Highbrow Magazine - charlie chaplin https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/charlie-chaplin en The Best Movies We Have Ever Seen https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24062-best-movies-we-have-ever-seen <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 09/01/2023 - 19:00</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/10bestmovies.jpg?itok=GnIOUkir"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/10bestmovies.jpg?itok=GnIOUkir" width="318" height="480" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu once said: “Cinema is a mirror by which we often see ourselves.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The precious images and storylines that are cleverly woven together to present a feast for the eyes often leave a lingering effect that stirs so many emotions within us. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The perpetual argument – as to which films are the best – has been at the forefront of critics’ minds (and pens) for decades. But as Gonzalez Innaritu explains, the choice comes down to our own personal feelings as the viewer. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">On that note, it’s time for <em>Highbrow Magazine</em> film critics to add their favorite films to the ever-growing lists of other publications and sites that spend ample time ranking and scoring the “must-see” movies ever created. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">But as our senior writer and film critic Ulises Duenas said, it’s like being asked to pick your favorite child.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">In this first installment of <em>The Best Movies We Have Ever Seen</em>, Duenas – along with contributing writers and film critics Ben Friedman and Garrett Hartman – list their 12 all-time favorites.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Interestingly, the one film that appears on Duenas’s, Friedman’s, and Hartman’s lists is <em>The Empire Strikes Back</em>. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This selection – which features the viewing preference of millennial and Gen Z critics – differs considerably from the Gen-X musings of the magazine’s <strong>chief film critic Forrest Hartman</strong> and <strong>founding editor and publisher Tara Taghizadeh</strong>, whose own selections will be featured soon.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">For the love of movies…enjoy. And please send us your own favorite titles. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>--Tara Taghizadeh, founding editor and publisher—</em></strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/1bestmovies.jpg" style="height:432px; width:650px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>From Ulises Duenas – Senior Writer and Film Critic:</em></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>Picking 12 favorite films is like picking a favorite child, but sometimes these tough choices must be made. Some are personal favorites, and others are films I see as essential viewing for the modern moviegoer. In no particular order; these are my top picks.</em></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Bladerunner</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">A sci-fi classic that only becomes more relevant with age. This movie is dripping with neon atmosphere, thanks to its beautiful and dour sets, along with an amazing soundtrack. Ridley Scott’s tale of humanity clashing with synthetic life while deciphering what differences even exist between the two is fascinating. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Harrison Ford delivers a great performance -- then Rutger Hauer comes along to steal the show. I also thank this movie for pioneering the cyberpunk subgenre, my personal favorite flavor of sci-fi media.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Goodfellas</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">If anyone asks me to name my favorite movie, my go-to answer is <em>Goodfellas</em>. As a general rule of life, I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t like this film; yes, it’s that good. While <em>The Godfather</em> holds the crown for best mob movie in many people’s minds, I argue that <em>Goodfellas</em> has usurped it. The pacing, cinematography, writing, and performances; it’s as close to perfect as a movie can get. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2bestmovies.jpg" style="height:353px; width:650px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The Dark Knight</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">I don’t want to add more than one superhero movie here, and it was between this and <em>Logan</em>. <em>The Dark Knight</em> changed the game for superhero movies the way <em>The Watchman</em> did for comics. It shows the depth of character that the genre can have without having to stray too far from the formula. Obviously, Heath Ledger’s legendary performance as the Joker is the highlight here, and for good reason, because he steals every scene he’s in. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">No Country for Old Men</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Cormac McCarthy’s work is difficult to put on screen, yet somehow the adaptation for <em>No Country for Old Men </em>was not only a success, but a masterpiece. It’s a timeless story of nihilism and greed told with a high level of violence, along with great performances from Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem. An American classic.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The Empire Strikes Back</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">I don’t know what I can say about this movie that hasn’t already been said. The best <em>Star Wars</em> movie, an eternal classic, a must-watch. Truly an iconic film.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3bestmovies.jpg" style="height:416px; width:650px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Akira</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">I had to give anime some love on this list, and while I love Miyazaki’s work, I have to give the nod to <em>Akira</em>, a visually entrancing film that offers something totally new for Western audiences with its themes and characters. It shows that the genre is capable of a lot more than two characters posing and screaming for hours, and that the medium can stand alongside any other as art.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">If a flawless movie ever existed, it’s this one. This film captured my imagination before I ever set foot in elementary school, and over time, I developed a greater appreciation for its witty dialogue and Gene Wilder’s performance. From the sets to the score and, of course, the Oompa Loompa songs, this movie nails every element. It’s a beautiful and charming experience for all ages.