The Birth of an Industry
Late 1910s through Early 1930s
1917 – Dir. Charles Chaplin
Introduction to the film
Resources:
"The Immigrant" - essay by Jeffrey Vance from Library of Congress
"Watch: 25-Minute Video Essay Explores the Social Commentary of Charlie Chaplin’s ‘The Immigrant’" from The Film Stage
1923 – Starring Harold Lloyd
Introduction to the film
Resources:
"The perfect timing of Safety Last!" from Criterion Collection
Articles on Safety Last! from Criterion Collection
"How Harold Lloyd Filmed Safety Last!" from silentlocations.com
Some of Harold Lloyd's most amazing stunts and best silent comedy gags - YouTube
1926 – Dir. Buster Keaton & Clyde Bruckman
Resources:
Discussion questions on The General
"The Art of the Gag" from Every Frame a Painting
"The Incredible Stunts of Buster Keaton" from BusterKeatonVK
Roger Ebert's review of The General
Senses of Cinema article on The General
Slate article on The General
Review from Slant Magazine on The General
Additional Selections:
Buster Keaton:
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
The Great Buster (2018, Dir. Peter Bogdanovich)
Charlie Chaplin:
"The Rink" (1916)
"The Cure" (1917)
"Easy Street" (1917)
The Kid (1921)
The Gold Rush (1925)
The Circus (1928)
Chaplin (1992, Dir. Richard Attenborough)
The Real Charlie Chaplin (2021, Dir. Peter Middleton)
The General – Contemporary Connection
2015 - Directed by George Miller
Resources:
Cinephilia & Beyond - A treasure trove of resources!
"We All Agree that Mad Max: Fury Road is Great. Here’s Why It’s Also Important" (tor.com)
Planting and Payoff - Featuring Mad Max: Fury Road (Lindsay Ellis - YouTube)
Segments from The Making of Mad Max: Fury Road (It Was A Sh*t Show)
The Immigrant, Safety Last!, The General, Mad Max: Fury Road