Tweet Criterion Blu Ray/DVD for the Gold Rush

Blu-Ray.com review:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Gold-Rush-Blu-ray/40553/#Review

My pre-order arrived today (I just love how deep-discount is able to deliver many pre-ordered titles several days before street date). I watched a few minutes of the 1925 silent version, and it looks very nice indeed. The new orchestral recording of the 1942 score is well done, but I will admit that it is somewhat jarring to hear this score without hearing Chaplin's narration. I am sure that this edition will please most people.

My pre-order arrived today (I just love how deep-discount is able to deliver many pre-ordered titles several days before street date). I watched a few minutes of the 1925 silent version, and it looks very nice indeed. The new orchestral recording of the 1942 score is well done, but I will admit that it is somewhat jarring to hear this score without hearing Chaplin's narration. I am sure that this edition will please most people.

What's jarring is hearing Chaplin's narration. Yikes. I absolutely can't bear the 1942 self-butchered version, though I do like the score, so it'll be great to be able to watch the real film with Charlie's music for the first time.

[Danny Burk]

My pre-order arrived today (I just love how deep-discount is able to deliver many pre-ordered titles several days before street date). I watched a few minutes of the 1925 silent version, and it looks very nice indeed. The new orchestral recording of the 1942 score is well done, but I will admit that it is somewhat jarring to hear this score without hearing Chaplin's narration. I am sure that this edition will please most people.

What's jarring is hearing Chaplin's narration. Yikes. I absolutely can't bear the 1942 self-butchered version, though I do like the score, so it'll be great to be able to watch the real film with Charlie's music for the first time.

Agreed 100%. I liked the score on the one occasion that I saw the narrated version, but disliked the latter so much that I couldn't watch it again. I remember thinking at the time that it would be nice to have a proper silent version using that score, and only 30 years later, here it is!

My pre-order arrived today (I just love how deep-discount is able to deliver many pre-ordered titles several days before street date). I watched a few minutes of the 1925 silent version, and it looks very nice indeed. The new orchestral recording of the 1942 score is well done, but I will admit that it is somewhat jarring to hear this score without hearing Chaplin's narration. I am sure that this edition will please most people.

What's jarring is hearing Chaplin's narration. Yikes. I absolutely can't bear the 1942 self-butchered version, though I do like the score, so it'll be great to be able to watch the real film with Charlie's music for the first time.

Agreed 100%. I liked the score on the one occasion that I saw the narrated version, but disliked the latter so much that I couldn't watch it again. I remember thinking at the time that it would be nice to have a proper silent version using that score, and only 30 years later, here it is!

While I don't outright hate the 1942 reissue version as some do, it definitely is inferior to the 1925 version. Chaplin's "modernized" version takes on a dated quality that is conspicuously absent from the original version. It's ironic that Chaplin's attempt to modernize the movie makes it feel far more old-fashioned than the original silent version.

I'm excited about this one. I hate the talkie version, and having a really good score on the restored original is a dream come true.

I just watched the newly restored 1925-version of this film. Get it, folks, get it. Chaplin's original score is recaptured beautifully, and as for the film itself...well...."The Gold Rush" still makes me laugh AND teary-eyed.

I really do want to pick this up, but I still haven't had my question answered about the 7 minute difference between this Blu-ray (89 minutes), and the Mk. II DVD of the original 1925 cut (96 minutes). Before anyone brings up the possibility of differences in projection speed, I've already done the research, and that's not it. Anyone have any ideas? I'd like to have some sort of explanation before I buy this.

I really do want to pick this up, but I still haven't had my question answered about the 7 minute difference between this Blu-ray (89 minutes), and the Mk. II DVD of the original 1925 cut (96 minutes). Before anyone brings up the possibility of differences in projection speed, I've already done the research, and that's not it. Anyone have any ideas? I'd like to have some sort of explanation before I buy this.

There's some discussion on the difference here:

http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11946

I got the Blu-Ray in the mail yesterday. Can't wait to watch.

