The following events took place during Slapstick - Bristol's silent comedy festival, on the weekend of Thu 13 - Sun 20 Jan 2008 at Watershed, Bristol UK. Please note that due to copyright issues, film clips are not included in these recordings.
Thanks to filmmaker Adam Johnson who recorded these events.
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With programmes such as Kevin Brownlow's Unknown Chaplin and Paul Merton's Silent Clowns, TV has introduced Chaplin to a new public and re-affirmed his place in world cinema and the history of comedy. This panel discussion looks at Chaplin’s place in today's cinema and includes newly discovered home movie footage of Chaplin. Chaired by official Chaplin biographer David Robinson with guests including: Paul Merton, Serge Bromberg and Bryony Dixon.
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With Alan Bleasdale's classic TV series The Monocled Mutineer finally receiving its much anticipated release on DVD, who better to present this event than the star of the series Paul McGann? Working on the show led to a life-long fascination with the Great War and along with co-host, Culture Showregular Matthew Sweet, Paul will look at extracts from films focusing on the First World War to examine the role of silent comedy in boosting morale. The programme includes extracts from The Better Ole (1926) and a complete screening of Chaplin's mini-masterpiece Shoulder Arms (1918).
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Festival host Paul Merton explores the work of great French silent comedy pioneers including Léonce Perret, one of the most prolific and innovative directors of Gaumont's silent period and ‘Father of Silent Comedy’ Max Linder. Max Linder had a big influence on film comedy, most notably on Chaplin who referred to him as his “professor” and the Marx Brothers who re-worked his famed "mirror routine" in Duck Soup.
If you have problems viewing the stream, you can open it directly from QuickTime Player: choose 'Open URL' from the 'File' menu in QuickTime Player, and copy/paste the appropriate event link:
Chaplin: A Fresh Look -
http://stream.watershed.co.uk/dshed/slapstick08/chaplin_panel.mov
Silent Comedy and The Great War -
http://stream.watershed.co.uk/dshed/slapstick08/chaplin_ww1.mov
Paul Merton's French Silent Clowns
http://stream.watershed.co.uk/dshed/slapstick08/merton_french_clowns_d.mov
Some versions of RealPlayer can also play the stream. Choose 'Open Location' from the 'File' menu in RealPlayer, and copy/paste the above link.
If you still have problems viewing the stream, then please check your QuickTime and firewall settings.