Artificial Eye for linear PCM mono with the audio, but again Criterion take a slight edge with a 24-bit transfer to AE's 16-bit. Most won't notice - excepting the very discerning. The Intertitles are in English and no need for subtitles. The Blu-ray disc is region 'B'-locked.

AE include the same 26-minute Chaplin Today: “City Lights,” 2003 documentary on the film, featuring Aardman Animations cofounder Peter Lord - as found on the Criterion, as well as the 7-minute 'Deleted Scene' not used in the film but they also add some new, if short, supplements. The Shoot runs less than 3-minutes, we also get a 5-minute introduction by David Robinson, a minute of The Dream Prince - Scene Never Edited, Winston Churchill visiting the set (for 2-minutes), what appears to be Chaplin's 10-minute Trip to Bali as well as some extracts from the Films in the Chaplin Collection and 8-minute worth of international Trailers for City Lights.

My opinion is that this, Artificial Eye, is the best Region 'B' Blu-ray release that I know of, but I still lean to the pillarboxed Criterion, its commentary and extras as the definitive package. A must-own film, IMO.

This is another of my all-time Top 10 films and I am pleased with Criterion's impressive package - from the robust pillar-boxed video to the Vance commentary and other extras - notably the archival footage. I would hope this was a blind buy before my review but, as far as I am concerned, you can buy this Blu-ray with extreme confidence.   

The higher resolution does tend to look superior - more noticeable in some sections rather than others and, for the most part, I lean to this 'framing' version as the best composition for most (but not all) scenes. More information (backgrounds) is available and detail does improve. Contrast-wise this new Blu-ray is more faint than the Warner but slightly richer than the Image Entertainment. This strikes me as being more accurate to the source - I always felt the Warner's were black boosted to some degree. Occasionally though, I see the Kinowelt image as having some green infiltration. Not surprisingly the higher definition image looks the best on my system but it was hard, even for this reviewer, not to have grander expectations for grain and sharpness. It is soft. Because of the production age there is still contrast flickering and damage (less apparent and mostly frame specific). One interesting note is that this is the first viewing (I've seen this at least 20 times) where Chaplin's heavy pancake make-up was the most highly notable I can ever recall. I even believe I pointed-out a band-aid under his hat brim - not present in other shot of the very same scene. Those 'picky' might even consider this a continuity error but only visible through 1080P Blu-ray resolution. This established some confidence that I was probably seeing City Lights in the best presentation I am likely to ever find in my home.

I suspect this will be the same transfer offered in France, the UK and eventually the US but I can't be certain. Stay tuned.

Extras start with a nifty advert for the Studio Canal Collection and offer some of what in the, now OOP, Warner package - most notable is the 1/2 hour long Chaplin ABC - Silent but with German chapter cards.

I've always loved City Lights and it was such a pleasure seeing it looking and sounding it's best albeit softer than one would like. I'll still cherish my Image Entertainment disc. Expectantly, I laughed (boxing scene) and cried (finale). This is one of the great creators all-time achievements.

***

 - Gary W. Tooze