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">There Will Be Blood</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">If I told you this was one of the best films ever made, you would agree. Arguably, Daniel Day-Lewis’s greatest performance in a film that is thematically deep with a poetic script and one of the greatest, most haunting cinematic endings ever. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Full Metal Jacket</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">To create a movie that is defiantly anti-war without being obvious is something few are capable of, and Stanley Kubrick pulled it off better than anyone. I know many viewers think this movie loses steam in the second half, but I would say they completely missed the point of the film. The complete horrors of war are not as obvious as burning bodies and bloody corpses; the way it warps people’s minds can be just as dark. On that note, an honorable mention to <em>Jacob’s Ladder.</em></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4bestmovies_0.jpg" style="height:650px; width:460px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Pulp Fiction</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Quotable, cool, and hilarious, this mixture of interconnected stories by Quentin Tarantino has left a huge impact on modern cinema. Its all-star cast and brilliant dialogue make this movie easy to watch year after year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Old Boy</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">I want to include at least one non-animated foreign film here, and this was the first one that came to mind. This stomach-churning drama from Korea will leave the viewer feeling sick and exhausted, but it’s all a testament to how good it is. I’m talking about the original by the way, not the awful remake from 2013.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Napoleon Dynamite</span></span></em></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This movie was quite polarizing in its time, which is understandable. The awkward humor here isn’t for everyone, but it had a huge impact on me as a kid. Jon Heder’s performance was so good, it probably ruined his future film career, but for making one of the best comedies of all time and a unique movie, I would say it was worth it. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/7bestmovies.jpg" style="height:389px; width:577px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>From Ben Friedman—Contributing Writer and Film Critic:</em></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>Frank Capra. James Cameron. John Ford. Orson Welles. Ridley Scott. Spike Lee. These are just a few of the names that did not make it onto my Top 12 Best Films list. That is not to say that their work is not worthy, nor that they were never in consideration. Rather, the opposite is true. In conjuring this list, I painstakingly went through the archives of my film collection (of which I have thousands) and jotted down every entry in consideration. When complete, I looked down only to discover I had written down 100+ titles, all of which I thought were deserving of a spot on this list.</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>     What does it mean to be considered one of the best films I have ever seen? In my head, I weighed historical significance, performances, rewatchability, and most importantly how much I find myself obsessing over them. Most will disagree with my list. I am sure in one year I will revisit it myself in horror. Yet, my selections should not be viewed as definitive, rather I hope this showcases my sensibilities as a film lover, and provides an opportunity to highlight exceptional films worthy of praise.</em></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>12. Annie Hall</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The most important romantic comedy ever made, <em>Annie Hall </em>deconstructs the genre, revealing the inner nuances of intimacy that mainstream filmmaking danced around. <em>Annie Hall </em>is not the first sex-comedy ever produced, nor is it director Woody Allen’s first foray wrestling with the subject matter. Rather, Allen’s 1977 Best Picture winner strikes the perfect chord of New York intellectualism, silly visual gags, and French New Wave influence. Coupled with Diane Keaton’s best performance as the titular character makes <em>Annie Hall</em> unique in presentation, allowing the film to work both as a relic of its era and a timeless story about love and loss.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>11. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The most recent entry on my list, <em>Spider-Man</em>: <em>Into the Spider-Verse </em>serves as the beginning of the next evolution of art and storytelling. <em>Into the Spider-Verse</em> pays homage to what came before, while paving its own style and influence. This idea is explored through Miles Morales, a biracial teenage son of an African American father and a Puerto Rican mother, who both literally and metatextuality finds himself in the shadow of Peter Parker. His journey of self-discovery serves to empower and reinvent superhero storytelling. Coupled with breathtaking animation that blends 100+ years of pop art styles creates a cinematic language that understands its history -- good and bad -- and fuses it with the sensibilities of today.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>10. Se7en</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">“You know this isn’t going to have a happy ending.” Director David Fincher warns the audience early on that by design, <em>Se7en </em>can only end in bleakness. What we did not realize is simply how sadistic Fincher’s sensibilities proved. Despite being visually disturbing and upsetting, every few months I find myself revisiting and rediscovering its brilliance. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt star as Detectives Somerset and Mills tracking down a serial killer who targets victims he sees as representing one of the seven deadly sins. In <em>Se7en, </em>our heroes are predestined to suffer. Heavily influenced by noir films of the 1940s, the world present within the film is created to further kick down our protagonists. The heavy rainfall and constant raddling from the train line make it feel as if God himself is conspiring to torture Somerset and Mills. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/8bestmovies.jpg" style="height:520px; width:660px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>9. Psycho</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Every modern horror film owes its existence in part to Alfred Hitchcock. Dubbed the “master of suspense” the famed director’s talents proved generational. From such classics as <em>The Birds, North by Northwest, Rear Window, </em>and <em>Vertigo,</em> his ability to manipulate camera movements, framing, and pacing to invoke terror proved to make him one of the most influential and controversial directors of all time. No film better exemplifies Hitchcock’s sensibilities than his 1960 horror-thriller <em>Psycho. </em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Its premise is simple - a woman is trapped in proximity with a serial killer. What differentiates <em>Psycho </em>from other horror films is its interest in the deranged. At 63 years old, the Psycho is still as frightening as ever -- due largely to Anthony Perkins's off-putting smile and stillness in movement as Norman Bates. Pair that with Hitchcock’s direction and you have the quintessential slasher movie!