Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Charlie Chaplin?

Carlos Baena has some links to a show about physical humor with Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) decent watch (especially if you do it during work ;) Interesting thought about Chaplin:

the whole world found Chaplin funny in his day but hardly anyone laughs at him now. He is certainly more skilled then many comedians today. He wears comic clothes, does funny walks, constantly transforming himself, his films are full of slapstick and acrobatic stunts, there is a relentless sadism, under and overstated violence, there are surprising appearances and disappearances, there is surrealism, he is an expert mime and a sharp observer of human behaviour.

There is often a considerable gulf between what can be described as comic and what we personally find funny. The problem with Chaplin is that it is hard for us to get involved with what he does, he is distanced from us by time and the silence of his films. But the main difference is we can't identify with him, he seems to cute, to pleased with himself.

Interesting, he is to different from us to really find funny.

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