation, garnering critical acclaim and commercial success. Newspapers gave the picture extensive coverage as reviewers were lined up to critique this picture. Playing of the title, many newspapers were subject to controversy as the advertisers urged the public to see "SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX!". Some states refused to show the film because of its provacative title.

Sex looked ahead to a decade of flappers, Jazz and gin-soaked sin that would push against convention a little harder every year - albeit being completely against it. It's a morality film that pushes Cecil B Demille areas of preachiness. It's completely against the idea of infidelity and, though scenes of debauchery are present, asks us to not engage in such a lifestyle. 

Considering the title, it's a little bit of a bummer that Sex isn't a carnal drug fueled picture and more of a trip to the church. I suppose parts of it are enjoyable to watch; certainly the acting is pretty remarkable and the story is engaging. If you're looking for 1920's sin in all its glory watch Chicago (1927) instead.

 

Review #920: Pay Day (1922)

Title: Pay Day
Year: 1922
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

Chaplin began his film career in 1913 making comedies that were a "a crude mélange of rough and rumble" in Essanay Studios. Despite his lack of satisfaction, he made the memorable Tramp character during his tenure. From there he went to Essanay wherin he became a cultural phenomenon and Mutual where he became a hero for soldiers. By 1922 Chaplin decided to quit doing shorts, only because he was far more interested in features.

After a difficult day at work, a bricklayer (Charles Chaplin) tries to enjoy his pay day without his wife knowing. 

Indeed, after the critical and commercial success of his first feature length film The Kid (1921) Chaplin's desire to work on much larger pictures dramatically increased. When his contract ran out with First National in 1923 he no longer had any chains that bound him to two-reelers. His last two short comedies were The Pilgrim (1922) and Pay Day (1922). While I'll save the former for another review, the latter was absolutely fantastic.

Chaplin's own favourite of his films, Pay Day is ripe with slapstick and has a fun little story to boot. Albeit I'll never understand why many people in movies and tv shows have wives who are far more like mother figures, but I suppose that's an analysis for another time. Once again Chaplin brings us into the life of the proletariat, albeit with less politics at the forefront, and delivers on the choreography of each visual gag.

His stunts are well executed, reminiscent of Buster Keaton in regards to how dangerous the construction stunts look. I love how the wife is the straight character to Chaplin's goofy Tramp; he thinks he can get away with his deeds but she's always onto him. Overall Pay Day is a good film that makes me laugh every-time I watch it.

Review #919: A Day's Pleasure (1919)

Title: A Day's Pleasure
Year: 1919
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

After The Immigrant (1917). Shoulder Arms (1918) and The Bond (1918) Charles Spencer Chaplin had likely temporarily burnt himself out in regards to providing riveting social commentary in his short works. In addition, having battled the media for years, the stress of the war, the stress of his crumbling marriage and the beginnings of United Artists meant the tramp had a lot on his plate. Considering all this he went ahead with A Day's Pleasure.

A father (Charles Chaplin) takes his family for an outing, which turns out to be a ridiculous trial.

A Day's Pleasure is not one of Chaplin's best works. It has very little, if any, social commentary and doesn't have the strongest narrative structure. Considering everything Chaplin had been going through at the time, including the loss of a child with Mildred Harris, it's hard to blame the man for one lackluster picture. In addition, Chaplin was far more focused on a feature length film, which would eventually be The Kid.

Chaplin was still working for First National at the time, and even though he was disinterested in this short, they demanded he finish it quickly. A Day's Pleasure is an acceptable comedy for Laurel and Hardy, but makes for mediocre Chaplin. It does get quite a bit of mileage over a few sight gags and is certainly well choreographed, even if the humor runs dry before the end of the runtime. 

A Day's Pleasure is a passable picture that sadly seems terrible in comparison to many of Chaplin's greater shorts. In addition the black characters in the film are cringe-worthy; to see a beloved icon use racist stereotypes is a little sad to see, albeit one may give him a pass because it is 1919. Watch only if you're a Chaplin completionist.

 

Review #918: Sunnyside (1919)

Title: Sunnyside
Year: 1919
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

World War One had ended in 1918 and Charles Chaplin had did his part by making the hilarious Shoulder Arms (1918) and the informing propaganda picture The Bond (1918), in addition to making soldiers laugh around the world with his many other films. The British media, which had previously called him a coward, had ceased for the time being. It was back to business as usual for the funny beloved tramp.

Charlie works on a farm from 4am to late at night. He gets his food on the run (milking a cow into his coffee, holding an chicken over the frying pan to get fried eggs). He loves the neighbor's daughter Edna but is disliked by her father.

In 1919 Charlie joined forces with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W Griffith to create United Artists, the first movie studio run by the artists themselves. Sunnyside was one of the first Chaplin pictures to come out of his studio and, while it wasn't the political picture that laced his WW1 period, it still managed to entertain with imaginative slapstick.

There is a bounty of decent gags in Sunnyside, specifically at the beginning where Chaplin thwarts his employers attempts to get him out of bed. Its visual storytelling is well thought out, despite the so-so narrative. We've seen this kind of picture from Charlie many times before, however we have not seen this variation of gags. 

