The Gold Rush

The Gold Rush

Warner Home Video; $29.95
There was a time when the visage of Charles Spencer Chaplin -- Charlie, Charlot, "The Little Tramp" -- was the single most familiar face on the planet. The Gold Rush is what he wanted us to remember him by: In his most ambitious and elaborately cinematic film (the usually tightfisted director spent three weeks on location in the Sierra Nevadas re-creating Alaska's treacherous Chilkoot Pass for the opening sequence), the Little Fellow is cast as "the Lone Prospector," one of the hopeful hordes of prospectors during the Alaskan gold rush of 1898. Chaplin drew his creative muse from grim history, specifically the tragic saga of the Donner Party, an ill-fated expedition of westward travelers who got caught in a bitter winter storm in the Sierras, resorting to cannibalism to survive. From this grisly premise -- encompassing dementia, murder, and starvation -- Chaplin fashioned some of his most inspired comedic images, including the celebrated showcase where he staves off starvation by fastidiously eating a boiled shoe (the prop, made of licorice, landed the actor in the hospital with a severe case of gastritis after the perfection-seeking comic ordered take after take), and the enchanting "Oceana Roll," during which Chaplin transforms a pair of forks and dinner rolls into a pair of miniature legs, executing a graceful Nijinksy-esque table-top ballet. Digitally remastered from the original negatives in the Chaplin vaults, the two-disc set actually boasts two versions of the movie: a lovingly refurbished facsimile of the original 96-minute 1925 theatrical release, and the (inferior) 69-minute 1942 reissue, with Chaplin's original film score, altered ending, and cloying, clipped narration. DVD extras include a documentary, "Working With Chaplin"; a gorgeous gallery of poster reproductions; and a generous gallery of stills. Black and white, and pure gold.