NOTE: The BFI Mutuals package superior and reviewed HERE with some comparisons.

 

NOTE: These Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

 

ADDITION: Divisa - Region FREE - Blu-ray (April 14'): Wow - pretty impressive. There has obviously been some restoration done, and as the disc states The Chaplin Mutual Project with the co-operation of Cineteca Bologna, Lobster Films and Blackhawk Films. Also under the aegis of 'Association Chaplin'. Under each title screen it states 'New Restoration and special contents of this edition copyright of the Film Preservation Associates Inc. 2013". There are also screens stating support from Amitabh Bachchan, The George Lucas Family Foundation and the Material World Charitable Foundation (among others).

 

Late last year David Shepard stated "On almost all of the films, we had multiple elements from both A and B negatives. There are differences between them.

Almost everything we used was a first generation full aperture 35mm nitrate print. All were scanned at 2K, edited together with new reproduction 1916-1917 intertitle cards, and digitally restored and repaired on a Phoenix Revival system. (The new main titles are not reproductions and clearly identify the films as modern restorations).

We used A negative sources unless a shot was obviously missing, incomplete or badly damaged, in which case we substituted the most similar shot from a B negative source.

What we did not do is conflate the A and B versions to make a longer film than was originally released in either neg version.

The running speeds run the gamut between 18 and 22 fps."

 

He also said: "Each film has two scores -- one on piano, one with orchestra. The only score that is recycled is Carl Davis' music for ONE A. M. The new orchestral scores are by Donald Sosin, Stephen Horne, Robert Israel, Rodney Sauer, Neil Brand, Timothy Brock and Antonio Coppola. "The Fireman" was scored on the FotoPlayer. For "The Pawnshop," Eric Beheim and Robert Israel reconstructed the 1932 Ven Beuren score by Winston Sharples as nearly as they could, and Robert conducted a new orchestral recording.

We think further improvement will be possible to two of the films and we will hold the American Blu-Ray release until we have achieved the best we think we can get."

So, what about this, Region FREE, Divisa? It is two dual-layered Blu-ray discs. You can see the image quality below - it, of course, varies but overall looks amazingly strong. I only fear too much digital work since the visuals can be so clean and smooth - losing texture. No - this is a legitimate restoration and looks outstanding in-motion (as good as it does in the below stills.) There is some expected contrast flickering and scratches, a few missed frames - but overall outstanding. We will try to compare to the upcoming Flicker Alley Blu-ray. This Divisa is 1080i at 25fps. Only The Rink and Easy Street look less stellar. You are given the option of either Spanish or Portuguese menus screens (and subtitle options for both.) The subtitle are totally removable. I can't tell you about the score - I thought it was Carl Davis, but I only know there is only one option (different from David Shepard statement) and it is in linear PCM - sounding quite good.

On Blu-ray disc one is an hour 109-minute documentary on Chaplin entitled, on the menu, "Como Chaplin De Convirto en Charlot" and made in 2013. It is, unfortunately only in the French language (with options Spanish or Portuguese subtitles). There is also a 15-minute 1918 silent entitled Su Renovacion ('His Regeneration') and has 'assistance from Charlie Chaplin'. It has, obviously, NOT been restored. There are 5 text screens (in Spanish) and the second Blu-ray Disc includes more shorts; Fatty's New Role (1915) (11:04), Fatty's Spooning Days (1915) (8:50), Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair (1915) (9:55), The Musical Marvel with Ben Turpin (1917) (11:17), Triple Trouble with Chaplin (1918) (22:59) and Charlie et Sa Belle (1916) (7:07). Like disc one these additional shorts are in desperate need of restoration.

I think this is a solid investment for those impatient for the US Blu-ray release.           

 Gary W. Tooze