...quintessential Chaplin: sweet, semi tragic, comforting, and most of all funny.
Perhaps today there are viewers who will take exception to the simplicity of Chaplin's ideas or resist Chaplin's obvious tugs of pathos. Certainly, the film is more sentimental than we are used to in this, a more cynical age. A few of the jokes are milked too long for their payoff; and the film's ending is both corny and unnecessarily involved. But the very thought of the little guy fighting the big guys (big companies, big government, big people) and winning remains as refreshing and accessible for people in the twenty-first century as for audiences over seven decades ago.
In his later life Chaplin would always say "The Gold Rush" was the film by which he most wanted to be remembered. The movie was funny in 1925 when it first became a smash hit; it was funny in 1942 when Chaplin revived it and added sound; and it remains exquisitely charming today.
Video:
The video quality differs slightly depending on which version, 1925 or 1942, you watch. Despite the earlier print being "fully restored by Photoplay Productions," I found the 1945 edition, digitally transferred from picture and audio elements found in the Chaplin family vault, cleaner and clearer. Both are quite good, considering their age, but the black-and-white contrasts in the 1945 presentation are more pronounced, and there are fewer light fluctuations or minor age marks. I found this a little disappointing, actually, in that as a movie I preferred the original silent version best. Oh, well, life is like that.
Audio:
Here, I would have to choose the piano sound that accompanies the old silent version to the remastered sound of the 1945 rendition. You see, the 1925 film's new piano track comes off remarkably well, and the Dolby Surround reproducing the piano sounds natural and realistic across the front speakers. The sound on the 1945 revival, the narration and music added by Chaplin himself, is a tad muted and scratchy in mono, warmer and more comforting in Dolby Surround, sharper and clearer remixed in Dolby Digital 5.1. In the later mode, however, expect the sonics to be a tad bright and sometimes a little harsh; it's never unpleasant, but it isn't entirely lifelike, either. The 5.1 remix helps spread the original monaural sound across the front speakers, but barely. As I said, I preferred watching the 1925 version with its excellent piano accompaniment.
Extras:
You can't say you don't get your money's worth here. After all, there are two complete films involved in the set. Disc one contains the 1942 revival in a 1.33:1 screen presentation, with the choice of Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround, or Dolby mono soundtracks. There are twenty scene selections available; plus English and French spoken languages; and English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Thai, and Korean subtitles.
Disc two offers the original 1925 silent film, with piano accompaniment in Dolby Surround. English, French, and Portuguese are available for the text of the special features, with English, Spanish, Chinese, Thai, and Korean subtitles. In addition to the movie, there are some key bonus items. The first is a most informative, five-minute introduction by David Robinson, Chaplin's biographer. Even more important is a twenty-seven minute documentary, "Chaplin Today," that describes the influences of Chaplin on modern filmmakers as well as relates background on the production of "The Gold Rush" itself, including vintage interviews with some of the cast. Then there's an extensive gallery of over 250 still photos, divided into various categories; numerous film posters for the movie; excerpts from ten other pictures in "The Chaplin Collection"; and four theatrical trailers for the film.
Parting Thoughts:
"The Gold Rush" is one of ten Chaplin movies that Paris-based MK2 and the Warner studios are releasing in special-edition DVD sets. Among the others in the first wave of entries are "Modern Times," "The Great Dictator," and "Limelight." Certainly, these are all important, classic films, and a person could easily make a case for any of them being better than the others. But for me, "The Gold Rush" remains quintessential Chaplin: sweet, semi tragic, comforting, and most of all funny. For the comedy fan or for the movie buff in search of the evolution of comedy, "The Gold Rush" is a must.
In his later life Chaplin would always say "The Gold Rush" was the film by which he most wanted to be remembered. The movie was funny in 1925 when it first became a smash hit; it was funny in 1942 when Chaplin revived it and added sound; and it remains exquisitely charming today.
Video:
The video quality differs slightly depending on which version, 1925 or 1942, you watch. Despite the earlier print being "fully restored by Photoplay Productions," I found the 1945 edition, digitally transferred from picture and audio elements found in the Chaplin family vault, cleaner and clearer. Both are quite good, considering their age, but the black-and-white contrasts in the 1945 presentation are more pronounced, and there are fewer light fluctuations or minor age marks. I found this a little disappointing, actually, in that as a movie I preferred the original silent version best. Oh, well, life is like that.
Audio:
Here, I would have to choose the piano sound that accompanies the old silent version to the remastered sound of the 1945 rendition. You see, the 1925 film's new piano track comes off remarkably well, and the Dolby Surround reproducing the piano sounds natural and realistic across the front speakers. The sound on the 1945 revival, the narration and music added by Chaplin himself, is a tad muted and scratchy in mono, warmer and more comforting in Dolby Surround, sharper and clearer remixed in Dolby Digital 5.1. In the later mode, however, expect the sonics to be a tad bright and sometimes a little harsh; it's never unpleasant, but it isn't entirely lifelike, either. The 5.1 remix helps spread the original monaural sound across the front speakers, but barely. As I said, I preferred watching the 1925 version with its excellent piano accompaniment.
Extras:
You can't say you don't get your money's worth here. After all, there are two complete films involved in the set. Disc one contains the 1942 revival in a 1.33:1 screen presentation, with the choice of Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround, or Dolby mono soundtracks. There are twenty scene selections available; plus English and French spoken languages; and English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Thai, and Korean subtitles.
Disc two offers the original 1925 silent film, with piano accompaniment in Dolby Surround. English, French, and Portuguese are available for the text of the special features, with English, Spanish, Chinese, Thai, and Korean subtitles. In addition to the movie, there are some key bonus items. The first is a most informative, five-minute introduction by David Robinson, Chaplin's biographer. Even more important is a twenty-seven minute documentary, "Chaplin Today," that describes the influences of Chaplin on modern filmmakers as well as relates background on the production of "The Gold Rush" itself, including vintage interviews with some of the cast. Then there's an extensive gallery of over 250 still photos, divided into various categories; numerous film posters for the movie; excerpts from ten other pictures in "The Chaplin Collection"; and four theatrical trailers for the film.
Parting Thoughts:
"The Gold Rush" is one of ten Chaplin movies that Paris-based MK2 and the Warner studios are releasing in special-edition DVD sets. Among the others in the first wave of entries are "Modern Times," "The Great Dictator," and "Limelight." Certainly, these are all important, classic films, and a person could easily make a case for any of them being better than the others. But for me, "The Gold Rush" remains quintessential Chaplin: sweet, semi tragic, comforting, and most of all funny. For the comedy fan or for the movie buff in search of the evolution of comedy, "The Gold Rush" is a must.
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[release]10902[/release]