I will confess that it does look like she/he is carrying a mobile phone. What I want to know is: Where is the footage from 1928 of the massive cell towers across the country?
Good point, Jonah. Kind of like those Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster sightings. Where is Mrs. Bigfoot and all the little Bigfoots? You cannot have a viable gene pool of one (or a very few) individual(s; nor cell phones without the infrastructure.
I saw this via a link from Twitter. I'm not sure it's actually from The Circus, because in the background of the clip is a poster for that film. Maybe Chaplin snuck that in, but I'm not familiar with him having done that.
I haven't had a chance to look at the film itself to try and track down that scene, if it's even there. The way it's described, it could be footage from a premiere of The Circus. However, the setting looks staged.
It's hard to say whether the person is carrying something or is just trying to look coquettish (which would be odd behavior for a person of that age.)
Could be a hoax, too. An interesing clip, regardless.
If this is a time traveler (the basis for Dr. Who maybe) do you really think they would need cell towers to make a communications device work? Wouldn't it be easier to assume that there were satellites or other such devices capable of supporting the wireless communications needed by a traveler.
Sure, this 1928 film extra could be complaining about an earring that's falling off or something else. But I'm guessing it's the set-up to an upcoming sci-fi time-travel pseudo-documentary film he's making. Expect submissions of other old film clips with similar anachronisms, leading up to a stunning "reveal". I like the concept.
Really though, 2010 technology leaves us light-years away from time travel, but relatively close to hands-free-interface technology for cell phones. Do we really think someone capable of time travel (backward no less) would be using 1990's technology?
She should at least be seen playing an "Angry Birds" app, or something.
This was a good catch. Sorry to spoil the fun, but I have a plausible explanation explaining both the device and the gender of this "woman."
Chester Gould – who is male – created the Dick Tracy comic strips (and all the detective's gadgets) in 1931. A few years prior, however, he penned the "Charlie Chaplin Comic Capers" in 1917. This strip ran for awhile. These are facts.
My just-as-plausible theory: So appreciative was Chaplin of Gould's comic strip work and helping Chaplin, he awarded Gould a walk-on appearance in "The Circus." Gould accepts; however, now wishing to become an on-screen star himself, Gould dresses up in bulky drag.
Gould also uses the occasion to give his mobile device idea a test-drive. The idea falls flat in the movie but inspires Dick Tracy.
Of course if it truly was a time traveller, would they not also have the technology to have a cell phone implanted in their ear and jawbone with no real need to hold anything up to their ear?
No cell towers needed, Jonah. It's obviously an Enterprise crew member using a communicator to talk to the ship in orbit above during one of those time travel episodes/plots that the show kept using. Gosh, who knew Star Trek was actually a documentary?
Who says the time traveller is from 2010? We no longer have telephone poles throughout our cities... but we still have telephones. Or maybe the answer is simpler: she is using the Horophone that I patent in 2012.
Oh, come on. Her first two fingers are holding the brim of her hat to keep it from blowing away in the wind - you can see this when she turns her head towards the camera. All the while she's hectoring her husband (the man who is, understandably, walking away from her) to slow down.
It's obviously some old lady that they grabbed to be an extra. She's embarrassed at being photographed/filmed so she's covering her face. She's holding nothing. What you see is a shadow. Watch how it tracks with the shadow thrown on the building. On top of that her hand is too far forward to be listening to a phone. She even looks at the camera in embarrassment and then turns away again. What do you want to bet she's muttering something along the lines like I can't believe I'm doing this.
On the other hand, she probably saw this youtube video before she traveled back in time and knew she had to get on the film, that's why she looks at the camera and that's why she's talking into her now useless cell/sat/communicator--because she had repeat exactly what she saw in the video or the future would be changed in some small way, which would then snow ball according to the butterfly effect......OMG look who is President.
Jonah, you do not need cell phone towers when you are time traveling...there's an app for that.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCould be a Sat Phone to the mother ship in orbit! Just saying ....
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGood point, Jonah. Kind of like those Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster sightings. Where is Mrs. Bigfoot and all the little Bigfoots? You cannot have a viable gene pool of one (or a very few) individual(s; nor cell phones without the infrastructure.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI saw this via a link from Twitter. I'm not sure it's actually from The Circus, because in the background of the clip is a poster for that film. Maybe Chaplin snuck that in, but I'm not familiar with him having done that.
