Purchasing BFI Essanay or Mutuals...

>Lonnie (lonnien@starpower.net) writes:

>> Quick question...I have read some posts here in past few months that
>> some of you have already purchased the BFI Mutuals (with Carl Davis
>> cores instead of the dreadful Mortilla dirges) via Amazaon's UK site.
>> Are these DVDs incompatible with standard DVD players sold here in the
>> US?

Yes- they are region 2. Unless you have a region-free DVD player, they won't
play on standard U.S. players.

>> Is there any reason for me to wait for the official US release of
>> the BFIs, or will they be the same as the UK editions - just later?

If you can't wait until later this year, I'd recommend getting a region-free
DVD player and buying them now. Otherwise- wait for the U.S. releases.

Actually, since Volume 2 isn't out yet, it might not be that much longer of a
wait for the U.S. release.
 >> Stay informed about: Purchasing BFI Essanay or Mutuals... 

Excuse me for the "newbie" question but, for someone intent on
eventually getting the Chaplin Mutuals and Essanays for a US DVD player,
will these BFI versions be the preferred ones? What are the other options?
Alan Glick

"Bobster123" <bobster123.TakeThisOut@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040318231115.09401.00001549@mb-m12.aol.com...
>
> >Lonnie (lonnien@starpower.net) writes:
>
> >> Quick question...I have read some posts here in past few months that
> >> some of you have already purchased the BFI Mutuals (with Carl Davis
> >> cores instead of the dreadful Mortilla dirges) via Amazaon's UK site.
> >> Are these DVDs incompatible with standard DVD players sold here in the
> >> US?
>
> Yes- they are region 2. Unless you have a region-free DVD player, they
won't
> play on standard U.S. players.
>
> >> Is there any reason for me to wait for the official US release of
> >> the BFIs, or will they be the same as the UK editions - just later?
>
> If you can't wait until later this year, I'd recommend getting a
region-free
> DVD player and buying them now. Otherwise- wait for the U.S. releases.
>
> Actually, since Volume 2 isn't out yet, it might not be that much longer
of a
> wait for the U.S. release.
>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Purchasing BFI Essanay or Mutuals... 

>From: "Alan D Glick" a.glick.TakeThisOut@worldnet.att.net wrote:

>Excuse me for the "newbie" question but, for someone intent on
>eventually getting the Chaplin Mutuals and Essanays for a US DVD player,
>will these BFI versions be the preferred ones? What are the other options?
> Alan Glick

As I understand it, the Image (U.S.) and BFI (U.K.) versions of the Essanays
are identical. Only difference is that the BFI is in two volumes, while the
Image is in three.

The Chaplin Mutuals are currently available from Image. In fact, you can get a
box set of all the Essanays and Mutuals, plus the Eric Campbell documentary,
for around $90.

The BFI versions of the Mutuals have different music scores (by Carl Davis) and
a few bits and pieces added-in. THE RINK, for example, has footage in the
kitchen scene added from another source, that's more complete and not as splicy
as the Image version.

It will be real interesting when BFI releases Volume 2, however, as I
understand ONE A.M. will be considerably different from the Image release.

So- I would suggest buying the Essanays now, and holding off on the Mutuals if
you can, until Image releases the BFI versions, which, I understand, will be
near the end of this year.
 >> Stay informed about: Purchasing BFI Essanay or Mutuals... 

In article <c3d89c$2pn$1@freenet9.carleton.ca>, Constance Kuriyama
<do481 RemoveThis @FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote:

> Lonnie (lonnien@starpower.net) writes:
> > Quick question...I have read some posts here in past few months that
> > some of you have already purchased the BFI Mutuals (with Carl Davis
> > cores instead of the dreadful Mortilla dirges) via Amazaon's UK site.
> > Are these DVDs incompatible with standard DVD players sold here in the
> > US?
>
> Depends on your player. Many players can be set to play all regions.
> Enter "DVD hacks" in your browser and see what turns up. High end
> multiregion players are also available.

I agree with Connie (for once ;-)) - do yourself a favor and go buy a
multi-region player, or a region 1 player you can hack. Recently I
bought a Toshiba SD-4900 - easily (and permanently) converts to
multi-region with a downloadable hack, plays every media I could throw
at it, has 5.1 output (though not DTS - you need a DTS decoder in your
receiver for that) and even has the same controls on the front panel
that the remote has (for those times when you just can't FIND the damn
thing...!).

With the PAL --> NTSC ghosting problem on the Warner Chaplin discs, I'm
hesitant to buy anything these days in the U.S. that's come out in
Europe first. Of course, the price of buying U.K. discs these days is
prohibitive - but Australian discs are still not out of the ballpark
(and, of course, it'll open you up to the stacks of Laurel and Hardy
DVDs released in Germany!). :-)

Doug
 >> Stay informed about: Purchasing BFI Essanay or Mutuals...