Modern Times / The Gold Rush

Today's episode is our first look at the silent films of Charlie Chaplin. We follow Charlie’s character “The Tramp” to the nuts and bolts of factory assembly lines, to department stores to nap among fur coats, and to, well, Alaska, to shovel snow. Our two royal hosts snobbishly discuss the nature of comedy itself, attempting to exhaust the genre with their words, words, words. Spoiler alert: Bill and Tim punt on 4th and 1, unwilling to rank these films in their personal pantheon for now. They must watch more Chaplin soon, but he remains in orbit until that day. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Tree of Life

For the season finale, Crown Prince William must decide if Tim's all-time favorite film can unseat La Dolce Vita from the top of the podium. They are joined in conversation by Jessica Sweeney of the Collegium Institute in Philadelphia and John O'Brien of the Aquinas Forum in Denver.  The aim: Explore themes universal and particular in Terrence Malick's 2011 film, which won the coveted Palme d'Or at Cannes and which Wikipedia dubs "an American epic experimental drama film." What more could we add?  Journey with us to the childhood streets of Waco, TX and all the way to the Big Bang itself. As Malick's screenplay says, using images gives a sense of scope: "A child; the similarity in form between the shape of his ear and that of an oyster shell, between the cowlick at the crown of his head and a galaxy."
Read more

Belfast

The Academy Award train rolls onto Northern Ireland, as we discuss Kenneth Branagh's autobiographical boyhood film which won Best Original Screenplay. The man is more than a Shakespearean actor it seems. We are joined on our journey by a guest-friend-warrior-poet, Dan Canders. By virtue of his degree from the University of Notre Dame, he is a perfect expert on the topic people who happen to fight and are also Irish. We discuss: "The Troubles", other pieces of Irish cinema, childhood, and immigration.
Read more

Rope / Rear Window

This week the Princes are joined by a bonafide King: Shawtane Bowen (Astronomy Club, Netflix, and, of course, former UCB Harold team Fluffty). We discuss two Hitchcock + Jimmy Stewart classics: Rope , a murder-mystery stage production innovatively translated to film via long takes & Rear Window , an ode to voyeurism, close ups of Jimmy Stewart, and Grace Kelly's charm. Come for a double-helping of Jimmy Stewart, stay for the minor audio issues and adorable dog guest appearances. 
Read more