Customer Reviews

The Gold Rush

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Gold Rush is a one of the best movies ever so unless you really dislike silent movies, it's a must see. Anyway, all my complaining that follows has to do with the this particular transfer to DVD. The DVD is simply awful. Don't get it. The contrast is so messed up that almost everything in the picture is either completely black or completely white. Needless to say, a lot of information is lost. A while ago I have seen a cleaned up version of the film that was excellent so I know that it makes sense to wait for someone to do better job of transfer to DVD.

Surprise came to this reviewer when he realized that the main feature on this DVD is the 1942 re-issue version of THE GOLD RUSH (with added music, narration, and sound effects) rather than the 1925 silent original. Fortunately, the silent version is available on the second disc as an extra. Seems like an odd decision to make though; I would have reversed that, as I much prefer the original. For one thing, the title cards are much more lyrically impressive than the rather strained narration. Pictures speak louder than words, and the images Chaplin created on the soundstage simply don't need a voice-over. And the rather drastic cuts (the original film runs 96 minutes, the later clocks in at 69) leave out a lot of good stuff. Still, both versions are included anyway, so I can't complain too loudly.

I watched a battered old VHS copy of this film many, many times as a child in the 1980s. It was a delight to get this film on DVD, not just for the impressive extras, but to have the picture looking crisper than ever. While I'll admit to preferring the musical score they used on that VHS release, the stunning restoration work more than makes up for it. Jokes that I had missed because of the fuzzy picture were suddenly revealed to me (I had never realized that the building that Chaplin inadvertently covers with snow is the town's jail). And although this has nothing to do with the picture quality (though it does come from seeing scenes that had been cut from my VHS copy) I also never really noticed how awful Georgia is to the tramp. Sure, she's a bit regretful about her pranks, but she never really apologizes or makes up for her behavior. I wonder if that was part of Chaplin's decision to modify the happy ending.

Watching this film for the first time as a child, I'll admit that it didn't quite live up to all of my expectations. But while I'm not sure that I'd place this as Chaplin's best films, it's still pretty damn good. His comedy is, of course, excellent -- well conceived and extraordinarily executed. Yet his directing is also worthy of mention. I love they way he lets the camera linger. Look at the pan across the faces of the partygoers at the New Years bash inter-cut with the shots of the lonely tramp. It's difficult for a director to accomplish this without being corny, but Chaplin pulls it off successfully.

THE GOLD RUSH is a film made up of several now-famous set pieces. Most of the sequences are now so ubiquitous that people would recognize them even if they'd never seen a silent film before. The movie's successes are too numerous to mention. The dance of the dinner rolls, the Thanksgiving shoe, the cabin on the edge of the clip. These are all unforgettable scenes that deserve more than to be simply listed in an on-line review; they deserve to be watched by everyone. The "Chaplin Today - The Gold Rush" documentary (quite good overall) shows a room full of young school children enjoying this film for the first time. They laugh at all the right places and stay glued to the screen throughout. Chaplin still has it.

I cannot agree more with "A viewer from Dallas, TX" -- this 1942 version lessens the whole "Gold Rush" experience, even though the video quality is astounding. Having just watched "The Kid" and "City Lights", I found the commentary on this version most annoying and distracting from Chaplin's fantastic pantomime. While in the other films one becomes engrossed in the visual elements, in this version of the film it is impossible to become fully involved, as the commentary actually distances you from what is going on. It would be such a grave mistake if this version would be the only one available for today's audiences, so I urge and plead: Image, please release the original 1925 version on DVD too, please!

Amazons "average customers review" of 4 stars is an average for 3 DIFFERENT editions of this great, GREAT film:
1) A very poor, Public Domain reprint of the 1925 edition from Digital Disc Entertainment; got around 2 stars.
2) A fine reprint of the 1942 edition from Image. All complaints about this DVD were about the missing of the 1925 edition.
3) This ultimate edition from Warner and MK2. Disc 1 include the 1942 edition, disc 2 include the 1925 edition and a lot of extra material. Both versions are restored and of surprisingly high quality!
This edition surely deserve FIVE STARS. Please DON'T include the ratings for other editions!