Sunnyside is a fun picture despite its uneven pacing and familiar character development. Here we see the typical Chaplin charm mixed with decent cinematography and a decent score. Chaplin didn't put forth his best effort, likely due to his failing marriage at the time, but it's at least coherent and has fun moments.

 

Review #917: The Bond (1918)

Title: The Bond
Year: 1918
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

For most countries on Earth, World War One had already been fought on many battlefields for some time. Chaplin had already been critiqued by the British Media for not participating, although the loveable tramp claims that he was willing to fight but had not been drafted. Many at the time didn't want Chaplin to be a soldier anyways, as the entertainment he provided to the troops was an absolute necessity. The Bond  (1918) would be a film Chaplin made to convince Americans to go to war.  

Charlie and friends illustrate various bonds in life and the most important, Liberty Bonds for the war.

Less of an entertaining comedy, and more of a necessary public service announcement, The Bond's  main purpose was to light a fire under the asses of wealthy americans, convincing them to buy into the war. Though pure propaganda (hey, at least it was for the eventual winning side!) one can claim its effectiveness as Chaplin and friends successfully raised hundreds of thousands because of this grand picture. 

Written, directed, and starring Charlie Chaplin this film is a great achievement and, even though it was made for purely political purposes, he still manages to make us laugh when he brings out his beloved Tramp character. I particularly liked the segment wherin he falls in love with his leading lady Edna Purviance. Lots of surreal lovey dovey visuals that add quick a charm to what could have been a more robotic venture. 

It's clearly not one of Chaplin's best shorts, but it did have great purpose and delivered on assisting the allied front of World War One. Though we could not say for certain, perhaps the scales would have tipped in the other direction if not for The Bond. It's an important film in Chaplin's canon and should be recongnized as such

No Rating

Review #916: Rescued by Rover (1905)

Title: Rescued by Rover
Year: 1905
Director: Cecil Hepworth
Country: US
Language: English

I have reviewed Cecil Hepworth's most notable work before. 1900's How It Feels to be Run Over was a shocking trick film for the time, making the audience feel like it had been hit head on by a precarious automobile. The man is an important name in early British Cinema, and although that film may be his best well known, his reputation as a great filmmaker at the time lied primarily in Rescued by Rover.

In this film, a beggar woman steals a baby and the family dog comes to the rescue.

Of all the films Cecil Hepworth made in his career, Rescued by Rover was his most beloved. It was also his most critically acclaimed and financially successful. In short, this Lassie predecessor pleased pretty much everyone from all corners of the globe. Made on a budget of seven pounds thirteen shillings and sixpence it's quite fair to say that the man got his money's worth several hundred times over. 

Hepworth remade the film twice, because he burned through two negatives. While most films averaged about 100 prints, his did 400, which was twice that of the second most popular film of that year. The film claims to be a lot of "firsts" (first dog in a film?) and may have changed film greatly. It is a smoothly edited film helped by a strong narrative and decent human (and canine) acting. 

Rescued by Rover is a fairly entertaining film that paved the way for other "dog" pictures later in Cinematic history. It's a fine film with quite a magnetic charm to it, I can certainly see why this would be a family fair for 1905.

 

Review #915: Ghost in the Shell (2017)

Title: Ghost in the Shell
Year: 2017
Director: Rupert Sanders
Country: US
Language: English

Masamune Shirow’s 1989 manga Ghost in the Shell explored the relationship between humanity, robotics, and an early form of the internet. Mamoru Oshii’s popular 1995 anime adaptation turned the story into a cult classic that shaped... almost every science fiction/action film since then. One could provide an example in The Matrix, but there are literally hundreds of other inspirations, "homages" and copy cats out there. Themes presented in Ghost in the Shell have been done to death in film long before 2017...so this should be refreshing, right? 

In the near future, Major (Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world's most dangerous criminals. 

Much of the more brooding aspects of Oshii's anime have been brightened; cleansed of its more violent and sexual themes in favour of a box office friendly PG-13 rating that studio executives think will surely bring in more revenue. Very obvious cutting choices neuter an otherwise beautiful looking film. Indeed Director Rupert Sanders is a visual filmmaker who indulge in some great sweeping shots of a city much like that of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. 

While the original film was bleak and cynical, this version links characters backstories and gives them emotional connections. Though previous fans may not enjoy this aspect, I suspect the film will gain new fans because of this. The film actually does well when it explores Major's search for identity and context in her uneasy world, but takes us out of this familiar experience with out of place action set pieces. 

Ghost in the Shell is torn between a typical action blockbuster and a profound exploration into humanity. It had tremendous potential to be an existential drama, but is far too presented in Blockbuster Hollywood's ideal specifications. It's not terrible, but could have been far greater. 

