Degas, Edgar Movie Reviews

Sadly, Fred Tuttle passed away on October 4, 2003. We sure coulda used him running for President!

Fred is alive and still pretty well in Tunbridge, and can be seen (sometimes nearly run over) walking from his home to town and back most days. He uses a cane to get around now, but still has the same terrific smile, and never hesitates to say "hello" and share a friendly word or two. If you can find it, pick up the CD "Fred Speaks" on which he tells stories of his and his community's past, with great humor. Hearing his history ( the real one, not just the one for the movies)brought tears to my eyes when I realized just how quickly these folks are passing from our lives, and taking a huge piece of the core of Vermont with them. Makes you want to go ask an older person for a few stories before it's too late.

I saw this movie twice in the movie theatres and have been looking for it on video for years. It chronicles a memorable political campaign by a candidate who runs for office because he needs the money, and whose hysterical campaign slogans include "Spread Fred" and "don't ask why Fred Tuttle, ask why not?" One of the best, and certainly most enjoyable, political spoofs I've seen, and which launched its one-of-a-kind star, Fred Tuttle, a homegrown Vermonter, into a real life campaign for political office.

As I wrote an extensive build up of these movies, prior to thier release. I am now pleased to say that about 98% of my anticipation was not misguided.
Overall, these are the clearest and sharpest versions I have seen in my lifetime.
In comparison to some of the non Key Video versions that were out on VHS these offerings from MPI are stunning.
My only letdown was, as others have mentioned, is that there could have easily been more additional material offered.
A short commentary was offered on the restoration of Orson Welles' "The Third Man" by Criterion and was fascinating.
Something similar to this would have been easy to produce and Holmes fans like myself who have put up with public domain trash copies for decades would have eaten up such a documentary.
I also have wondered for years if there are any out-takes from the films that still exist.
How fascinating that would have been, and would still be....hint....hint.
At the very least, Filmographies of Rathbone and Bruce, or trivia facts about the series or the actors, or the productions, or at least even the trailers should have been included.
Little things, such as pointing out the appearance of a young dark handsome Milburn Stone in "Faces Death" who later became "Doc" on Gunsmoke.
There are several instances where the Captioning is lazy. Such as in "Faces Death" when Holmes says "anno Domini" in a sentance and the caption writer just put "Domino."
Even with occassional lapses in the captioning, it was indeed nice to have them captioned.
Of all the films in this Volume, the one I found most curious was "Faces Death."
Even after reading the liner notes, I still wonder why some of the extreme deterioration marks on individual frames could not have been repaired by computer.
Much worse deterioration existed on the "Third Man" and it was restored flawlessley. And oddly, there are a few sections of the Key Video version of this Film that are clearer than this MPI restored version.....?....
Was this a real case of Wet vs. Dry printing or laziness on the part of those in the restoration process?
All that said, the other three films are near pristine, especially Holmes in "Washington". I think there will never be another version of these prints released that will surpass the quality of this offering.
Lastly, for the snobby Holmesian purest who nearly worship the Brett/Granada versions of the Holmes stories, I think this offering will go a long way in explaining to many why Rathbone is beyond doubt the nearset thing to Holmes incarnate that has or ever will exist.
The Granda versions are draining, dripping with overcharachterization and forced melodrama...did I mention contrived?
Brett often behaves like a nerotic narcasisstic snot who sees and loves his own image off a distance in a mirror somewhere.
These films with Rathbone and Bruce are timelessly engaging, underplayed, entertaining, perfectly moody and just downright fun in every aspect. Rathbone and Bruce had a chemistry that so completely complimented each other.
Rathbone especially....you never catch him playing Sherlock Holmes...he just "is" Sherlock Holmes.
Now, if we can just get the first two Rathbone and Bruce films restored and captioned and in our libraries....well what's next...Peace in the Mideast?

While I watched "Faces Death", I felt that it was a much lighter version than I what was used to. So, I paused a scene and went hunting for my Key Video of the movie. I put it on and went to the matching scene, then switched back and forth between the VCR and video images. The difference was very pronounced. The Key Video version was darker, moodier and had deeper shadows. I don't know which version should be considered the "better" one, but they are indeed quite different! I enjoyed the commentary and booklet, but, like others here, would have liked to see more (such as the trailers). Overall, though, I am thrilled to see the series on DVD and will buy the next two volumes.

