I though I would not like it (given how tired we are of all things Matrix, but the references to a film whose visual style and narrative structure will impress audiences for decades to come were straightforward, clever, and imaginative.
Nice start to they day. posted by mistersquid at 8:01 AM on November 10, 2009
Pitch-perfect. posted by silby at 8:06 AM on November 10, 2009
Wow, that was surprisingly good. The Neo/Agent pie-scene is pretty funny. posted by scrutiny at 8:07 AM on November 10, 2009 [2 favorites]
I've been reading about the history of silent film lately, something I've never really paid any attention to in the past, and it's interesting to watch this and see what seems to click with the history-and-theory stuff I've been plowing through and what doesn't. My naive impression is that they actually did a pretty good job of emulating the form, better than they needed to just for the sake of a thin "old timey movie" joke. posted by cortex at 8:08 AM on November 10, 2009
Unfortunately, no-one can be told why Chaplin is funny. You must see it for yourself. posted by Electric Dragon at 8:15 AM on November 10, 2009 [8 favorites]
Argh, I should've posted this last night. I still have no FP posts and was too nervous to post that..
I thought it is very funny and spot on for certain parts with the sarcasm. posted by olya at 8:25 AM on November 10, 2009
If Morpheus in the actual movies had eyebrows like Morpheus in the silent version, it would have been like 17X better. No doubt. posted by owtytrof at 8:41 AM on November 10, 2009 [4 favorites]
Pitch-perfect use of light/classical music for the soundtrack, too. posted by Bromius at 8:45 AM on November 10, 2009
Buster Keaton's more famous for being in a bizarre world. Seems more like his range. posted by mccarty.tim at 8:46 AM on November 10, 2009
It's funny because by using conventions of silent-film comedy, it makes you think (or chuckle) about the conventions originally used in the MATRIX. People hurling pies in slo mo can surely be as ridiculous as people stopping bullets in slo mo. It's a pity we didn't know that a decade ago. posted by ersatz at 8:49 AM on November 10, 2009
This was also on Boing Boing, who found it from Neatorama, who in turn got it from Dark Roasted Blend. Neatorama added the detail that this is from the Russian group Bolshaya Raznitsa, which translates to Big Difference (BB included the Cyrillic Russian spelling: Большая Разница). I could be wrong, but from this google translation, it sounds like they're actually a well-known group in Russia, but I could be wrong. posted by filthy light thief at 8:56 AM on November 10, 2009
Brilliant! One quibble with the subtitles: the last one, "Пока синематограф жив," should be translated "While the cinematograph lives," not "While the cinematographer lives" (синематограф [sinematógraf] is an old word equivalent to the equally obsolete English one). posted by languagehat at 8:57 AM on November 10, 2009 [2 favorites]
As a Chaplain fan I approve. The guy doing him was spot on and as a movie it was superior to The Matrix in every way. posted by lordrunningclam at 9:14 AM on November 10, 2009 [1 favorite]
That was marvelous. I like the way they've transmuted the plot into something more Chaplin-esque rather than doing a straight refilming with a faster frame rate and scratch effects. posted by echo target at 9:18 AM on November 10, 2009 [1 favorite]
I think the city street scenes in the introduction are from the 1928 film Speedy with Harold Lloyd. A great silent comedy...highly recommend it. posted by sentinel chicken at 9:43 AM on November 10, 2009
I think the city street scenes in the introduction are from the 1928 film Speedy with Harold Lloyd. A great silent comedy...highly recommend it.
I'm not especially well-versed in silent comedy, but from my exposure - admittedly mostly Buster Keaton - I feel like there were way too many title cards; real silent films had a lot of "dialog" that was communicated to the viewer entirely by context, gestures, and soforth, and never explicitly tossed up in text. As one glaring example, did we really need to know that Smith was saying "The Matrix thanks you" to the guy at the restaurant with the pie? Of course not.
That aside, I thought the pacing was way too slow on on the first half, but as soon as Agent Smith showed up, it really took off - things like the "crane pose, now run away!" and pie fight gave me the grins. posted by Tomorrowful at 11:10 AM on November 10, 2009
It doesn't sound like a laugh track as much as a genuine audience reaction. Anyone confirm this was recorded for an audience? posted by grubi at 12:05 PM on November 10, 2009
That was excellent. My knowledge of silent film is pretty poor as well, but the overall feel was very convincing. And that soundtrack was great, although I agree it could have done without the laughs.
Trying to think up a suitable "In Soviet Russia" joke, but I got nuthin' posted by ZsigE at 1:06 PM on November 10, 2009
It's pretty funny, although the laugh track is bizarre, since silent movies were, well, silent. And they added lines, but didn't do anything to age the look of the "film" - so it looks more like early 60s B&W tv than old film stock.
Also, are we hating The Matrix now? The first one? Really? It's not perfect, but it's very good, and was totally groundbreaking. If we're going to hate blockbusters just because they were popular, why not start with genuinely terrible movies like Spider Man, Iron Man, and the latest Star Trek, which has to be one of the worst films ever made. posted by drjimmy11 at 1:22 PM on November 10, 2009
Trying to think up a suitable "In Soviet Russia" joke, but I got nuthin'
Great effort. I agree that Keaton would've been the better choice, but then I'm a big fan and his work always resonated with me 1000x more than Chaplin's. Keaton's work definitely had an absurdest bent that Chaplin's seldom had.
As for the Matrix, also a great film in my book. I couldn't care less if it's derivative, a lot of things are. The films that followed were a let down in the same way that every Star Wars film was a let down after the first, but not nearly as dire as Star Wars.
Of course watching Star Wars as an adult, it went from dire initially (with great set design, wardrobe, and superb sound) to entirely mediocre.
I'd love to see a 20s animation parody of GiTS. posted by juiceCake at 1:33 PM on November 10, 2009
It's a Russian sketch comedy show. The laughter is real as it's broadcast in front of a live audience. posted by enamon at 2:59 PM on November 10, 2009
Also, are we hating The Matrix now? The first one? Really?
Yes. by God. We are, and we always did. posted by fleacircus at 3:24 PM on November 10, 2009
It never would have happened, but love, love, LOVE the concept.
As a Chaplain fan I approve. The guy doing him was spot on
Wasn't it a woman playing Chaplin? posted by Casuistry at 8:43 PM on November 10, 2009
The Matrix was a fantastic movie.
Matrix Reloaded, by contrast, is fascinating as the only movie in history to have been retroactively awful by its sequel. Basically Reloaded was like a joke with an incredible setup, ending in The Aristocrats. posted by effugas at 8:55 PM on November 10, 2009
Loved the use of various Liszt pieces for the soundtrack... definitely a cut above your usual silent movie music. posted by BobsterLobster at 10:44 PM on November 10, 2009
Trying to think up a suitable "In Soviet Russia" joke, but I got nuthin'
"In Soviet Russia old film remakes you".
Sorry. posted by ersatz at 7:12 AM on November 13, 2009
And by that I meant "In Soviet Russia old film remakes new film", d'oh. posted by ersatz at 7:13 AM on November 13, 2009
In Soviet Russia, there is no YOU! posted by cortex at 7:20 AM on November 13, 2009
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