The Kid and my students

Arnie Bernstein wrote:
> My four screenings of The Kid to various classrooms was very
> successful. Overall students enjoyed the film; many of them reported
> that they initially were unhappy that they were seeing a silent film
> but quickly got pulled into Chaplin's world and enjoyed it thoroughly.
> Students who are single mothers (or know someone who is a single
> mother) particularly identified with Edna Purviance's situation. Other
> students touched on the hypocrisy of "the proper care and attention,"
> drawing allusions between that and today's foster care system.
> Overall, they also identified with Chaplin's "everyman" character,
> regardless of their respective economic backgrounds. A few also
> touched on the religious overtones of the film (the scenes of Coogan
> and Chaplin praying; the image of Jesus contrasted with the single
> mother)
>
> I'm also happy to report that during the screenings there was a great
> deal of laughter, as well as applause when The Kid ended. Several
> students said they were pleasantly surprised at their first silent film
> experience and were looking forward to seeing more. One student was so
> taken with it, he's decided to do his semester research project on
> Chaplin's film career--and he had never seen a silent film before!
>
> So all in all, a good experience. I'll use The Kid again!

Thanks for the feedback. This has always been a special film for me.
It's the first film I remember ever having seen, and it was at a time
when I was almost exactly the age Jackie was when it was made. Some of
the stories I heard about the film's production were also fun.
 >> Stay informed about: The Kid and my students 

Sounds great!

What age group do you teach? Since some of your students are single mothers,
I'm going to guess that it's not elementary school.

Lincoln

"Arnie Bernstein" <arniebernstein.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1162844203.820892.251860@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
> My four screenings of The Kid to various classrooms was very
> successful. Overall students enjoyed the film; many of them reported
> that they initially were unhappy that they were seeing a silent film
> but quickly got pulled into Chaplin's world and enjoyed it thoroughly.
> Students who are single mothers (or know someone who is a single
> mother) particularly identified with Edna Purviance's situation. Other
> students touched on the hypocrisy of "the proper care and attention,"
> drawing allusions between that and today's foster care system.
> Overall, they also identified with Chaplin's "everyman" character,
> regardless of their respective economic backgrounds. A few also
> touched on the religious overtones of the film (the scenes of Coogan
> and Chaplin praying; the image of Jesus contrasted with the single
> mother)
>
> I'm also happy to report that during the screenings there was a great
> deal of laughter, as well as applause when The Kid ended. Several
> students said they were pleasantly surprised at their first silent film
> experience and were looking forward to seeing more. One student was so
> taken with it, he's decided to do his semester research project on
> Chaplin's film career--and he had never seen a silent film before!
>
> So all in all, a good experience. I'll use The Kid again!
>
> Arnie Bernstein
> www.arniebernstein.com
>
 >> Stay informed about: The Kid and my students 

"Arnie Bernstein" (arniebernstein@hotmail.com) writes:
> My four screenings of The Kid to various classrooms was very
> successful. Overall students enjoyed the film; many of them reported
> that they initially were unhappy that they were seeing a silent film
> but quickly got pulled into Chaplin's world and enjoyed it thoroughly.
> Students who are single mothers (or know someone who is a single
> mother) particularly identified with Edna Purviance's situation. Other
> students touched on the hypocrisy of "the proper care and attention,"
> drawing allusions between that and today's foster care system.
> Overall, they also identified with Chaplin's "everyman" character,
> regardless of their respective economic backgrounds. A few also
> touched on the religious overtones of the film (the scenes of Coogan
> and Chaplin praying; the image of Jesus contrasted with the single
> mother)
>
> I'm also happy to report that during the screenings there was a great
> deal of laughter, as well as applause when The Kid ended. Several
> students said they were pleasantly surprised at their first silent film
> experience and were looking forward to seeing more. One student was so
> taken with it, he's decided to do his semester research project on
> Chaplin's film career--and he had never seen a silent film before!
>
> So all in all, a good experience. I'll use The Kid again!
>
> Arnie Bernstein
> www.arniebernstein.com

Thanks much, Arnie. I've had similar experiences with this film, and with
other silents. People who haven't seen one are initially dubious, but
the soon take to it instinctively, and are surprised at how clear and
richly expressive a film can be with no spoken dialogue.

