A Countess from Hong Kong, New UK Chaplin Blu-rays and DVDs

[Brent]

I posted this in the BFI's Chaplin Mutual Blu-Ray thread, but some might miss it, so am reposting here:

http://www.brentonfilm.com/news/new-uk- ... ficial-eye

As you'll see from that link we've now got A Countess from Hong Kong on Blu-ray too, so that just leaves the Chaplin Keystones unavailable in HD.
Note that the recent Keystone restorations were done at 720p resolution, as the budget and then-current technology allowed. They are now being redone completely so you can expect to see Blu-rays of those within the next couple of years.

[DShepFilm]

The team that restored the Chaplin Keystones are surprised to learn from Brent that they had been restored in 720. They were all scanned from new 35mm negatives and restored in 1080 with then-available resources, but before the advent of the Phoenix Revival system and before Blu-Ray was very prevalent. It would be possible to improve them with the latest technology and publish Blu-Rays but we do not know of such a project currently in work.

David Shepard

[Brent]

Blimey, thank you muchly for the correction David! I've been misinformed by a usually very reliable source; have already pointed them at your reply. In future I'll run everything I hear by you before repeating it anywhere, if that's cool?

I must say: I was equally surprised to hear the news in the first place. I didn't think enough technical advances had been made since those restorations were done as to render them 'obsolete' already. It's heartening to know that one way or another, there is certainly the possibility of Chaplin Keystone BDs at some point...

[bigshot]

Thankfully, the Keystone DVD set looks and sounds damn good. I don't mind being "stuck" with an excellent set like that!

[Mark Zimmer]

Where are the Essanays available in HD? I have David's excellent DVDs but if there's an upgrade I'm willing to listen.

[DShepFilm]

The Essanays were finally finished just last week, will probably be released in September.

David S

[jjbluecaps]

The Essanays were finally finished just last week, will probably be released in September.

David S

WOW, Good news! Thanks!
Oh, that intertitle "Open auditions at LODSTONE studios" were corrected to "LOCKSTONE"?

[Mark Zimmer]

Sweet! Thanks, David.

[Brent]

I've reviewed the first six of the forthcoming eleven Blu-rays from Artificial Eye:

http://www.brentonfilm.com/reviews/arti ... s-reviewed

[jjbluecaps]

Where is "The Idle Class" in this set???

[Smari1989]

Where is "The Idle Class" in this set???

It's added as an extra to one of the features. I don't have the BRs right here but I'll check later today (I think it's either CITY LIGHTS or MONSIEUR VERDOUX).

For what it's worth, I've bought these new Chaplin Artificial Eye BRs myself; some of my old WB-dvds from '03 don't play as well anymore (despite me having treated them as decently as possible), so it was time for an upgrade. It's nice to have the "bonus material" on one disc rather than two, and I actually like the artwork on the covers. Only letdowns I've discovered so far is the absence of the silent GOLD RUSH (with the Ben Model score), and (to be nitpicky for a moment) I'm a bit annoyed with how the name ARTIFICIAL EYE is spelled out right above each movie's title, in equally large letters, on the side back of the covers, it doesn't look quite as pleasing on a shelf as the old WB-releases. But all in all, a nice (and reasonably affordable) purchase. I'll have to not buy so many movies etc for a while now, though.

[jjbluecaps]

Just founded. Is a extra in Modern Times.
They could put all this shorts on The Chaplin Revue BD, not one as an extra in the features... Crazy.

[Smari1989]

Just founded. Is a extra in Modern Times.
They could put all this shorts on The Chaplin Revue BD, not one as an extra in the features... Crazy.

I agree it seems a bit odd to include the shorts as extras on seemingly "random" titles, but I suspect this is a strategy to possibly help sales (esp. in the case of SUNNYSIDE and PAY DAY being on the WOMAN OF PARIS-disc).

[jjbluecaps]

Yes, I agree with that. To sale a Woman Of Paris' BD without a Chaplin content would be difficult.
Anyway, great transfers! Sharp, clear and not too contrasted like the Warner DVDs.
Just don't understand why they changed the intertitles in "A Day's Pleasure"...?

[jjbluecaps]

Man, what the hell they did in The Chaplin Revue???
I mean, OK, image and audio is great, BUT...
I some scenes they merged the frames (ghosting) and others WASN'T RESTORED!
You are watching the film and all of a sudden, A IMAGE WITH FULL APERTURE, SCRATCHES AND THE SPROCKET HOLES ARE SHOWED!
Holy Jesus, how could you put on the market a product not finished yet? Specially one that we were waiting for a long time!
I will post here some screenshots later...

[silentmovies742]

I don't think the feature length documentary included in the old boxed sets is included anywhere either?

[Smari1989]

If you mean the Richard Schickel-docu, no, that seems not to be included anywhere. Which doesn't bother me that much, though it's competently made and has some nice things in it.

