"City Lights" (1931) - explain this...??? (1 Viewer)

[Eric Huffstutler]

Re: "City Lights" (1931) Charlie Chaplin

OK, please explain this. How did a 1931 silent film become AFI's #1 movie under their Romantic Comedy category in 2008 outrunning titles like "When Harry Met Sally", "It Happened One Night", "The Philadelphia Story", "Moonstruck", or "Sleepless in Seattle"?

It was even #11 on the top 100 films of all time list but the year before was # 76.

I would have thought the Silent Era audiences wouldn't have that much influence in the overall scheme of things. A great movie no doubt but still... maybe further down the list? How come the BIG jump up the list?

And yes, it is/was out on DVD through Warner.

Eric

 

[Ray H]

I don't get the question. Everyone who considers him or her self a film lover should see City Lights. It's a classic for a reason. It's a very memorable movie and a perhaps the prototypical romantic comedy.

As for it making a big jump, I guess it all has to do with how much staying power a movie has. I believe The Searchers also made a huge leap on the AFI's updated 100 greatest movies list. I suppose that time skews the perspective of some things. Some movies they had really high up fell off the list and they added many that weren't there the first time.

 

[BillyFeldman]

First of all, who cares about these ridiculous AFI lists? That's the most important question - every one of them is specious. That said, City Lights belongs in the top ten of any film list I would take seriously. Simply put, it's a masterpiece for the ages. Certainly I cannot say the same for When Harry Met Sally or Sleepless in Seattle.

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

Eric darling, it's called opinion...or maybe an agenda. Either way, what's the big deal?

 

[Jack Theakston]

I agree... these AFI "best" lists are hardly anything to get worked up over. They're about as irrelevant as anything I can think of in the grand scheme of things.

On the other hand, if it gets people to watch a silent film who never considered it before, more power to them.

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

I recall Channel 4 did a top 100 scary movie moments, and at 100 they put the Lumerie film of the train.

Well, I thought it was funny...

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

If the lists are so irrelevant then why do people rely on them so much? And isn't the AFI supposed to be like the "know all, do all" of the film industry - highly respected?

I know the bottom line is opinion but apparently there are a lot of "like" opinions to vote this film to the top? And I just found it odd that a 77-year old silent film would rank so high, and a movie that most likely no one under the age of 60 has ever seen. (Keep in mind there is a world outside of the HTF). If it is a matter of it being a "silent" then there were thousands made before the advent of talkies which I am sure could or would make most of the lists and see only less than a half dozen major titles on the top 500 (Wings, The General, etc.) Out of the Top 10 movies for each genera I only saw this one silent and it ranked #1 which I found odd is why I brought it up. I had never heard of it nor seen it before and I am 51 years old.

Eric

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

And you said I knew nothing about old films...

 

[David_B_K]

So have you still not seen it? I will be 52 this month, and I have seen it countless times. I am a film nut, and I bought the movie sight unseen on VHS video tape when Magnetic Video Corporation started releasing Chaplin's films in the late 70s/early 80's. I bought it without seeing it first because I had read about it as one of the great classics for years (and movies on video back then ran around $80).

If you are "seriously into film" as many here are, you should have at least been aware of the reputation of this classic film. At least rent it. I still find it funny and the final sequence still gives me chills.

 

[ahollis]

People in the movie industry and members of AFI vote on the films and the number of votes is where they are placed. It does not have anything to do with silent film audiences since the films that are usually voted on are the ones that are considered essential background for moviemakers, students of film, and Hollywood History.

As a member of AFI, I too have a problem with the where films are placed. I also agree that the lists are just opinions and can be used as guide to people that want a good list of films to watch. Also the lists have accomplished at this post exactly what they were intended to do, create DISSCUSSION among film lovers.

On another note, Charlie Chaplin had a very difficult time with the advent of sound. He thought that his on screen talent was silent, so City Lights, Modern Times, and the Great Dictator, had very little of Charlie actually talking. The supporting actors talked and of course Charlie himself did the narration.

An interesting thought is that on the first top 100 list, The African Queen was listed as #17 and when the 10 anniversary list was announced it was #65. The discussion is that it was not on DVD and had lost a lot of popularity since the days of Laserdisc and VHS where the film was available.

 

[Ray H]

Maybe being part of this forum puts me in a certain category of movie nuts, but I'm 20 years old. I probably saw "City Lights" for the first time in the early years of this decade and it'd been on my "must see" long before than that.

I don't know. Maybe yours is just a special case. I'd argue that a good portion of the movie conscious world is familiar with Charlie Chaplin, even if it's just his image. "City Lights" is probably his most famous film.

 

[Matt Stieg]

Brilliant. That's the problem with the AFI. Instead of trying to make more great, lesser known movies available (which, if the AFI actually gave a shit about movies, they would) let's just dismiss all films not easily available in the home video market, because obviously they're not important. People are quite comfortable going to the local video store and picking up a readily available copy of Titanic, instead of caring about wether Anthony Mann's The Tall Target will ever be on video some day.

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

Anyone find this admission of ignorance of the mere existence of a classic film somewhat hypocritical coming from the man who said to me the other week

"Obviously you are a Generation X or Y person through your examples and have no real knowledge of older films"

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Yup, I'm serious. It is all good that people here like silents (one of my favorite is Marion Davies "The Patsy") but in the total scheme of things, how many (and I hate to use this old cliche) Joe six-packs would even care about this title let alone have ever heard of it? And it is the Joe six-pack and his family that buys the majority of the DVDs - not the handful of people on specialized forums like this. In your own perfect little world "City Lights" may rank high and you may have a passion for silents but this is the 21st century and the general public has little interest in them nor black and white movies any longer. And again, I am speaking the general populace who buy DVDs, not HTF addicts.

Eric

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

Well if I understand correctly, it is not "Joe Six Pack" who votes on AFI lists, so your whole argument is innaccurate

 

[Matt Stieg]

I don't understand what you're arguing here. I think just about everyone here agrees that the average Joe six-pack doesn't give a shit about silent films. I'm sorry but your posts seem to be implying that because Joe six-pack has never heard of City Lights, it shouldn't be on the list.

Yes, you're right about Joe six-pack buying DVD's, which is why it's the responsibility and duty of the AFI to better promote awareness of great classic films, instead of telling us that Lord of the Rings is the 50th greatest American film ever made and is better than North by Northwest, which is only the 55th greatest American film ever made...and movies should only make the list if they're on video or DVD.

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Tiger... are you simply a miserable person or just an antagonist?

 

[Michael Elliott]

Eric, these Chaplin films play across the world in theaters all year long. They still get a lot of play dates on college campuses so I'd say more people UNDER 60 have seen them.

 

[Ruz-El]

My two cents on City Lights. This is one of the few films I eventually force friends to watch, regardless of their level of film fandom or if they have ever seen a silent movie or not. I'm yet to have a negative reaction, and have in fact only have had people get genuinely touched by the film, usually to tears.

I can't say the same for the When Harry Met Sallys of the world. City Lights certainly deserves all the praise it gets. I think it's Chaplins best film.

 

[James 'Tiger' Lee]

A miserable antagonist...who has seen City Lights