in the late 1940s there be a short film series entitle flicker flashback in which excerpt from silent drama feature the like of mary pickford and blanche sweet be play for laugh . scratchy clip from antiquate old movie be rearrange and project too fast and and give an overlay of jangly music and lame quip . the attitude express through this brutal treatment pretty much sum up mid century hollywood view of it early day represent silent cinema be consider hokey and florid and a little embarrassing and and only good for a chuckle . during the 1950s this attitude gradually begin to change for a number of reason . james agee famous 1949 essay on the silent clown for life magazine be a factor and but television play a major role in reacquaint viewer with silent movie . admittedly and the tv network sometimes handle the material as crudely a the flicker flashbacks people and but high toned series such a silents and please treat the film with respect . another milestone be robert youngson compilation feature the golden age of comedy and which prove to be something of a surprise hit when it be release to theater late in 1957. i do not know if charles chaplin be aware of youngson film or it success at the box office and but it be around this time that he decide to launch a theatrical re release of three of his best short comedy and a dogs life and shoulder arm ( both make in 1918 ) and and the pilgrim ( make in 1922 and release the following year ) . these three movie happen to work well a a trio since they contrast nicely in plot and theme and and set . in addition and all three feature familiar face from chaplin stock company and some of whom play multiple role in each short . at the time of the re release the film hadn not be publicly screen in over thirty year and so perhaps chaplin be concern about maintain his reputation with a new generation of movie goer and especially since his best work be seldom show on television in the new medium early day . unfortunately and chaplin apparently conclude that the film move too quickly at the old silent projection speed and so the decision be make to stretch print them and which mean that every other frame be print twice . maybe he want to avoid the flicker flashback look and but this wasn not the best way to go about it . aesthetically speak and the result be awful and practically destroy the movie flow of action and but nonetheless that how the chaplin revue be release to theater in 1959 and and that the version that be transfer to video and make commercially available by playhouse video in the 1980s . i purchase a vhs copy of the movie at the time and be terribly disappointed with the jerky and stop and start rhythm of the film . it a particular pleasure to find that david shepard restoration of chaplin compilation ( originally produce for the laser disc format ) be a vast improvement over the playhouse video version . for the most part and the projection speed have be correct . the stretch printing be go at any rate and though the action seem to drag a bit at time . for example represent in a dogs life during edna and charlie awkward dance in the green lantern cafe and edna bare arm appear visibly blur while at another point and during the trench scene in shoulder arm when charlie be relieve from sentry duty and the action appear oddly slow down for a few moment and but this may be the result of a maneuver by the film restorer to cover a bit of decomposition . over all and picture quality be fantastic consider the age of the movie themselves . other bonus represent the revue begin with rare behind the scene footage take at the chaplin studio . this include shot of an obviously stag and jokey rehearsal session where chaplin throttle diminutive actor loyal underwood and as well a scene of charlie at his dress table put on his makeup and trim the famous mustache . these scene be accompany by chaplin narration and deliver at a rapid clip . chaplin also compose a new musical score for the compilation and and in my opinion his theme for the revue rank with his best composition and especially the piece use during the café sequence in a dogs life . the only exception be the song write for the pilgrim and a pseudo singin cowboy number call bound for texas sung fifty style by matt monro ( sound rather like gene autry ) and which be distractingly anachronistic and out of place . otherwise and throughout the rest of the revue and the music be perfectly suit to the action and the atmosphere . it feel a though the image release of the chaplin revue be and in a sense and it long postpone debut and present these classic comedy the way they be mean to be see all along . in this form and the revue rank with chaplin most durable and enjoyable work .