Review of Modern Times (1936) by Rainer K — 14 Aug 2012
It seems that I'm fast-becoming a fan of Charlie Chaplin the more of his films that I see and the more that I learn about him. Modern Times is another classic film that I've recently seen, and it's wonderfully satirical and socially-conscious to boot.
I have to say though that I found it just a step lower than his classic The Gold Rush. I found that film to be marvelous in nearly every aspect. This time around, I feel like the overriding theme and modern relevance to what was going on in the world at the time overrides the story itself.
It's well-executed and expertly crafted, but The Gold Rush feels more timeless by comparison. It also seems to take a great deal of ideas from Fritz Lang's Metropolis, both visually and in a storytelling sense.
It's not necessarily a bad thing because it does pave its own road and has its own ideas, but it feels a bit flat to me. That said, it's still a marvelously well-put together film and I look forward to more of them.
This review of Modern Times (1936) was written by Rainer K on 14 Aug 2012.
Modern Times has generally received very positive reviews.
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