Sometimes returning to a film and updating it for whatever reasons can almost ruin the original experience the film created (see Star Wars). That, unfortunately, is the case here. The Gold Rush in its original form is one of the greatest films--silent or otherwise--ever made. This DVD release, however, is of Chaplin's 1942 revision of his film. In this version, Chaplin has removed all the title cards and, in their place, inserted his own commentary and music. The commentary is manic, eccentric, and annoying--distracting enough to overshadow whatever visual humor there is. His music, likewise, is overly-cloying, sentimental, and cliched. Oh, and the ending is different: Chaplin merely walks off with the heroine, instead of kissing her and playfully waving off the camera as he does in the original version. The Chaplin Estate has released this version, probably because Chaplin saw it as definitive. Don't believe it for a second! If only someone could convince his estate to release the earlier version, then all us Chaplin fanatics could sleep better at night. One thing I can say for this release: the picture quality is fantastic! I never thought The Gold Rush could look so clear--it's almost like watching a different film. There's also an interesting interview with Lita Grey Chaplin, Chaplin's second wife, about life with Chaplin. Overall, though, a disappointing release of a truly great film. Don't mess with perfection!

Don't waste your money on this one. The transfer is so bad that it is virtually unwatchable. This movie is a classic and it is just a shame that the producers of this DVD obviously have no respect for it. This is the last time I buy anything from this company.

The real news here isn't the second video release of Chaplin's 1942 talkie reissue of the 1925 film, with narration in his plummy later voice detracting from much of the fun. What's significant here is on Disc 2-- the first video release of a definitive version of the original silent classic, which has been restored by Kevin Brownlow and David Gill from Chaplin family material and is about 14 minutes longer and noticeably better quality than the best previous version, the Killiam print which had seen assorted releases on tape and laserdisc. The Chaplin family had previously refused to release that version, believing that the 1942 version represented Chaplin's final thoughts on the film, when what it in fact represented was Chaplin's best idea of how to make an old silent film seem relevant to Casablanca-era audiences. Now it's the '42 version which seems old fashioned, while the '25 one is timeless as ever. Be sure you get this new Warner/MK2 version.

The four stars goes to the DVD - I give the original silent version of GOld Rush 5 stars, and the re-edited sound-era version 2 stars. This DVD edition lost a star for putting the inferior remake on the first disc. I am mainly writing this review to urge Chaplin newcomers, or anyone for that matter, to watch the original 1925 version first. The re-release has highly distracting and tedious narration throughout the entire film, as all the intertitles have been deleted. At times this narration comes across as bad dubbing, as the words are very roughly synced up with characters talking on the screen. Even though Chaplin himself did the narration, the effect is very cheesy and amaturish, and makes the film MUCH more dated, while taking away much of the emotional effect of the original film. I also prefer the slightly longer, more dramatic 1925 edit, and the original ending, which is just perfect. It seems like the 1942 re-release was more of a gimmick and a chance to make an extra buck than a serious artistic endeavor (kind of like the Star Wars "special editions"). Some would say that at least the re-release had Chaplin's own score. However I think the piano score for the silent version is excellent, despite reviews here to the contrary. First off, the score is based on the original cue sheets, so it is quite authentic to the time. It is played excellently, is well recorded, and is very fitting to the overall mood of the film.

The person who introduced this film to me said the test of a truly great comedic actor is not the clown that can make you laugh, but the clown that can make you cry. By this standard, Chaplin is overflowing with talent in this film. The well-known shoelaces spaghetti, teetering cabin, and roll dance are hilarious - my favorite was the huge dog tied to his makeshift belt! But the scene in which the little tramp hears the solemn "Aude Lang Syne" coming from the dance hall, and knows Georgia is there instead of with him - the single tear is charmingly heartbreaking. As funny as he had been to that point, I was surprised to see he was so effective at being sad. (Don't worry-it gets better!) However, the re-release by Chaplin in the 1940's is AWFUL. The change in music ruins the movie-especially the New Year's Eve scene. Also a couple of scenes are edited in such a way that it changes the story. Watch this movie, but definitely watch the original. You'll remember it for a long time.

I was really looking forward to getting this, my favorite Chaplin movie, on DVD, but now I think have to get rid of it again, I'm afraid. The picture quality is nice enough for such an old film (hence the 2 stars), but unfortunately this is not the original version but the lame one Chaplin re-released. Here's what's wrong with it: Chaplin un-necessarily narrates the story, the ending is different, the titlecards are removed, or rather, it looks more like the picture was blown-up cropping the sides of the picture !. This is not the movie I love. Somebody apparently thought: "well, if Charlie himself changed it this must be the director's cut, therefore we'll release this version". How wrong they were. We want the superior, and longer, original silent version !. Chaplin fans rebel !.