Early Masterpieces - 3 DVD Set - Starring Charlie Chaplin

Rating:
Summary: not bad
Review: charlie chaplin is the best!

Rating:
Summary: Not for the collector, but a good starting place
Review: While this set offers nothing new in the way of restoration or definitive versions of the material, it's a solid introduction for the viewer unexperienced in silent films. The quality is better than a VHS copy, and the selection of material veers from the excellent to the deeply average. As a Harold Lloyd fan I've never gotten into Chaplin past City Lights. Restored silent films can be expensive and I hesitated to drop.... or more on a single film. With all of them being 'classic' how do you know where to start?

This selection of early films and shorts was enjoyable in it's own right and an excellent introduction to the actor. From these three discs I got to see what I liked and disliked about Chaplin, making me more confident in buying single title films.

I understand the controversy about buying poorly packaged public domain films over deluxe presentations of newly remastered and scored dvds, but the truth is that you need a sampler before you can intelligently select from the sudden wealth of product available. I found this enjoyable and inexpensive set a valuable primer in Chaplin's material and it entertains my toddler as well as anything in her own dvd collection to boot.