Two Chaplin films rolled into one case, this is a perfect double feature. One film doesn't even star Chaplin, and the other doesn't feature the Tramp. Since I leave the actual review of the film in my film page and I don't consider picture and sound when I buy a DVD, I will go straight to the special features, like I always do.
I will start will A King in New York on Disc 1. Like always the first extra is the David Robinson introduction. In it, he explains Chaplin's exile and Michael Chaplin's performance in the film. Not the best of the introductions, but still worthwhile.
The "Chaplin Today" show is much more interesting. With lots of archive footage dealing with Chaplin's exile from the United States, how he made the film, how he thought up the idea, and his life living in Switzerland. It's a very engaging program that also has a wonderful chat with Michael Chaplin. Why he's speaking in French, I have no idea. It's still an brilliant documentary nonetheless.
Next we have some rather boring outtakes, that Chaplin made for the American release of the film. Taking a different cue, it first shows the final cut, and the deleted scenes intergrated. It would have been interesting, but unfortunatly it isn't and the brings the DVD down quite a bit. Some outtakes are just one second long, while the more engaging ones are longer.
We then go to a brilliant clip showing Chaplin conducting the musical score for the film. It's very interesting and highly interesting to hear the commentator's comments. It brings to mind a similiar brilliant piece on the Kid DVD.
A King in New York finishes with three great trailers, a terrible photo gallery, and about fifteen interesting posters. Finally the disc caps off with short clips from the other films in the Chaplin Collection. I consider this feature rather useless since we can watch the entire picture on the other DVDs (This part doesn't affect the final percentage).
We now enter A Woman of Paris on Disc 2. The introduction by David Robinson starts off the extras as always. Once again, he gives a brilliant narration and gives lots of interesting information.
The "Chaplin Today" documentary is not as successful. Since Chaplin doesn't appear in this film, they make it in a different style. It's poorly done, though, and is probably the worst of the "Chaplin Today" documentaries on the set.
Next we find some deleted shots, which are done in the same manner as the outtakes in the A King in New York extras. The shots are around a few seconds long and aren't at interesting. This is a very poor extra.
Much better and a brilliant historical footnote is silent news reel footage showing Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and D.W. Griffith signing the United Artists contract. It's a brilliant piece that can been seen over and over again.
Some more silent footage called "Paris in the 20's" is extreamly boring and offers nothig more then a look at Paris in the 1920's. Not even a bit of Chaplin at the end can help this lackluster piece.
Next is an amateur film called "Camille." This feature is rather poor, and very boring. There's nothing at all interesting or worthwhile abour it. I really don't understand why they put it into the extras. The only notable thing in this film is Chaplin's recreation of his own bread dance.
We follow that with a very well narrated trailer, and a brilliant photo gallery. Finally the disc caps off with short clips from the other films in the Chaplin Collection. I consider this feature rather useless since we can watch the entire picture on the other DVDs (This part doesn't affect the final percentage).
Despite being two features, it doesn't have the best percentage, but it's still good and in the same league as the City Lights DVD. Many lackluster extras bring it down, but it's still a good double package. The final percentage for A King in New York/A Woman of Paris: The Chaplin Collection is 72%.