OK. Charlie, I love you, but you’ve got to let me go.
For the past four days or so the only thing I feel like doing is watching Chaplin flicks. Or, as a change of pace, a movie or doc about Chaplin. It’s getting epidemic.
I’m not sure what caused it, but I think it has something to do with needing some beauty and subtlety after a month-long steady diet of the picaresque screw-ball antics of the Marx Bros. I love the Brothers, but Chaplin is good for the soul, and oh-my-LORD so wonderful. (And a great deal better looking - sorry Groucho, but it's true, man.)
Wednesday night I watched A Dog’s Life (1918) and Shoulder Arms (1918). Thursday night, I watched Chaplin (1992). Friday night, I watched The Circus (1927) and the re-release version of The Gold Rush (1925). Saturday, I watched The Pilgrim (1923), and Saturday evening, I watched City Lights (1931). That night, I watched a bushel of the old KeyStone and Mutual shorts, and a documentary.
I have marking to do, but I can’t seem to stop watching Charlie’s stuff. And when I do peel myself away from the TV to do some work, I then end up prowling the net for interesting Charlie stories or photos I haven’t seen before.
Am fighting urges towards Limelight (1952) and The Kid (1920) as I write this... And am most likely losing the battle...
Gosh - he's the cinematic equivalent to crack!
It is Viktor Frankl’s birthday today, so maybe, in honour of him, I should decide that Chaplin is the center of my will to meaning. Therefore, it is not my fault that he has become more important to me than my school work, marking, or the daily tasks of being a living organism.
Charlie, Charlie… You are a fine and respectable obsession, but I really can’t get into this now. Maybe after my papers are all done, huh?
But, with his birthday coming up on the 16th of April, it is unlikely that the Chaplin Mania will loose its hold on me for some time.
(I have a graduate degree... How is it that I am still susceptible to school girl crushes? Ah, Charlie... Sigh... Swoon... He's just sooooo DREAMY!)
Do you think I can get a sick leave?
6 comments:
I must disagree with you. I respect Mr. Chaplin very much indeed, but Groucho Marx is definitely the more attractive. At least this is so in MY heart!
I knew you'd say that.
I was speaking on an aesthetic basis, and Charlie was nothing if not handsome... and frighteningly symmetrical.
And we can't all have your "thing" for Jewish guys.
Admit that you were just baiting me so that when I made the predictable mood you could then tell the entire world about this scandalous Jewish guy thing you are so fond of teasing me about.
You could have denied it. Instead you have chosen to admit it.
That's good. That's healthy. Let it out so you can deal with it.
However, as far as fetishes go, it's not a bad one.
I have said before that Jews are a sexy, sexy group.
But I admit to nothing in terms of entrapment. Although I will say that I was fully aware that you would attempt to refute my judgement on Charlie being better looking than Groucho. After that acknowledgement, I will let you suppose away.
Just because I make typos like "Yum Kippur" you draw all of these sordid conclusions.
Run, guys, run!
Freudian slip on the loose!
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