</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>8. </em>JFK</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The fall of Camelot. The Rise of the Military Industrial complex. The Death of the American Youth. The consequences of November 22, 1963, are palpable within Oliver Stone’s 1991 “historical” epic <em>JFK. </em>At the pinnacle of his fame following the success of <em>Platoon, Wall Street, </em>and <em>Born on the Fourth of July, </em>Stone weaponized his influence to craft his narrative on what exactly happened in Dallas. Part protest, part therapeutic, and all brimstone anger, Stone utilizes the magic of filmmaking (and a tremendous John Williams score) as a radical middle finger to the American government. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">To view <em>JFK </em>as the gospel truth would be naive. Not bound to live and die by factuality, Stone utilizes the tools of his enemy in the form of propaganda, to answer the burning question that has haunted him since he returned home from Vietnam in 1968: Why?</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>7. The King of Comedy</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Martin Scorsese has always been a director willing to dive into the ugliness of the human condition, yet despite how grim and violent his work often is, a misconception arises that Scorsese himself is a cynical filmmaker. Nothing can be further from the truth. The 80-year-old director’s work time and time again showcases an earnest director interested in the forces that corrupt. Which makes <em>The King of Comedy</em> even more interesting. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Protagonist Rupert Pupkin has no rhyme or reason. He is not a troubled Vietnam veteran, or a poor child seeking riches and power, nor is he the Messiah, rather he is a man who wants to make people laugh on TV, whatever the cost. This is Scorsese’s only real foray into cynical storytelling. Given everything that had befallen him (and <em>Taxi Driver) </em>post-John Hinckley’s assassination attempt on President Reagan, it's unsurprising to see Scorsese’s fury towards the fetishization of stardom as promoted by mass news media. Darkly comedic, yet with the same fierceness that made <em>Taxi Driver </em>a hit, <em>The King of Comedy</em> is fundamental to understanding Scorsese as an artist both on and off-screen.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>6. The Empire Strikes Back</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When I was 7 years old and first sat down to watch the original <em>Star Wars </em>trilogy, I truly felt like I was in a galaxy far, far away. I treated the series as if it was a documentary -- real lived-in worlds, with heroes and scum all existing within their own environment and possessing their own cultural practices. To put it simply, I bought into the movie magic on display. Our heroes look older as years of war have taken their toll. Here, they never possess the upper hand, rather they seek to survive another day. It’s a tale of persistence that only ends in tragedy as our once bright-eyed optimistic learns the horrors that await him.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/backtofuture.jpg" style="height:281px; width:500px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>5. </em>Back to the Future</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>Back to the Future. </em>The movie that made me fall in love with movies. Despite being a product of the ‘80s, Michael J. Fox’s performance as Marty McFly is ageless, defining what I understood to be the height of cool growing up. The reason I fell in love with Robert Zemeckis’s <em>Back to the Future </em>is its screenplay. No joke is wasted; no character beat is unjustified; no action is taken without consequence. In my opinion, it is the best screenplay ever written. It is the movie that defined my childhood and I have revisited it countless times. Every time, I take something new away from it. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>4. The Godfather: Part II</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">“If history has taught us anything, it’s that you can kill anybody.” Michael Corleone weaponizes his power in the form of violence and ruthlessness throughout <em>The Godfather: Part II</em>. Convinced in his self-assurance awarded to him by his stature as the new Don of the Corleone family, Michael is so focused on the “can,” but never takes moments to consider the cost. Like its predecessor, Francis Ford Coppola’s storytelling is operatic -- akin to a Greek tragedy, except here our protagonist succeeds, but at the cost of his soul. Having destroyed everything and everyone who stood in his way, Michael embraces the role of Satan forced to rule a hollow kingdom of his creation.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/9besstmovies.jpg" style="height:471px; width:652px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>3. The Great Dictator</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">World War II, The Holocaust, and Adolf Hitler -- topics that in 1940 were taboo for comedy, even if named Charlie Chaplin. The controversial anti-war satire arrived a year before Pearl Harbor, and lampoons Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Pre-<em>The Great Dictator</em>, Chaplin refused to abandon his work in silent films, thus for many audience members, the film presented the first time they heard Chaplin speak. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">In many ways, Chaplin and the film’s protagonist are the same. The protagonist, a Jewish barber, is forced to give a speech despite never doing so in his life. Forced to speak, Chaplin and the barber become one and the pretense of the film vanishes. The audience watches as the famed comedian condemns and gives voice to his disgust for Hitler, fascist ideology, and antisemitism. The film’s climatic monologue envisions a world that is kind and optimistic -- a future worth fighting for that is in danger if good men and women remain complicit to the horror of Nazism.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>2.<em> </em>Casablanca</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">What is there left to say about <em>Casablanca? </em>It is a testament to performances mixed with a daring screenplay that resonates with audiences both during World War II and 80 years later. The love story between Rick and Ilsa is iconic in large part due to Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman’s on-screen chemistry.  