Noted Sherlock Holmes Scholar, Andrew Kemp, was not kidding when he said that these are the best reproductions of these films since their original theatrical release. Digitally restored in 35MM from the UCLA Film Archives prints, they are a joy to behold for those of us who have had to make do with ratty and incomplete public domain copies. MPI has again done Holmes fans a great service by making this fine and popular film series available once more. I say "again," because they have also released the much respected Granada TV series featuring Jeremy Brett.

Previous reviewers have already commented on how Universal moved Holmes ahead into the WWII era, and had him chasing down Nazi's, spys, and assorted modern "evil-doers." Never-the-less, the series appeal lies not in the historical context, but in the charisma of Rathbone and Bruce as the series' Holmes and Watson.

These films are not great cinematic milestones, but they are great fun - pure entertainment, and as each new generation discovers Holmes, they always key in on this series as the all-time favorite. If you haven't seen these films before, or even if it's been awhile since you saw them on TV as a kid, do yourself a favor and pick this set up - you won't regret it.

Look at the subject then read on. It was excellent, but not worth owning like the other PBS reality series besides Frontier House. I hope PBS/England's Channel 4/Wall to Wall TV. Thank you.

This is definitely a great collection from purely a reality show entertainment point of view. However, what struck me even more than just my amusement was the lessons this show articulated about leadership and management. I've done quite a bit of reading about leadership, everything from "Think and Grow Rich" to "Primal Leadership", and one the overriding themes is always communication in all its various forms and in all the directions it flows. This series does a suburb job of illustrating exactly what can do wrong and how if different levels of an organization, or in this case, a manor, do not know, do not understand, or do not choose to care to understand what's going on in the hearts and minds of the people around them.

Sir John publicly insults the butler, and you get to see first hand how much more devastating that is than respectfully pulling someone to the side. The lady of the house's biggest complaint at the beginning of the show was about how she never saw her children. By the end she didn't seem to care, which shows us how quickly our minds can change if we don't maintain focus. Sir John kills a couple of birds for the lowest servants to cook for themselves as a treat. However, there's a big party coming up, and there's no way the servants are going to have time to fry the birds, so the apparent act of kindness is received by those whom it was directed at in completely the wrong way, which shows how important it is that we understand what the people around us need.

The best example for poor leadership in the house, however, probably occurs at the end. Sir John and the family are so distraught about leaving the house. They breakdown in front of the servants while saying good-bye, and they feel awful about leaving everyone whom they've come to feel so close to. At the same time, the servants are rather glad to be leaving aside from missing other people in their group, and most of them have developed a strong dislike for the family, of which the family is completely oblivious. The implication? Well, first, this shows how easily the same situation can look to two different groups of people on different sides of a situation. Secondly, if that was an organization, it would be on the brink of having its workforce walk out on it, even though, to the eyes of management, everything was splendid and, as they understood it, everyone was very connected to everyone else at all levels.

I've done my best to describe what I saw in this review, but I'm sure I've done it poorly as I am not well trained at critiquing this sort of thing. Also, there is plenty more going on that I didn't even come close to touching on. Please believe me on this point, though: if you are even at least a little bit interested in buying this title, do it! You will be so happy, and perhaps enlightened, that you did!

"Manor House" is PBS's fascinating recreation of life upstairs and downstairs in an Edwardian country home. For three months, ordinary people played the parts of the Lord and Lady and the thirteen servants who worked endlessly for them. The house was furnished circa 1906, the cast members were dressed authentically, and there were no modern conveniences whatever.

Anna and John, the married couple who became the Lord and Lady of the house, had no trouble fitting into the roles of snobbish aristocrats who spent their days in selfish pleasures, without the slightest notion of what their servants were going through. They gave elegant dinners, a ball, and a charity fete, never realizing their staff were run ragged by their demands. They enjoyed every minute of their time as would-be artistocrats.

