Dear Andy36 (and all Chaplin Fans),
Been trying to find the answer to your question in a previous blog re: score to "The Great Dictator." The only answers I've been able to locate are: the music in the "globe scene" is Wagner's "Lohengrin Prelude." Apparently Hitler was a fan of Wagner (& I read somewhere Chaplin was, too). The music used during the barber shop scene where Chaplin is shaving a customer is Brahms' "Hungarian Dance No.5"; which you'd already recognized :-D.
Wikipedia has a good article about the film:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Dictator.
The film's score was composed mostly by Meredith Willson, ("The Music Man."). Here's some info about him including a quote about Chaplin.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032553/soundtrack.
What's all this have to do with Bugs Bunny? A while ago,watching the trailer for "The Great Dictator," the musical barber shop scene & scene where Hynkel & Napaloni are seeing who can raise their barber chair highest reminded me of a cartoon where Bugs is shaving Elmer Fudd. While I was researching, I came across the answer at Turner Classic Movies website:
http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article/?cid=297&rss=mrqe.
It's "The Rabbit of Seville." Watch it on YouTube. One of the best Looney Toons. Enjoy!
"Great Dictator" on TCM Mon, Feb 11,2008 8:30 a.m.
What's Up, Doc? What's Bugs Bunny Got to do with The Great Dictator?
posted : 08 Jan 2008
Comments
israelhatikvah
Ooo! Thank you for informing us of the "Great Dictator" being on TCM! P.S. I really liked your pictures! I mistook you for the real thing! hehe :)
meeximus
You are welcome and thank you. If you get a chance, check out the Bugs Bunny cartoon. I had always loved the scene where he is working on Elmer's "hair." When I saw the barber scene in The Great Dictator, where he is shaving the customer and doing his hair to the music, I immediately thought of that scene with Bugs doing the same to Elmer. Only wish had seen "The Great Dictator" first, then the cartoon would have been even funnier!!! One of my all-time favorite Looney Toons.
beachbum
Your pictures were really good. And you do deserve to win the contest. Congratualations on that by the way. And don't forget about when I was there constently watching old Chaplin movies every weekend when they came on AMC or TCM.