It is a story about love and loss, but to label it romantic would be a mischaracterization. Rather, love is the last thing both characters must sacrifice. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Director Michael Curtiz is able to infuse Bogart’s roots in noir pictures and infuse it thematically into the psychological questions that plague war. Rick Blaine is neither a hero nor a villain, rather he turns his back on the world. Not out of moral unrighteousness, rather out of fear. Beneath his smooth, charming exterior lies cynicism and heartbreak. Similarly, like Rick, Ilsa runs from her past. Yet, where he runs out of fright, she runs out of determination -- a determination to never look back so as to help the war efforts. Together, Rick and Ilsa help each other move forward and in doing so, sacrifice for the greater good.</span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>1. <em>Schindler’s List</em></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The talents of Steven Spielberg lie in his ability to fuse his scale in technical filmmaking mixed with humanity in storytelling. All of Spielberg’s most successful films possess those two qualities. Whether it is Elliot and E.T. having one final heart-to-heart outside a giant spaceship, or Martin Brody monologuing about the nightmares of his past while being chased down by a shark, Spielberg understands that scale means nothing if not accompanied by genuine human emotion. This fundamental understanding is what gives <em>Schindler’s List </em>its power. His direction honors those who perished and those who survived. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The camera is unflinching so as to capture the brutality of the Holocaust, while never exploiting the subject matter. Liam Neeson’s performance is gentle and delicate. The film is never interested in making Oskar Schindler a folk hero or savior, but rather a man forced to face the ugliness of humanity. In the film’s final moments as Oskar cries out, “I could have done more,” his screams prove cathartic. The wound that is the Holocaust is laid bare, and through Spielberg's direction, is given space to mourn and heal, while never forgetful of the pain experienced. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/largenarrative.jpg" style="height:520px; width:735px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>From Garrett Hartman – Contributing Writer and Film Critic:</strong></span></span></em></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Fight Club</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">David Fincher’s gritty 1999 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk, is a recent watch but a favorite for me. The film oozes style with excellent music and stark lighting. It offers a commentary on social apathy, capitalism, and gender. A commentary I would argue is all the more relevant 20-plus years later, considering the rise of uber-masculine personas on social media, and the tough-guy attitude many pundits and politicians have been fronting in recent years. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">American Psycho</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Continuing on the trend of film commentaries on society and gender, 2000’s <em>American Psycho,</em> directed by Mary Harron and adapted from the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, is a film that addresses similar themes as <em>Fight Club</em> -- male fragility, ego, violence, and social anger. Christian Bale portrays an unsettling killer with a soulless smile. Bale’s performance and surreal over-the-top sequences serve to create an intriguing and unforgettable film. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The Empire Strikes Back</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The influence of the Star Wars franchise unquestionably permeates throughout pop culture. While <em>A New Hope</em> is probably my favorite, I would argue <em>The Empire Strikes Back</em> is the best film in the franchise. Directed by Irvin Kershner, it’s an excellent follow-up to <em>A New Hope</em>. It continues the franchise's revolutionary visual effects and has some of the most iconic moments in cinema. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>Three Billboards</em> is a poignant but dark film about a woman who rents three billboards outside her town to criticize the failure of the police in solving the rape and murder of her daughter. The film deals with the grief and the drama of a small town that is reeling from the effects of the controversial signs. The film offers Oscar-winning performances from Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5bestmovies_0.jpg" style="height:497px; width:650px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The General </span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">You know a film is great if it stands the test of time. <em>The General</em> does just that. This 1926 silent film co-directed by Clyde Bruckman and its star Buster Keaton follows Johnnie Gray, a man who is thrust into a train chase to save the woman he loves. It is a slapstick comedy that features daring stunts by the remarkable Keaton. The film is a fun spectacle, and while it is narratively simple, it does what it strives to do perfectly. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The follow-up to 2018’s <em>Into the Spider-Verse, Across the Spider-Verse</em> is as much, if not more, of an impressive animated spectacle than its predecessor, blending and referencing a variety of artistic styles into its gorgeous visuals. Visuals aside, the film delivers a great narrative with a deep subtext commenting on media and pop culture.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Scream</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">1996’s <em>Scream</em>, directed by Wes Craven, is a meta-commentary on the horror genre that is witty not only in its writing but also its direction. Both humorous and tense, <em>Scream</em> is a great film that delivers comedy without forsaking its horror roots.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Batman Begins</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Christopher Nolan’s <em>Dark Knight</em> trilogy is arguably the best live-action superhero film series ever made -- with character-defining performances that have contributed to the push of Batman and his rogues gallery into decidedly darker themes. While <em>The Dark Knight</em> has a riveting performance by Heath Ledger as the Joker, <em>Batman Begins</em> stands out as a better film.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Monty Python and the Holy Grail</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Monty Python’s parody of Arthurian legend is, while not necessarily an expertly crafted story with complex characters and themes, an expertly crafted farce and a helluva time. The self-aware comedy duels between wit and stupidity, offering up a charming film that is hard to not love.