[salus]

tippi Hedren claimed she was blacklisted by Alfred Hitchcock how then did she star in this film by Chaplain shortly after Marnie?

[Brent]

To previous posters:

• It was actually Neil Brand who scored the mk2/Warner DVDs’ 1925 Gold Rush.
  Tippi Hedren’s Hitchcock contract was bought out by Universal, who then put her in Countess.

I've completely revised and updated my earlier review and discovered that the AE's contain dozens of HD exclusives, including a hidden, uncut 'Daddy' version that you'll never see anywhere again!

• Artificial Eye’s New UK Chaplin Blu-rays Reviewed

[jjbluecaps]

To previous posters:

• It was actually Neil Brand who scored the mk2/Warner DVDs’ 1925 Gold Rush.
  Tippi Hedren’s Hitchcock contract was bought out by Universal, who then put her in Countess.

I've completely revised and updated my earlier review and discovered that the AE's contain dozens of HD exclusives, including a hidden, uncut 'Daddy' version that you'll never see anywhere again!

• Artificial Eye’s New UK Chaplin Blu-rays Reviewed

Brent, what you have to say about the scenes not restored in The Chaplin Revue? Did you noticed, right?

[Brent]

I noticed alright, but it wasn't worth mentioning in the context of that particular review. I'd rather save most of the hardcore geeky discussion for Nitrateville. I've tried to pitch that article on the accessible side of anal, and to fit within the broader framework of the Charlie Chaplin Collectors' Guide.

The bottom line is that Artificial Eye don't have the resources for extensive clean up and restoration. Even if they did, they were handed a very compromised set of masters, as per the Chaplin Estate's wishes, and have to issue them as is. Same goes for Criterion: doubtless their issue of The Chaplin Revue will be better, but even they can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Ref. their BD of The Kid: the whole film gets restored, then has to be cut down as per Daddy's wishes. A crazy (and thankfully unique) situation, but 'twas ever thus.

Taking the AE's as a whole, rather than worry about a few sprocket edges showing, I (and I'm sure every potential buyer, which is who the review's aimed at) am far more concerned by the entire omission of the silent Gold Rush. Again, Not entirely AE's fault.

[Smari1989]

Speaking of The Chaplin Revue, I have to repeat, once more, that I find it very unfortunate that the ONE presumably "original" (1919) copy of SHOULDER ARMS remains in a film archive in Denmark, just collecting dust. It's supposed to be superior to the Revue version, and what's more; it's far closer to what the film's original audiences actually saw. When Chaplin made the Revue in -59, he couldn't use that copy because he didn't know it existed -- but we do know, now.

[jjbluecaps]

Speaking of The Chaplin Revue, I have to repeat, once more, that I find it very unfortunate that the ONE presumably "original" (1919) copy of SHOULDER ARMS remains in a film archive in Denmark, just collecting dust. It's supposed to be superior to the Revue version, and what's more; it's far closer to what the film's original audiences actually saw. When Chaplin made the Revue in -59, he couldn't use that copy because he didn't know it existed -- but we do know, now.

But what about that version on Reel Classic DVD? Isn't the same?

[Smari1989]

Speaking of The Chaplin Revue, I have to repeat, once more, that I find it very unfortunate that the ONE presumably "original" (1919) copy of SHOULDER ARMS remains in a film archive in Denmark, just collecting dust. It's supposed to be superior to the Revue version, and what's more; it's far closer to what the film's original audiences actually saw. When Chaplin made the Revue in -59, he couldn't use that copy because he didn't know it existed -- but we do know, now.

But what about that version on Reel Classic DVD? Isn't the same?

No, that's a Pathé reissue from the mid-20s. So it's closer, and I'm very grateful Reelclassicdvd has released it, but it's still almost definitely not as close as the Danish copy.

FWIW, I sent a mail to the Danish Film Institute a while back, asking if it was possible to visit them to see the film (I live in Norway, so it's basically a 50 min flight for me), but haven't received a reply.

[WaverBoy]

To previous posters:

• It was actually Neil Brand who scored the mk2/Warner DVDs’ 1925 Gold Rush.
  Tippi Hedren’s Hitchcock contract was bought out by Universal, who then put her in Countess.

I've completely revised and updated my earlier review and discovered that the AE's contain dozens of HD exclusives, including a hidden, uncut 'Daddy' version that you'll never see anywhere again!

• Artificial Eye’s New UK Chaplin Blu-rays Reviewed

Good news about the "wrong" master accidentally used for A KING IN NEW YORK; thanks for the tip. If only the "wrong" masters had been used for all the rest of the poor films, especially THE KID, A WOMAN OF PARIS and the monstrously mutilated MODERN TIMES. My old Image DVDs produced by the good David Shepard continue to grow in value by the day; the only two he didn't manage to rescue from the draconian wishes of the Estate were THE GOLD RUSH (though that has since been rectified by MK2 and Criterion) and LIMELIGHT (although Shepard's old laserdisc version was intact).