This is a rather strangely put together package, with bland graphics more reminiscent of a B-grade production house, and a sequence of programming that, though strange, I felt compelled to follow. Thus I was initially met with a language sub-menu, followed by main menu setting out the package that placed a number of special features first. The program comprised a 5-odd minute introduction to the film that was essentially a making of documentary; followed by Chaplin Today, a strangely titled 27-minute mixture of a making of documentary together with the childhood reminiscences of a current director (from Africa of all places!) who was inspired by the masters work. The first featurette was quite good; with the second tending to ramble, and duplicate the first.

There follows the main film - the original silent film of 1925 in its entirety. This 95-minute film has had the title boards replaced, and is accompanied by a piano soundtrack using the original score. Charlie uses his trademark persona of The Little Tramp in the guise of a prospector during a gold rush in America. I will not go into a long dissertation of the storyline, but through a combination of his adventures and chance meetings, he finally gains his fortune, and his romantic interest. Filmed just before the introduction of talkies, this is a film full of classical Chaplin sight gags and slapstick humour. Chaplins physical ability and agility come to the fore in this movie - some of the stunts he performs are magical, as is his brilliance at conveying emotions with subtlety, in an era when overacting was commonplace.

The movie surprised me overall because it is a well-rounded full feature with a strong storyline. This is not a standard cream-pie-in-the face farce - this is a serious movie that happens to have a decidedly comedic bent.

A few things I discovered, mainly from the introductory featurettes, are interesting to note:

? The film is based on actual events Chaplin discovered by chance. Firstly, the Klondike (Alaska) gold rush of 1896 - Chaplin was drawn to the idea of the film from seeing stereoscopic slides taken during the gold rush. And some of the scenes, though appearing nonsensical (the boot eating scene in particular), are based on actual unfortunate events that occurred in 1846 when a particularly bad blizzard cut some American settlers off from supplies - he didnt go into the fact of the eating of dead compatriots also took place!

? The original leading lady proposed for the film, Tina Grey, had to be replaced for the part during filming when she became pregnant to Chaplin.

? Some may remember the dance of the rolls scene of this film. Another memorable creation by Chaplin, this was not, in fact, the first time that such a sequence had been filmed. It had initially been performed by Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle in The Rough House in 1917 for the Mack Sennett Studio - but Charlies version is the one to be remembered - and has been immortalised through its portrayal in that most August theatre of respect (or lampoonery!) - The Simpsons!

Im grateful that this version is the original, and not the 1942 reprise that was orchestrated, with commentary and dialogue (narrated by Chaplin himself) included. Whilst the musical score I heard in snippets played during the earlier documentaries was quite delightful and would have been enjoyed, I found the dialogue quite annoying. The beauty of the silents was that (notwithstanding the more than occasional overacting) dialogue was quite unnecessary - the gestures and general deportment of characters told as much, and more, of the context of the plot.

The chances of this becoming a hit again have to be distinctly bleak, considering the advent of sound, colour and artificial special effects - nevertheless it was a very enjoyable experience - the movie was hardly a continuous belly laugh, but at many times I did marvel at Chaplins technical craft, both as an actor and film technician, and it drew many smiles on the comedy side.

It should be noted that the movie was produced by Charles Chaplin Films.

THE EXTRAS

I have already commented on the major special features attached to this package.

There are three additional special features to the package:

? A sub-menu containing four trailers in different languages, with some duplication of footage.

? The most extensive photo gallery that I have ever encountered, including no less than seven sub-directories containing numerous photographs. Interestingly, the last couple have an audio link at times (unlike the silence of the earlier chapters) - though I am yet to understand the relevance of this. In view of the relative silence, I found it a little dull - this feature lasted 20 minutes or so

? There is also a poster gallery displaying world movie posters from the 1920s to the 1970s - even though I had to manually explore it, the segment remained rather interesting.

CONCLUSION

Possibly one of the best full feature silent comedies ever - certainly one of the best I have seen. If you enjoyed The General with Buster Keaton, you will enjoy this equally. It is another example of the genius of Charles Chaplin as both actor and filmmaker.