‘Chaplin’ Moves Classics to Front Shelves : Retailers anticipate movie about the life and career of Little Tramp will increase demand for his work.

If seeing the movie “Chaplin” inspires you to rent some Chaplin films, you’re in luck. Many are on video--and available for $10-$20.

Anticipating new interest in Chaplin, some video retailers are dragging his movies from the dusty depths of the classic section and displaying them prominently. Also, CBS-Fox is repackaging some of its large Chaplin library.

The temptation, naturally, is to see his few talkies, like “The Great Dictator” (1940) and “Monsieur Verdoux” (1947). But that’s not Chaplin at his best. The wise thing to do is seek out his silents--his early (pre-1920) silents, particularly if you’re not familiar with his movies.

The danger for the many fans who are being introduced to Chaplin is that seeing the wrong movie might turn them off to his works and cut off further exploration.

The problem with the silents is that the prints, often released by small companies early in the video boom, are sometimes of poor quality, with lots of visual noise. Also, seeing movies without dialogue is awkward and requires some patience--particularly for younger fans. Consequently, some of these silents aren’t that easy to watch. Still, if you’re interested in exploring Chaplin, they’re worth the effort.

In the silents, it was necessary to exaggerate movements and underscore points in an almost operatic style to make up for the absence of words. Sentimental excesses were acceptable too. Chaplin thrived in this atmosphere.

As a young man, in the pre-1920 movies, his mime and acrobatic skills were in full bloom. His finest and most daring slapstick appears in those early movies. With talkies, which emerged in the late ‘20s, movies outgrew their naivete and heavy-handed sentimentality. Chaplin’s silent sensibilities often didn’t serve him well in the new era. He never outgrew his affinity for sentimentality, making his talkies difficult for modern audiences which, for the most part, regard flagrant tear-jerkers as corny. In striving for poignancy, Chaplin often went too far, crossing the line into mawkishness.

If you want to sample his talkie-era work, these are worth a look:

* “City Lights” (CBS-Fox, 1931). Chaplin’s Tramp in love with a blind flower girl. Once considered a masterpiece, it has some clever moments but much of it may seem corny.

* “Modern Times” (CBS-Fox, 1936). Famed in film history as a cunning spoof of the foibles of the machine age, it does feature some classic bits. Still, because of Chaplin’s tendency to excesses, many would regard it as sappy and ham-fisted.

* “The Great Dictator” (CBS-Fox, 1940). In his first full talkie, Chaplin plays both a Jewish barber and a Hitler-like character. Overlong but often on the money, this satire is arguably his best post-1930 movie.

Of the silents, his work is spread out through many companies, including CBS-Fox, Cable Films, Congress, Budget, Blackhawk, Media Home Entertainment, Republic and Video Yesteryear.

The movies you’ll most likely see in stores--and your best bets--are those from CBS-Fox, Media and Republic.

CBS-Fox’s “The Chaplin Revue” includes three of his best movies, “A Dog’s Life,” “Shoulder Arms” and “The Pilgrim,” featuring a musical score Chaplin added in 1958.

Media has good collections of his work at various studios--a tape of his 1914 Keystone shorts, two volumes of 1915 movies at Essanay Studios and three volumes, 1916-17, done at Mutual Studios.

Republic’s four-volume “Charlie Chaplin: the Early Years”--all about one hour--is an excellent introduction to Chaplin.

What’s new on video: “Universal Soldier” (LIVE, $95). Sci-fi action-adventure, about two dead Vietnam soldiers--a good one (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and a bad one (Dolph Lundgren)--who are resurrected in the mid-’90s. Some exciting action sequences but predictable and poorly acted.

“Noises Off” (Touchstone, $95). Stage-oriented farces like this one, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, seem awkward on film because some theatrical devices don’t translate well to the screen. Fast but painfully unfunny, with an all-star cast including Michael Caine, Carol Burnett and John Ritter.

“Class Act” (Columbia TriStar). Kid ‘N Play, the irreverent rappers from the “House Party” movies, in a teen-oriented identity-switch comedy. Due to a records mix-up, each is sent to the wrong high school--the hoodlum winding up with the upscale crowd and uppity scholar going to the ghetto. Some very funny bits mixed in with lowbrow humor.

“Prelude to a Kiss” (FoxVideo, $95). In this romantic fantasy based on a hit Broadway play, a bride (Meg Ryan) winds up with the soul of an old man, baffling her husband (Alec Baldwin) and threatening their new marriage. Saccharine, witless mishandling of far-fetched but promising premise.

Upcoming on Video: “A League of Their Own” is coming Feb. 17 and “Sneakers” is due Feb. 24.

Also: “Christopher Columbus: the Discovery,” “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid” and “Stay Tuned” (Jan. 6); “A Stranger Among Us” and “Where the Day Takes You” (Jan. 13); “Man Trouble” and “Raising Cain” (Jan. 20); “Single White Female” (Jan. 27); “Unlawful Entry” (Feb. 3) and “Death Becomes Her” (Feb. 10).