Charlie Chicken

[sabotlours]

I have been writing about the American Film Institute's Top 100 for well over a year now. My goal has been to watch all 100 movies. Last week I was down to 3 movies to go, all of them Charlie Chaplin silent films. That number was reduced to 2 once I got "City Lights" from Netflix. It was odd to have a 90-year old movie on Blu-ray, but I guess it had been digitally restored (and beautifully, I may add). Just by chance one of the movie networks was showing "Chaplin" which was the biopic about him starring Robert Downey Jr. In one scene he is shown wearing a very nice chicken fursuit. Did Chaplin make a movie in fursuit? The answer was "yes!" It was from the movie "The Gold Rush" which was one of the 2 remaining movies on my list. Fortunately it was available on YouTube. So I watched it. Now only "Modern Times" remains on my list. It's on YouTube as well! So back to the chicken fursuit. Here is the scene from the movie. It's from a narrated version of the movie.

I was very impressed with his performance. Then I had a "well, duh!" moment because of course he would be a great fursuit performer. His whole career was built on pantomime and exaggeration.

Comments

[albear.livejournal.com]

It's not a fursuit Sabot! It's in black and white. You know what? That is not a bad costume at all. Its rather nice. The chicken mannerisms are quite good too.

[bunny-plush.livejournal.com]

I thought this was just a cartoon trope, but of course all of those came from Vaudeville skits! It reminded me of the Woody Woodpecker classic, staring down death.

I liked the look of Big Jim's coat, too, although it probably was real bear skin at the time. At first it looked as though he was becoming food as well!

[shannonkahn.livejournal.com]

And don't forget about the bear invasion, either :)

[bunny-plush.livejournal.com]

That's a great segway into a bear scene with Jim having that coat!

[sabotlours.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you found that clip. When I saw it the 1st time I was not 100% sure that there was a bear suit. They obviously used a real bear for most of it, but it clearly was a bearsuit when it stood up on its hind legs. I often wonder what they did with all of those old costumes. Oh, if I could get my paws on them!

[freakylynx.livejournal.com]

lol, reminds me of some Looney Tunes skits. I'll have to check out that CC movie, you're right that he makes an excellent fursuiter ;)

[bearwithin.livejournal.com]

I saw "Goldrush" recently... it was great! Still very funny despite its age. The version I saw did not have the narration, and I think it was better that way... He was so clever at translating the meaning without words.

[allaboutweather.livejournal.com]

What's wrong Mcfly.... chicken?


(He could travel back in time lol)