 

Review #914: Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Title: Beauty and the Beast 
Year: 2017
Director: Bill Condon
Country: US
Language: English

In 1991 Beauty and the Beast managed to shock all by being the only animated feature, at the time, to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was made during Disney's late 80's to mid 90's so-called Renaissance where they managed to produce hit after hit. I have seen that animated, as well as a live performance at Disney World, a live performance at Rainbow Stage in Winnipeg, MB, Canada and Jean Cocteau's 1948 feature. I like Cocteau's version the best, can you guess which one I liked the least? 

A young woman (Emma Watson) whose father has been imprisoned by a terrifying  beast (Dan Stevens) offers herself in his place, unaware that her captor is actually a prince, physically altered by a magic spell.

Here's the thing; every version of Beauty and the Beast I've seen has worked primarily because the Beast is an intimidating authoritative figure who is primarily all id and isn't fully in control of his animal impulses. We worry about Belle's safety and are legitimately concerned that she will come to some harm. This beast? Even at his most angry he just seems like a very hairy British guy who's just woken up from a nice nap. There isn't anything to fear. Not only that, but the animation looks cheap and his fur is so obviously artificial. He doesn't even look intimidating. 

Though the music is better than La La Land, I must condemn this picture for the lack of color. Every scene is full of muted greys and dark tinted greens. Even when there is some color in the picture, like Belle's yellow dress, it doesn't pop-out the way it ought to. A lot of the computer animation is indeed dull and lifeless, even the animated feature felt more human. 

I will admit that I liked Gaston and Le Fou, both are terrific characters. I also liked that Beauty and the Beast didn't stray too far from the beloved 1991 musical, albeit it didn't exactly impress as being pretty much a replicate. Difficult to give this a rating as it was pretty much the same, except worse. It's not something I'd ever revisit, but many moments weren't terrible. 

Review #913: La La Land (2016)

Title: La La Land
Year: 2016
Director: Damien Chazelle 
Country: US
Language: English

La La Land may be the most over-hyped film I have witnessed. It was up for a record amount of Academy Awards- which included Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography - it WON numerous awards making a star out of its young Director Damien Chazelle, and was hailed as "reinventing the Hollywood musical". I was convinced that I would love this picture...but I don't. In-fact I'm shocked by the fact that I really despise it. 

Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair.

Though compared to Jacques Demy's films, Young Girls of Rocheforte this is not. Emma Stone is no Catherine Deneuvre and Ryan Gosling's attempt at musical talent cannot compare to the stars of yesteryear. La La Land tries so hard to be an "homage" to the Classic Hollywood musical that it just becomes another tired generic Hollywood Musical. Believe me, not every film of this genre was as well made as Singin in the Rain.

La La Land claims to be a love letter to Golden Hollywood, and while it does certainly have great production design, costumes, stage design, lighting, editing, mise en scene', staging and has a remarkable depth of colour it lacks in pace, acting, script and, most importantly, music! While the first 10 minutes were astonishing, I did feel like the picture lacked rhythm. It would pick up pace with a jazzy score, then halt for something completely different (like music from the 1980's). Beyond their specific motivations (girl wants to be an actor, boy wants to reinvent jazz) I didn't find anything enticing about these characters. I felt like I barely knew them after the first hour and thus couldn't really care about their love connection. Barry Jenkin's Moonlight had far greater character development. 

I'm not a fan of musicals that feature non-dancers and non-singers as leads. When Bob Fosse made Cabaret he had the common sense to feature Liza Minelli. Of course all Hollywood pictures are meant to be commercial, but this one carries an atmosphere of commercial cynicism. It tried too hard to innovate and became a tragic case of style over substance. Albeit the style is tremendous! More films should look like La La Land.

 

Reciew #912: The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912)

Title: The Musketeers of Pig Alley
Year: 1912
Director: D.W Griffith
Country: US
Language: N/A

Gangster film has its roots in the 1930's wherein the prohibition laws combined with the Great Depression created a period of economic and social instability that was ripe with crime, criminals and the films about them. Warner Bros' was the catalyst behind these pictures, making the ever popular Little Ceasar and Public Enemy. Of course the mafia just didn't spring up in the 30's, they existed in the 1910's too. William Randolph Hearst's Chicago American and the Chicago Tribune would hire gangsters to intimidate vendors into selling their newspapers in a three year period known as the Circulation Wars. 

In this, a young wife and her musician husband live in poverty in a New York City tenement. The husband's job requires him to go away for for a number of days. On his return, he is robbed by the neighborhood gangster. Sometime later, an unrelated mob shoot-out ensues and the man recognizes the gangster.

Though the American picture The Black Hand (1906) is known as the first mafia picture, it would be D.W Griffith who would bring the genre into the mainstream with The Musketeers of Pig Alley. It is reported that he hired real gangsters to play parts in the film, I suppose to create some sense of realism. Griffith does a fine job at framing each scene with several increasingly complex crowd scenes. Remarkably each scene has a different feel and continually draws our eyes to the most important part of the action, in spite of all the bustling that is going on. 

We see quite daring editing for the time, showing that D.W Griffith had the potential to be a master filmmaker if he was not already one. The inter titles are used sparingly as the choreography of the action is what drives the plot along. Really, this film could have had no dialogue at all and it would be relatively easy to understand. 