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">12 Angry Men</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">This 1957 legal drama concerns a jury – with Henry Fonda leading an impressive cast -- as they vote to convict or acquit a minority teenager for murder. The film shows characters butt heads as they clash on the topics of ethics, morality, and bias. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Zombieland</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Like <em>Scream</em>, Zombieland parodies elements of pop culture. The film sheds most aspects of horror, while poking fun at the tropes and oversaturation of the genre<em>. Zombieland</em> is a fun parody of zombie media with a great cast featuring Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, and Jesse Eisenberg.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/6bestmovies.jpg" style="height:270px; width:650px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The Incredibles</span></span></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Unfortunately, animated films are largely underappreciated. But almost any Pixar film could earn a spot on a best-films list. However, I chose <em>The Incredibles</em> because of its great sense of style, or perhaps considering the number of superhero films on this list, my predisposition for them as a child of the 2000s. The clever, pun-intended soundtrack and stylized character designs create a unique aesthetic.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/best-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">best movies</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/goodfellas" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Goodfellas</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/empire-strikes-back" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">empire strikes back</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/casablanca" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Casablanca</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/annie-hall" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Annie Hall</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/scream-2" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Scream</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/batman-begins" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">batman begins</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/akira" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">akira</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/general" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the general</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/dictator" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">The Dictator</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/charlie-chaplin" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">charlie chaplin</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/harrison-ford" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">harrison ford</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/7even" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">7even</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/napoleon-dynamite" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">napoleon dynamite</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/full-metal-jacket" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">full metal jacket</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pulp-fiction" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pulp fiction</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/willy-wonka" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">willy wonka</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/greatest-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">greatest movies</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ulises Duenas, Ben Friedman, and Garrett Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 01 Sep 2023 23:00:11 +0000 tara 12097 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24062-best-movies-we-have-ever-seen#comments Showtime’s ‘The Real Charlie Chaplin’ Expertly Illustrates the Life of an Icon https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19027-showtime-s-real-charlie-chaplin-expertly-illustrates-life-icon <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 12/13/2021 - 13:46</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1charliechaplin.jpg?itok=Cq5pGLcP"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1charliechaplin.jpg?itok=Cq5pGLcP" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">In his time, Charlie Chaplin was the world’s most recognized face and highest-paid actor. His work in silent films was so prolific that he managed to make successful silent movies years after talking ones took over Hollywood, but his life was also full of controversy. Showtime’s <em>The Real Charlie Chaplin</em> expertly recounts the highs, lows, and secrets of his life with great editing and narration.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Chaplin was orphaned at an early age, but he always had a passion for performing and making people laugh. By his teenage years, he was working as a comedic actor with a troupe in London. It was there that Chaplin created his famous character of “the tramp,” a roaming transient who is always down on his luck. The footage and narration do a good job of explaining Chaplin’s rise to superstardom, while also acknowledging the fact that his famous character was a combination of other silent-era characters from the past. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2charliechaplin.jpg" style="height:600px; width:400px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Pearl Mackie does a consistently great job of narrating Chaplin’s story as remastered footage and photos are shown. Her tone, voice, and rhythm give the documentary an almost calming vibe. The historical footage and photos used throughout are edited perfectly to show the audience the best visual for the narration, and it adds a lot to the immersion of the story.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Hollywood is known to be a cruel, fickle beast, and even Chaplin who was beloved the world over wasn’t safe from its vicious cycle. Scandals and accusations of being a communist fueled by the FBI turned a star into a pariah. His ex-wives also got up in his storm of controversy and were harassed by Chaplin’s fans despite being victims to his behavior. It’s a complicated story, but it shows how the filmmakers behind this production nailed the execution. