More Buster Keaton from Kino - Battling Butler/Go West (1926/1925)

[GuyOfOwnage]

Originally Posted by HuggyBear73

Who owns the rights to Chaplin's shorts (Mutual/Keystone/Essanay/First National)? Btw, I agree with you that Criterion should have released a nice box set.

Well, I know that Flicker Alley released all of Chaplin's Keystone work on the 4-disc "Chaplin At Keystone" DVD. Not sure if they own the rights or if the shorts had lapsed into public domain. As far as Essanay, Mutual, and First National, those are all currently OOP, but the last company to release them to DVD was Image Entertainment. Not sure if they still have the rights or someone else does, but that's where they all stood the last time they were released. Frankly, I'd welcome a Blu-ray release of Chaplin's Essanay/Mutual/First National work with open arms, but I'm not sure if they're in good enough condition for high-def. The Mutual short "The Rink" was presented in 1080i on the Modern Times Blu-ray, and didn't even look close to being HD.

Back on topic, I'm also thrilled with more Keaton on Blu. I have all the discs released up until this point and have next month's Shorts Collection on pre-order. I have to say, the sets must be selling really well, because Kino seems to be tripping over themselves trying to get as much Buster on Blu-ray as possible.

[HuggyBear73]

Originally Posted by GuyOfOwnage

Well, I know that Flicker Alley released all of Chaplin's Keystone work on the 4-disc "Chaplin At Keystone" DVD. Not sure if they own the rights or if the shorts had lapsed into public domain. As far as Essanay, Mutual, and First National, those are all currently OOP, but the last company to release them to DVD was Image Entertainment. Not sure if they still have the rights or someone else does, but that's where they all stood the last time they were released. Frankly, I'd welcome a Blu-ray release of Chaplin's Essanay/Mutual/First National work with open arms, but I'm not sure if they're in good enough condition for high-def. The Mutual short "The Rink" was presented in 1080i on the Modern Times Blu-ray, and didn't even look close to being HD.

Back on topic, I'm also thrilled with more Keaton on Blu. I have all the discs released up until this point and have next month's Shorts Collection on pre-order. I have to say, the sets must be selling really well, because Kino seems to be tripping over themselves trying to get as much Buster on Blu-ray as possible.

I bought the 4-disc Keystone set back in Oct and it's still unopened. Hopefully, I will get to it soon. I've seen everything else Chaplin has done. I had that 90th Anniversary set for the Mutuals, as well as the Essanays, but sold them thinking they would eventually come to blu. But u may be right. Considering the condition, who knows now. Damn! And that Mutual set is OOP now. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Yeah, can't wait for these Keaton shorts and Battling Butler/Go West blus. What do u think about THE CAMERAMAN and SPITE MARRIAGE. I like those two a lot as well. Doesn't TCM still hold the rights to those?

[GuyOfOwnage]

Originally Posted by HuggyBear73

I bought the 4-disc Keystone set back in Oct and it's still unopened. Hopefully, I will get to it soon. I've seen everything else Chaplin has done. I had that 90th Anniversary set for the Mutuals, as well as the Essanays, but sold them thinking they would eventually come to blu. But u may be right. Considering the condition, who knows now. ! And that Mutual set is OOP now. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Yeah, can't wait for these Keaton shorts and Battling Butler/Go West blus. What do u think about THE CAMERAMAN and SPITE MARRIAGE. I like those two a lot as well. Doesn't TCM still hold the rights to those?

Yeah, I put off buying the Essanay/Mutual/First National sets from Image and I immediately regretted it when I saw them all go OOP. I think you can still get Vol 2 and 3 of Essanay for a reasonable price, but that's about it. The others (Mutual and First National) cost about $200+ for a sealed copy and $100+ for a used one! Vol 1 of Essanay is getting up there, too. I better grab 2 and 3 before they get too outrageous.

I'm pretty sure The Cameraman and Spite Marriage have lapsed into the public domain, as evidenced by their availability on the Internet Archive website. If that truly is the case, I certainly wouldn't mind Kino releasing these as well! Both are classic Buster, although you can certainly see the beginnings of the MGM influence in the latter.

[HuggyBear73]

Originally Posted by GuyOfOwnage

Yeah, I put off buying the Essanay/Mutual/First National sets from Image and I immediately regretted it when I saw them all go OOP. I think you can still get Vol 2 and 3 of Essanay for a reasonable price, but that's about it. The others (Mutual and First National) cost about $200+ for a sealed copy and $100+ for a used one! Vol 1 of Essanay is getting up there, too. I better grab 2 and 3 before they get too outrageous.

I'm pretty sure The Cameraman and Spite Marriage have lapsed into the public domain, as evidenced by their availability on the Internet Archive website. If that truly is the case, I certainly wouldn't mind Kino releasing these as well! Both are classic Buster, although you can certainly see the beginnings of the MGM influence in the latter.

Yeah, I sold of my Image Essanay dvds as well. Argghh! The prices for these titles are pretty high now. Definitely holding onto my Keystone set for sure.

I think I posted this on this forum before, but I LOVE all the Keaton silent features except THREE AGES. For some reason, that one just didn't do it for me. But I LOVE everything else. Weird. And THE CAMERAMAN and SPITE MARRIAGE I love too. Keep it going, Kino.

I hope SEVEN CHANCES is next. I love that gag where Keaton throws that love letter to the woman on the second floor of the bar. The next thing u see is the letter torn in half floating down from the second floor. Hilarious!