Hitchcock on Universal DVD and Blu-ray

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denti alligator · #26 Post by **denti alligator** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:31 am

Blu-ray??

Murdoch · #27 Post by **Murdoch** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:51 am

Looks like October will have me spending a lot on DVDs with the criterion blu-rays, the new Touch of Evil disc, and now Vertigo in special edition. Great news considering the only way to get a new copy of Vertigo now is to fork over $90 for the Hitchcock Masterpiece collection.

Person · #28 Post by **Person** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:06 pm

denti alligator wrote:Blu-ray??

It will have to be for me, as I forked out considerable cash for the velvet box.

I'm surprised that The Birds isn't been treated to a 2-disc SE. Perhaps there will be a second wave of 2-disc sets.

jaredsap · #29 Post by **jaredsap** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 1:53 pm

A Blu-ray option should be mandatory. How can studios double, triple, quadruple dip at this point -- purporting to offer definitive editions -- and not at least offer an HD fig leaf? Shameful.

#30 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:08 pm

Feature Commentary with Associate Producer Herbert Coleman, Restoration Team Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz and Other Vertigo Participants
Feature Commentary with Director William Friedkin

God, these studios just don't get it.

denti alligator · #31 Post by **denti alligator** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:15 pm

jaredsap wrote:A Blu-ray option should be mandatory. How can studios double, triple, quadruple dip at this point -- purporting to offer definitive editions -- and not at least offer an HD fig leaf? Shameful.

How do we get the message to them? Seriously, these were reported for HD DVD release back before that format died. How can they NOT offer Blu-ray versions of these?

HelenLawson · #32 Post by **HelenLawson** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:22 pm

Do the producers of the Vertigo package realize that Kim Novak is still alive?

#33 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:32 pm

HelenLawson wrote:Do the producers of the Vertigo package realize that Kim Novak is still alive?

Well she might have been able to contribute something of interest, so obviously she was pushed aside so the guy who catered the movie can tell us how much Hitchcock loved Fritos.

Belmondo · #34 Post by **Belmondo** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:37 pm

Somebody please explain why these commentary tracks are being perceived as a problem. Are they "insufficiently scholarly"? None of us have heard them yet, and even though I (with exceptions) prefer to hear from experts and scholars, it seems to me that we have an abundance of all points of view on the commentary tracks. If we add what's coming with "Touch of Evil", which I believe will appeal to exactly the same people these will appeal to - then we got nothin' but good news coming around here.

Antoine Doinel · #35 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:42 pm

I'm sure in her remaining years, Kim Novak has better things to do than take a trip down memory lane about a director who said about her: "You think you're getting a lot, but you're not."

hearthesilence · #36 Post by **hearthesilence** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:07 pm

domino harvey wrote:
Feature Commentary with Director William Friedkin
God, these studios just don't get it.

I can see this one being gloriously awful. I still get a kick out of his interview for the French Connection set, where he lets the f-bomb fly left and right. Especially the part about casting Fernando Rey. A complete unabashed a-hole.

What A Disgrace · #37 Post by **What A Disgrace** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:08 pm

Belmondo wrote:Somebody please explain why these commentary tracks are being perceived as a problem. Are they "insufficiently scholarly"? None of us have heard them yet, and even though I (with exceptions) prefer to hear from experts and scholars, it seems to me that we have an abundance of all points of view on the commentary tracks. If we add what's coming with "Touch of Evil", which I believe will appeal to exactly the same people these will appeal to - then we got nothin' but good news coming around here.

The old commentary for Vertigo (which I assume is the same one listed) was terrible, and William Friedkin is one of the worst commentators when it comes to commenting on other's films.

hearthesilence · #38 Post by **hearthesilence** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:10 pm

Antoine Doinel wrote:I'm sure in her remaining years, Kim Novak has better things to do than take a trip down memory lane about a director who said about her: "You think you're getting a lot, but you're not."

Doesn't she shun anything movie-related altogether now? I don't think she's a recluse, but I recall reading somewhere she doesn't want any connection with the biz anymore.

MichaelB · #39 Post by **MichaelB** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:14 pm

I've read Stephen Rebello's book on Psycho, and there's no question he's done his homework - it's exhaustively detailed.

So whether the commentary's any good really depends on what he's like as a speaker - but I'm more than happy to give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

#40 Post by **Finch** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:57 pm

Long-time lurker who finally decided to sign up.