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3charliechaplin.jpg" style="height:600px; width:393px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Great documentaries are ones that leave you feeling like an expert on a subject you previously knew little to nothing about while also making you curious to learn more. <em>The Real Charlie Chaplin</em> does this while also showing the dark side of Chaplin’s life. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It’s a story told so well that even after seeing all of Chaplin’s skeletons, I found myself thinking “that’s really clever” when they showed footage of movies made later in his life. His mark on show business is undeniable and everlasting, and his story is one that is very much relevant today.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Ulises Duenas is a contributing writer at </em>Highbrow Magazine.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/real-charlie-chaplin" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">The Real Charlie Chaplin</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/charlie-chaplin" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">charlie chaplin</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/showtime" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">showtime</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/comedians" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">comedians</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hollywood" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hollywood</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/actors" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">actors</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/silent-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">silent films</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ulises Duenas</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-videos field-type-video-embed-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <div class="embedded-video"> <div class="player"> <iframe class="" width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0ApMSyQkk1c?width%3D640%26amp%3Bheight%3D360%26amp%3Bautoplay%3D0%26amp%3Bvq%3Dlarge%26amp%3Brel%3D0%26amp%3Bcontrols%3D1%26amp%3Bautohide%3D2%26amp%3Bshowinfo%3D1%26amp%3Bmodestbranding%3D0%26amp%3Btheme%3Ddark%26amp%3Biv_load_policy%3D1%26amp%3Bwmode%3Dopaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> </div> </div></div></div> Mon, 13 Dec 2021 18:46:19 +0000 tara 10794 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19027-showtime-s-real-charlie-chaplin-expertly-illustrates-life-icon#comments Remembering Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius of Silent Comedy https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/4286-remembering-harold-lloyd-third-genius-silent-comedy <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 15:21</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1lloyd.jpg?itok=22RTqwdd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1lloyd.jpg?itok=22RTqwdd" width="480" height="288" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>Charlie Chaplin made audiences laugh, but he also made us feel. His films often balanced delicately, as poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti observes, on “a fine line between sentiment and sentimentality.”  Buster Keaton may not have elicited as much laughter or emotion as Chaplin, but his comedy was at least as creative – particularly throughout the 1920s when he took great risks both physically and financially. Harold Lloyd lacked the vaudeville training and natural comedy of Chaplin and Keaton, yet he could make us laugh as hard as we did when watching Chaplin, and could elicit as much sympathy and suspense as Keaton, but he had to work harder at being funny. And work he did, churning out more pictures over the course of his very prolific film career than Chaplin and Keaton combined. But, although Harold Lloyd rivaled Chaplin’s box office success and earnings, his place in film history is sometimes dismissed by critics and is overshadowed by the great talents of his two main comedy contemporaries.</p> <p>Today, Chaplin’s Tramp – with his tiny moustache, his wooden cane and his bowed legs – is probably the most iconic of the three figures. His image is painted all over Los Angeles and his old studio (later Jim Henson Studios) still stands on La Brea Avenue, while the studios of Keaton and Lloyd have disappeared and their film locations are now, a century later, hardly recognizable. The location of Lloyd’s studio is now – and has been since 1956 – the site of the Los Angeles California Temple of the Mormon Church.</p> <p>We remember Keaton today for his deadpan expression, earning him the nickname, “Old Stone Face.” Keaton rode the front of train engines (<em>The General</em>) and had houses collapse around him (<em>Steamboat Bill, Jr.</em>) and hardly blinked. The world around him might be in chaos, but his expression let us know that he was calm and collected in his resolve that everything would be fine, a result of his character’s determination combined with trust in the hands of fate.</p> <p>Harold Lloyd we remember today not for his “Lonesome Luke” character (a Chaplin knock-off) with which he started his career, but with his “Glasses Character.” Like Keaton on screen he faced insurmountable odds to achieve his goals, but unlike Keaton his face was exceptionally expressive. His comedy was physical like Chaplin’s, a combination of raw slapstick and animated emotion. His objectives on screen were like those of Keaton’s characters, with physical stunts equally impressive and often more suspenseful (though, of course, no one could equal Keaton’s use of special effects, as evident nowhere more so than in <em>The General – </em>a big budget film for its day – in which he collapses an entire bridge with a train on it). But, unlike the down-and-out tramp and Old Stone Face, Lloyd’s character was more of an everyman.</p> <p>Lloyd’s glasses, like Chaplin’s ill-fitted suit, firmly established his character. For Lloyd, the glasses make him seem common and they also challenge the general perception that men with glasses are more serious and astute, a perception that perhaps helps Lloyd elicit greater laughs. Lloyd’s character is anything but what his first appearance might have us believe. Instead of being an erudite and no-nonsense fellow, he is bumbling, clownish, playful and, despite being a common man, he is willing to take some very uncommon risks, from scaling buildings to chasing down robbers and murderers (<em>The Kid Brother; Grandma’s Boy</em>), making us laugh along the way.</p> <p>For the many unfamiliar with Lloyd’s comedic style, the image of him dangling from a clock in <em>Safety Last! </em>is perhaps etched in their consciousness even if they have never seen the film. This is probably, as Roger Ebert writes, “<a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-safety-last-1923">the most famous shot in silent comedy</a>.” And it is probably one of the most iconic shots in film history at that, paid homage only a few years ago in Martin Scorsese’s visually stunning 2011 film, <em>Hugo</em>, an adaptation of Brian Selznick’s beautifully illustrated children’s book and tribute to early cinema, <em>The Invention of Hugo Cabret</em>.