Modern Times film is a critique of the modern world and the changes that it has brought about. It is also a comedy, and Chaplin uses his comedic talents to show the absurdity of the contemporary world. The film is silent, but Chaplin uses sound effects to add to the comedic effect. This essay explores the changes depicted through the film, issues caused by the assembly line, and its relevancy in today’s world.
Some of the changes that the film takes up include the increasing mechanization of work, the growth of the assembly line, the rise of the consumer culture, and the expanding importance of mass media. The film portrays these changes in a satirical way, often making fun of how they have transformed our lives (Birdwell). For instance, it analyses how consumer culture causes people to become more obsessed with material possessions.
The film focuses on the increased labor mechanization and the factory system’s rise. It satirizes the way that these changes affected workers’ lives. For instance, the film shows workers being treated like machines, forced to work quickly, and monitored by bosses. The film also addresses the growth of the urban population. This has led to problems such as overcrowding, poverty, and crime. The film shows how the city could be dangerous for workers whom their employers often exploited (Birdwell). Finally, the film addresses the increased regulation of labor, depicting how the government and the police can be used to control workers. Additionally, the assembly line often resulted in poor-quality products. We are still struggling with some of these changes today. For instance, the fast pace of work can still be difficult for workers to handle.
In conclusion, some of the film’s changes are the increasing mechanization of labor, the growing pace of work, and the increasing use of technology in our lives. The film also satirizes the problems that the assembly line posed when it first came about, such as the dehumanization of workers and the loss of control over one’s work. While people are still struggling with some of these changes today, they have made progress in addressing them by increasing workers’ rights and protections.
Work Cited
Birdwell, Robert. “Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times and the Minstrel Tradition.”Modernism/Modernity Print Plus, vol. 6, no. 1, 2021. Web.