I haven't had a chance to look at the film itself to try and track down that scene, if it's even there. The way it's described, it could be footage from a premiere of The Circus. However, the setting looks staged.
It's hard to say whether the person is carrying something or is just trying to look coquettish (which would be odd behavior for a person of that age.)
Could be a hoax, too. An interesing clip, regardless.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePersonally, what I enjoy is how quickly he discounts the possibility of an AM transistor radio because, quite obviously, those didn't yet exist.
So he suggests a cell phone.
Elegant.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJonah,
If this is a time traveler (the basis for Dr. Who maybe) do you really think they would need cell towers to make a communications device work? Wouldn't it be easier to assume that there were satellites or other such devices capable of supporting the wireless communications needed by a traveler.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSure, this 1928 film extra could be complaining about an earring that's falling off or something else. But I'm guessing it's the set-up to an upcoming sci-fi time-travel pseudo-documentary film he's making. Expect submissions of other old film clips with similar anachronisms, leading up to a stunning "reveal". I like the concept.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt is most likely a Western Electric Model 34A "Audiphone" Carbon Hearing Aid which came out in 1925.
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCell phone towers? Jonah, don’t you know anything about time travel? Watch Dr Who, for crying out loud!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseReally though, 2010 technology leaves us light-years away from time travel, but relatively close to hands-free-interface technology for cell phones. Do we really think someone capable of time travel (backward no less) would be using 1990's technology?
She should at least be seen playing an "Angry Birds" app, or something.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis was a good catch. Sorry to spoil the fun, but I have a plausible explanation explaining both the device and the gender of this "woman."
Chester Gould – who is male – created the Dick Tracy comic strips (and all the detective's gadgets) in 1931. A few years prior, however, he penned the "Charlie Chaplin Comic Capers" in 1917. This strip ran for awhile. These are facts.
My just-as-plausible theory: So appreciative was Chaplin of Gould's comic strip work and helping Chaplin, he awarded Gould a walk-on appearance in "The Circus." Gould accepts; however, now wishing to become an on-screen star himself, Gould dresses up in bulky drag.
Gould also uses the occasion to give his mobile device idea a test-drive. The idea falls flat in the movie but inspires Dick Tracy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOf course if it truly was a time traveller, would they not also have the technology to have a cell phone implanted in their ear and jawbone with no real need to hold anything up to their ear?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo cell towers needed, Jonah. It's obviously an Enterprise crew member using a communicator to talk to the ship in orbit above during one of those time travel episodes/plots that the show kept using. Gosh, who knew Star Trek was actually a documentary?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWho says the time traveller is from 2010? We no longer have telephone poles throughout our cities... but we still have telephones. Or maybe the answer is simpler: she is using the Horophone that I patent in 2012.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOr it could be that she's having problems with her hearing aid : External Link
A dramatic presentation here: External Link
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHoly Rambling Introduction, Batman!
And lol @ Inkstained.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh, come on. Her first two fingers are holding the brim of her hat to keep it from blowing away in the wind - you can see this when she turns her head towards the camera. All the while she's hectoring her husband (the man who is, understandably, walking away from her) to slow down.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's really hard to tell. You know what would help? If he showed the clip again, maybe in slow-motion and/or zoomed in.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOddly, I don't see a cell phone. I see Occam's razor.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's obviously some old lady that they grabbed to be an extra. She's embarrassed at being photographed/filmed so she's covering her face. She's holding nothing. What you see is a shadow. Watch how it tracks with the shadow thrown on the building. On top of that her hand is too far forward to be listening to a phone. She even looks at the camera in embarrassment and then turns away again. What do you want to bet she's muttering something along the lines like I can't believe I'm doing this.
On the other hand, she probably saw this youtube video before she traveled back in time and knew she had to get on the film, that's why she looks at the camera and that's why she's talking into her now useless cell/sat/communicator--because she had repeat exactly what she saw in the video or the future would be changed in some small way, which would then snow ball according to the butterfly effect......OMG look who is President.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse