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But, when comedy evolves out of obscenity, some viewers get a caveat and grow sceptical. At the next opportunity, they tend to exercise severe caution while scanning for movies. Personally, I am moved to raise an eyebrow the next time I choose to watch a movie. Though without offence, that's one reason why the youthful serial Comedy, American Pie, puts me off. I had to ask myself if I was watching Comedy or Comic porn. Perhaps, persons who consider themselves conservative should be properly forewarned, even at the point of sale.
Artistes who can make their audience laugh without introducing elements of stark lewdness or clear pornography into the entertainment content show that they have more creativity power. I opine that more kudos be offerred to dramatists whose inventiveness are safe enough for the entertainment consumption of more age groups and truly consider late Sir Charles Spencer KBE (1889-1977), a.k.a Charlie Chaplin as one of such men.
Charles' childhood experience was characterised by real poverty and strong webs of hardship. In his own words and in reference to his childhood,
"I was hardly aware of a crisis because we lived in a continual crisis; and, being a boy, I dismissed our troubles with gracious forgetfulness."
Young Charles started living in the workhouse at age 7 because his parents couldn't take care of him. Few years later, he witnessed the arrival of lunacy into his mother's life and endured living with a father who had become covenant friends with drunkenness. Yet, he worked hard relentlessly and won many transcontinental fans of Comedy movie. His eventual breakthrough was a huge testimony and perhaps, a final getaway from the holds of penury. Though Charles had many challenges as adult, he never gave up. He eventually got married three times before knowing the taste of love at age 53. Even at Golden Jubilee plus three years, he married Oona, the 18-year-old woman who stood by him in the thick of trouble and together, they produced a legion of eight yuppie kids.
Creativity in arts is interesting. I think it's one of the few things you can do anyhow and make a great impression with. A simple word can evolve into a fantastic line; a fantastic line can grow into an enthusing plot; and an enthusing is just enough raw material to produce an entertaining story. If anyone else hasn't, I think Charlie Chaplin has doubtless succeeded in adding creativity to humourous entertainment.
I have spared these moments to honour Charlie; not because of the things he did not do well but for the depth of creativity he unleashed through jocular entertainment content creation. Charles did it with passion. He did it when it was not even profitable. He did it in ways that should be remembered and referenced today and tomorrow.
Whenever I come across any of Charlie's prime works, be it the Kid, Gold Rush, City Lights or Monsieur Verdoux, I am reminded that humour or Comedy does not have to contain lewdness or perversion. Humour itself, if interwoven with vital life lessons, is sufficient to innovate comical entertainment.
