M

Though this film was released in 1931, it feels contemporary. This is great filmmaking, unhindered by the primitive technology of its day. The only thing lacking is a musical score. One character's steady whistling somewhat fills this void. True, the film's story is disturbing, but the craft is so outstanding! "M" is a great example of imagination overcoming technical limitations.


Written 8/12/09

Modern Times

75 years after its release, I sat in my living room with my wife to watch "Modern Times". Most of it holds up just fine. There are a few interludes in the film that fall flat today, and the female foil to Chaplin's lead can seem completely superfluous, but these are small qualms. Charlie Chaplin was a man of seemingly all talents. Not only did he write, direct, star in, and produce "Modern Times", he also composed all the music that comprises the score. His famous tune "Smile" is laced throughout the second half of "Modern Times". It's an instrumental version that pops up several times. Its famous melody is always immediately recognizable. Part of me wishes more of "Modern Times" would have depicted Chaplin facing off against ridiculous gadgets of the technology age. This storytelling path is presented at the outset, but Chaplin soon veers the tale in a different, more broadly slapstick direction. I'm excited now to go back earlier than this 1936 release to enjoy more work from a master of early Hollywood.