The acting by Lilian Gish is, as always, remarkable. Considering the first film I've seen her in was Night of the Hunter (1955) when she was at the very end of her film career, I find it fascinating to view her beginnings in the film industry. Though not Griffith's best, it is a fine film and certainly important enough to view if you're a fan of his work. 

No Rating

Review #911: Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

Title: Fahrenheit 9/11 
Year: 2004
Director: Michael Moore
Country: US
Language: English

Let me get this out of the way, I cannot give an objective opinion about Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 because I honestly cannot stand the man as a film-maker. Don't get me wrong, I do agree with most of the man's politics. I do think he has a certain amount of bravery for producing these films when there is a lot at risk. He does make films about important topics...I just don't think he has many intelligent points. Like in Bowling for Columbine he spends the entire film saying "guns are bad" but doesn't get to any sociological (or even psychological) reasoning and he doesn't propose any real solutions aside from "get the guns out!" Genius, that man is. 

Fahrenheit 9/11 is Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11; and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

The highest grossing documentary ever made (hold on, I'll get a barf bag) upon release it managed to receive financial and critical success. It received a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Palm D'or that year over greater films like Wong Kar Wai's 2046. Many people cite this film as groundbreaking...but was it? Afterall Green Day had spoken up against Bush with their album American Idiot, the Dixie Chicks said they were ashamed of Bush in 2003 and many people were already analyzing the necessity of the Iraq war. Moore was a bit late on this gravy train. 

A lot of what is said in Fahrenheit 9/11, that the poor are being disenfranchised and being used as military cannon fodder, that the war against terrorism is unjust had been said decades earlier by smarter men than Moore (read: Noam Chomsky). It's low brow, low class propaganda (but propaganda on our side!) that is equally as fear mongering as the far right's fox news. I agree whole heartedly that Bush was/is a corrupt and foolish leader, but I can't stand Moore's love for bullet points. He has many small arguments that he doesn't probe too deep into. It's merely a flesh wound rather than a full amputation of the system.

Still there are moments of the film that I like. For instance when Moore hits the steps of the Capitol to ask Congressman if they will sign up their children for war it marks an uncomfortable yet funny part of the film that shows where people's intentions truly lie. He calls out these people to their face, rather than making them look foolish through manipulative editing practices (albeit it's hard not to catch Bush looking dumb). 

[I'd just like to point out that the most iconic scene of the film, wherein Bush learns about 9/11 and continues reading the book to the elementary school classroom, isn't really a fair depiction of a bumbling president. What would you have done in that situation? There's no real right answer.]

Revuew #910: A Woman of Paris (1923)

Title: A Woman of Paris
Year: 1923
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

Charles Chaplin was a known perfectionist, so obsessed was he about making the "perfect picture" that in many books and films about his life he is often portrayed as having some sort of obsessive compulsive disorder akin to Howard Hughes. What is not well known however, is how often he tinkered with his pictures long after they hit the silver screen and made an impression with audiences. For instance, with Gold Rush (1925) he went back to the Studio and make a new sound version. With A Woman in Paris he created a new score in 1977, despite being a frail old man at the age of 87.

In this, a kept woman runs into her former fiancé and finds herself torn between love and comfort.

Originally the film was not a critical or commercial success, infact it was the first major failure of Chaplin's career. The first film as a partner in United Artists, much of its failure has to do with the fact that it's not a typical Chaplin film at all, especially for the early 1920's. Though Chaplin had taken on films with serious subject matter before (see The Immigrant and The Kid) those had some comedic elements, while this was a serious melodrama throughout. It also didn't help that Chaplin's name was on the posters, as director, but he did not have any role other than a brief cameo. 

A Woman of Paris was a favourite of Mary Pickford's, she claimed "He's a pioneer. How he knows women!—oh, how he knows women! I do not cry easily when seeing a picture, but after seeing Charlie's A Woman of Paris I was all choked up" The film is a departure from Chaplin's usual work, but it is fascinating and incredibly well made. The quality of the photography and smoothness of the editing is impeccable, it is better than some of the later Chaplin pictures! The acting, particularly by Edna Purviance, is admirable. 

This is an elegant sophisticated melodrama that appears to rely more on inter-titles than expression and grand gestures. Chaplin gives a touch of D.W Griffith to this well written piece of art. Criminally underrated, mainly because of reasons I mentioned above (no comedy, no Chaplin), it's not the best-aged nor entertaining film of his, but it does absorb you in its love-triangle story.

Review #909: The Champion (1915)

Title: The Champion
Year: 1915
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

Born October 21st, 1895 Edna Purviance was an American actress during the pre-Golden Hollywood silent era of film. Her pre-acting days involved going to business school from 1913-1914 and working as a stenographer. In October of 1915 she received a message from Essanay Studios. Chaplin, who had received a considerable sum of money and power from the studio, was making his second picture for them when he realized he needed a leading lady. He had spent months finding the perfect girl but no luck, that is until he saw Edna and fell in love with her. 