From the scullery maid, who washed dishes 16 hours a day, to the footmen who served the meals, to the butler who supervised all the goings-on downstairs, we learn a servant's life was dreary, indeed. They worked seven days a week, only left the kitchen for morning prayers, and had no social or private lives.

Mr. Edgar, the wonderfully dignified butler (an architect in real-life), was my favorite cast member. His grandfather had been an Edwardian butler, and he strove to carry on the tradition of strict discipline and absolute obedience. His tender heart caused him to pity his exhausted staff and bend the rules on occasion, endearing him to them and to us, as well.

We learn all the details of life in a big house of that era, and the inter-relationships of the cast make for simply great tv. Two scullery maids quit after only days, due to the unbearably hard work. Another scullery maid found romance (quite forbidden in Edwardian times) with the hall-boy, and the entire staff eventually learned to co-exist with the tempermental French chef.

This is a great series, highly recommended for those who enjoy English history! It is exciting and educational.

When this CD first came out, I remembered the critics' luke warm reception and I passed on it. Three years later, I received "Appalachian Journey" as a gift. Wow! Perhaps I read the wrong reviews because this is a knockout. My children love it, too, and it has quickly become a CD that we play almost daily. I can't wait to listen to the follow-up CD!

I have loved music with depth and feeling and here it is in all of its splendor. I never knew of Meyer or O'Connor but with Yo Yo Ma, they are spectacular. The music ranges from what is called traditional to texas fiddle music and near chamber but it is all difficult to play and well executed. I want to know if they ever do a concert in my area. I will go.

The music is wonderful! Watching these world class musicians play it is incredible. I enjoyed it very much from beginning to end and could watch it many times over. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in classical music or not.

"Pot O' Gold" is a Jimmy Stewart film I watch repeatedly and I'm glad I'm not the only one who has heard of it. This film has been released so many time on VHS, and by all never-heard-of studios. United Artists released it to theaters at the time. Why didn't MGM buy the rights to the film years after? Great story about a struggling musician trying to save his father's music store. His notrious health-food obsessed uncle tries to pull Jimmy Haskell (Stewart) into the the health-food business. He meets a beautiful lady singer (Paulette Goddard) who with her other sister sing a band which her brother Willie plays in, and her mother runs it. When Molly McCorckle (Goddard) learns that Jimmy's uncle is the notorius C.J. Haskell, she becomes upset about it. She thinks of him as a trickster, and as a result, in a radio program she announces Jimmy will give away $1000 in cash to someone. Jimmy is faced with a tough decision: how to give away the money. If he doesn't, he coul be fined and imprisoned. After many tries, he thinks up a way. He'll give it away by telephone. The winner, when they call them up, is speechless and so is his wife. Mrs. McCorckle, C.J., Jimmy, and Molly all reunite on the radio program in a triumphant-sounding finale.
The sound could be better, but an excellent film to enjoy anytime. Upbeat!

As a big fan of James Stewart, I just had to see him in this classic musical. He is as good as ever, fighting against cruel big business and standing up for the little man, which in this case is a boarding house band. The swing music is fantastic, James Stewart's harmonica playing and occasional singing is excellent, the plot is remarkably coherent, and the whole film is absolutely hilarious. In this film, madcap comedy meets classic musicals.

Jimmy Steward has taken a lot of time to be able to play the harmonica as if he actually is the one who is playing the instrument. The actual player is Jerry Adler, brother of Larry Adler. Jerry taught Jimmy how to handle the harmonica. All scenes are superbly done. Jerry's playing is immaculate. The harmonica band dubbings were done by the Cappy Barras, who also performed in "Mad about Music" with Deanne Durbin. Both movies are recommended!

