A Burlesque on Carmen

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georgan g 12/19/2021 Needed more subtitles to know exactly what is happening. Had I not read about it prior to seeing the movie, not sure I could have followed. The slapstick was great & made me laugh. See more william d @acsdoug 05/06/2021 A few good gags, but not one of Chaplin's best. See more 02/26/2012 75% When a film adaptation of the famous opera Carmen was released 1915, it inspired Chaplin to create a comedy version. And what resulted is this very strange parody/spoof of the opera. If you're not familiar with the opera, it's the story of Don Jose (played by Charlie) and Carmen (played by Edna Purviance) falling in love. But Don Jose is heartbroken when she abandons him for another. This Chaplin short is a rather peculiarly intriguing film. What's so simultaneously peculiar and intriguing about it is that it may very well be the first parody film ever made. And I don't think anybody even realized or appreciated it at the time, but this film could be the first parody. But seeing as that may be the case, it's very rough which is something to be expected. When the film first started, I felt like Chaplin was somewhat out of his element. The comic stylings set to Carmen felt strange and although there were some pretty funny moments, it actually felt a tad uncomfortable. But it all sort of culminated into a staggering ending. SPOILERS, WILL ROBINSON, SPOILERS. Charlie creates a joke that is quite possibly his most ballsy. If you don't know the ending of the original,it ends with Don Jose killing his beloved Carmen out of rage but then quickly realizing his mistake, takes his own life out of grief. The same thing happens in Charlie's version, but in an incredible almost post-modern twist (for it's time. Charlie and Edna break the fourth wall, standing up and revealing that they're not hurt and that the knife used to take their lives is fake. They just joke and laugh to one another as if none of it every happened, even laughing and pointing at the camera. Nearly 100 years later, the joke isn't that shocking, but it must have blown people's minds back then. Because I'm fairly sure that this is the absolute first time anything like this was ever done. Considering that, it's hard not have great respect for Charlie, even if the film isn't all that great. END OF SPOILERS. It gets a bit boring at times, and as I mentioned, the humor isn't that solid, but the ending practically ties the film together and allows you to better appreciate the rest of the film (an attribute that all of Charlie's best films have). And just like that, all of the uncomfortable oddities you felt while watching are nearly gone. See more 07/04/2011 Even Charlie Chaplin could make a dud film.Correct. See more 09/24/2010 I don't know if this is the first spoof movie ever (it's a spoof of the opera "Carmen"), but must definitely be one of the first ones. As with quite a few of the earliest films of Chaplin (1914-16), I am not crazy about it, but overall it's okay. I absolutely loved the ending though. See more 11/16/2009 Chaplin has some decent gags here, although I wouldn't call it his finest work. See more Read all reviews

A Burlesque on Carmen

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