Chaplin Feature Films on Blu-ray from Kinowelt May 2008 (1 Viewer)

[oscar_merkx]

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=4052

Kinowelt Home Entertainment has unveiled its Blu-ray slate for April/May, which prominently features no fewer than five movies directed by and starring Charles Chaplin: 'The Kid', 'The Gold Rush', 'City Lights', 'Modern Times', and 'The Great Dictator'.

At the moment it is not confirmed whether they'll be sold separately or in a movie set.

This is awesome news

 

[Greg_S_H]

Is this only in Germany, and are they related to the US Kino company? I'd love to get a non-sped-up original cut of Gold Rush.

 

[Claire Panke]

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H

I'd love to get a non-sped-up original cut of Gold Rush.

Me too!

This is a different company (I think) than the American Kino. However, they'll probably be region free. I buy imports both DVD and BD, and I've had some excellent quality German ones. The WB Chaplin sets are OOP, so there will likely be an Amerian release of these too.

In fact, there have been rumours that Criterion is preparing a BD Chaplin set too.

Either way, it looks like Chaplin's masterpieces will be coming on Blu...sooner and later.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Originally Posted by Claire Panke




Me too!

This is a different company (I think) than the American Kino. However, they'll probably be region free. I buy imports both DVD and BD, and I've had some excellent quality German ones. The WB Chaplin sets are OOP, so there will likely be an Amerian release of these too.

In fact, there have been rumours that Criterion is preparing a BD Chaplin set too.

Either way, it looks like Chaplin's masterpieces will be coming on Blu...sooner and later.

Kinowelt is a different company. If Warner's U.S. rights have lapsed, I wonder if that rumor about Criterion is true?

 

[Brandon Conway]

Criterion did get the US rights. Chaplin estate email to criterionforum.org member:

"I 'm not sure yet but I think that the first dvds to be released will be more or less the same as the Warner ones, unless Criterion are planning something we don't know about. New stuff including HD restorations will be on blueray, ?next year? year after?"

Jeff at criterionforum.org is always on top of these things, and he stated recently:

"Criterion did indeed win the U.S. distribution rights. The films are owned by the Chaplin estate, managed by Mk2, and distributed in different territories by the highest bidder. I believe Criterion will want to do some additional restoration of their own, so their discs may still be a way down the line."

 

[Mark Zimmer]

No word on whether these will be original theatrical cuts or the "Daddy" cuts Chaplin made in his dotage?