This is the original two-reel parody of Bizet’s Carmen by Chaplin. Darn Hosiery, a Spanish officer, is seduced by the gypsy girl Carmen, leading to disgrace and downfall.
The main story is, although very differently structured, as in the original drama. Don Jose is very much in love with Carmen, but is not alone in that field; “Carmen, Carmen, (the) beautiful Carmen, (is) loved by all men under 96,” but he has the big advantage that he is an officer, and there we are; this is the famous story about rivalry, love, greed and honor, seen from a humorous perspective. Thanks to Chaplin’s and Purviance’s performances, and to the wonderful, wonderful music by George Bizet which I highly admire, this could actually have been a near-comedy masterpiece, it’s time taken into consideration. It could have been. But unfortunately, although it is a good pretty good comedy, I don’t feel it’s fair to blame people who claim that A BURLESQUE OF CARMEN is far from being a masterpiece. But it’s important to keep in mind that this has nothing to do with any lack of talent, but rather a result of conflicts concerning business. When Chaplin refused to re-sign Essanay contract after completing his last film for the company, POLICE, they took revenge by editing back all the scenes Chaplin originally had edited out from CARMEN. Thanks to this, the film is somewhat confusing and has several pointless scenes which are more annoying than funny, and the film turned out to be rather a Ben Turpin-feature –Turpin played Remendados– than a Chaplin-short. Naturally, Chaplin was in despair when he discovered what Essanay had done, and had to stay in bed for several days.
Download Burlesque on Carmen 1916 part 1:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=D4S6XJ1M
Download Burlesque on Carmen 1916 part 2:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XDWVJABZ
Download Burlesque on Carmen 1916 part 3:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OB77VQZW
Download Burlesque on Carmen 1916 part 4:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BDDL9OOB
Download Burlesque on Carmen 1916 part 5:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QLKEFLSO
- Carmen Get It! (1962)
- Madarsapattinam (2010)
- Limelight (1952)
- I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)
- Capitalism:A Love Story (2009)
