CHAPLIN ON DVD

Scoundrel · Post by **Scoundrel** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:36 am

From Barrie Maxwell at The Digital Bits:

"Classic fans should also be aware that Warners no longer holds the home video rights to...the Charlie Chaplin library as of the end of June..."

Let's hope that the Chaplin family re releases David Shepard's excellent versions of these classics again.

While I have purchased some of the Warners titles for the extras, the PAL to NTSC conversions were a major disappointment. Just CITY LIGHTS alone suffered from an overly dark picture as well as the slight speed up of the film that ruined it's rhythm for me.

Gagman 66 · Post by **Gagman 66** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:44 pm

So are you saying that the Warner DVD's will all be going out of print as happened with the Image ones? And what does it mean as far as Chaplin's features are concerned on TCM?

Why can't we get a definitive lovingly produced restoration of the original 1925 version of THE GOLD RUSH with a full orchestral score? In my mind the original version of THE GOLD RUSH has never been done proper justice on DVD.

I don't know how much longer TCM will have the rights to Harold Lloyd's features either. They inked the deal with the Trust back in 2002. Meaning the Lloyd DVD's could vanish too! People better get the set while the still can.

WaverBoy · Post by **WaverBoy** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:00 am

The WB/MK2 Chaplin discs are no big loss, except for a couple extras like the Great Dictator documentary and the real version of THE GOLD RUSH. The transfers are over-digitized botched PAL-to-NTSC conversions, and in many cases are cut. The really big loss was David Shepard's excellent Image discs going out-of-print (and yes, I've got every single last one of 'em!). The next time around, perhaps the powers-that-be will get it right; uncut versions of all the films, looking like actual films, and for the poor First National shorts, restored versions of the extant real films with the original title cards included alongside the recreations.

radiotelefonia · Post by **radiotelefonia** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:18 am

I would love to see the original titles of all of the Chaplin films (I hate the lousy replacement copyright titles to remove United Artist references in THE GREAT DICTATOR).

I have found a rare domestic poster (Argentina) for a reissue of THE KID in which the "six reels of joy"... became seven.