Posted Tue Aug 20, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT by Tom Landy
Baumbach and more Charlie Chaplin are coming to Criterion's Blu-ray library this November.
In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion says 'City Lights' is planned for Blu-ray on November 12.
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.
The Blu-ray will feature a 4K 1080p transfer, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements include: New audio commentary by Charlie Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance; Chaplin Today: "City Lights," a 2003 documentary on the film's production, featuring Aardman Animations cofounder Peter Lord; Chaplin Studios: Creative Freedom by Design, a new interview program featuring visual effects expert Craig Barron; 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; Excerpt from Chaplin's short film The Champion (1915), along with footage of the director with boxing stars at Chaplin Studios in 1918; Trailers; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Gary Giddins and a 1966 interview with Chaplin.
On the same day, Criterion will also be bringing 'Frances Ha' to Blu-ray.
Greta Gerwig is radiant as a woman in her late twenties in contemporary New York, trying to sort out her ambitions, her finances, and, above all, her tight but changing bond with her best friend, Sophie (Mickey Sumner). Meticulously directed by Noah Baumbach with a free-and-easy vibe reminiscent of the French New Wave's most spirited films, and written by Baumbach and Gerwig with an effortless combination of sweetness and wit, Frances Ha gets at both the frustrations and the joys of being young and unsure of where to go next. This wry and sparkling city romance is a testament to the ongoing vitality of independent American cinema.
The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: New conversation between filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich and the film's cowriter and director, Noah Baumbach; New conversation between actor and filmmaker Sarah Polley and the film's cowriter and star, Greta Gerwig; New conversation about the look of the film between Baumbach, director of photography Sam Levy, and creative director Pascal Dangin; Trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by playwright Annie Baker.
Suggested list price for each of the Blu-rays is $39.95.
You can find the latest specs for 'City Lights' and 'Frances Ha' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under November 12.
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