Hitchcock on Universal DVD and Blu-ray

Discuss North American DVDs and Blu-rays or other DVD and Blu-ray-related topics.
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der_Artur
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#76 Post by der_Artur » Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:37 am

Btw., here is a link to the English version of the article about the "Psycho" cuts: movie-censorship.com.

BradStevens
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#77 Post by BradStevens » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:08 am

Just compared the BBC and DVD versions of PSYCHO and made an interesting discovery. Although the BBC version does contain the various moments (Marion removing her bra, Norman's bloody hands, the stabbing of Arbogast) eliminated from the DVD, it also contains a slightly shortened version of the shower scene. Two cuts have been made; a few frames from the shot in which Marion is stabbed for the first time; and an overhead shot of Marion nude in the shower, just before she pulls the shower curtain off the rail. It would be interesting to learn whether or not these shots can be found in the version screened on German television, but I suspect not - the latter shot is not included in the supposedly complete series of images from the shower scene reproduced in the Truffaut-Hitchcock interview book. It seems that the only way of assembling a complete edition of PSYCHO would be to combine the US and European edits.

The uncut version of the shower scene can be found here.

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swo17
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#78 Post by swo17 » Sun Aug 10, 2008 2:26 pm

Why the hell hasn't anyone thought to put out Psycho - Unrated and Unhinged! or something of that nature? It's ridiculous that Psycho can't be afforded at least the same degree of respect as something like, oh, let's say, Grandma's Boy.

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domino harvey
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#79 Post by domino harvey » Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:36 pm

Apparently British consumers can handle good DVD covers in a way Americans cannot:

Image

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kaujot
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#80 Post by kaujot » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:01 pm

Son of a bitch.

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Finch
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#81 Post by Finch » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:23 pm

The DVD Times specs don't clarify if it has the mono track so superior cover or not, if we UK buyers get screwed over again with that horrendous 5.1 remix as the only option (MGM did the same on the Sergio Leone westerns, offering no mono track on the R2), it'll be the R1 all the way for me.

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filmyfan
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#82 Post by filmyfan » Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:42 am

OliverB wrote:It's my understanding that these are all brand new transfers.
Does anyone have any definitive news on whether these will be new transfers ?..unless I am missing something (which with me is more than possible !)

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Gregory
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#83 Post by Gregory » Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:50 am

filmyfan wrote:Does anyone have any definitive news on whether these will be new transfers ?..unless I am missing something (which with me is more than possible !)
Yes. Beaver reports that Rear Window is much improved.
I probably still won't be buying them. The transfers on the Masterpiece Collection discs are good enough to last me until Blu-Ray time, and I'm not really interested in the commentary tracks they've chosen.

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domino harvey
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#84 Post by domino harvey » Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:34 pm

Those transfers look exactly the same

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mfunk9786
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#85 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:45 pm

domino harvey wrote:Those transfers look exactly the same
The improvement is much more evident in the DVDTalk review:

Image

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magicmarker
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#86 Post by magicmarker » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:13 pm

Yes, but the DVDTimes review is comparing the Legacy edition to the earlier Special Edition, not the Masterpiece Collection. I can see some differences in colour, but I'm not sure they warrant buying this again.

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souvenir
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#87 Post by souvenir » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:38 pm

In the lobster screen shot it's particularly noticeable that there's a slight improvement in detail.

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mfunk9786
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#88 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:44 pm


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domino harvey
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#89 Post by domino harvey » Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:16 pm

I can understand buying these for the supplements, but anyone thinking the picture difference would be even remotely noticeable on their TV is a loon

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kaujot
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#90 Post by kaujot » Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:30 pm

I'm buying them for the excellent coverart.

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domino harvey
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#91 Post by domino harvey » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:07 pm

You've out-saned us all!

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Finch
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#92 Post by Finch » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:22 pm

I can't see the marked improvement that Gary sees in the Legacy edition of Rear Window either: it's there but, like Vertigo, much more subtle. The Friedkin commentary sounds like he's made some sort of effort this time instead of just reiterating what happens on-screen but I'm not holding my breath. The other extras for both Rear Window and Vertigo sound wonderful though and I've had all three Legacy discs on pre-order for some weeks. The films may look only slightly better than before but I'm appreciative that Universal have made an effort and not just slapped extras on transfers ported over from the Masterpiece Collection. It bodes well for Psycho which, of the three, was the most in need of a new transfer.

Narshty
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#93 Post by Narshty » Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:21 am

Apparently, the new Vertigo disc doesn't have the original mono track that was in the 'Masterpiece Collection' boxset, just a 2.0 Dolby Surround fold-down of the 5.1 track.

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Michael
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#94 Post by Michael » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:01 am

Devoured Psycho last night, blown away by the bonuses. This is the most luminous looking I've seen of Psycho. Must buy.

Watching it again and again as I get older, Psycho gets more poignant every time. Its depressing spareness hits me more as I experience more of the "emptiness" and "pointlessness" of trying to make dreams come true as I continue rolling into my 40s, waking up to my 9 to 5 corporate job every morning.

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Hopscotch
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#95 Post by Hopscotch » Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:50 pm

Michael wrote:Devoured Psycho last night, blown away by the bonuses. This is the most luminous looking I've seen of Psycho. Must buy.

Watching it again and again as I get older, Psycho gets more poignant every time. Its depressing spareness hits me more as I experience more of the "emptiness" and "pointlessness" of trying to make dreams come true as I continue rolling into my 40s, waking up to my 9 to 5 corporate job every morning.
Michael you're making me cry.

