Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

The Kid Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 13, 2016

Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid" (1921) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailers for the film; new audio commentary by Charlie Chaplin scholar Charles Maland; new video program featuring silent-film specialist Ben Model; archival interview with Jackie Coogan; archival audio interview with cinematographer Roland "Rollie" Totheroh; new video essay produced by Charlie Chaplin scholar Lisa Haven; archival footage; and more. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by film historian Tom Gunning. Region-A "locked".

The troublemaker

Charlie Chaplin struggled enormously when he made The Kid. At the time he had compromised himself in a highly publicized relationship with 17-year-old actress Mildred Harris, and was experiencing a creative block, arguably one of the worst in his career. The couple married in 1918, and, in 1919, Harris gave birth to a boy who lived only three days. Chaplin was devastated.

Nevertheless, Chaplin immediately went back to work. He began preparation for a film titled The Waif, in which the Tramp would adopt a child. At the same time, while attending a musical, Chaplin met the young Jackie Coogan, who would become the star of The Kid.

In The Kid, a disillusioned mother (Edna Purviance) decides to commit suicide. She leaves her newly born child in an expensive car with a note urging those who find it to take good care of it; then, she heads to a nearby park. Two men steal the car and discover the child. They leave the child next to a garbage can and run away. The Tramp (Chaplin) discovers the child and decides to keep it.

Five years later, the Tramp and the kid (Coogan) have formed a profitable union -- the kid breaks windows, the Tramp mends them. One day, a cop (Tom Wilson) figures out what the two are up to and trouble ensues.

Meanwhile, the mother of the kid has become a successful opera singer. Full of remorse, she is determined to discover the child she once abandoned. While wandering around the city, the mother witnesses a brawl, in which a poorly dressed man, the Tramp, encourages a beautiful kid to fight.

The kid gets sick and the Tramp asks a doctor (Jules Hanft) to examine him. Before he leaves, the doctor asks the Tramp if he is the father of the kid. The Tramp shows him the note he found when he discovered the kid. The doctor takes the note and later on accidentally shows it to the kid's mother.

Representatives of the County Orphanage Asylum arrive and attempt to take the kid from the Tramp. A policeman - and it is the same one who has already seen the kid and the Tramp working the streets - also appears. A fight ensues, and the County Orphanage Asylum representatives take the kid away from the Tramp. He follows them and jumps in their truck. Shortly after, the Tramp runs away with the kid.

The Tramp and the kid decide to spend the night in a fleabag hotel. While reading his newspaper, the owner (Henry Bergman) notices that there is a hefty reward for the kid. While the Tramp is asleep, he takes the kid and runs to the Police. On the following morning, the kid is reunited with his mother.

The Tramp returns home. He is devastated. He falls asleep and dreams of being in Heaven where angels are everywhere. A few teach him how to fly. The Devil (Jack Coogan Sr.) sees the Tramp and decides to play a trick on him. He tells a beautiful angel (Lita Grey) to vamp him. When she begins flirting with the Tramp, her jealous boyfriend arrives (Charles Reisner), ready to deal with him. Before things get messy, a policeman appears…and wakes up the Tramp.

Chaplin’s most personal and arguably his most beloved film, The Kid is the one and only of his films in which he has a formidable partner. Coogan and his mimicking are often as good, if not better, as Chaplin’s.

In The Kid, Chaplin blends comedy and drama to perfection. Many of the film’s funniest scenes, such as the one where the Tramp challenges the representatives of the County Orphanage Asylum, are also its saddest ones. Additionally, there is something enormously poignant about the manner in which the Tramp and the kid communicate with each other; their emotions and feelings feel pure and real.

The Kid Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Charlie Chaplin's The Kid arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text is included inside the leaflet provided with this Blu-ray release:

"This restoration was created from a 35mm first-generation 1921 element preserved by Cineteca di Bologna. The element was scanned in 4K resolution on an ARRISCAN film scanner and edited to match Charlie Chaplin's 1972 rerelease; for a severely decayed 370-foot portion of the film, a first-generation 1921 fine-grain from the collection of Roy Export was used instead. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the 35mm magnetic tracks. Clicks, thumps, hiss, hum, and crackle were manually removed using Pro Tools HD and iZotope RX4.

Transfer supervisor: Davide Pozzi/L'Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna.
Colorist: Giandomenico Zeppa/L'Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna.
Additional color grading: Criterion, New York."

The new restoration of The Kid is spectacular. After the initial releases from Park Circus and Curzon Artificial Eye -- both of which are sourced from an older master that was prepped for MK2 in France awhile ago -- which we reviewed here and here, there was no doubt in my mind that the film can look better in high-definition. I am happy to report that now the film has a substantially better and ultimately much better balanced organic appearance. In terms of detail and depth the improvements are quote dramatic. For example, plenty of the outdoor footage that was plagued by edge-enhancement on the previous releases now looks vibrant and clean. Many close-ups are also much better detailed. (I have included different screencaptures for direct comparisons). Contrast and brightness levels are better balanced as well and as a result the film looks slightly darker but has much more natural nuances. (Pay attention to the variety of healthy grays that are present during the daylight and nighttime footage). Some density fluctuations remain, but they can be traced back to the original elements. You can see an example in screencapture #9 where there are obvious source limitations and depth isn't as good as it is elsewhere in the film. Overall image stability is excellent, though a few very small shaky transitions remain. Finally, damage marks, debris, scratches, cuts, and other age-related imperfections have been eliminated as best as possible. All in all, this is a wonderful presentation of The Kid which will undoubtedly remain its definitive presentation on the home video market. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Kid Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Music LPCM 1.0. Obviously, English intertitles are included with the film.

