Chaplin And Hitler

Ambitious leaders took advantage of the economic fall and fought politically with rivals to rise to power, and showcasing the growth in economy and military power after betraying the people and ridding of unwanted elements.

(1933) felt the effects of conservative ideas, which later led to the censorship code’s introduction. The analysis of the Pre-Code film

Although the best reasons for “going to the movies” are to be entertained and eat popcorn, understanding a film is actually quite complex. Movies are not only a reflection of life, they also have the capability of shaping our norms, values, attitudes, and perception of life. Through the media of film, one can find stories of practically anything imaginable and some things unimaginable. Movie-makers use their art to entertain, to promote political agendas, to educate, and to present life as it is, was, or could be. They can present truth, truth as they interpret it, or simply ignore truth altogether. A movie can be a work of fiction, non-fiction, or anything in-between. A film is an artist’s interpretation. What one takes away from a film depends upon how one interprets what has been seen and heard. Understanding film is indeed difficult.

In Jean-Louis Comolli and Jean Narboni’s essay “Cinema/Ideology/Criticism,” they put forward the central argument that film is a commercial product in the capitalist system and therefore also the unconscious instrument of the dominant ideology which produces it. In opposition to the classic film theory that applauds camera as an impartial device to reproduce reality, they argue that what the camera reproduces is merely a refraction of the prevailing ideology. Therefore, the primary and political task for filmmakers is to disrupt this replication of the world as self-evident and the function of film criticism is to identify and evaluate that politics. Comolli and Narboni then suggest seven categories of films confronting ideology in different ways, among which the second category resists the prevailing ideology on two levels. Films of this group not only overtly deal with political contents in order to “attack their ideological assimilation” (Comolli and Narboni 483), but also achieve their goal through breaking down the conventional way of depicting reality.

Hitler and Stalin will probably go down in history as two of the greatest known evil leaders of the 20th Century. You might ask what could bring two men to become the menaces they were. What kind of upbringing would cause someone to turnout the way they did?

Casablanca, first released on January 23rd, 1943 is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces of Classical Hollywood film. Written and released in the midst of World War Two it explores themes such as love, desire and especially sacrifice. Although the love story of the protagonists is the cause and catalyst for most of the narrative, one would not necessarily associate it with the conventional Classical Hollywood love story. Rather as a fabula based on the principle of the importance of sacrifice in order to overcome a common enemy, in this case the Nazis. Casablanca does indeed contain many of the common characteristics identified with the Classical Hollywood film. An example being the the way director, Michael Curtiz used a mainly chronologically ordered narrative structure and the utilisation of a Cause and Effect chain. In this essay I will looking at the various ways I believe this film does fall into the criteria of a Classical Hollywood narrative and also how some could perceive that it does not.

In “A Century of Cinema”, Susan Sontag explains how cinema was cherished by those who enjoyed what cinema offered. Cinema was unlike anything else, it was entertainment that had the audience feeling apart of the film. However, as the years went by, the special feeling regarding cinema went away as those who admired cinema wanted to help expand the experience.

Many believe that as a society, cultural norms and morals have changed with the times. However, it can be argued that although many new innovations have brought mankind into the 21st century, the same values have remained. Humans cling to things that throughout the generations have influenced our everyday lives. As an audience in 1942 to today’s audience, three things have remained the same; the love of a good romance, war time issues, and loyalties. This essay will compare what the audience in 1942 saw in these cultural norms to the audience today within the movie Casablanca.