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Michael
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#96 Post by Michael » Mon Oct 13, 2008 2:27 pm

Sorry I didn't mean to. :? When I was younger, Psycho was nothing but a slasher film, a horror film. Despite the spareness of the film's style and design, I continue to get knocked out by the hidden riches of the film revealing more and more as I get older. I never thought so much about Marion and Norman but now I do... they are very incredibly tragic people. The supper chat between those two, every time Norman chuckles like a little boy, you couldn't help feeling sorry for him. Lila's view of his bedroom sighs so much sadness - the loneliness, the loss. And how Norman manages to mask that extremely well that I find the most disturbing thing about the film.

Janet Leigh is super cool as Marion Crane. Her eyes always piercing strong and sensitive at the same time. How many of us would like to flee from our dreary jobs, embarking on new adventures with fresh cash. It's a dream that gets slashed of course. Psycho shows that there is no way out for everyone no matter what.

This is exactly why I've said elsewhere that Psycho stands out as one of the most bleakest and darkest films to ever come out of Hollywood and Hitchcock's best film.

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Finch
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#97 Post by Finch » Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:32 pm

Reader email to Beaver confirms the lack of the mono track on Vertigo's new Legacy disc. It's disappointing but at least it looks far superior to the first release (I didn't buy the Masterpiece set).

I got my copies of Rear Window and Psycho. Watched the two new documentaries on both discs and found both solid if not necessarily worth the upgrade if you already have the Masterpiece edition. What I've seen of Psycho so far still looked very grainy but contrast was far better than on the original release.

hipsterdoofus1026
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Vertigo and Psycho

#98 Post by hipsterdoofus1026 » Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:35 am

I bought the Vertigo legacy reissue yesterday. Some thoughts I had were:

1.) The cover annoyed me because I kept thinking that the picture of Jimmy Stewart is nowhere to be found in the movie. Then I realized whoever designed the cover used a pose that Stewart did for one of the lobby cards that Paramount used in 1958. And actually this impressed me because I happen to dislike those lobby cards. They always give the impression that Scottie murders Madeline. So Universal found a creative way to make one of them at least aesthetically appealing.

2.) I have the 1999 reissue and I notice that when I watch it, it has little blips and scratches on it like you notice even new movies that have been projected a lot in theatres have. I'm the ninety millionth person to complain about the restoration, but I was very surprised that Katz and Harris didn't remove those little blips and scratches when they restored it. The 2008 version doesn't have those scratches, not even a blip. ("Blip" is a technical term, right?)

3.) The menu is set up better than the 1999 version. For example, I was able to find the foreign alternate ending easier. The only problem with the 2008 menu is that it uses music nowhere to be found in the movie, so if you're anally retentive, you might find it annoying.

4.) Everyone on here seems to find William Friedkin grating, but I liked his commentary. And if you can't bear to listen to Friedkin and really like Kim Novak, the menu gives you the choice to listen to Friedkin or go back to the original commentary that has Ms. Novak in it along with Katz and Harris.

About Psycho:

I agree that something needs to be done about the condition of the print. Universal must assume that since it's black and white, it doesn't need to be restored like Rear Window or Vertigo. Everytime I've seen it, it has those little blips and scratches on it. But then again, I haven't seen the 2008 reissue. Maybe Universal cleaned it up. Anyone notice that after the shower murder, the music sounds a little muffled when the camera pans up to the house? I wonder if that was on the original print.

10/26/08: I bought Psycho for my birthday. It's funny because I recognized the music they used for the menu and it's not from Psycho either. I later realized it's from 12 Monkeys, the Hitchcock hommage by Terry Gilliam. I'm glad I got it because I get "Lamb to the Slaughter" with the wonderful Barbara Bel Geddes on the 2nd disc and Stephen Rebello does a really good job with the commentary on the movie. On one of the features on the 2nd disc, a brief glimpse of The Birds is shown. If that glimpse is what the current condition of the The Birds looks like, it looks like a movie from 2008. It's in really good condition. I wonder what music is on the Rear Window menu.

Hopefully this helpfully adds to the discussion.

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reaky
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Re: Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo: Special Editions

#99 Post by reaky » Sat Nov 22, 2008 3:22 pm

I'm disgusted to learn that, despite funky artwork and 2-disc status carrying over some (though not all) or the R1 Legacy's extras, the new UK R2 VERTIGO uses the same transfer as the 2000 disc. Why would Universal do this? Why go to the trouble of preparing a new edition and not use the new transfer that already exists?

I have no idea why this prevalent attitude towards the R2 DVD market exists. Producers seemingly believe that R2 DVD buyers show no discernment at all, so why the hell should they get the better print or the extras available in Region 1? All they need is a new cover! They'll buy it again! We've still got THE BIRDS in 4:3, for God's sake. ](*,)

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Finch
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Re: Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo: Special Editions

#100 Post by Finch » Sun Nov 23, 2008 8:40 am

Sorry to hear that, reaky but I'm not surprised: what's more, Universal have done the same with their "new" edition of It's a Wonderful Life. It is a disgrace. I'm glad I went for the Legacy disc instead: it's a lovely transfer, the only disappointment being the absence of the mono track from the Masterpiece collection.

Also rewatched Psycho: the transfer is much better than I originally thought although some individual shots are noticeably more grainier than others.

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