</p> <p>But although many are likely familiar with Lloyd’s image, few have – as Ebert writes – seen his works. Today, people are probably less familiar with Lloyd than with Keaton and certainly less familiar with Lloyd than they are with Chaplin. And there are several reasons for this.</p> <p>Comedy, as mentioned earlier, did not come as naturally to Lloyd as to Keaton and Chaplin. It took him time to perfect his character, moving away from being just another Chaplin imitator and establishing his own brand of silent comedy and then developing that character and giving him dimension. Once he did it he did it beautifully, and in high demand he cranked out films in rapid succession, amending them according to public tastes (using the preview to his advantage). The famed producer Hal Roach remarked of Lloyd’s lack of inborn comedic genius that Lloyd was the best actor to play a comedian, owed largely to the same sort of persistence that characterized his on-screen persona. </p> <p>Chaplin was the most recognizable figure in early cinema, but by the 1920s, Lloyd was giving him a run for his money, though working at least twice as hard, or more if judged by output alone—Lloyd cranked out 12 feature films in the 20s compared with Chaplin’s four. Yet over the years Chaplin’s iconic status remained constant, though teetering during the hyper-reactive McCarthy era.</p> <p>Keaton and Lloyd both successfully bridged the gap from silent films to talkies early on, but the stardom of both waned throughout the 1930s and 40s, becoming for many just one of those “dim figures you may still remember from the silent days,” as William Holden’s character famously says in <em>Sunset Boulevard </em>(a scene with a cameo from Buster Keaton). But unlike Lloyd, Keaton kept acting in films throughout his life (with memorable cameos in films such as Chaplin’s <em>Limelight, </em>Stanley Kramer’s <em>It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World </em>and <em>A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum</em>), even if he didn’t actually have the creative control he once possessed, and in the late 1950s his films experienced a renewed interest, something Lloyd’s films would not enjoy for a few years.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/2lloyd.jpg" style="height:455px; width:608px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>One argument for the eclipse of Lloyd – who has been referred to by film historian Kevin Brownlow as “the third genius” of silent comedy (along with Keaton and Chaplin) and by others as the “King of Daredevil Comedy” – is that though he produced many of his own films, he never took a directing or writing credit, as did the other two geniuses. Thus, he might be less respected as “just an actor.” Director credits in his films were given to the likes of Sam Taylor, Fred C. Newmeyer and Hal Roach. Yet Lloyd produced many of his films and it is very clear that Lloyd was at least as much involved with creating his films as his two contemporaries, possessing in the 1920s a great deal of creative control over his works (much more so than many directors today), and reworking scenes to perfection, again like both Keaton and Chaplin.</p> <p>It has also been argued that while Lloyd was extremely popular in the booming 1920s, with his go-getter attitude and his ability to beat the odds and get ahead (not unlike his own climb from being a film extra to being a top-earning star), by the 1930s the American public had little taste for pictures of this sort.  With the market crash of 1929 and rapidly escalating unemployment, a grinning character who squeezed past all of the obstacles to success that stood in his way was not something that movie audiences craved when their own reality seemed so grim.</p> <p> </p> <p>The experiences of Chaplin’s hungry Tramp in the 1930s were more reflective of the typical everyman than Lloyd’s Glasses character. Though Keaton also played a go-getter, his success was often the result of fate as much as personal motivation, and in many films he wasn’t so much forging his way up and ahead, but was fighting to get back what was lost by either human force or nature. While Lloyd’s most memorable on-screen moment shows him dangling from a clock as he scales a skyscraper in order to prove himself, Keaton’s is of him just staying firmly put while the front of a house collapses over him, lucky enough to miss the blow simply by standing squarely in the middle of where the window frame lands.</p> <p>Third, although Lloyd was luckier than many of his lesser known contemporaries in making the transition from silent films to talkies, his output diminished and these films lacked the success of his earlier pictures.  Starting with <em>Welcome Danger </em>in 1929 – an expensive picture to make, as Lloyd allegedly insisted on reshooting the film, originally silent, as a talkie – Lloyd breached the world of sound in film, something Chaplin wouldn’t do for another decade. Keaton starred in his first talkie in 1930 – <em>Free and Easy,</em> released after Keaton’s much-regretted contract with MGM – and although it was more commercially successful than many of his own classics of the ‘20s, it marked the beginning of his decline.  For Lloyd, as with Keaton, the transition to sound was not unsuccessful, but the work was not of the same caliber. As Ed Park writes in his liner notes to the Criterion Collection’s release of <em>Safety Last!</em>, “though watchable and even interesting” the eight talkies that Lloyd released beginning with <em>Welcome Danger </em>“lack the sheer comic authority of his best silent work.”</p> <p>The end of Lloyd’s film career as an actor was marked by a disastrous collaboration with acclaimed director Preston Sturges<em>. </em>Though Sturges greatly admired Lloyd’s work, particularly the 1925 film <em>The Freshman, </em>creative differences between Sturges and Lloyd soon surfaced. While the film, <em>The Sin of Harold</em> <em>Diddlebock,</em> has been lauded by some critics, it was not a commercial success. Producer Howard Hughes pulled the film after its initial release in 1947. Some scenes were shot again and the film was re-edited and released in 1950 under the title <em>Mad Wednesday</em>, though faring no better with the general public. Although the film was nominated for some awards, including a Golden Globe nomination for Lloyd, it was the final nail in the coffin of Lloyd’s career as a film star.  </p> <p>Another interesting theory for the decline of Lloyd’s mark (via the liner notes by Ed Park) comes courtesy of Orson Welles, who knew Lloyd through their shared affinity for magic. Says Welles: “Harold Lloyd—he’s surely the most underrated [comedian] of them all. The intellectuals don’t like the Harold Lloyd character—that middle-class, middle-American, all-American college boy. There’s no obvious poetry to it.” But Park adds, “Yet it’s just this everyman persona that gives Lloyd his oomph” and he suggests that his poetry was more subtle than that of Chaplin and Keaton.  