I enjoyed both versions but I enjoyed the 1942 more...but preferred the 1925 ending. Lol...

I really do want to pick this up, but I still haven't had my question answered about the 7 minute difference between this Blu-ray (89 minutes), and the Mk. II DVD of the original 1925 cut (96 minutes). Before anyone brings up the possibility of differences in projection speed, I've already done the research, and that's not it. Anyone have any ideas? I'd like to have some sort of explanation before I buy this.

There's some discussion on the difference here:

http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11946

I got the Blu-Ray in the mail yesterday. Can't wait to watch.

Ah, well that does make sense I guess. Thanks for the link!

Strange... very strange...

In this video (restoration demo of Criterion) they state that some scenes of The Gold Rush 1925 (silent version) survived only as incorporated into Chaplin's 1942 sound rersion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk6s_Ac2uYk

But the article made by Kevin Browlon, reporting the task ot restore the sound version (photochemical restoration made by Photoplay) state that they had a silent aperture internegative of the 1942 version (1.37: 1.00 silent ratio) found in Chaplins archives, in great shape, and that was used to most of the scenes as possible.
So the scenes from the 1942 sound adapted version, should come from the silent aperture internegative of the 1942 version.

All Darc, you have it slightly backwards. Most of the film was printed from the full aperture negative of the 1942 version (actually produced in 1941, but Charlie hesitated a while before he released it). This footage was mostly uncut protection negative from a second camera, so there were few jump cuts where title cards had been inserted in 1925.

However, there were some shots in the 1942 version which were taken at academy aperture (they were probably stock shots or process shots of a later era) and these were not used when the 1925 version was restored.

There were other shots which had been cut from the 1942 revision but which survived in the Raymond Rohauer version, which was more or less the 1925 edit to which he had added an electric organ score, thus cropping the image in his release prints due to contact printing. The negative of this version was apparently returned to and destroyed by Roy Export as part of an agreement that obviated a lawsuit against Rohauer for unauthorized exhibition of "Modern Times" and "The Great Dictator." The Photoplay version copied these shots from a print but could only get them with the track area cropped.

Some shots, particularly the original 1925 ending, survived full aperture in the BFI National Archive, which is why they are neither in the 1941/42 version nor cropped in the restoration.

The narrated version on the Criterion release has the full aperture picture (maybe I'Immagine Ritrovata wisely made an adjusted aperture 35mm dupe negative), as does the same version on our Image/CBS/Fox edition of 1992 but 35mm, 16mm, and (as far as I know) the earlier MK2 video editions are made from material which is cropped left, top and bottom with substantial loss of image.

David Shepard

Uaahnnn... Thanks David, for the very detailed and clever explanation.

I see now that in the youtube film restoration demo there are scenes in full aperture, like Big Jim in 1:10

I think it was the scene of Carlitos blocking the door (0:45) that confused me, cause it's also present in the 1942 (longer in 1925 and so required to use another source at academy aperture).


The dupped section have overlayed image of the sprocket holes, and we can count the film generations by counting how many overlayed images of sprocket have the image.

The full aperture image sceneswe see in the restoration video have just a single image of sprocket.
May I presume this restoration (1942 footage scenes) was made from original camera negative of ther second camera ?


Well, was the 1942 version was also re-digitally restored in 2K by Criterion? If MK2 used other materials, I have to presume Criterion have to scan other material, in full aperture, and restore.
The overexposed bax near the right side of the frame, that was present in MK2 edition, it's no longer in the new Citerion edition.
I say that cause some announces of this Criterion Blu Ray said it would have a new 1925 version restoration, and the same digital restoration from MK2. A mistake, I presume.

All Darc, you have it slightly backwards. Most of the film was printed from the full aperture negative of the 1942 version (actually produced in 1941, but Charlie hesitated a while before he released it). This footage was mostly uncut protection negative from a second camera, so there were few jump cuts where title cards had been inserted in 1925.

However, there were some shots in the 1942 version which were taken at academy aperture (they were probably stock shots or process shots of a later era) and these were not used when the 1925 version was restored.