"Pot O' Gold" is a Jimmy Stewart film I watch repeatedly and I'm glad I'm not the only one who has heard of it. This film has been released so many time on VHS, and by all never-heard-of studios. United Artists released it to theaters at the time. Why didn't MGM buy the rights to the film years after? Great story about a struggling musician trying to save his father's music store. His notrious health-food obsessed uncle tries to pull Jimmy Haskell (Stewart) into the the health-food business. He meets a beautiful lady singer (Paulette Goddard) who with her other sister sing a band which her brother Willie plays in, and her mother runs it. When Molly McCorckle (Goddard) learns that Jimmy's uncle is the notorius C.J. Haskell, she becomes upset about it. She thinks of him as a trickster, and as a result, in a radio program she announces Jimmy will give away $1000 in cash to someone. Jimmy is faced with a tough decision: how to give away the money. If he doesn't, he coul be fined and imprisoned. After many tries, he thinks up a way. He'll give it away by telephone. The winner, when they call them up, is speechless and so is his wife. Mrs. McCorckle, C.J., Jimmy, and Molly all reunite on the radio program in a triumphant-sounding finale.
The sound could be better, but an excellent film to enjoy anytime. Upbeat!

As a big fan of James Stewart, I just had to see him in this classic musical. He is as good as ever, fighting against cruel big business and standing up for the little man, which in this case is a boarding house band. The swing music is fantastic, James Stewart's harmonica playing and occasional singing is excellent, the plot is remarkably coherent, and the whole film is absolutely hilarious. In this film, madcap comedy meets classic musicals.

Jimmy Steward has taken a lot of time to be able to play the harmonica as if he actually is the one who is playing the instrument. The actual player is Jerry Adler, brother of Larry Adler. Jerry taught Jimmy how to handle the harmonica. All scenes are superbly done. Jerry's playing is immaculate. The harmonica band dubbings were done by the Cappy Barras, who also performed in "Mad about Music" with Deanne Durbin. Both movies are recommended!

All of the 4 available French & Saunders DVDs released in the U.S. so far are good, entertaining examples of fine British parodies, but "Living in a Material World" is beyond fabulous. It includes as a BONUS FEATURE the Easter Special that ran on Comedy Central as "The French & the Saunders" . . . which puts a hysterical spin on Peter Jackson's "LOTR" movies that even Ian McKellen reportedly suggested Jackson include on the bumper disc for the trilogy. Especially at amazon.com's low price, you can't afford not to own this DVD if you love F&S or LOTR!

Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders emerged on the British comedy scene as one of the new crop of performers who began at the "Comic Strip" club. This clan produced great TV comedy throughout the '80s & '90s, much to America's indifference: "The Young Ones (the most successful of the bunch stateside)," "The Comic Strip Presents...," "Bottom," "Filthy, Rich, & Catflap," and "French & Saunders." Then, Jennifer Saunders wrote and starred in a program based on a sketch from a "French & Saunders" show called "Absolutely Fabulous." Of course, it became an worldwide hit and put Saunders on the map. "AbFab" is unquestionably brilliant and Edina Monsoon a fantastic creation but the fact that Yanks love "AbFab" while remaining ignorant of "French & Saunders" is like having people love John Cleese's "Fawlty Towers" while never having seen his work in "Monty Python's Flying Circus." "French & Saunders," being a sketch show, covers a wider range of subjects and humor than "AbFab" and reveals Dawn French as a formidable talent on her own and a perfect compliment to Saunders. Many of the shows parody popular films and musical acts and, while some pieces may be very dry, others are rather vulgar and savage. Personally, I think these shows are greater than "AbFab" in that there is so much more in them - including the full breadth of Saunders talent (both women have an endless stream of diverse characters inside them). Grab this disc and discover what they already know overseas: that French & Saunders are the greatest comedy team of the past 20 years!

This may be French's and Saunders's finest work of all. Those familiar with them largely through ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS or their broader humor from the earlier French and Saunders series will be surprised at how subtle they are capable of being here. Jennifer Saunders' awesomely controlled imitation of Jane Seymour (in perhaps their most hilarious of all parodies, DR. QUIMN, MAD WOMAN) is a case in point. Who even dreamed that Jane Seymour *could* be parodied at all? (Saunders does it by looking incredibly sincerely at whomever she's speaking to and murmuring vaguely audible comforting things; when at one point she speaks, in a moment of crisis, at a normal human level, she has to turn back to murmur, "I'm sorry I raised my voice at you just now...") Dawn French makes a memorable Pamela Anderson in their BAYWATCH parody (she not only gets the hair and lipstick down perfectly but also the spaced-out look of concern), and then the production staff serves them brilliantly with a Fellini parody that is so exact--even down to the film stock used---that it must be seen to be believed.

