Journal Assignment #1

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

Charlie Chaplin's, The Gold Rush was one of his most perfectly accomplished films. In the film it shows Chaplin mixing slapstick and heartbreak from a artistic standpoint. The mashup of  pathos and comedy throughout the movie, especially in the final scene is surprising. This film was the first of Chaplin's films that he was given all creative control of. Many think that the Gold Rush is a masterpiece of slapstick. In a review said, "  It's sweet but dark, like human beings, and ultimately an ode to the ability of the human spirit to remain elevated in hard times--even when his cabin mate is hallucinating him as a chicken so he can eat him! The choreography in the individual scenes is forehead-smacking: when Big Jim and Black Bart (or whatever his name was) were fighting with a loaded rifle and the Little Fellows was in its sights, it was breathtaking. His dance with the rolls is a tour de force." 

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content. 

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/the-gold-rush-where-the-money-was

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film

During the Gold Rush to Alaska, hundreds of thousands of men came from all parts of the world to search for gold. The men for the search of the gold were lacking the knowledge that it took to get a hold of the gold. The journey and hardships included, extremely cold weather, a lack of food, and random and intense storms. The problems of this journey were an issue that awaited them. In the opening of the film, there are thousands of me on the journey in mid Alaska in the year of 1898. The men were on a search to find their fortunes. Although thousands were being tested for endurance, some turned back discouraged, while others kept on the path to the gold. A Lone Tramp played by Charlie Champlin was introduced to the film while making a trail on a snow covered path being followed by a bear. Another main character is Big Jim Mckay who is played by Mack Swain. Big Jim was the one who made a lucky strike fortune of gold. While lost on his trail the tramp finds himself facing a snow storm and seeks shelter. Big Jim's tent is clown away because of the storm and he makes his way towards the same cabin as the tramp that was owned by Black Larsen, a violent wanted man. The tramp enters the cabin, in attempt to warm himself and Larsen appears and kicks him out. The next scene shows the audience how talented Charlie Chaplin was; the wind makes is seem as if Charlie was running but not moving in motion, as if he was running on a treadmill. The wind blows him in and out of the cabin and while the tramp is clown out Big Jim is blown in. Both men seek comfort and warmth in Black Larsen's cabin.

Black Larsen is very upset and pulls out a shot gun in which he and him are both trying to kill each other. Due to Big Jim's strength, he gets the gun out of Big Jim's hands and he lets the tramp and Jim stay with him in the cabin. After days of being held up in the cabin, the men run out of food. Jim begins to receive hunger hallucinations and looks at the Tramp and sees a chicken. The three men men play a three card draw in a lottery in which the low man has to go out into the wilderness and find food. Larsen is sent out to get food and in his attempt he encounters two officers who are in search of him; he kills both law officers. Inside the cabin, as they wait for food, The Tramp and Big Jim desperately celebrate Thanksgiving dinner by boiling The Tramp's boot.

The two men finally part ways, Big Jim to his secret mine and the tramp to where ever his fate leads him. Big Jim finds Black Larsen who stole his mining claim. Black Larsen knocks Big Jim to the ground leaving him unconscious. Chaplin introduces some new characters to the film, one in which is Georgia who lives in a little boomtown that The tramp stumbles in. Jack Cameron is also introduced to film, he plays a rude ladies man that antagonizes The Tramp throughout the movie. In the Monte Carlo Dance Hall, Georgia argues with Jack when he grabs and rips her photograph. The tramp is down in the dumps and over hears Georgia complaining about not meeting anybody worth while. After first sight, the tramp falls in love and picks up a photograph of her and keeps it.

Big Jim re enters the film and finds the tramp and orders him to lead him back to the cabin to find his gold-mine. After a struggle with the cabin, the two men find the gold and become elegant millionaires. On a boat returning fro Alaska, a press photographer wants to publish a story of the two men who went from rags to riches. The not so tramp like man looks at the photo he had of Georgia and thinks everything is perfect accept for the fact that he doesn't have love. Somehow on the boat ride from Alaska, Georgia appears and the now rich man orders the photographer to take a picture with his fiance. As they hold each other they kiss and the movie ends with love.