Chaplin Unmasked: Celebrating The Legacy of The Tramp in The Gold Rush
Study Group (2-3 session | Registration opens Tuesday, February 4, 2025 10:00 AM
Join Professor Frank Scheide on a captivating journey through the life and legacy of Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, one of the most influential figures in film history. This course offers an in-depth exploration of Chaplin’s iconic career, focusing particularly on his seminal work, The Gold Rush, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Through engaging lectures and discussions, students will uncover the creative genius behind Chaplin’s beloved screen persona, the Tramp. We will examine the origins of The Gold Rush, investigating the inspiration and challenges faced during its production. Key themes, character motivations, and conflicts will be analyzed to understand how Chaplin’s artistry transcended the silent film era, leaving an indelible mark on cinema. With insights from Professor Scheide’s coeditor of Chaplin: The Dictator and the Tramp and author of Introductory Film Criticism: A Historical Perspective, students will gain a unique perspective on Chaplin’s work and its cultural impact.
This course is ideal for film enthusiasts and anyone interested in the evolution of cinematic storytelling. (During the last session, the group will watch the movie, The Gold Rush.)
This class will meet in person at the OLLI offices, located at 481 S. Shiloh Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72704. Please read your class reminder email for the exact room location.
Class changes occasionally happen, please watch for (and read) announcements or emails from OLLI regarding your class.
Click on the link below for a Google map shot of our location:
Frank Milo Scheide
Professor Scheide co-edited, with Hooman Mehran, the books Chaplin: The Dictator and the Tramp, and Chaplin's Limelight and the Music Hall Tradition. He is the author of a textbook entitled Introductory Film Criticism: A Historical Perspective, and his catalog of out-takes from films made by Charles Chaplin between 1916 and 1952, has been published on-line by the British Film Institute in London, England. Professor Scheide's research has been published in Free Speech Yearbook, Journal of Communication Studies, and The Velvet Light Trap Review of the Cinema. He was project director for the award-winning PBS documentary, The Keetoowahs Come Home.