Region 4 Winners and Losers

    The film was originally released on DVD in Region 1 by Image Entertainment, in an edition prepared by Film Preservation Associates. This release is no longer available. Extras included some footage of Hitler, cast biographies and the same excerpt from Sunnyside that appears on the new release.

    The Region 2 versions from Warner/Mk2 appear to be identical to the Region 4. However, the film was also available as part of a boxed set of the Chaplin Collection, and this set had a bonus disc containing a two-hour documentary by film critic Richard Schickel. The French release was the first of the Chaplin Collection to come out, and I have this release, entitled Le Dictateur. The packaging is quite luxurious, in an oversized box with half a dozen postcard-sized photographs, and a lengthy booklet in French. The transfer and extras are the same as the Region 4.

    The Region 1 release from Warner was apparently made from the PAL masters created by Mk2, and thus not only have ghosting effects but also PAL speedup. The image is also slightly cropped in comparison with the Region 2 releases.