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Modern Times Overview:

Modern Times (1936) was a Silent Films - Drama Film directed by Charlie Chaplin and produced by Charlie Chaplin.

SYNOPSIS

In Chaplin's classic comedy, machine-age dehumanization remains as biting in the era of downsizing and the Internet as it was when first released. As an assembly-line worker who becomes too enthusiastically engaged in his work, Chaplin launches into a series of set pieces commenting on the frustrations of the modern world. His first film after the success of City Lights (1931), and last silent, is very much a one-man show, with Chaplin directing, writing, producing, scoring, and starring along with then-wife Goddard.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Modern Times was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1989.

Modern Times BlogHub Articles:

THE GREATEST FILM I'VE NEVER SEEN BLOGATHON: Modern Times (1936)

on Nov 16, 2018 From Caftan Woman

Debbie Vega at Moon in Gemini is hosting the genius blogathon The Greatest Film I've Never Seen from November 16th to 18th. What is the big gap in your film viewing? Will you love it? Will you be disappointed? Click HERE to discover the answers to those questions and more. Over the years, I have ... Read full article

“Try it You’ll Like it” Blogathon: Modern Times

By Virginie Pronovost on Dec 6, 2015 From The Wonderful World of Cinema

Do you know what is one of the best things that ever happened to me? Discovering classic films. Classic films are just magic. Yes, there are some good contemporary films, I don’t deny it, but there’s something different with classic films. They HAVE to be seen, you know. That’s wh... Read full article

Modern Times, 1936, Charles Chaplin

By Aaron West on Jun 14, 2015 From Criterion Blues

Jun 14 Posted by aaronwest In many ways, Modern Times was both an ending and a beginning. For Chaplin, it was the end of his silent movie star career and his popular character, the tramp. It was also the last major silent film release. It was at the height of the depression, and the underlying them... Read full article

Modern Times, 1936, Charles Chaplin

By Aaron West on Jun 14, 2015 From Criterion Blues

Jun 14 Posted by aaronwest In many ways, Modern Times was both an ending and a beginning. For Chaplin, it was the end of his silent movie star career and his popular character, the tramp. It was also the last major silent film release. It was at the height of the depression, and the underlying them... Read full article

Modern Times, 1936, Charles Chaplin

By Aaron West on Jun 14, 2015 From Criterion Blues

Jun 14 Posted by aaronwest In many ways, Modern Times was both an ending and a beginning. For Chaplin, it was the end of his silent movie star career and his popular character, the tramp. It was also the last major silent film release. It was at the height of the depression, and the underlying them... Read full article

See More Modern Times Articles

Modern Times Quotes:

President of the Electro Steel Corp.: [from the Telescreen in the restroom to the factory worker] Hey you! Get back to work!
A gamin: What's the use of trying?
A factory worker: Buck up - never say die. We'll get along.
See More Quotes from Modern Times
Modern Times Facts
During filming, Paulette Goddard was still working for less than $100 a week as a chorus girl for the Goldwyn Studios.
Co-star Paulette Goddard actually made significant story contributions.
Supposedly was to be Charles Chaplin's first full sound film, but instead, sound is used in a unique way: we hear spoken voices only when they come from mechanical devices, a symbol of the film's theme of technology and dehumanization. Specifically, voices are heard from:
  • The videophones used by the factory president
  • The phonographic Mechanical Salesman
  • The radio in the prison warden's office

According to Paulette Goddard, Chaplin was deeply and profoundly involved in the recording of the musical score. He spent days upon days in the recording studio writing themes, and only left when Paulette begged him.
A full dialogue script was written for the film, as Charles Chaplin had intended to make a complete talkie. According to a documentary on the DVD release, Chaplin went so far as to film a scene with full dialogue before deciding instead to make a partial talkie.
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