Wallace Reid fascinates me. I'm very intrigued by his life and his addiction. I'm a ghoul. I've told you I'm a ghoul. Can't help it. I did pick up Wally: The True Wallace Reid Story. Robert Osborne did the intro. Someday I'll have time to read it. Someday. My undiagnosed whatever has made my attention span null, so I have a hard time focusing all the way through a book. If it's a book full of short essays no problem! A whole book at the moment is out of the question. I keep buying them though!
So I was reading my favorite blog and they reviewed Chaplin's Burlesque on Carmen and recommended watching the silent version of Carmen and then Burlesque on Carmen to fully appreciate it. A day of Wallace Reid and Chaplin? DONE!
I've had Carmen for a while. I went on a binge(yes again) and bought all the Wallace Reid movies I could find. Plus, the idea of a silent opera intrigued me. How do you do *that*? We'll they did, and it was FABULOUS! I'm pretty familiar with the story of Carmen, so that probably helped. The soundtrack on the DVD was from the opera, so that probably helped too. And looking at Wallace Reid makes everything fabulous.... Wallace Reid was excellent, and he made those wonderful handsome Wally faces of his. The best part though? Geraldine Farrar's death scene. Really really good. I'm a mean person, so most of the movie I was thinking that she wasn't pretty enough to play Carmen and was focusing on that. I'm mean. I try not to be, but I am. She steals it with that last scene though. I have to watch it again now, with greater appreciation and maybe a little less focus on Wally. ;-) If I can help it.
Burlesque on Carmen was typical Chaplin. Warm, gentle, easy humor. At least that's the impression that I always walk away from a Chaplin film with. So do you really do have to watch Carmen first to fully appreciate it? Chaplin is always funny regardless, but seeing Carmen does help you get the jokes better. Honestly, the brilliance of Chaplin means it doesn't need to be contextualized to enjoy this. Cause Carmen is hard to come by, and it's expensive! I think you all can tell I buy A LOT, so I'm always looking for a deal.
Another great Silent Cinema Sunday!
Love,
Olive
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