The music is very crisp and clear. It appears that some stabilization work has been done and as a result balance and fluidity are now really good. There are no audio dropouts, pops, or digital distortions to report in our review.

The Kid Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailers - presented here are three trailers for The Kid from the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands, respectively, which were created for the 1972 resissue of the film. (9 min, 1080p/1080i).

• Interviews -
  
  1. Jackie Coogan - presented here is an archival interview with Jackie Coogan which was originally recorded by Kevin Brownlow and David Gill for the 1980 British television series Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film. The actor recalls how he was approached by Charlie Chaplin and contracted to play the troublemaker in The Kid and discusses the legend's remarkable talents and instincts. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080p).
  
  2. Lita Grey Chaplin - in this archival interview, Lita Grey Chaplin discusses her contributions to The Kid (she played the flirting angel) and The Gold Rush, her romantic relationship with Charlie Chaplin and their marriage, the legend's professional "family", her work as a talent agent, etc. The interview was conducted by Charlie Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance in 1993. (10 min, 1080i).
  
  3. Rollie Totheroh - presented here is an excerpt from an archival audio interview with cinematographer Roland "Rollie" Totheroh, who lensed The Kid. The interview was conducted in 1964. In English, not subtitled. (8 min, 1080p).
  
  4. Mo Rothman - presented here is an excerpt from an interview with distributor Mo Rothman, who rereleased a number of Charlie Chaplin's films, including The Kid. The distributor recalls his first encounter with Charlie Chaplin (which was in 1952 while he was still persona non grata in the United States), and discusses the distribution contract they signed, the publicity he arranged for his work at the Cannes Film Festival, the Oscar ceremony, the legend's personality (with some very interesting comments), etc. The interview was recorded by Charlie Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance in 1998. (10 min, 1080p).

• Jackie Coogan: The First Child Star - this brand new video essay takes a closer look at the life and acting career of Jackie Coogan, his performance in The Kid, and his relationship with his legendary mentor, Charlie Chaplin. Included in the essay are numerous archival stills and photographs. The essay was produced by Charlie Chaplin scholar Lisa Haven for Criterion in 2015. In English, not subtitled. (20 min, 1080i).

• A Study in Undercranking - in this new video program, silent-film specialist Ben Model explains in great detail how various physical gags were created during the silent era and specifically how Charlie Chaplin manipulated his films so that he can achieve the desired look/effects. There are various examples highlighting key differences between footage that is step-printed to 16 fps versus footage projected at 14 fps cranking speed. Also included are excerpts from an audio interview with cinematographer Rollie Totheroh which was recorded in 1964, different clippings from published articles, archival stills, and clips from different silent films. The program was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2015. In English, not subtitled. (26 min, 1080i).

• Charlie Chaplin Conducts The Kid - a short segment with the aged Charlie Chaplin conducting the new score for The Kid. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• From the 1921 Version - presented here is footage that appeared on the original 1921 version of the The Kid but was removed when Charlie Chaplin revisited the film in 1971.
  
  1. Deleted Scenes - three fully restored scenes without sound. (8 min, 1080p).
  
  2. Titles - the original First National opening titles, various intertitles, and the original closing card. The titles were taken from a 16mm print made from a 1921 35mm nitrate print. The 16mm print is courtesy of Bruce Lawton and the Malames Collection. Silent. (7 min, 1080p).

• "Charlie" on the Ocean - presented here is a newsreel from 1921 which shows Charlie Chaplin's first trip back to Europe after relocating to the United States from England in 1914. Silent. (4 min, 1080p).

• Nice and Friendly (1922) - a silent short, starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan, dedicated to Lord and Lady Mountbatten. The film was shot at Pickfair, the home of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. It is presented here with a new piano score by composer Timothy Brock. 11 min, 1080i).

• Audio Commentary - in this brand new commentary, Charlie Chaplin scholar Charles Maland discusses the period in which The Kid was made, the differences between the 1921 version and the 1971 version, the different locations where key sequences from the film were shot, Jackie Coogan's magnificent performance and his relationship with the legend, the music score and the significance of specific motifs, some of the themes The Kid and City Lights share, etc. The commentary was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2015.

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by film historian Tom Gunning.

The Kid Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Kid is Charlie Chaplin's most personal and arguably most beloved film. It is also the one and only film in which the iconic actor has a formidable partner. Criterion's upcoming Blu-ray release of The Kid is sourced from a brand new and enormously impressive 4K restoration that was completed at L'immagine Ritrovata laboratory. I am convinced that it will remain the best presentation of the film and that at the end of 2016 it will appear on many prestigious Top 10 lists. The release also arrives with a terrific selection of supplemental features, including a very informative new program with silent-film specialist Ben Model. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.