I normally detest Universal's practice of fleeceing their customers when it comes to reissuing titles from their classic catalogue over and over again but I am glad I held back from buying the Masterpiece Collection. I'll gladly doubledip on these. My copy of Psycho is the old non-anarmorphic CE, and the improved sharpness, colours and audio (any mono recording will do over the horrible 5.1 remix) on Vertigo make the Legacy editions a must-buy. Some random thoughts: regarding Psycho, I would hope that Universal have done a proper resto on this one as I found that the Masterpiece Collection edition looked too grainy.

Extras on Vertigo: a Friedkin commentary?? I listened to his Exorcist commentary and found it a complete waste of time. Colour me surprised if this one turns out to be any good.

I'll also upgrade on Rear Window as even the old R1 looked superior to the R2 I'm owning. Artwork for Pyscho and Rear Window posted on DVDTimes looking good, hope they use Saul Bass' poster for Vertigo's Legacy cover.

#41 Post by **zedz** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:06 pm

Mr Finch wrote:Extras on Vertigo: a Friedkin commentary?? I listened to his Exorcist commentary and found it a complete waste of time. Colour me surprised if this one turns out to be any good.

If you thought that was bad, his commentaries on other people's films (e.g. The Leopard Man and Narrow Margin (I think)) are ten times worse - completely worthless. Be very afraid.

Morgan Creek · #42 Post by **Morgan Creek** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:16 pm

hearthesilence wrote:
Antoine Doinel wrote:I'm sure in her remaining years, Kim Novak has better things to do than take a trip down memory lane about a director who said about her: "You think you're getting a lot, but you're not."
Doesn't she shun anything movie-related altogether now? I don't think she's a recluse, but I recall reading somewhere she doesn't want any connection with the biz anymore.

Novak did promotion for the rerelease of Vertigo in 1996, and in 2003 did a Q&A with Stephen Rebello. As far as her "remaining years" go, she's only 75.

#43 Post by **Jeff** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:44 pm

Mr Finch wrote:Artwork for Pyscho and Rear Window posted on DVDTimes looking good, hope they use Saul Bass' poster for Vertigo's Legacy cover.

The Vertigo cover is up now too. Part Saul Bass, part giant, scary, airbrushed Jimmy Stuart head.

#44 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:02 pm

Starring James Stewart's grandmother as Scottie

dx23 · #45 Post by **dx23** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:20 pm

Jeff wrote:
Mr Finch wrote:Artwork for Pyscho and Rear Window posted on DVDTimes looking good, hope they use Saul Bass' poster for Vertigo's Legacy cover.
The Vertigo cover is up now too. Part Saul Bass, part giant, scary, airbrushed Jimmy Stuart head.

I still don't get why doesn't Universal use the original poster for the cover. They used it for the first release and then all they have used is photoshop hell.

Svevan · #46 Post by **Svevan** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:36 am

Already owning very satisfactory DVDs of these films, I'm going to be negative about these discs and their extra special features until we get some caps and firsthand impressions.

filmnoir1 · #47 Post by **filmnoir1** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:47 am

This is too much. Unless these are chocked full of extras that are valuable to a greater discussion/appreciation and understanding of Hitchcock and his films, then I believe these releases are nothing more than Universal trying to continue to drive collectors and scholars mad by re-releasing films that have already been in the market place.
I have the Masterpieces collection and I am not sure that these can improve upon those discs.

souvenir · #48 Post by **souvenir** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:55 am

You complainers are all mad. Anamorphic versions of Vertigo and Psycho do not exist in R1 outside the Masterpiece box. If you're upset for having shelled out on that set now that more extra features are available then that's no reason to take it out on Universal. These releases are more than welcomed. Supplements are just that - extra features to enjoy (or not) alongside the film.

Svevan · #49 Post by **Svevan** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:10 am

souvenir wrote:If you're upset for having shelled out on that set now that more extra features are available then that's no reason to take it out on Universal.

wat

my point: aside from the commentaries, the entire first disc of each of these releases will be identical to the Masterpiece box. Each of the second discs have feature length documentaries that are also duplicates from the Masterpiece set and previous DVD versions. The remaining actually new special features may be golden, but could just as easily be filler.

If the only upside (to you) is that these three will finally be available as standalone discs with anamorphic transfers, that's very much Universal's fault for withholding the transfers as long as they did when they were totally willing to release other stand-alone duplications of the Masterpiece box two years ago (Frenzy, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Trouble With Harry, Saboteur, and others).

Now, if they are actually improving on the transfers of these three films (or re-doing the Katz-Harris Vertigo restoration, har har), I'm all for it.

#50 Post by **mfunk9786** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:36 pm

Aside from the tired old Legacy Series business, these covers are pretty spectacular.

Hitchcock on Universal DVD and Blu-ray

Psycho, Rear Window, and Vertigo special editions