There is no need to repeat that this is a superb film. It is, for me, the best silent film currently available on DVD. And the quality of the picture is very good. It is not, however, perfect, and I will admit to being a bit disappointed. No doubt there are no longer any 'perfect' prints of Dr Mabuse in existence, but I was disappointed that the print quality was not a little better. It is nowhere near as good as 1000 Eyes of Dr Mabuse as far as print quality goes (of course, its an older film, but it is also more important and did receive a theatrical release in the 60s). Moreover, although the package promises that it is shown at the 'correct speed' I think it was too fast. It definitely has that speeded up 'silent movie' look that you get when you project a silent film at sound film speeds. I would have slowed it down by a couple more frames per second. Nonetheless, do not hesitate to buy this DVD -- perhaps one day there will be a better one but this is WELL worth the cost.

The commentary is terrific.

I am became interested in this film largely because of its director Fritz Lang. I had always enjoyed Metropolis (I now own the Kino release which is nothing short of breath taking in the quality). I began to read about the evil doctor and I was hooked by the concept of the narrative. So dark and given its timing so right in the context of a Weimar Germany.
I must admit that slient films require the viewer to see the film from a different context as compared to modern cinema. However, if one makes that adjustment the rewards are worth it.

Many of the other reviews do an excellent job of discussing the plot and the like so in the context I will not go into any detail other than to say it may well in total be a 4 hour experience but it DOES NOT feel like it. This is one of my favourite pieces of cinema. I think much of garbage coming out of Hollywood could learn much from a thriller such as this.

David Kalat's narration is fantastic, and so are the other Mabuse films he has reviewed. Like all great teachers you never feel as if you are being educated but being entertained.

Bravo on the DVD and Bravo to David.

Dr. Mabuse the Gambler is a must-have for any film scholar. It is one of Lang's best works, and it's hard to understand why this film is so little-known while the flashy but leaden Metropolis is considered a classic.

Sergei Eisenstein was an admirer of Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, and supposedly he obtained a copy and studied its construction. I can only assume that the picture had a influence on other filmmakers around the world; it has a much more modern feel than any film I've seen from the early 20s. The pace is quick (at least in the first part), the cross-cutting between scenes is sophisticated, there is great attention to detail in the sets, and it rarely has the "stagy" feel that many silent films suffer from. If one had to point to one element that puts it ahead of its time, it would be its overall construction--the way the various shots and scenes are put together to create the story. Dr. Mabuse the Gambler creates a sense of both time and space; many things happen simultaneously in the movie-world, and the locales we see are not two-dimensional stage sets but rather three-dimensional spaces where we peer around corners and follow the characters from one room to the next. The only silent filmmaker I can think of who lavished so much attention on creating a credible world is Erich von Stroheim, though one could argue that that filmmaker should have taken a lesson from the economy of Lang's storytelling.

In addition to its status as a landmark film, Dr. Mabuse the Gambler is also truly entertaining, particularly the first part. There are car and train chases, riotous gambling dens, memorable bit characters, and some great special effects. The basic story of good versus evil is compelling. Dr. Mabuse is one of the screen's greatest villains, a shrewd megalomaniac who seems to be tormented and driven by his overpowering desires. Rudolf Klein-Rogge is truly fantastic in the part. Mabuse revels insanely at his conquests and explodes with fury when he is thwarted. However, though he is extreme, he is no cartoon supervillain or two-dimensional monster; he is a fallible character, not evil itself but rather human evil, and this is what makes him exciting.