Connie K.
 >> Stay informed about: The Kid and my students 

"Arnie Bernstein" <arniebernstein RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1162844203.820892.251860@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
> My four screenings of The Kid to various classrooms was very
> successful. Overall students enjoyed the film; many of them reported
> that they initially were unhappy that they were seeing a silent film
> but quickly got pulled into Chaplin's world and enjoyed it thoroughly.
> Students who are single mothers (or know someone who is a single
> mother) particularly identified with Edna Purviance's situation. Other
> students touched on the hypocrisy of "the proper care and attention,"
> drawing allusions between that and today's foster care system.
> Overall, they also identified with Chaplin's "everyman" character,
> regardless of their respective economic backgrounds. A few also
> touched on the religious overtones of the film (the scenes of Coogan
> and Chaplin praying; the image of Jesus contrasted with the single
> mother)
>
> I'm also happy to report that during the screenings there was a great
> deal of laughter, as well as applause when The Kid ended. Several
> students said they were pleasantly surprised at their first silent film
> experience and were looking forward to seeing more. One student was so
> taken with it, he's decided to do his semester research project on
> Chaplin's film career--and he had never seen a silent film before!
>
> So all in all, a good experience. I'll use The Kid again!
>
> Arnie Bernstein
> www.arniebernstein.com
>

I am very pleased to see that it all worked out wonderfully! There could
not have been any better choice than THE KID, either. It was written,
directed, and acted very well! It's great that people are exposing newer
generations to silent films so that this wonderful art form will never die!

The scenario that you described is the same reaction I usualy have too. I
want to show someone a silent film and they usually mumble and grumble
beneath their breaths; by the time it's all over, they're glad they watched
it!

Great job!!!!
 >> Stay informed about: The Kid and my students 

"Constance Kuriyama" <do481.DeleteThis@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message
news:eioh0q$5it$1@theodyn.ncf.ca...
> "Arnie Bernstein" (arniebernstein@hotmail.com) writes:
>> My four screenings of The Kid to various classrooms was very
>> successful. Overall students enjoyed the film; many of them reported
>> that they initially were unhappy that they were seeing a silent film
>> but quickly got pulled into Chaplin's world and enjoyed it thoroughly.
>> Students who are single mothers (or know someone who is a single
>> mother) particularly identified with Edna Purviance's situation. Other
>> students touched on the hypocrisy of "the proper care and attention,"
>> drawing allusions between that and today's foster care system.
>> Overall, they also identified with Chaplin's "everyman" character,
>> regardless of their respective economic backgrounds. A few also
>> touched on the religious overtones of the film (the scenes of Coogan
>> and Chaplin praying; the image of Jesus contrasted with the single
>> mother)
>>
>> I'm also happy to report that during the screenings there was a great
>> deal of laughter, as well as applause when The Kid ended. Several
>> students said they were pleasantly surprised at their first silent film
>> experience and were looking forward to seeing more. One student was so
>> taken with it, he's decided to do his semester research project on
>> Chaplin's film career--and he had never seen a silent film before!
>>
>> So all in all, a good experience. I'll use The Kid again!
>>
>> Arnie Bernstein
>> www.arniebernstein.com
>
> Thanks much, Arnie. I've had similar experiences with this film, and with
> other silents. People who haven't seen one are initially dubious, but
> the soon take to it instinctively, and are surprised at how clear and
> richly expressive a film can be with no spoken dialogue.
>
> Connie K.

I always find it interesting to see people get upset or uncomfortable when
they find themselves actually enjoying a silent film. It's very strange and
I guess it just has to do with a response to the unfamiliar.

As a "first" silent to watch, THE KID is a great choice. I get the
impression that at one time it was a considered a very dated film, but it
seems to resonate very strongly with people I've shown it too. Part of it is
the sincerity of those performances, you just don't see acting like that in
most films. If the young audience who liked THE KID want to see more of
silent comedy, there are of course two other giants of comedy whose work you
might recommend, although I think Chaplin's comedy is the most accessible
(Keaton can be a bit dry and even strange for first-time viewers, and to
really appreciate Lloyd it helps if you know the conventions of silent film
and can "read" the film fluently).

