Criterion has announced a
November 12th release date for Charlie Chaplin's
City Lights (1931) in a Blu-Ray / DVD combo set. Bonus features and details are below.
Whether this is a new direction for the premiere distributor of classic
films in terms of packaging both formats together is unknown at this
time.
The most cherished film by Charlie Chaplin is also his ultimate Little Tramp chronicle.
The writer-director-star achieved new levels of grace, in both physical
comedy and dramatic poignancy, with this silent tale of a lovable
vagrant falling for a young blind woman who sells flowers on the street
(a magical Virginia Cherrill) and mistakes him for a millionaire. Though
this Depression-era smash was made after the advent of sound, Chaplin
remained steadfast in his love for the expressive beauty of the
pre-talkie form. The result was the epitome of his art and the crowning
achievement of silent comedy.
BONUS FEATURES:
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New audio commentary by Charlie Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance
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Chaplin Today: “City Lights,” a 2003 documentary on the film’s production, featuring Aardman Animations co-founder Peter Lord
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Chaplin Studios: Creative Freedom by Design, a new interview program featuring visual effects expert Craig Barron
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Archival footage from the production of City Lights, including film
from the set, with audio commentary by Chaplin historian Hooman Mehran; a
costume test; a rehearsal; and a complete scene not used in the film
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Excerpt from Chaplin’s short film The Champion (1915), along with
footage of the director with boxing stars at Chaplin Studios in 1918
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Trailers
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PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Gary Giddins and a 1966 interview with Chaplin
