33 out of 37 people found the following comment useful :- Ordinary movie about an extraordinary man, 23 September 2005
Author:
h79423 from Finland
Chaplin is a cultural icon. No question about that. So what do you do?
Get some old footage, both from his movies and from other sources,
combine that with footage of historians and modern celebrities talking
about their impressions on the man. The concept is far from original.
Basically it's the same as any number of documentaries.
The movie manages to include all the important work of Chaplin in it.
However, there's no information that most people with any interest on
the subject wouldn't know and how many people who are not interested on
the subject would watch a movie like this?
Maybe I've just seen too many of these. Of course, I appreciate and
respect the work of the man, but I just don't see the point of these
little documentaries anymore. Using at least just a little bit of
creativity would have been nice. If I was to do a movie about an icon I
love, I would at least try to do him or her justice and set the movie
apart from others. It's not all bad, just kind of mediocre.
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :- The film is interesting but has some question marks for me., 18 February 2008
Author:
kirby-37 from Japan
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Basically, I liked this film and think it was well done. It does not
present anything new but does include the most important films and
selects very nice scenes from the work for the Chaplin lover to enjoy
again. This alone makes the film worth seeing. It is interesting to
hear the views of great directors and actors, though occasionally they
seem a bit too gushing and exaggerated. Certainly Chaplin's greatness
is hard to overestimate but every scene he did, even some very good
ones, are not breathtaking works of genius. Woody Allen as usual can't
be outdone by anyone, even Chaplin, so his comment about the Hitler
globe scene is as glib and arrogant as Johnny Depp's is overblown. But
all in all this is a very informative and well filmed review of Charlie
Chaplin's life and work as one might hope for. Anyone who doesn't see
the point of such films can just avoid seeing them since the title
pretty much says what it will be about. If you have no interest in the
theme or are already an expert who no longer gets enjoyment in seeing
the work excerpted, don't watch such films.
14 out of 39 people found the following comment useful :- Wonderful documentary!, 18 October 2003
Author:
Al Rowland (karow55@yahoo.com) from Kansas City
Lots of information, lots of clips, and something that might set the
record
straight on things that most people won't read enough to find out! I saw
this at the Glenwood Arts Theatre and took my nephew, we both enjoyed it.
I
laughed and cried, he laughed and learned. Definitely one to buy when it
becomes available! Now I have to hunt up "The Kid" as my nephew wants to
see
it!
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33 out of 37 people found the following comment useful :-

Ordinary movie about an extraordinary man, 23 September 2005
Author: h79423 from Finland
Chaplin is a cultural icon. No question about that. So what do you do? Get some old footage, both from his movies and from other sources, combine that with footage of historians and modern celebrities talking about their impressions on the man. The concept is far from original. Basically it's the same as any number of documentaries.
The movie manages to include all the important work of Chaplin in it. However, there's no information that most people with any interest on the subject wouldn't know and how many people who are not interested on the subject would watch a movie like this?
Maybe I've just seen too many of these. Of course, I appreciate and respect the work of the man, but I just don't see the point of these little documentaries anymore. Using at least just a little bit of creativity would have been nice. If I was to do a movie about an icon I love, I would at least try to do him or her justice and set the movie apart from others. It's not all bad, just kind of mediocre.
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
The film is interesting but has some question marks for me., 18 February 2008
Author: kirby-37 from Japan
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Basically, I liked this film and think it was well done. It does not present anything new but does include the most important films and selects very nice scenes from the work for the Chaplin lover to enjoy again. This alone makes the film worth seeing. It is interesting to hear the views of great directors and actors, though occasionally they seem a bit too gushing and exaggerated. Certainly Chaplin's greatness is hard to overestimate but every scene he did, even some very good ones, are not breathtaking works of genius. Woody Allen as usual can't be outdone by anyone, even Chaplin, so his comment about the Hitler globe scene is as glib and arrogant as Johnny Depp's is overblown. But all in all this is a very informative and well filmed review of Charlie Chaplin's life and work as one might hope for. Anyone who doesn't see the point of such films can just avoid seeing them since the title pretty much says what it will be about. If you have no interest in the theme or are already an expert who no longer gets enjoyment in seeing the work excerpted, don't watch such films.
14 out of 39 people found the following comment useful :-

Wonderful documentary!, 18 October 2003
Author: Al Rowland (karow55@yahoo.com) from Kansas City
Lots of information, lots of clips, and something that might set the record straight on things that most people won't read enough to find out! I saw this at the Glenwood Arts Theatre and took my nephew, we both enjoyed it. I laughed and cried, he laughed and learned. Definitely one to buy when it becomes available! Now I have to hunt up "The Kid" as my nephew wants to see it!
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