Week 4: Warwick, Introduction to Film and Cinema Studies (16/10/10)

Keaton and one of the General's  in The General (1926)

The Great American Silent Comics: Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin


I wasn’t late this week, I’ve got my head around the buses.

This week consisted of less of a lecture from Julia as she demonstrated significant elements throughout the screening of The General (Buster Keaton, USA, 1926) and City Lights (Charlie Chaplin, USA, 1931).  Though, she did give us extensive background concerning both comedians.

I personally took notes of the lecture and have printout of the student handbook.

Some specific texts were suggested on the student website, which I have read. They are included on the bibliography. I have also done my own further reading with texts that I have on hand.

Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill in City Lights (1931)

It’s is interesting to see as we are studying the history of narrative cinema through film movements that from the Eisenstein’s visual metaphors (e.g. the non-diegetic objects used in highly symbolic ways) that we experienced last week, we are offered a very different method of communication through American silent cinema. In Chaplin and Keaton, subtle guidance is given through the technical devices (e.g. mise-en-scène and camera placement or movement) to create meaning.  The almost synthesis between form and content, helps create a more cohesive to the narrative; strengthening the means inherent in the text and also making the film seem more ‘natural’.

I have to apologise, I’ve been preoccupied with my university application this week so it has left little time for further reading or screening. Hopefully, I am able before Saturday 23^rd October to read the articles by André Bazin: ‘Charlie Chaplin’ (What is Cinema? Vol. 1), ‘The Myth of Monsieur Verdoux’, ‘Limelight, or the Death of Molière’, and ‘The Grandeur of Limelight’ (What is Cinema? Vol. 2).

Bibliography

Bordwell, David., Thompson, Kristin. 2009. Film History: An Introduction. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. pp. 128-151.

Carroll, Noël. 2007. Comedy Incarnate: Buster Keaton, Physical Humor, and Bodily Coping. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Corrigan, Timothy., White, Patricia. 2009. The Film Experience. 2^nd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillian, pp. 146-148; pp. 340-341.

Eisenstein, Sergei. 1922. ‘The Eighth Art. On Expressionism, America and, of course, Chaplin’ In: Writings, 1922-34 (Selected Works, Volume 1). London: BFI, pp. 29-32.

Krutnik, Frank., Neale, Steve. 1990. Popular Film and Television Comedy. London: Routledge, pp. Chapter  6: Hollywood, comedy and The Case of Silent Slapstick.

Larden, J. (2010). Great Comics of the Silent Cinema: Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, [Lecture]. Introduction to Film and Cinema Studies. The University of Warwick. Open Studies Certificate. Stone Hall Adult Education Centre, 1083 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham,16th October.

Neale, Steve.  2008. ‘Comedy’. In: P. Cook, ed. The Cinema Book. London: BFI Publishing, pp. 270-272.


Filmography

City Lights (Charles Chaplin, Charles Chaplin Productions, USA, 1931)
The General (Buster Keaton, Joseph M. Schenck Productions , USA, 1926)
A King in New York (Charles Chaplin, Charles Chaplin Productions, UK/USA, 1957)



Image Sources:

'Keaton and one of the General's in The General (1926)' [online] Available at: <http://www.everymancinema.com/cinemas/standard.asp?SessionID=ehxyyewhn&cn=1&ci=2&ln=1&pi=3061> [Accessed 04 November 2010]

‘Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill in City Lights (1931)’ [online] Available at: <http://kittypackard.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/the-kitty-packard-pictorial-of-the-month-charlie-chaplin/citylights_chaplin/> [Accessed 04 November 2010]