And while Keaton is often praised today for his work (and rightfully so), he did occasionally borrow from Lloyd’s bag of tricks and both he and Chaplin greatly admired the style of many of Lloyd’s films, especially <em>Grandma’s Boy</em>, credited as the first feature-length film in which Lloyd successfully matches up comedic gags and slapstick with character development. With <em>Grandma’s Boy</em>, Lloyd’s Glasses character would acquire depth and would no longer be just a vehicle for driving laughs.</p> <p>A final explanation that has been presented for Lloyd’s fall from stardom (raised notably by Lloyd’s granddaughter, Suzanne) is that for many years he, unlike other contemporaries, resisted rereleasing his catalogue or selling his films for use on television, concerned with lack of control and the interference of commercials, which disrupt whatever it is that the filmmaker is trying to communicate to his audience.  One can just imagine Lloyd fretting over his suspenseful climb up the 12-story Bolton Building from <em>Safety Last!</em> being interrupted by a commercial selling Maxwell House coffee or Carnation milk! </p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/3lloyd.jpg" style="height:431px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Throughout the 1940s and 1950s audiences demanded talkies and many of the films of the silent era were neglected during this period, not to be revived until the late-‘50s (as was the case with Keaton’s body of work) and early 1960s (as with Lloyd’s oeuvre). In the ‘60s Lloyd released two compilations featuring scenes from his 1920s classics, which sparked some renewed interest in his film catalogue. In the 1990s his works were released on home video and a decade later on DVD, but, despite all of this, many today remain unfamiliar with Harold Lloyd’s spectacular world of comedy.  </p> <p>No matter the true explanation for Lloyd’s relative obscurity – likely a combination of several, if not all, of the various factors discussed above – he still matters today.  Though he may be the least known and appreciated of the three geniuses of the era of silent comedy, Harold Lloyd was a giant working among bigger giants and he worked harder than his peers if merely to keep pace with their inborn comedic talents. And through his determination, not unlike his character, he influenced and won the respect of those around him and audiences loved him, too.</p> <p>Impressively, Lloyd (like many in that period) did a great deal of his own stunts, sometimes foolishly. What makes this particularly remarkable in Lloyd’s case is that many of the stunts executed in films like <em>Safety Last! </em>were performed after he had lost his thumb and index finger on his right hand in 1919, when Lloyd posed for publicity photos using a real bomb that was mistaken for a prop.</p> <p>But Lloyd’s impact is bigger still for he not only did what others were already doing, but also pushed forward against the existing boundaries. In films like <em>Grandma’s Boy</em> Lloyd toyed with existing conventions of comedy. In <em>The Kid Brother</em> and <em>Safety Last! </em>he played with camera angles and to great effect. Lloyd’s films also created the templates that are still (over)used today for two popular genres. <em>Safety Last!, </em>Ed Park writes, is “the template for the contemporary action flick.”  And others have credited Lloyd with developing the template for the modern romantic comedy. In addition, Lloyd influenced not only the work of Keaton, but of countless others, including Woody Allen (whose antics in <em>Sleeper </em>owe more to Lloyd than any other silent era comedian), Preston Sturges and Mike Nichols (the ending of <em>The Graduate </em>borrows greatly from Lloyd’s 1924 film, <em>Girl Shy</em>). Plus, the characters of the Farrelly brothers’ <em>Dumb and Dumber </em>were named after Harold Lloyd.</p> <p>From a historical standpoint, Lloyd’s films, many shot on location around Los Angeles, are also great pieces to study for any with an interest in the city’s urban metamorphosis over the years.</p> <p>And, above all, Harold Lloyd still matters because his films remain wildly entertaining and fresh, especially in the restored versions which have been released in the past decade.</p> <p>Harold Lloyd might not have had the poetic genius of Charlie Chaplin or the bravado of Buster Keaton. But that’s alright. He had, instead, the subtlety of Harold Lloyd and he created a character with depth, a character we could relate to through the ages, who shared our dreams to succeed and who could make us laugh just as well as he could make our hearts thump and our palms sweat. To some he is undoubtedly still one of those “dim figures . . . from the silent days,” but to those familiar with work, those who love film and film history, he is so much more: an innovator, a daredevil and a hard-working everyman whose contributions were immense, but who remains overshadowed by the other great pioneers of cinema.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/4lloyd.jpg" style="height:469px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong><br />  </p> <p><strong><em>Benjamin Wright is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/harold-llyod" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">harold llyod</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/charlie-chaplin" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">charlie chaplin</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/buster-keaton" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">buster keaton</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/silent-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">silent films</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/comedies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">comedies</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/comedians" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">comedians</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/actors" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">actors</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">films</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hollywood" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hollywood</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/early-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">early films</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Benjamin Wright </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 12 Sep 2014 19:21:41 +0000 tara 5178 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/4286-remembering-harold-lloyd-third-genius-silent-comedy#comments