In this, Charlie finds a "good luck" horseshoe just as he passes a training camp advertising for a boxing partner "who can take a beating." After watching others lose, Charlie puts the horseshoe in his glove and wins. The trainer prepares Charlie to fight the world champion. A gambler wants Charlie to throw the fight. He and the trainer's daughter fall in love.

The Champion was Edna's second of over 30 pictures she co-starred in along with Chaplin. Her first film was His Night Out (1915) and her last was A Woman in Paris (1923). She would continue to receive a cheque from the studio until her death in 1958. In this film she plays her role as Chaplin's interest rather well, one can understand why somebody would get their lights knocked out for her. She seems very humble and sweet, in addition to being intelligent and strong-willed. 

The real hit of this film is the boxing sequence, which inspired Chaplin to do a similar scene in his post-silent silent City Lights (1931). Watching Chaplin train in his trademark bowler hat is brilliant and the big fight itself is hilarious and extremely well choreographed. This is far from your typical Rocky fight as we see the competitors constantly falling over, hitting the referee, embracing each other for support and clumsily cross-cutting his opponent. 

It's a damn fine film, and although I think City Lights has more outrageous choreography, I can't help but be impressed and entertained by The Champion. Showing more competence in his staging and arrangements, I feel this is another film that shows Chaplin slowly becoming a master of his craft. He isn't quite there yet, but we can certainly see his potential. 

Review #908: Kid Auto Races At Venice (1914)

Title: Kid Auto Races at Venice
Year: 1914
Director: Henry Lehrman
Country: US
Language: N/A

As many of you may know, I am an absolute Charlie Chaplin fanatic. If there is a Chaplin picture I have not seen then I will scour the globe (or you know, the internet) to view the film in all its glory. Kid Auto Races at Venice was a relatively easy find; I watched it in front of a live orchestra at Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra as a preview to his more well acclaimed The Circus.

Charlie, dressed as a tramp for the first time, goes to a baby-cart race in Venice, California. He causes a great deal of trouble and confusion, both on off the track (getting in the way of the cameraman) and on (interfering with the race

Film historians have some disagreement about whether or not this film is the first in which the world was introduced to The Tramp. Mabel's Strange Predicament was filmed a month earlier, but Kid Auto Races at Venice was distributed first. Though not the first film Chaplin acted in, it's key to realize that his experience in film at this point was very little. He had only recently joined Keystone Studios, coming off the American tour of a vaudeville circuit.

What can this reviewer say? It's a very rough picture from a studio that Chaplin had thought made comedies "a crude mélange of rough and rumble". We do get a sense of his love for the crowd and his intense fascination with film, particularly the framing of the camera and positioning of characters within. The vaudeville pantomime is funny, especially considering the live audience, and possibly racers, aren't in on the act. 

Kid Auto Races at Venice is Chaplin being Chaplin; a lovable kind hearted soul who wishes to entertain as many people as he can. It's a must see simply on the basis that it's one of, if not the, first time(s) we see the Tramp. It's short, but entertaining enough. Historical value alone makes this film worth something. 

No Rating

Review #907: The Tramp (1915)

Title: The Tramp
Year: 1915
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

By now, the tramp is an iconic character that has reached generations upon generations in nearly every country in the world. Infact he may be the most iconic characteintr in all of cinematic history. Created by Charles Chaplin by accident while he was working at  Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, the tramp stayed in the great silent comedian's repertoire from 1914's Kid at the Auto Races to 1940's The Great Dictator. In between this period in time he even had a film named after him. 

Charlie is a tramp on the road. A hobo manages to exchange Charlie's sandwich for a brick so Charlie must eat grass. The same hobo molests a farmer's daughter; Charlie comes to aid with the help of the brick. When two more hobos show up Charlie throws all three into a lake. Further hilarity ensues. 

Though we had seen the tramp in previous pictures, this film inserted great meaning into the clumsy offbeat character. With the tramp's failed attempt to win the girl and his final walk, with his back to us, down the road, Chaplin made his first serious attempt to inject real human emotion into his comedies. This dramatic element allows us to further empathize with the fellow with the funny moustache.

The Tramp is perhaps Chaplin's first film that hints at his love for the underdog, the common man (or in this case, woman) who is harassed by the bureaucratic state (or in this case, three bullies). He is a heroic figure, and although he doesn't always end up on a happy note, it's his ethical principles that are as endearing as his appearance. 

While perhaps not the most entertaining of Chaplin's many shorts, it is a must see simply based on character development and historical importance. This tramp is a character that would earn Chaplin millions and make him an American sensation. I implore you to view it at least once. 

 

Review #906: All This, and Heaven Too (1940)

Title: All This, and Heaven Too
Year: 1940
Director: Anatole Litvak
Country: US
Language: English

Adjusting for inflation, Victor Fleming's 1939 adaptation of Gone With the Wind is the highest grossing film of all time. So critically and commercially successful was it that a tremendous amount of imitators came out of the woods in subsequent years. One of these imitators was All This, and Heaven Too, a multi-million dollar Warner Bros. venture based on Rachel Field's popular epic romantic novel. 

