Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Modern Times Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 22, 2010

Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" (1936) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Park Circus. The supplemental features on the disc include a short introduction by Chaplin biographer David Robinson; the documentary feature "Chaplin Today: Modern Times", with special guests Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne; deleted scene; photo gallery; trailer reel; and more. In English, without optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

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Modern Times is Charlie Chaplin’s last silent film. I like it a lot because it is one of the great actor’s least dated films. It is witty and funny but also incredibly sad film, in a lot of ways depicting successfully the type of world we are currently living in - obsessed with productivity and corporate profits.

The Tramp is a factory worker. He suffers a nervous breakdown and ends up in prison where he accidentally swallows some cocaine and then prevents a group of inmates from escaping. Eventually, much to his disappointment he is released back into society where people are rude and food expensive.

While wandering around, the Tramp meets a beautiful homeless girl (Paulette Goddard) and immediately falls in love with her. After spending some time together, the two begin fantasizing about having a place they could call home. Convinced that anything is possible with hard work and determination, including saving enough to buy a home, the Tramp gets a job as a night guard in a large department store. A day later, he is fired.

The Tramp gets a new job in a large industrial plant but the workers go on strike demanding better wages. While attempting to leave the plant, he is arrested and sent back to prison. Meanwhile, his girlfriend is offered a job in an upscale restaurant.

A week later the Tramp is released. His girlfriend greets him in front of the prison and informs him that he can work with her in the restaurant - at least she hopes so. The Tramp meets the owner and he agrees to hire him as a waiter and singer. For the Tramp and his girlfriend life could not be better.

But once again everything that could go wrong goes terribly wrong - the Tramp frustrates a wealthy customer and then causes an enormous mess in the restaurant. Two policemen also appear to arrest the Tramp’s girlfriend, who is wanted on charges of burglary.

Modern Times was the last of the Tramp films. It was also the film that gave the notorious House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA) the confidence to speculate that Chaplin might be a communist sympathizer (it was the famous scene in which the Tramp gets arrested in front of the industrial plant where workers and policemen clash that made a lot of people in Washington nervous). J. Edgar Hoover even ordered the FBI to monitor Chaplin and keep detailed secret files on him.

Though Modern Times houses a strong dose of social criticism, it is certainly not a political film. Rather, it is a witty film that satirizes an industrial society obsessed with productivity, profits, and growth – much like contemporary America.

There are strong romantic overtones in Modern Times as well - most of which unfortunately take away from the serious message the film was supposedly meant to deliver. The Tramp’s factory exploits, for instance, feel rather awkward next to the prolonged casual romantic scenes in which he tries to impress his girlfriend.

Modern Times is one of my favorite Chaplin films because its narrative constantly evolves – it is a hilarious, sad, serious, and at the same time genuinely romantic film with incredible energy. I also like it because it is arguably the most honest and unglamorous of the Tramp films, and just as relevant today as it was in 1936.

Modern Times Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Park Circus.

This is a strong high-definition transfer. Fine object detail is very good, clarity pleasing throughout the entire film, and contrast levels consistent. Occasionally mild edge-enhancement and compression artifacts pop up here and there; there are traces of mild noise reduction as well. Light film grain, however, is visible. There are no serious stability issues to report in this review. I also did not see any big scratches, cuts, warps, splices, or damage marks. To sum it all up, this Blu-ray release of Modern Times represents a solid upgrade over the R2 Warner DVD release of the film. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Modern Times Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the record, Park Circus have not provided optional English subtitles for the main feature (there are only a couple of lines in the entire film).

The English LPCM 2.0 track is very good. Though its dynamic amplitude is rather limited, the music is vibrant and surprisingly nuanced. The few lines some of the characters utter also sound clean and stable. Lastly, while viewing Modern Times I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hissings to report in this review. There were no problematic audio dropouts either.

For obvious reasons, the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 excels only where Chaplin's music score is prominent. The strings, in particular, sound slightly richer and better rounded than they do on the English LPCM 2.0 track.

Modern Times Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: All of the supplemental features are placed on a separate DVD. They are encoded in PAL.

Introduction by David Robinson - a short introduction to Modern Times by the Chaplin biographer in which he discusses the era during which the film was shot, the impact the Great Depression had on the film industry in America, Chaplin's views on the new industrialization trends, the film's production history, etc. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

Chaplin Today: Modern Times - a documentary, produced by MK2TV, in which film directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne analyze Chaplin's film. In French, dubbed in English. (27 min).

Deleted Scene - one long deleted scene with the Tramp getting harassed by a traffic cop. (2 min).

Modern Times Karaoke - a karaoke version of the Tramp's memorable performance at the end of Modern Times.

Photo Stills - a gallery of stills from the film.

Trailer reel - trailers for The Kid, A Woman in Paris, The Gold Rush, City Lights, The Circus, Modern Times, The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux, Limelight, A King in New York, etc.

Modern Times Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Together with City Lights, Modern Times is a film I always keep coming back to -- some of Charlie Chaplin's best improvisations are here. It really is a special film. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of British distributors Park Circus, looks and sounds very good. It is, however, Region-B "locked". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.