Modern Times: The Impact of Great Depression and Industrial Revolution
Film: Modern Times (Chaplin, 1936, 88m)
Readings: A Short History of the Movies, Ch. 6; André Bazin, “Charlie Chaplin” in What is Cinema?, Vol. .1
Write a 700 to 800-word analysis of the film. You must incorporate at least ONE READING. Your response should demonstrate your understanding of the reading and the film, including its historical significance. Do not simply summarize the film. Rather, discuss how that film has contributed to the aesthetic and/or technical innovations in film history. Also, consider how each film reflects and influences its socio-political context. You must use proper citations for all sources in your response. Below are some questions to serve as prompts for reflection. You do not have to address all of these questions in your response.
What are the central arguments made by the films and/or the texts and how do they relate to each other?
What social, cultural, political, or historical issues are brought into focus in the films and how?
What themes emerge from the films or texts and how do they relate to the historical context?
Describe the aesthetics of the film and discuss how they contribute to the development of film language.
What role does this film play in the history of film in terms of its aesthetic, technological, and or socio-political contributions?
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The "Modern Times" film by Charlie Chaplin is a comedy that portrays the challenges experienced by people in developed nations. The film is hilarious and is among the most exciting pieces created by Chaplin. Chaplin plays the Tramp character in the film, which portrays him as a social and kindhearted outcast. In the developed economy, Chaplin experiences extreme challenges contributed by the increased level of unemployment and poor financial conditions. Although Tramp is kindhearted, he occasionally experiences challenging conditions, such as getting arrested more often because he presents himself as a communist. According to the film, society, in most cases, has always taken advantage of working-class individuals in society, and it does not prioritize humanity but efficiency.
The film was created when the American continent faced the worst economic downturn. For this reason, most Americans remained unemployed and poor, as portrayed in the movie. Although numerous comedy scenes accompany the film, the film plays a significant role in portraying the challenging times in American History.
The films and the texts make various central arguments that are interrelated. For instance, the film portrays the impacts of the great depression and the industrial revolution. The main argument made by the film and the texts is that the industrial revolution adversely affected workers. For instance, on page 144, Bazin portrays Charlie as a mythical figure; he overcomes the adventures in which he gets involved. Bazin Apostulates that the Charlie Chaplin film has numerous emotional scenes as it attempts to critique while praising industrialization (Bazin, 2005). The book "A Short History of the Movies" provides the story of the late Chaplin (Mast & Kawin, 2012). On page 280, the author portrays that Chaplin had made two films, "the modern times" and "City Light." The modern times are depicted as Chaplin's last stand against contemporary dialogue times. Also, Chalin depicts the synchronization of the soundtrack as an enslaving machine that factory bosses use to monitor the private activities carried out by his employees. Chaplin attempts to depict the future by portraying the talking picture in his film. In the modern world, a talking picture is a talking machine. On the other hand, the numerous comic scenes in the film attempt to plead ironically for people's rights to expression against the tyrant's stifling and murderous power.
Charlie Chaplin attempts to bring ...