There were other shots which had been cut from the 1942 revision but which survived in the Raymond Rohauer version, which was more or less the 1925 edit to which he had added an electric organ score, thus cropping the image in his release prints due to contact printing. The negative of this version was apparently returned to and destroyed by Roy Export as part of an agreement that obviated a lawsuit against Rohauer for unauthorized exhibition of "Modern Times" and "The Great Dictator." The Photoplay version copied these shots from a print but could only get them with the track area cropped.

Some shots, particularly the original 1925 ending, survived full aperture in the BFI National Archive, which is why they are neither in the 1941/42 version nor cropped in the restoration.

The narrated version on the Criterion release has the full aperture picture (maybe I'Immagine Ritrovata wisely made an adjusted aperture 35mm dupe negative), as does the same version on our Image/CBS/Fox edition of 1992 but 35mm, 16mm, and (as far as I know) the earlier MK2 video editions are made from material which is cropped left, top and bottom with substantial loss of image.

David Shepard

This is not getting any traction in the other thread, so I'll ask it here:

Has the article by David Gill from GRIFFITHIANA regarding the restoration of THE GOLD RUSH ever been posted online...?

Yes, and I posted the link to it in this forum twice.

People don't read my posts

This is not getting any traction in the other thread, so I'll ask it here:

Has the article by David Gill from GRIFFITHIANA regarding the restoration of THE GOLD RUSH ever been posted online...?

" I posted the link to it in this forum twice...."


Where...?

In this thread...?

The direct link no longer works (don't know why...)


So I'm placing the text here:


Notes on the Restoration of The Gold Rush

Virtually all the work we have been doing these past twenty years can be traced back to our series Hollywood. It was out of the problems we had met licensing Chaplin material from Mo Rothman that evolved the chance to make Unknown Chaplin. This revealed to us how much of the beauty and skill of Chaplin's music for City Lights was hidden within the limited range of the 1931 sound track. So when we talked to Rachel Ford, Chaplin's business manager, about the possibility of presenting a Live Cinema revival of one of his silent features, we happily settled for City Lights when it was clear it was not the time to pursue the idea of doing the film we were really interested in, the 1925 version of The GoldRush.


Our delight can be imagined when in 1992, Pam Paumier, who had succeeded Miss Ford, asked us if we were free to work on the restoration of The Gold Rush. The live shows of City Lights, which Carl Davis had conducted around the world, had been so successful that she wanted to build on the new interest in Chaplin that they had generated. Carl was also bitten by the Chaplin bug and was eager to follow up with another film. The Chaplin family had generously agreed to finance all the work.


When Chaplin decided to reissue his masterpiece in a shortened version, with his own spoken narration, in 1942, he created in some ways a new film. At that time, silent films were simply considered old-fashioned, and he saw adding a narration as a means of bringing it up-to-date. Nowadays, this seems old-fashioned in itself. And, ironically, it is this version which has become the version, having been the official release for more than fifty years, whilst the original only had a life of seventeen years before it was withdrawn. Chaplin, as efficient as ever in guarding his work, made sure that no prints remained floating around after their release. For nearly twenty years, it seems, after he re-issued his new version, there were no “sightings” of the original 1925 print. Then, in the early sixties, in the United States it started to appear again, in 35mm occasionally, but mostly in 16mm.


The NFTVA in London had three small sections of a full aperture nitrate print on lavender-tinted stock, which they have dated as a mixture of 1926 and 1931. In the Chaplin vault was a dupe negative, marked “UA Japan.” Of excellent quality, this offered us full aperture even though it was the 1942 version. We had to hope for more than this. Meanwhile, we had all the original paperwork held in the Chaplin Archive, including two cutting continuities, one made in 1925 by Rothacker Aller Laboratories and another by Rollie Totheroh in 1938. We had also been sent a script made in 1989 by E.Hunter Hale, in which he had painstakingly compared 16mm prints of the 1925 and 1942 versions. So we had plenty of references on paper to help us, but where were the prints?


