Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin - The Classic Collection (Enhanced)
$19.95
The Classic Charlie Chaplin Collection (Enhanced ) Enjoy the iconic Charlie Chaplin, The Tramp, as he comes into your living room with this collection of some of his best films. Included in The Classic Charlie Chaplin Collection: The Tramp
Mabels Strange Predicament
Between Showers
A Film Johnnie
His Favorite Pastime
The Landladys Pet
Twenty Minutes of Love
Caught in a Cabaret
The Fatal Mallet
The Knockout
Whether you are new to the world of Charlie Chaplin or already a fan, this collection is sure to please. Charles Chaplin spent the majority of his life writing, directing, producing and acting in films. His most famous character was The Tramp , however, all his characters and films are well-known and well-received. This collection looks at works from early in his career and showcases the comedic genus that he was. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

Charlie Chaplin - 2 DVD COLLECTOR'S EMBOSSED TIN SET!
$12.98
Charlie Chaplin - 2 DVD Collector's Embossed Tin Set! Charlie Chaplin is one of the most popular and enduring of Hollywood's master comedians. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the Little Tramp, with his bowler hat, twirling cane and unmistakable, unlikely swagger. Nevertheless, of course, Chaplin was a master filmmaker, directing and acting in most of his films, many of which have become classics. This collection of films made for the silent screen brings you nine of Charlie Chaplin's best, on two DVDs. In addition to the Little Tramp, his frequent guest stars join Charlie, including Edna Purviance, Ben Turpin, Fatty Arbuckle and the Keystone Kops. Watch Shoulder Arms, The Champion, The Kid, Easy Street, The Vagabond, Work, The Tramp, The Knockout and Kid Auto Races at Venice!

Charlie Chaplin 3 Disc Collector's Edition
$9.98
This disc set contains many vintage silent films in the comic style that Charlie Chaplin among others made popular. They are still funny for me although, if made in today's world, would be unlikely to find much favor because they would be considered politically incorrect and unsophisticated even though they required an excellent sense of timing and an acting style all of it's own.

The Chaplin Collection, Vol. 1 (Modern Times / The Great Dictator / The Gold Rush / Limelight)
$79.98
The very first Chaplin film that I ever saw was when I was a kid when my mother brought me to see "The Great Dictator" on the big screen. As a kid, I didn't really appreciate what the movie was about and so although I laughed at the slapstick moments, I didn't really "get it" until I watched it again many, many years later as part of this very good box set. The only downer is that my copy here is faulty and hence everything after the classic pudding scene for some reason will not show; as no one else has mentioned it here I'm assuming that I'm just the unlucky one to get a bum disc.

Watching the other very well restored picture and remastered sound quality films I realised that Chaplin's genius was such that I actually enjoyed the "silent" films like "Modern Times" and "The Gold Rush" - redux a.k.a. 1942 version a whole lot better than the sound comedies of the time and also many of the more recent comedies that age poorly from the 70s. I was amazed that I could still laugh at most of "Modern Times" which I can now say is not only my favourite Chaplin film but also one of my favourite comedies ever as well as the re-done "The Gold Rush" especially the dancing rolls scene with the very well composed piece accompanying it as well as the brilliant boot-eating scene. I have watched "City Lights" separately which is also a very good film but I feel Chaplin's best work is in this volume one collection.

Watching these films made me realise just how talented this man really was as he was also very good in talkies such as "Limelight" which is also an excellent film. He composed the score which was later awarded an Oscar and indeed he was an excellent composer and singer as well even if it is gibberish lyrics such as in "Modern Times" or on "Limelight" where he also wrote the script and directed this and all his movies. I can't imagine why people say sound killed the silent stars except perhaps because of their own unwillingness to make the transition as watching Buster Keaton's cameo and very funny role on "Limelight" I thought there was nothing wrong with his voice and if he wanted to, he could have made the transition to voice just as Chaplin did. He would just need to find a good script or write his own as Chaplin did. In fact, I thought Keaton's cameo on "Sunset Boulevard" was good although he hardly said anything.

I watched the Marx Brothers Collection immediately after this set and it is night and day with regards how much more I liked Chaplin's work over that one. For one most of the jokes are still funny with Chaplin while much of the Marx Brothers' stuff made me keep looking at the watch to see how much more time there was left to endure it. Also Groucho shamelessly steals many of Chaplin's dance moves with the kicking steps in some scenes of "Horse Feathers" which if you compare are identical to what Chaplin does in his earlier films. Amazing how so many words on the Marx Brothers can barely raise a chuckle from me while the sparse and efficiently used words on Chaplin's works made me laugh a whole lot more and I am actually looking forward to watching them again and even to buy "The Great Dictator" again to replace the dud that Amazon sent me the first time. I thought "Duck Soup" was pretty good but you'd have to pay me to watch the other ones on that set again; maybe "Cocoanuts", "Animal Crackers", "Monkey Business" and "Horse Feathers" were funny during the Depression but watching them today almost gave me a depression!

Excellent restoration job, excellent choice of content, good special features extras and packaging make this a very good value purchase and a must have for any fan of film's video library; just make sure you don't get a dud disc like I did. As I live too far away from the U.S. I'm afraid I can't do a return or exchange but I'm sure you can.

Recommended!