Chaplin coming to Blu-Ray

[23skidoo]

As I was looking up the Amazon listing for the Blu-Ray release of Fritz Lang's Metropolis (woo-hoo!) I discovered that Criterion is about to release the first (Region 1) Charlie Chaplin Blu-Ray with a new edition of Modern Times (appropriately enough):

http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Times-Criterion-Collection-Blu-ray/dp/B003ZYU3T6

Criterion hasn't put out a Chaplin before, I don't think, so that'll be cool on its own.

According to Amazon there have been a couple other Blu-Ray releases of Chaplin films in other regions, but as far as I can tell this is the first one for this part of the world. It'll be interesting to see if they attempt to Blu-Ray any of the original 1914-1922 silents (which exist in wildly varying quality).

Alex

 

[milo bloom]

And let me jump in before anybody asks: even old film like this still has more resolution than even Bluray, so yes there is a point to releasing it on this format.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Do we get a time-traveller action figure with it?

 

[23skidoo]

And let me jump in before anybody asks: even old film like this still has more resolution than even Bluray, so yes there is a point to releasing it on this format.

Not sure if that was directed at me or those who might go "why bother". I'm quite happy to see a growing number of older films being released on Blu-Ray because as recently as 3-4 years ago there were people saying it couldn't be done. That goes for old TV shows (old as in pre-2000) too. But now we're seeing a bunch of old shows hitting the HD format, and many classic films. (Metropolis might be the farthest back they've gone).

There's still a major issue with regards to videotaped programmes, and shows edited on video such as TNG, but if there's nothing holding back the release of older films to Blu-Ray I say go for it. I'm eagerly awaiting Citizen Kane.

Alex