When lovely and virtuous governess Henriette Deluzy (Bette Davis) comes to educate the children of the debonair Duc de Praslin (Charles Boyer), a royal subject to King Louis-Philippe and the husband of the volatile and obsessive Duchesse de Praslin (Barbara O'Neil), she instantly incurs the wrath of her mistress, who is insanely jealous of anyone who comes near her estranged husband.

Rachel Field's novel, and thus this film, is based on a true story. It was a real life scandal that brought down France's King Louis-Phillipe in 1848. Behind the scenes All This, and Heaven Too was also a tabloid field day, as Davis was reteamed with with director Anatole Litvak, a man she’d infamously had an affair with while he was married to Miriam Hopkins. 

The script is fairly unique for the time, because instead of lambasting the subject of divorce and marriages on the verge of collapse and making the characters out to be demonized, we simply see selfish people making decisions they presume to be for the best. It's a rather objective view on marriage that doesn't fall victim to the presumed morality of the Hays Code at the time. The film reminds me of Woody Allen's Husbands and Wives in the way it depicts crumbling relationships, albeit its grand costume and set design certainly make it a melodramatic epic. 

All This, and Heaven Too is a decent melodrama that should serve as an entertaining period piece. Everything is technically well made, and the acting by Davis is, well, pretty great. Filmed as a three hour epic, and then condensed to just over 2hours, the only negative thing I can say about this film is that it's a bit unevenly paced. The beginning and middle are slow and brooding, slowly bringing the plot to a nice boil, and the last 20 minutes feel sloppy and rushed. Much of the dialogue and shots at this point feel very out of place. Regardless it is worthy of a view. 

Review #905: The Rink (1916)

Title: The Rink
Year: 1916
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

Sometime in 1915 Charles Chaplin became a cultural phenomenon. Shops were stocked with Chaplin merchandise, he was featured in cartoons and comic strips, and several songs were written about him. It was Beatlemania before Beatlemania. He became the world's first film star. When his contract ran out with Essanay Film Company he was aware of his enormous popularity, thus he asked for an incredibly high price in his contract. Mutual films delivered the goods; he was to be paid $670,000 per year. 

In The Rink, one of his many Mutual films,  a bumbling waiter (Charles Chaplin) tears up the local roller rink with his skating after causing caos at his work.

When watching this you'll be taken aback by the graceful eloquence of Chaplin's skating. This film must be what the French have referred to when they compared him to ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinksy. Chaplin skated again in "Modern Times" (1936), that film's scene obviously drew great inspiration from The Rink. The grace of the skating makes for a nice contrast to the knockabout slapstick that the film is otherwise.

You'd think this durability would not mix well with the clumsiness of The Tramp character, but Chaplin makes it work rather well by adding blissful foolishness to the equation. The best moments occur as waiter Charlie, unwittingly serving a live cat to one of his customers. Another is the Charlie and Eric (a big muscular guy on tiny skates) encounter, specifically the one at the skating party.

The Rink is a funny little picture that will guarantee a laugh out of anybody who chooses to view it, even if they aren't a fan of Chaplin. I found many scenes full of wit and charm, technically well made and wonderfully acted. Though there isn't much to the story and resolution, The Rink is a film that is hard to forget. 

 

Review #904: Easy Street (1917)

Title: Easy Street
Year: 1917
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country: US
Language: N/A

Like it or not, Charles Chaplin was the most politically controversial figure of the silent era. He frequently sided with the poorest of poor against hardened bureaucracy and fascist dictatorship. When America asked "why are we taking in refugees?" Chaplin made The Immigrant (1917) to send a very positive message. Easy Street was another early film of his that solidified his intentions to help the impoverished. 

In this, a reformed tramp (Charles Chaplin) becomes a police constable who must fight a huge thug who dominates an inner city street. 

To play the cop is quite an unusual role for Chaplin, usually he's the roughhousian Tramp stirring up more trouble than he can handle. In most most of his pictures this would be a villainous role, but Chaplin gives the officer a code of ethics.  The part that most clearly represents Charlie's sympathy for the poor in this film is the scene when he catches the woman stealing from the sleeping street vendor. At first he is about to turn her in, but then decides that she's in need and helps her. 

Though an early Chaplin, it's still full of the technical mastery that would prove his career to be a hit later on. He uses a mobile camera, close-ups, and cross-cutting. He used an entire city street as a set for this picture, having a hand in every single detail that would be shown in and out of the frame. Chaplin's body language sells the picture however; the way his face lights up when he sees his heroine and the way he bumbles and stumbles make for many laughs.

There's a scene in which Charlie sits on a hypodermic needle that had been used by a man to shoot up with and acts as he does with the cocaine in Modern Times. I think modern audiences will find the explicit drug use quite shocking to see in silent comedy. I'm not entirely sure that scene can be remade today with the same humor laced into it. Easy Street is of its time and, although it's not one of Chaplin's best film, it certainly is quite entertaining.