None of the archives that were listed as holding prints in the FIAF catalogue had 35mm full-aperture material. One archive, however, the Deutsches Institut Für Filmkunde in Wiesbaden, had two 35mm combined prints of a “pirate 1925 version” that had been seized by the German courts in 1962 after Chaplin had successfully sued the German distributor, and the “owner” of the prints, Raymond Rohauer.


Rohauer had proudly told us he had acquired material on The Gold Rush when he bought up all the film that Chaplin had given instructions to be destroyed when he was prevented from returning to the States in 1952. Exploiting the fact that the copyright had lapsed in the States [it has since been restored], he had released it there in the sixties. He came unstuck when he tried the same in Germany. He had showed us a 16mm print when we were making Unknown Chaplin, but whilst claiming he had the beautiful 35mm print from which it had been made, he never produced it. Nearly all the many and varied 16mm copies of The Gold Rush that we have traced seem to be linked to Rohauer prints, yet no one has been able to find the master material from which he worked. All his 35mm copies seem to have disappeared, except those found in Wiesbaden.


The two prints arrived from Wiesbaden in May. One was in four double reels, the other incomplete with only three. They had crudely printed German titles and an orchestral score by Konrad Elfers, they were both very worn and were missing sections. Our luck seemed to be slowly turning, Metrocolor Laboratories in London produced a neg and print which, if the image was as not as sharp as we would have liked, had lost almost all the scratches.


In order to arrive at the best quality image, we decided that we really had no choice other than to rely on the Japanese negative wherever possible, using the Wiesbaden and NFTVA material only when necessary. We had some misgivings; we did not yet know how much the 1942 version might differ in performance from the 1925. If Chaplin had used different takes, for instance, then we would not then be restoring the original in its truest sense.


By comparing the scenes frame by frame, it was apparent that for most of the shots Chaplin had used the same takes as he had in 1925, but covered by the second camera. This meant that except where the scenes showed a different action (cooking his boot for instance), we could use those that existed in the 1942, and the only variation would be the camera angle being slightly more to the right of the action. I think the only place where this different angle affects the performance is in the Dance of the Rolls. In the 1925 version, Charlie looks straight into camera, rather than to the side of it, which gives it slightly more impact. But, because the Wiesbaden had a jump-cut and several intermittent white flashes, we thought that the flow of the dance was more important to retain.The reason that Chaplin had to resort to the other camera or alternative takes was to avoid the jump-cuts he would be making when he removed the intertitles. But there were several occasions when he decided, nevertheless, to use a shot from the master negative of the 1925, and accept the resulting jump-cut. The most outstanding of these is in the first shot of the Dance Hall, where two men entering the hall suddenly disappear as Georgia comes down the stairs.


Apart from a few extra shots that Chaplin filmed to help continuity, or to ensure vital action was not lost by the thicker rack line of the sound aperture (a CS of the cat in the dance sequence), the real changes in the film are in the scenes he cut out. The most significant of these are in the New Year's Eve sequence, in many scenes which develop the relationship of Georgia and Jack, and the last scene on the boat where Charlie and Georgia pose for a photographer. Chaplin seems to have made a decision in 1942 to reduce the role of Georgia, and in so doing, the more subtle development of her love for Charlie is lost. In the 1925 version, Georgia is clearly attracted to Jack, despite his boorishness. In the last scene in the Dance Hall the note she writes is obviously intended for Jack, and is an attempt to make up for snapping at him the night before. She writes, "I'm sorry for what I did last night. Please forgive me. I love you. Georgia." In the 1942 this becomes , "Please forgive me for not coming to dinner, I'd like to see you and explain. Georgia." With this alteration, the confusion over the note with all its cruel poignancy is lost, together with Georgia's humiliation.


Whilst there are several instances where we have only been able to put back an incomplete shot, there are three shots still missing that are listed in Totheroh's script—exteriors of the storm as the cabin slides across the snow.


