just a few reviews

1) My Life in Pictures by Charlie Chaplin
chaplin's own photographical autobiography. in this book, he closes some of the gaps from his autobiography of some years prior to this publication. it is the first and only time where he publicly discusses his life with lita grey. and even so, some of the pain that came along with this marriage is still evident.

a wide range of images illustrates his extensive work, including the daily reports from film productions and newspaper clippings. chaplin does not gloss over the years where his reputation and public image went down the drain and, gracefully, does not resort to name calling those who made his life even more misserable with every passing day.

quite late in his life he was not 100% involved in the making of this book (the photographs had been chosen from the vaults and been presented to him to make comments about them), but the book still gives great insight into the character of chaplin by way of arangement and his commentary.

the book includes a preface with a helpful critical essay about the controversial character of chaplin as an artist, public figure and family man.

2) Chaplin: Genius of the Cinema by Jeffrey Vance
awesome book with many rare photographs of chaplin. especially the pictures from his youth as traveling actor in the UK show what it must have been like to work in the music halls. all pictures are in pristine quality and look like they had only been taken last week for the sole purpose of taking vintage photographs.

the essays at the beginning and the accompanying text to the pictures give great insight in chaplin's work and his relations and friends behind the camera. especially the analysis of his life and work during the switzerland years are welcome new additions to all the other writings about chaplin.

also, the reader will find sections about his four wives. it is pleasant to see that the author did not present anybody in a particularly rosy light, but tells it like it is. he manages to portray chaplin and his women in a way where neither of them is the saint nor the little cockney cad, neither the angel nor the whore. instead, they are shown as people with faults and weaknesses instead of just being the one dimensional card-board cutouts the reader is likely to find in some other publications about chaplin. the author is not taking anybody's side and refrains from trashing anyone's reputation.

the book rounds off with one of the few interviews that chaplin gave during his life in switzerland. it is an interesting read how he evaluated his work in the turn of events.

in combination with chaplin's own "my life in pictures" this book should not be missing from anyone's bookshelf who is interested in the little man.

3) Charlie Chaplin - King Of Tragedy by Gerith Von Ulm
awefully colourful writing style. the entire time i had the impression the author desperately wanted to get into chaplin's pants. the writing is terribly contrived, inaccurate and insulting when it comes to chaplin's familial background, affairs and wives. grade c.

4) The little fellow: The life and work of Charles Spencer Chaplin by Peter Cotes and Thelma Niklaus
great summary of his work (including a filmography up until "monsieur verdoux") and some insight into the man behind the camera, although there are some inevitable incosistencies where facts agout his early years in london are concerned. the authors didn't feel the need to suck up to the genius of chaplin, nor did they make the inevitable knee fall before him. neither did they bash him for his critical/controversial political views in a 1940s mccarthyist USA. thus, this book makes for a refreshing read where others, such as gerith von ulm, terribly fail.

bonus of the book: two appendices with interviews and a short story by chaplin.

grade a.