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Proof of time travel!

Benjamin Grimm Oct 28 2010 01:20 PM

Or, so one guy in Belfast believes. He says he found footage of a woman talking on a cell phone in a 1928 Charlie Chaplin film. 'Time Traveler' in 1928 Charlie Chaplin Film? Filmmaker Spots Person Talking on 'Cell Phone' in Footage From 1928 Silent Film The first commercial cell phones didn't hit the market until the early 1980s, but an Irish filmmaker says he's spotted one in footage from a vintage Charlie Chaplin film... from 1928. Perplexed by the appearance of the modern device in the very dated film, George Clarke took his discovery a step further, suggesting in a YouTube video that the cell phone-toting futurist is a "time traveler." The YouTube video Clarke posted last week, featuring a few minutes of behind-the-scenes footage from the Chaplin film "The Circus," has since become has become the latest viral sensation to sweep the Web, with more than 1.4 million views. The scene in question shows a woman (or man) in a long black coat walking down the street and appearing to hold something up to her ear. "If you look carefully, she's talking on a thin, black device that is held to her ear. If you notice also that the knuckles are bent in the flat shape… of a phone. The phone is to the ear. It's not an ear trumpet. It is not an AM/FM radio, obviously because it's 1928," Clarke says in the video. "Technically, there's nothing that can explain [what] is in her hand… It's clear she's talking. She's on her own. She's talking into the device." Later, he says that he's "completely" stumped by the scene, which features "possibly a time traveler, possibly some lunatic with a black piece of something." Before posting the video to YouTube and asking the collective Internet for thoughts on the mystery, Clarke said he showed the video to more than 100 people and a film festival audience. No one could provide an adequate explanation, he said. In the days since Clarke posted the footage, thousands of YouTube commenters (and others on the Web) have offered up their ideas on the so-called "time traveler." The Daily News said that "while this fantastical theory is fun to ponder, in all likelihood the woman is actually using a hearing aid." The hearing aid was invented in 1920s, and by the time the film was produced, small devices were available for the public, the paper reported. Some commenters have suggested that the woman is holding up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Others say she's holding up her hand to her ear so that she can hear better. Still others have an even simpler explanation: the woman is just talking to herself, as people sometimes do, without the help of any kind of technology.

metirish Oct 28 2010 01:27 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

Not sure what to say but the footage is compelling long version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv9f-s0KmOU short version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I3O_qa8 ... re=related

Ceetar Oct 28 2010 01:38 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

Heh. certainly does seem like a cell phone.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 28 2010 01:44 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

Apparently, somebody pointed out that there wouldn't have been any cell phone towers in 1928, so she couldn't have gotten a signal. But perhaps she's using a model from two or three decades from now, which might not require towers. It would be really cool if some digital imaging experts could enhance the video so that somebody could read her lips. (Probably not possible, but who knows?) If she was saying something like, "I'd better hurry up and get back to 2043, because I forgot to let the dog out" then I'd be a bit more convinced.

Ceetar Oct 28 2010 01:47 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Apparently, somebody pointed out that there wouldn't have been any cell phone towers in 1928, so she couldn't have gotten a signal. But perhaps she's using a model from two or three decades from now, which might not require towers. It would be really cool if some digital imaging experts could enhance the video so that somebody could read her lips. (Probably not possible, but who knows?) If she was saying something like, "I'd better hurry up and get back to 2043, because I forgot to let the dog out" then I'd be a bit more convinced. Or she's not actually talking to anyone, but recording into the device what she's observing. "Okay, walking through the set now. Let's see how many decades it takes for people to catch on"

themetfairy Oct 28 2010 01:49 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

I'm going to go with the theory that she had a toothache and was holding an ice pack up to her cheek.

Lefty Specialist Oct 28 2010 01:59 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

Mr. Shatner would like to have a word.

Valadius Oct 28 2010 03:03 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

That's the same thing I do with my hand when I'm confused and trying to talk myself through remembering something, such as, "now why did I walk down this street again?" Notice that the lady scratches her head towards the end of the clip.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 28 2010 03:11 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

I'm going to predict that at least one person, if not more, are going to step forward and claim to be that woman.

TransMonk Oct 28 2010 03:13 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

An AP article is opining that it is a hearing aid: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101028/ap_ ... cell_phone It's likely the actor is holding a hearing aid, but that hasn't stopped the video from amassing more than two million views on YouTube.

Fman99 Oct 28 2010 07:40 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

I assume she's just a kook.

Ceetar Oct 28 2010 07:41 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

An AP article is opining that it is a hearing aid: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101028/ap_ ... cell_phone It's likely the actor is holding a hearing aid, but that hasn't stopped the video from amassing more than two million views on YouTube. Seems possible. Of course, you wonder why she needed a hearing aid in the scene.

Kong76 Oct 28 2010 08:07 PM Re: Proof of time travel!

"It sucks here, and these people don't even know about The Great Depression. There's no sushi, no half-caf lattes, and my thong strap broke and you wouldn't believe what I'm wearing. Beam me the fuck out of here NOW!!!"

soupcan Oct 29 2010 08:12 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

Why anybody is giving this time-traveller nonsense any attention at all is ridiculous. That woman is short, fat and ugly, There is so much evidence that a major requirement of time travel is to be young, good looking and incredibly fit. Jean-Claude Van Damme in Timecop: Michael Biehn in Terminator: Guy Pierce in The Time Machine: Kevin McKidd and Moon Bloodgod in the short-lived TV series Journeyman: And of course, Scott Bakula from Quantum Leap: Do we really need to discuss this any longer? Seriously people, open your eyes.

Vic Sage Oct 29 2010 08:26 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

her name is Moon Bloodgod? Really? Is she related to Robert E. Howard in some way?

Benjamin Grimm Oct 29 2010 08:43 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

That was a typo: Her name is Mood Bloodgood. Not only is she hot, but she has three double-o's in her name! Pretty cool! Anyway, to soupcan's point, maybe short, fat, and ugly will be considered "hot" in whatever decade that time traveler came from. (If you want to verify this, just check out an issue of Maxim from 2040!)

Edgy DC Oct 29 2010 08:46 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

Malcolm McDowell in Time After Time: Charming, if not quite hot. Why is Mary Steenburgen always falling in love with time travellers, anyhow? Is that, like, on her calling card?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 29 2010 08:54 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

Loved Time After Time Wanna go rent it NOW!!!!

Valadius Oct 29 2010 09:27 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

Moon Bloodgood was also in the Christian Bale Terminator movie.

soupcan Oct 29 2010 09:42 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

Edgy DC wrote: Malcolm McDowell in Time After Time...Charming, if not quite hot. But young, fit and by most accounts an attractive man. I'm telling you - time travel must be exhausting and superficial.

Edgy DC Oct 29 2010 10:34 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

I'm telling you, he's no Meeno Peluce.

MFS62 Oct 30 2010 07:53 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

Valadius wrote: That's the same thing I do with my hand when I'm confused and trying to talk myself through remembering something, such as, "now why did I walk down this street again?" Notice that the lady scratches her head towards the end of the clip. If you can read lips, she's saying "Can you hear me now?" But it doesn't seem she's getting any answers. Later

Edgy DC Nov 12 2010 09:04 AM Re: Proof of time travel!

More time travellers discovered in history.