Charlie Chaplin was born in the spring of 1889 to little known entertainer parents. Chaplin would eventually grow up to be an iconic star in silent cinema. Chaplin is also believed to be the first superstar in the 20th century and a great artistic creator as well. The genius mind of Charlie Chaplin is recognized by any moviegoer and film experts. Chaplin is still a household name in many parts of the world. The pantomimic genius of Charlie Chaplin is well suited to the era of silent cinema. His early comedies are characterized by exaggerated gestures and extreme physical comedy. Characters would assault their enemies aggressively with bricks and kicks. By today’s standard, Chaplin’s works border on vulgarity and physical violence.
Between 1918 and 1922, Chaplin made various films like The Pilgrim, The Idle Class, The Kid and A Dog’s Live. He was involved in different aspects of the film including production, direction and the actual acting works. Later, he made A Woman of Paris, The Gold Rush, The Circus, City Lights and Modern Times. Although they are silent, sound effects and music are added to make them appear enjoyable. City Lights is one of Chaplin’s more memorable films with good balance between sentiments and comedy. While Modern Times is still a silent film, we begin to hear dialogues from radios in the film, although the voice of Chaplin was heard in The Circus (1928). At the time, people were still not accustomed to watching to films and listening to dialogues. Films with audible conversations or talkies start to become popular in late 1920’s, but Charlie was reluctant to follow the trend and he continued to focus on his pantomimic art.
Chaplin continued to make more films – The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux and Limelight. The Great Dictator is one of Chaplin’s darker comedy films with serious satirical overtones. It’s greatly influenced by the rise of fascism in Europe in late 1930’s. In Monsieur Verdoux, Chaplin played as Henri Verdoux, an evil man who marry wealthy women and kill them. Limelight is about a once popular stage comedian with failing career and alcoholism. The comedian eventually saves a ballerina making suicide attempts. A Women of Paris was directed and written by Charlie Chaplin, which was aimed to give Edna Purviance a serious acting opportunity.
The Circus depicts a little tramp who becomes a fresh addition to a failing circus. The Gold Rush is one of Chaplin’s best works about a prospector who ventures into Alaska to seek a fortune. He meets some frightening characters and fall in love with Georgia. Gold Rush is known as one of Chaplin’s best cinematography achievements. Chaplin produced, directed, set the music and wrote the screenplay of City Lights. City Light is also a silent film, which tells the story about the Little Tramp who is in love with a girl. Modern Times is considered as the most relevant of film that Chaplin made, even for today. It creatively uses sounds and sophisticated sound effects. Modern Times tells the story about how labor is dehumanized in an industrial world