 

Review #903: Muscle Shoals (2013)

Title: Muscle Shoals
Year: 2013
Director: Greg Camalier
Country: US
Language: English

You’ve heard the songs a dozen times before and have probably memorized each brilliantly written lyric. Lynard Skynard’s “Freebird”, The Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar” and Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” are just a few of the many classic hits of yesteryear  that are featured in Muscle Shoals.  The film will have you appreciating each artist and their creations in an entirely new way.

In his directorial debut, Greg “Freddy” Camalier explores the importance of a town alongside the Tennessee River called Muscle Shoals, the breeding ground for some of America’s most creative and defiant music. Music producer/songwriter Rick Hall founded FAME Studios in the town during a time of racial hostility, bringing both black and white races together to create songs which would change the world.

In one of the many interviews, U2’s Bono emphasizes the magic of FAME studios and the great importance it has had on the world.  He claims that the songs are full of sass and grit, seemingly coming from the swap itself. Camalier drives home Bono’s points, filling the picture with beautiful Malick-like images of a country life that is calm, peaceful, innovative and creative. What essence drove this town to such greatness? The director lets us ponder.

Camalier is relentless in his research, fleshing out the film with nostalgic archival footage of those who had been changed by FAME Studios. Interviews with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Alicia Keys and others provide exceptional insight and thought provoking anecdotes, greatly hyping the historical importance of the rural town. The director expresses the great importance of racial harmony in the success of each artist. The 60s, especially in the South, was a time of great racial segregation. However, within their walls there was no sense of colour discrimination. Muscle Shoals is a tremendous achievement that every aspiring artist needs to see.

Review #902: The Clock (2013)

Title: The Clock
Year: 2013
Director: Christian Marclay
Country: US
Language(s): Misc

 This review was first published in a 2013 issue of  The Uniter, University of Winnipeg's student newspaper.

Ever since the dawn of cinema, there has been a growing desire to make extremely long films that stand the test of time. Most modern audiences consider Lord of the Rings: Return of the King as a test to their mental endurance, but at only 4.3 hours it wouldn’t make the top 50 longest running times. Even in 1915, such films as Les Vampires were two times that length. From now until January, the Winnipeg Art Gallery is showing a monumental experimental film that is 24 hours long.

Christian Marclay’s The Clock is an experimental art piece that Is essentially a 24 hour montage of thousands of time-related scenes from movies and TV shows. Each scene contains an indication of time that is synchronized to show the actual time.

If you see the film at 4:00pm your time, it will be exactly 4:00pm in the film. Each scene continues with that time, even if the scene changes, which is does over hundreds of thousands of times. If the scene lasts three seconds, the next scene’s time will be 4:00:03 pm, even Marclay has put the seconds into account. This experimental picture is a labour of love, to find 100,000+ scenes with different times would be an extremely difficult task itself, but to synchronize them and put them in order would seem to be near impossible. Only the mad would put themselves and their editors through such hardship.  

Another brilliant aspect of The Clock is the use of sound. Each scene’s sound is synchronized with the next to make the film more fluid. If the noise increases, it is a steady increase rather than a brutal mix to the ears. This is another level of editing genius. In addition to being technically well made, Marclay’s piece is actually quite fun. Have you ever wondered what characters in film and TV do at 3 am? They’re not sleeping that’s for sure.  Marclay also exposes our dependency to time, showing that even in the fantasy world we are dominated by it.

Review #901: Portrait of Jason (1967)

Title: Portrait of Jason 
Year: 1967
Director: Shirley Clarke
Country: UK
Language: English

This review originally appeared in Volume 68 Number 12 of The Uniter; University of Winnipeg's student newspaper. It was published in November 2013.

Every once in a while there are films that are so strange and alluring you just have to watch them to appease your own morbid curiosity. Some, like The Human Centipede, are seen because of its shock value but don’t offer anything intelligent to say about society. Others, like Funeral Parade of Roses, are odd yet incredibly important. Shirley Clarke’s 1967 documentary Portrait of Jason belongs to the latter group.

Jason Is a full length feature film consisting of an interview with the eccentric Jason Holliday aka Aaron Payne. He’s a houseboy, a would be cabaret performer and a self-proclaimed hustler who gives us a gin-soaked view of what it’s like to be coloured and gay  in 1960s America. 

Ingmar Bergman, one of the greatest art-house film directors of all time, once proclaimed this picture as “the most extraordinary film I’ve seen in my life.” Indeed it is quite exceptional; a unique look on life described by a man who is a minority within a minority. As we hear his testimony we notice how miserable his life is, not because he is a bad person, but because the system he is in tries to tear him down at every given moment. Shirley Clarke mentions that “racism is the great problem of our time,” it’s a bit of an understatement, but still very true. 

Portrait of Jason is essential to watch in 2013 not only in a historical sense; it was one of the first films to view a gay protagonist in a sympathetic light, but because it makes us more empathetic beings. If you are not a minority within a minority, then this film will show you their perspective. If you are, then perhaps the picture will help you feel like you’re not alone in a system that seems to try to put you down at every moment. It’s a very moving film that will encourage you to stand up for those who have less.

