Who is better Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy

captainarchive

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Firstly I want to say I like both a great deal. However, it has been exercising my mind greatly of late which of the two I consider the better. There may well be no answer. I like the more grown up humour that Chaplin produces but adore the childlike simplicity of many of the L&H comedies. One thing that stands out for me regarding Chaplins work is that he can often bring a tear to your eye one minute and the next minute have you rolling about the floor laughing. L&H just play it for laughs and don't attempt to tug at the heart strings in the same way. But is this enough to say Chaplin is better? What thoughts do other people have on the matter?
 
Laurel & Hardy by a mile (imo)

I bought my kid their DVD box set as a present a year or so ago and he still watches them regularly.

He's 13, to me that proves their comedy is timeless, the kid literally laughs out loud and he's seen them all multiple times.

Saying that, we've never given Charlie a fair crack of the whip in our house so it's a little bit unfair of a comparison.

I just never warmed to CC.
 
Laurel & Hardy all day long for me.
 
Laurel & Hardy by a mile (imo)

I bought my kid their DVD box set as a present a year or so ago and he still watches them regularly.

He's 13, to me that proves their comedy is timeless, the kid literally laughs out loud and he's seen them all multiple times.

Saying that, we've never given Charlie a fair crack of the whip in our house so it's a little bit unfair of a comparison.

I just never warmed to CC.
That's interesting, my kids are the opposite they'll sit down and watch a Chaplin film more readily than a L&H film. When the Chaplin Collection came out on DVD my kids were 6 and 9. They're both teenagers now and I can only get the younger one to sit and watch a L&H film with me. When it comes to Chaplin the older one will sit and watch it as well.
 
I haven't seen either for years, though as a kid (35 now) I can remember really enjoying the Laurel and Hardy films when they were shown regularly on BBC2.

Just thinking about it I was going to say I preferred them due to the Chaplin films being silent and therefore perhaps less appealing to a child, but then again I really loved Harold Lloyd's silent films.

I can remember loads of bits of L&H, fixing up the boat in Towed in a Hole and the Trail of the Lonesome Pine song stand out particularly in my memory), where as I can't honestly say I remember much of any of Chaplin's films, maybe I just missed them.

I certainly really enjoyed the fantastic chemistry between Stan and Oliver (Laurel was always my favourite) and all the trouble they would get into. I also remember really enjoying the Hanna Barbera cartoon when I got home from school.

YouTube - Laurel & Hardy Cartoon ( Mutt Rut ) English

A couple of months ago I was thinking about getting the L&H Collection but decided that I already had enough DVDS to get through first! :rolleyes:

I certainly look forward to revisiting the films of L&H, Chaplin and Harold Lloyd when I get a chance. :smashin:
 
Laurel and Hardy for me are better than Chaplain although Chaplain was also a genius. At the same time people like Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd were also very funny and very clever.

Two best L&H for me were Sons of the Desert and Way out West.

Recently when stuck in Germany I noticed there that L&H are known as Dick and Doof. ***? :)
 
Buster Keaton.

I agree of all the silent comedies stars movies I like his the best, I also like Harold LLoyd. I may not get as many laughs as L&H but over all enjoy them more. Saying the above I always watch L&H when on TV there the best at what they do which is different from the 2 former mentioned.
 
I'd have to go for Charlie Chaplin for creating the best character ever.
The Charlie tramp character. :cool:

The Three Stooges are quite funny .

Haven't seen this film but this is one of my favourite b/w scenes: YouTube - 7x13=28
 
They were much better at carrying a stretcher.

Regards

Mark
 
Laurel and Hardy everytime.
 
Stan and Oliver everytime. Still make me laugh.
 
Laurel and Hardy no contest followed by Harold Loyd. Still delve into the DVD box set every so often when the weather´s crap or whatever and Stan and Ollie always cheer me up. As for Chaplin, to quote a Black Adder ep.
Dear Mr. Chaplin.... Please.....Stop!
 
Laurel & Hardy for me too, the DVD's are fantastic
 
Laurel and Hardy by a mile, I've never thought Chaplin funny at all.
 
Chaplin was a genius, neither Laurel nor Hardy were, however their style of comedy has fared better with age.
 
But chaplins films weren't simply comedies looking for out and out laughs.
 
Harold Lloyd everytime
 
To be fair, I'd have that Chaplin was an innovator like Keaton, as much as I love L & H, they didn't innovate imo

Didn,t Stan Laurel have a big writing imput into their films?
If so with their films having stood the test of time as they are still humerous today isn,t that innovative?


as for you captainarchive ''this is another fine mess you,ve got us into'' :D
 

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