Thinking Activity: Understanding the Zeitgeist of the 20th Century Movie: The Great Dictator

This Blog-post is a response of thinking activity on 'Understanding the Zeitgeist of the 20th Century:From Modern Times to the era of Great Dictators(Movies)' given by our professor Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. To know more about this task and both movies, CLICK HERE. I have written blog-post on  what is Zeitgeist and Frame Study of Modern Times. Click Here to visit. 

About the Movie:

The film, 'The Great Dictator' was released in 1940 , an American satirical comedy-drama. By this film, the time period of sound films started to released. Chaplin staring himself in double roll. Again this film also written,directed and produced by Charlie Chaplin.Here writer used historical places and names as a parody.Like,

Places and Names	Parody of
Tomatina(place)	Germany(place)
Bacteria(place)	Italy (place)
Adenoid Hynkel	Adolf Hitler
Benzino Napaloni	Benito Mussolini
Garbitsch	Joseph Goebbels
Herring	Hermann Göring
Madame Napaloni	Rachele

• Role of Headlines: 

These frames shows that, after wining the war, Hynkel and his power of rulings leads people to surviving days. One of the best characteristic of twentieth century is magazines and newspaper. Chaplin also presents these headlines with high stressful music.  

• War Situation: 

Film starting with the war situation. Second world war between two countries. In 20th century, the invasions of bomb, Guns and war weapons were for war situations. A.C.Ward wrote that,

"The perfecting of the internal combustion engine made possible the aeroplane and other means of mass slaughter in two world wars, with nuclear power to follow, bringing the threat of universal destruction."  

• Talent was Slave of Authority:

In the first frame, the Painter and Sculptor were made Hynkel's Painting and Sculpture. While he was free for two or five minutes, he came the room and they made. The authority (here is Hynkel) was not allowed them to work in their particular field. individually. So they were slaves of the authority.