Review #:900: Leaving Jerusalem by Railway (1896)

Title: Leaving Jerusalem by Railway
Year: 1896
Director: Alexandre Promio
Country: France
Language: N/A

Born July 9, 1868 Jean Alexandre Louis Promio is mentioned as a pioneer in film and was the director for Sweden's first Newsreel. Interested in the art of photography, on March 1896 he quit being an optician and started working for the Lumiere Brothers. He visited cities around the world promoting this new concept of "film"/moving images. He would make some pictures himself, this review being one of over 30 documentaries he had made throughout his lifetime. 

Shot from the window of a train, Alexandre Promio's early documentary would capture the beautiful scenery of Jerusalem. 

During the onset of early Cinema, almost anything could be considered new territory. Every idea was fresh and innovative, everything was up for grabs and was ready to be consumed by an eager public. Leaving Jerusalem by Railway was considered a "phantom ride" type of film, essentially showing the scenery as the moving train chugged along. I can imagine this would be quite breathtaking.

The Lumiere Brothers made a smart decision in deciding to film the world as it was. Commercial air travel was not existent (the first airline wouldn't be around until 1914) and the only way to see such exotic locations was to either live in the area or go on a long, and often treacherous, ship rides. To make such locations immediately available for the public to view was unheard of, and therefore absolutely remarkable and ingenious. 

Though it's not a long picture by any stretch of the imagination, modern audiences might get some historical pleasure out of this Jerusalem. At the time it was under Ottoman rule and slowly transitioning into the city we know today. As far as I can tell, the Jerusalem of 1896 has a very different look and feel than the Jerusalem of 2017. This is an impressive picture indeed. 

No Rating

Review #899: Blue Beard (1901)

Title: Blue Beard
Year: 1901
Director: Georges Melies
Country: France
Language: N/A

Early cinema had a "blink and you miss it" run-time. Some of the 1890's pictures I've reviewed lasted less than 30 seconds start to finish. It's hard to review those kind of films, because even though they may be entertaining, we didn't see all that much in terms of story. By the beginning of the 20th Century filmmakers would challenge themselves to create longer and more elaborate pictures. Georges Melies, whom I've written a great amount of, would round his films to about 10 minutes.

In this, our title character marries for the eight time, but things go sour when the new bride finds out about her husband's seven other wives. 

Blue Beard is an odd "fairytale" wherin lies some quite shocking scenes; I doubt much of this would have been suitable during the strict Hays code of the Golden Age of Hollywood just three decades later. In one part of the film Blue Beard's wife finds his other wives hanging from hooks and dripping from blood! When the deranged husband returns from his trip and finds out what his wife has discovered, she vows to kill her too.

The film is real dark, possibly inspired by the real murders of the French aristocracy at the time. It has been speculated, particularly by folklore writer Wilhelm Grimm, that the method of wives' executions would be keeping in line with the dastardly deeds of real life figure Elizabeth Bathory. With some exaggerated broad acting and elaborate costumes Melies saves this from being merely a bleak film into a very dark comedy. I personally didn't find the film that funny, but evidence shows 1900's France was into this twisted barrel of laughs. 

It's unfortunate that we don't have the hand coloured version of Blue Beard, as the villain doesn't quite stand out as much in black & white. Melies film is quite a memorable one, even if its humour may be lost on modern audiences. It is dark, poetic, and fits the Grimm fairy tale aesthetic quite nicely. One of the better films from the beginning of the 20th Century.

Review #898: Logan (2017)

Title: Logan
Year: 2017
Director: James Mangold
Country: US
Language: English

For an analysis of Logan we must first look at Deadpool, the first 20th Century Fox superhero film with an R rating. Despite many executives concerns about how a restricted rating would affect performance, Deadpool earned $783 million on its somewhat meager $58 million budget. This financial success inspired the Studio to make the already planned solo X-Men picture into a gritty visual feast. 

In the near future, a weary Logan (Hugh Jackman) cares for an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) somewhere on the Mexican border. However, Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces.

If you've seen James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgement Day then you'll have a good idea for how the story develops and you'll be able to predict the ending within the first ten minutes. This isn't bad however; you could do worse than using the (arguably) best action movie in the history of cinema as inspiration. Director James Mangold fuses many genres together - road movie, post-apocalyptic action, superhero yarn and Western- to create a world that feels like a mix of  Fallout and Unforgiven.

Logan finds our hero in a sorry state. With a grizzled beard, graying mane, and a weathered physique Jackman returns as what is reported to be his final role of a character who, in this film, is one of the last of his kind. Jackman's performance is memorable, as is Patrick Stewart's. Their acting is helped by great writing, which sets a tone of bittersweet fatalism and Western mythology. Cinematographer John Mathieson shoots in orange, sun-bleached washes, while the location shooting looks far more natural than the Green screen CGI-fests that the X-Men films are normally shot in. 

It's a shame that Fox's X-Men Franchise doesn't have any solid continuity, as Logan would probably have had more meaning if we had a solid understanding of Logan and Xavier's past. Regardless this picture is impressive, perhaps the best "superhero" film (can it be classified as "superhero"?) that has ever been made. I thoroughly enjoyed it.