If you decide to switch things up next time you show a silent comedy, I'd
personally recommend THE CIRCUS. I've seen this one go over great like no
other film I've ever shown people.

--
Matt Barry
Visit my pages at:
http://mbarry84.tripod.com
http://filmreel.blogspot.com
 >> Stay informed about: The Kid and my students 

I played "The Kid" for my then 6 yr old niece
last winter and she became very emotional
over the viewing. She especially fixated on
the seperation between mother and baby for
the first half of the film and kept asking when
they would reunite. By the time the roof top
chase occurred she transferred those same
concerns to when would Charlie and the baby
find the mother. She was quite taken with
the closing scene and asked to run it again
(as she is apt to do with many movies).

Gary
 >> Stay informed about: The Kid and my students 

"Larry's 66 Diner" <larrys66diner RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote in message
news:vJqdnedh89muEs3YnZ2dnUVZ_uKdnZ2d@warpdrive.net...
> "Arnie Bernstein" <arniebernstein RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1162844203.820892.251860@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
>> My four screenings of The Kid to various classrooms was very
>> successful. Overall students enjoyed the film; many of them reported
>> that they initially were unhappy that they were seeing a silent film
>> but quickly got pulled into Chaplin's world and enjoyed it thoroughly.
>> Students who are single mothers (or know someone who is a single
>> mother) particularly identified with Edna Purviance's situation. Other
>> students touched on the hypocrisy of "the proper care and attention,"
>> drawing allusions between that and today's foster care system.
>> Overall, they also identified with Chaplin's "everyman" character,
>> regardless of their respective economic backgrounds. A few also
>> touched on the religious overtones of the film (the scenes of Coogan
>> and Chaplin praying; the image of Jesus contrasted with the single
>> mother)
>>
>> I'm also happy to report that during the screenings there was a great
>> deal of laughter, as well as applause when The Kid ended. Several
>> students said they were pleasantly surprised at their first silent film
>> experience and were looking forward to seeing more. One student was so
>> taken with it, he's decided to do his semester research project on
>> Chaplin's film career--and he had never seen a silent film before!
>>
>> So all in all, a good experience. I'll use The Kid again!
>>
>> Arnie Bernstein
>> www.arniebernstein.com
>>
>
> I am very pleased to see that it all worked out wonderfully! There could
> not have been any better choice than THE KID, either. It was written,
> directed, and acted very well! It's great that people are exposing newer
> generations to silent films so that this wonderful art form will never
> die!
>
> The scenario that you described is the same reaction I usualy have too. I
> want to show someone a silent film and they usually mumble and grumble
> beneath their breaths; by the time it's all over, they're glad they
> watched it!
>
> Great job!!!!
>

Chaplin films seem to be the best to show for this first time, at least if
you want to show a comedy. I enjoy showing silent comedies to people who
have never seen (or in some cases, heard of) them before. It's great to see
the sense of wonder these comedies inspire as well as the laughs they
produce, and to watch someone let go of preconceived notions of how "old"
and "boring" the film is supposed to be. Chaplin, especially THE CIRCUS and
MODERN TIMES, go over very well. Oddly, I've had little luck showing Keaton
films. Almost like something about his humor is too strange or offbeat...I
don't know. I've had better luck with Lloyd, especially THE KID BROTHER,
which is really a timeless tale of humor and courage that still works
perfectly. I really think it helps to have a sense of what silent film is
all about when watching Keaton and Lloyd, though. It helps if you're
familiar with the conventions of the medium. With Chaplin, however, it seems
like people respond instantly and positively.

If you have a chance to show another silent comedy, it would be itneresting
to pick a Keaton or a Lloyd just to see what kind of response it gets in
comparison with THE KID.
--
Matt Barry
Visit my pages at:
http://mbarry84.tripod.com
http://filmreel.blogspot.com
 >> Stay informed about: The Kid and my students