The quality of the DVD is good to fair. I was thrilled with the clarity and felt that Image had done a superb job, but those who expect every title on DVD to be as crystal-clear as a movie that was released last year will be disappointed. This is not a perfectly restored copy; there are little imperfections in the film, from scratches to missing frames. There are even some very minor shots missing--for example, the very first shot of the seance scene shows the circle of hands from above, and this is missing from the DVD version. However, this is the most extreme case that I noted. In all cases the missing scraps do not affect the film as a whole; it is just that there are moments where you might think that Lang had a poor sense of continuity (and this is not the case!). Another oddity about the copy is that at least one of the shots differs slightly from that on a copy I have on videotape. There is a scene on the DVD where von Wenk is speaking to Carozza in the prison, and the shot shows all of the two characters. On the videotape I have, the shot is a close-up from a slightly different angle. I have had the same experience with another film, The Last Laugh. On two different videotapes the same shot differs slightly.

All this being said, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this DVD. One must take into account that the film is from 1922 and is not very well-known. It is not a beloved classic that someone is going to lavish a small fortune into restoring to perfection. Note too that this is a movie that was not previously available on any format, period. There was one mail-order company that offered a home-made version on video, but the quality was poor at best and unwatchable at worst. It was like trying to watch the movie through a bowl of soup.

Of particular note is that on the new DVD the film image has been shrunk so that it does not fill all of the available space of the television. This is because the aspect ratio of silent films was more square than the familiar 1:33 to 1 of the television set; sometimes leading to the tops of heads being cropped out when silents are transferred to video. This problem is solved on the DVD of Mabuse. And, of course, the DVD shows the movie at the correct speed. I totally disagree with the reviewer who said that it seemed speeded-up. Some of the chase scenes seem a little faster than normal speed, but I think that this was a device of Lang's rather than an imperfection of the DVD. There is also a commentary by a Mabuse scholar which, judging from the little I heard, is very well-informed.

As a side note, Fritz Lang's sequel to Mabuse, 1933's The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (the original German version is available only on video), is also very entertaining, and it features Lohmann, the detective from M! However, The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse from the sixties (Lang's last film, I believe) is unfortunately quite forgettable and I cannot recommend it.

I rate these folks fairly highly because I understand British idiom and humo(u)r. If you are an American, trust that your mileage may vary on how well this tickles your funny bone. It is a good bit more sedate than "Monty Python", that's for sure.

No doubt about it - Saunders and French are chameleons. I suspect a big award goes to the wardrobe and makeup crew who work with them, but we have a somewhat convincing 250 pound Jane Russell (French) doing schtick with a middle-aged Marilyn Monroe (Saunders).

The DVD has sketches, not one running story. In this one, they lampoon opera divas, publishers of utterly worthless "stocking stuffer" books (I am resisting spoiling it and will not post the title of the dreadful book,but it is funny.), boring chat shows (one has the two women chatting earnestly about what the Queen had for "elevenses"), two rustic housewifes bragging about fleecing the yuppies ("She offered me 100 quid for the loo!"), and (my favorite) a couple of dour and indestructible old women in Wellies with two large dogs under the table.

The sketches I did not like were the "Gone With The Wind Sketch" ( Too many "Fiddle-dee-dees" for my taste) and the visit to the friend in jail sketch (I got bored, so sue me.).

Oh, yeah, this DVD also has the sketch that spawned the entire "Absolutely Fabulous".

You can't live without this DVD!! Hilarious!! If you need your humour wet, enough to soak you with a super soaker...or shall I say, if that kind of thing amuses, you won't like this....but if your sense of humour is dry as the desert and you can understand heavy BRIT...you'll love THIS!!! Run and buy it!!

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders have no equal in their hilarious way of making fun of Hollywood. Watch them "impersonate" bombshells Marilyn Monroe & Jane Russel, playing "Two Little Girls From Little Rock", or see their version of "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane" (the infamous -lunch is served!- routine we rememebr so well), and many other great comedy skits.

During one particular scene, I actually had to leave to get a drink of water, or else I may have passed out from exhaustion, that's how hard I had to laugh! While Jennifer Saunders (in the role of an entertainment executive) rambled on about new ideas, Dawn French (who at first paced the office, listening to the babble) suddenly grabbing her throat saying in a whisper "...this is all so trivial, it doesn't seem to matter at all... our whole lives are nothing but rubbish!" Quickly Saunders interjects "No, no, no, darling, it does matter, everything we say an do is of utmost importance!" - Instantly French regains her composure, and the two continue the senseless babble about new ideas.--This scene could have ended in the ER for me!