Chaplin affirms that one of the main reasons for his success is that he makes films that portray what an audience wants to see. “Even the most inoffensive of us has sometime or other conceived the grotesque idea of pulling those millionaire whiskers––just a fleeting, absurd idea” (Chaplin 6), states Chaplin. As the audience has an innate desire to see a high-class business man lose their composure and status, they also have a desire to see hope in dire situations. The same

Around the time, he was trying to gain support for the Nazi party the mood of Germany was not too particularly great. The depression's effects had hit Germany and its people hard with millions of people losing their jobs. Still fresh in the German people’s minds was the humiliating loss of WWI. Also, people did not like the Weimar Republic government because it agreed to the terms of The Treaty of Versailles. Due to this, the German people lacked confidence in the Weimar Republic. These conditions provided the chance for the rise of a new leader, Adolf Hitler, and his party, the National Socialist German Workers' Party, or the Nazi party. Due to Hitler’s extravagant speeches, he was able to attract many followers to the Nazi party. In the article, it states “Hitler was a powerful and spellbinding speaker who attracted a wide following of Germans desperate for change”, but this quote doesn’t even show how impactful the speeches really were. The article later states that “The party's rise to power was rapid... the Nazis were practically unknown, winning only 3 percent of the vote to the Reichstag (German parliament) in elections in 1924. In the 1932 elections, the Nazis won 33 percent of the votes, more than any other

When Norma asserts her self-worth, she does so surrounded by images of herself. “I am big,” she proclaims, with a thousand Norma Desmonds staring back at the camera from photographs, posters, and artistic renditions of the once famous face. “It’s the pictures that got small.” This convolution of reality, a reversal that gives Desmond the illusion of both control and continued adoration by nonexistent fans, provides the foundation for all her more severe misperceptions. As long as it is the cinema itself that has lost its appeal and not the former silent film star, a change of fates or Desmond’s own gracious compromise have the potential to restore her former glory. As she ultimately confesses, Norma feels that she left the spotlight (not the other way around) and that it has been waiting for her ever since. A belief that her seclusion is voluntary allows Desmond to avoid the finality of her fall from grace.

The biggest factor about Charlie Chaplin 's speech that really draws people in is its emotional factor. As the great dictator in the film is based off of Adolf Hitler, the format in which Chaplin gives the speech mirrors Hitler 's style. Like most of Hitler 's speeches, The Jewish Barber starts off subtle with a soft and gentle voice saying “We want to help one another, human beings are like that…” The first three paragraphs are given very softly with a touch of sorrow and remorse. Chaplin pitties humanity with words such as “More than

In the 1931 film “City Lights”, Charlie Chaplin “opens our eyes”, so to speak, about how society values trivial elements of people over the deeper person by using blindness. In this film, Chaplin brilliantly mixes lighthearted comedy with deep and complex ideas about problems with society. Chaplin uses music, gags, and a genuine love connection to portray this point in multiple ways throughout the movie. Chaplin also took the bold step of not making a talking movie, even though they were available at the time, making the details in the pictures and sounds he was creating that much more important. What makes “City Lights” so special, and different from other comedies, is Chaplin’s natural blend of comedic scenes with tense and serious scenes. Chaplin weaved together a masterpiece that culminates in the end with the lady seeing who she fell in love with, which is also the moment Chaplin slaps the viewer in the face with the realization that the priorities in society are misguided and that the important things cannot be seen with the eye.

Chaplin is playing the role of a Jewish barber, who seem to look identical to the ruthless dictator Adenoid Hynkel. The barber saved a wounded pilot but loses his memory from a concussion. Adenoid Hynkel ordered a purge of all the jews. After gaining his memory back, Chaplin character dressed up as the dictator Adenoid Hynkel. Meanwhile the real dictator Adenoid Hynkel was mistaken for the barber. As the barber still dressed up as the dictator Adenoid Hynkel, he took the steps of the capital, announcing that he had a change of heart and begged for brotherhood and

Fascism is a 20th century form of nationalistic, militaristic, totalitarian dictatorship that seeks to create a feasible society through strict regimentation of national and individual lives. Total subordination to the service of the state and unquestioning loyalty to its leader would adjust conflicting interests. It is a modern political ideology that looks to regenerate the social, economic, and cultural life of a country by basing it on a heightened sense of national belonging of ethnic identity. Fascism rejects liberal ideas of freedom and individual rights, it often presses for the destruction of elections, legislatures and other elements of democracy. Despite fascism’s idealistic goals, attempts to build fascist