City lights / Janus Films ; mk2 diffusion ; written and directed by Charles Chaplin ; assistant directors, Harry Crocker, Henry Bergman, Albert Austin ; [produced by Charles Chaplin].
Edition:
Blu-ray Special edition.
Publisher:
The Criterion Collection,
Copyright Date:
2016
Description:
1 videodisc (86 min.) : silent, black and white ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 booklet (40 pages : illustrations ; 16 cm).
"A comedy romance in pantomime"--title frames. Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee, Harry Myers, Allan Garcia, Hank Mann. Originally released as a motion picture in 1931. Special features: Commentary (by Charlie Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance); Chaplin today: "City lights" (a 2003 documentary on the film, featuring Aardman animations cofounder Peter Lord); Chaplin Studios: creative freedom by design (a new interview program featuring visual effects expert Craig Barron); From the set of City lights: The tramp meets the flower girl, Stick stuck in the grate, Window-shopping rehearsal, The duke (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); Chaplin the boxer: The champion (excerpt from Chaplin's short film The champion (1915)), Boxing stars visit the studio (footage of the director with boxing stars at Chaplin Studios in 1918); Trailers. Booklet featuring an essay by critic Gary Giddins and a 1966 interview with Chaplin.
Summary:
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 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.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.