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
No comments:
Post a Comment