The main disappointment must be that we have had to use a sound aperture format for most of the replacement shots, and to avoid a distracting change of frame on the screen, we have elected to stay with a sound frame throughout. The projection speed is twenty-two frames per second, which gives a better tempo to the action than the twenty-four fps that the sound print has to run at.


Because so many of the original titles, including the main titles, were missing or damaged, we decided to remake them all and so preserve a consistency throughout.We followed the text shown in the 1925 and 1938 scripts, even where the grammar might seem odd.We were anxious to keep the decorative titles for "Georgia," but all examples were badly damaged, and the last one, in which the rose is drooping with fallen petals, was only a few frames. Frameline, who did all our title work, exploited the latest electronic wizardry to rebuild these titles from a single frame.


Final facts: 75 percent of the scenes have been taken from the 1942 Japanese negative, twenty-two percent from the Wiesbaden print and 3 percent from the NFTVA nitrate print. The current footage of the restoration is 7,740 feet. The footage at the premiere is given as 8,555 feet; we can only assume that some of this difference might arise from cuts Chaplin made after the first performance.


We have called it a work in progress, for much still needs to be done before it can be called a full restoration.Whether that will ever be achieved is in the lap of the gods, as with all those other lost films waiting to be re-discovered.However, what this restoration demonstrates is that in 1925 The Gold Rush was rightly called a masterpiece. It is a denser and more complex film, with a more subtle interplay of characters, than the version we have known these past fifty-three years.

—David Gill and Kevin Brownlow (1992)

© Roy Export SAS, all rights reserved.





More About the Music

Recordings: Extensive excerpts from Chaplin’s scores for City Lights, Modern Times, The Gold Rush, The Circus, and The Great Dictator, with the City Lights excerpts conducted by Carl Davis (The Sound Track Factory) | Also, Carl Davis conducting the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra in the two-CD collection Charlie Chaplin: Essential Film Music (Silva America) | A DVD of The Gold Rush is available on a two-DVD release by MK2 Editions, with the second disc being devoted to a documentary about the film as well as to short takes of interest to Chaplin aficionados.

Reading: My Autobiography, by Charles Chaplin (Simon and Schuster) | Chaplin: His Life and Art, by David Robinson (Da Capo) | Silent Traces: Discovering Early Hollywood through the Films of Charlie Chaplin, by John Bengston (Santa Monica Press) | The Essential Chaplin: Perspectives on the Life and Art of the Great Comedian, by Richard Schickel (Ivan R. Dee) | The Chaplin Encyclopedia, by Glenn Mitchell (B.T. Batsford) | For information about film score restoration in general and The Gold Rush project in particular, see Timothy Brock’s Web site, timothybrock.com.

Online: charliechaplin.com

[Christopher Jacobs]

Most of the information in Brownlow's article is included in the bonus featurettes on Criterion's wonderful Blu-ray of THE GOLD RUSH, which looks very nice (haven't watched the feature itself all the way through yet). Most of the featurettes are also in HD. One is just about the reconstruction of the 1925 version, one is on the film's use of special effects, and one is on the adaptation of Chaplin's 1942 score to a new score for live performance (as well as this Blu-ray) of the reconstructed 1925 version. There's also a 2002 documentary (in SD) on the film's production and influence, including archival interviews with Lita Grey, Georgia Hale, and Mary Pickford. This is a must-own Blu-ray for any fan of Chaplin, silent comedy, or silent film in general.

While the 1925 cut of THE GOLD RUSH is obviously the superior film, the 1942 version remains both interesting and entertaining, and something of an historical artifact in itself, as it is sort of an English-language equivalent of the old Japanese tradition of "Benshi" narration of silent films, which was also popular in parts of the U.S. during the 1910s, especially in ethnic neighborhoods of New York City.

I was wondering...

People, fans, someones like to do their own reedition. Some people, for example, combined the two editions of Superman II (Donner and Lester versions) and did their own versin, and there are few clips on youtube.

Well... what about the fans of Chaplin narration of Gold Rush use the extra footage of this new 1925 version Blu Ray, to create their own edition.
I like Chaplin's narration, and I like the extra footage of the 1925 version. It would be fun if someone fun try it.