These two British Comedy Wonders are the funniest thing to come across the ocean since Monty Python and Benny Hill! This particular DVD is on the very top of my list of favorites. You will never laugh harder than at French & Saunders' Comedy routines!

I love Charles S. Chaplin. In the sixties, TV sets were not so common as they are today and the only way for me to see films then was to be invited to go to the movies or to attend the weekly movie of the school's cine-club. Fortunately, our teacher had a good taste and I had the luck to discover Buster Keaton, Harry Langdon, Charles Chaplin and many others during this period. OK ! It was Nostalgy time and it's over.

The overall quality of Madacy's CHAPLIN #2 shows a little improvement in comparison with the #1 that was one of the worst DVDs I have seen in the streets. Not that Madacy has suddenly decided to clean the copies but because I suppose that the available copies were simply in a better shape. It's always under-average quality but let's rejoice anyway ! Furthermore, the music is rather agreeable this time. At last, the program presented here is very interesting and cannot be compared with the three shorts presented in the first volume.

CHARLIE'S RECREATION (1914) allows us to see Chaplin before the tramp disguise and creation that will make a star from him. But it's WORK (1915) that, alone, justifies the US$ 7 you will have to pay for the DVD. One of the first masterpieces of the genius.

A DVD for the archeologists ones.

First of all, I am reviewing the Image dvd of Chaplin's Essanay Comedies, Vol. 02. The Madacy product that this review might appear on is grossly inferior to this edition, and is to be shunned with all your might.

We have here five Chaplin films and a guest appearance. The guest appearance is forgettable, as is the rest of the movie that the appearance is in. Two of these films are Chaplin treading water, "By the Sea" and "A Woman". "A Woman" is only important for trivial reasons, because Chaplin makes his last appearance in drag, with astonishing results.

The other films, though, are key to the Chaplin legacy. "Work" is his most political statement yet, with it's condemnation of bosses and managers via Charlie's boss, who sits in the back of a cart while Charlie draws it forwardthrough streets and up impossible hills. This film is so ridiculous that you wonder how on earth it came together to fit so well.

"The Bank" is important in that we have a truly sad ending, with Charlie's unrequited love rejected twice, and reasons for his hopes to get up twice too.

"The Tramp" is Charlie's most important Essanay film, the one that establishes his tramp as a character with depth. This film is more than a collection of gags, it's a story, and the ending is a shock. Chaplin would later learn how to engender his audience's sympathies before the end of the film, but in this film, we cannot help but feel sorry for the tramp, as he walks out of the picture in one of his most famous scenes ever.

These films were painstakingly restored by David Sheperd's "Film Preservation Associates" after a ten-year search for footage. What we have is the most complete versions of the Chaplin Essanay films possible, something that hasn't been seen in almost 80 years. This means, however, that sometimes the scene in a film will change dramatically, from a clear, good print to a worse, grainy, and scratchy print, and back again. But we must put up with such defects if we expect to enjoy these films at all, for the alternative is to see prints which, while consistent, are missing somtimes 20% of the footage originally in the film

The scores are well done, and the video compression is excellent.

And now for the rant, hinted at above...

It is possible to see these same films in a much cheaper edition from Madacy or Koch video, or numerous other companies. Don't do it. These companies have taken poor quality sources, sometimes cutting out a fifth of the frame, added lousy soundtracks, and thrown their product out in nice looking packaging for low prices. This product is unsatisfactory, though, as it is difficult to watch, and really doesn't show Chaplin in a good light. Do search out dvds made by the Image company, or tapes made by Kino, becuase these companies have the restorations that are worth watching. You will be glad you did!

I am only a teenager and like most boys my age I love toilet humor.
So when my Social Studies teacher said we will be watching some Charlie Chaplin videos I was a little closed minded like everyone else.
The video we watched was Work, and just after about 5 minites of watching I was a Chaplin fan. The gags in the short little flim are ever bit as fun and funny as the day they were released. Some of my classmates just fell asleep, because they're too closed minded, but I would still recomened this stuff to any person young and old. He will give an ear to ear grin on the front of your melon. Chaplin rules.