I just watched the '25 version on Blu-ray and I have to say, this is how silent restoration is meant to be done. The picture quality is immaculate with intact grain and little damage, digital processing like DVNR is tastefully applied, the intertitles are the originals, and the smooth, progressive presentation is very welcome. My only complaint is that the opening titles don't appear to be the originals, but other than that, the visual aspect is tremendous, and the new recording of the score is also really good. Bravo, Criterion!

I just watched the '25 version on Blu-ray and I have to say, this is how silent restoration is meant to be done. The picture quality is immaculate with intact grain and little damage, digital processing like DVNR is tastefully applied, the intertitles are the originals, and the smooth, progressive presentation is very welcome. My only complaint is that the opening titles don't appear to be the originals, but other than that, the visual aspect is tremendous, and the new recording of the score is also really good. Bravo, Criterion!

Actually, the intertitles are re-creations, not the originals.

The new recording of Chaplin's score is wonderful, and this is the best the original version has ever looked, but unfortunately there are several sequences that look as though they skip frames every few seconds, such as the scene where the tramp accidentally ties himself to the dog in the saloon. They look to be the same sequences that were jittery in the previous DVD incarnation of the Brownlow/Gill restoration, but I seem to remember that they didn't skip frames in the old DVD, just jittered up and down a bit. I'll have to pull it out and compare.

I'm not sure if I've ever seen the original 1925 opening titles for THE GOLD RUSH. I'm guessing this footage either no longer exists, or that it does exist but is in execrable condition...

Anyone know?

Actually, the intertitles are re-creations, not the originals.

Oh, ok; thanks! I assumed they were the real deal since they had a very '20s look to them. Could they have been based on the originals?

If they could present something just as superb-looking, but with everything in full-aperture from the domestic negative and with all the original text sequences, that would be really cool. But considering what materials are known to exist, the 2012 restoration is far more than serviceable.

Picked up the new Criterion DVD of THE GOLD RUSH a few weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Chaplin's '42 score is wonderful-one of his best.

OK, I finally ordered a copy of both the Blu-ray and the DVD. I'll need send for a copy of the Pickford set on DVD as well. I already bought it on Blu-ray a couple weeks back. Now I may have to wait awhile before I can get LONESOME, and or Lubitsch THE LOVES OF PHARAOH. Darn!

Another silent film done right! The alternate version is the main version on this disk. Wonderful adaptation of the soundtrack.

here's article I found by Timothy Brock he explains Chaplin's score for The Gold Rush and how he adapted it.

http://www.timothybrock.com/articles_the_gold_rush.html

I posted this link in a separate thread, but it also makes sense here:

http://archive.org/stream/photoplayvolu ... 4/mode/2up

It's an article about an early Hollywood Museum and it contained Chaplin's miniature cabin and mountain used for certain shots. I don't think I've seen a photo of it before.

I got my copy in today and I have to say that theirs alot of features about 1925 version including a commentary which was very informative. I hope criterion releases The Kid in its original 1921 version with another great adaption of a chaplin score by Timothy Brock.

Hopefully, the Criterion release of CITY LIGHTS will contain the option of the 1988 Carl Davis re-orchestration. Yes, they need to present THE KID and the First National Shorts in their entirety if possible.

I didn't get my Gold Rush Blu-ray yet. Thought it would be here by today, but it wasn't. Maybe on Monday. Gotta be honest, the very first music I think of when ever I hear anyone mention THE GOLD RUSH is not Chaplin's music. It's William Perry's music. With a least 5 or 6 themes that seem definitive in my mind. The Main-title, Little Fellow Theme, Yukon Theme, and most definitely the Georgia Theme. Oh, to hear these embellished and complimented with a few more instruments other than just his masterful Grande Piano. Same with Pickford's LITTLE ANNIE ROONEY.

In a side bar, I seriously hope that now that the original version is available in a fine print with a full-orchestral score that TCM will start running the proper 1925 Silent and put away the inferior 1942 Sound re-issue for good.