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Alfred Hitchcock Presents Coming To Dvd In 2005...i Hope!!!!!! - Page 4

post #91 of 175
10/6/05 at 4:48am
The musical interludes between the 1st and 2nd act of each show was not really a loss. As you may know, all that is was Hitchcock's own sketch outline of his head that we see at the beginning of every half hour episode and also the 8th season (the first of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour). That brief bit of music heard during that interlude / station ID is the exact same music heard at the start of every Act 1 from the first 6 years.

Instead they seamlessly fade out of the old scene and into the new one, which is also characteristic of several scene changes throughout each episode anyway.
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post #92 of 175
10/6/05 at 5:02am
I have had ZERO problems with my discs in 2 players and 2 PC's. I have run through all the discs and tried to recreate the problem in the DVDTalk review, but all mine have played flawlessly. Can't wait to work through this set!
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post #93 of 175
10/6/05 at 6:04am
Quote:
The musical interludes between the 1st and 2nd act of each show was not really a loss.
I couldn't disagree more. I have all four of the previously released volumes containing the 17 Hitchcock directed episodes and the bumpers have been cut there as well. Their absence is so jarring that it completely destroys the mood and makes it difficult to enjoy the second act. In one of those 17 episodes, the music actually begins several seconds before the fade to the Hitchcock caricature. Universal cut the bumper anyway. The result is that the bumper music begins and then abruptly cuts out.

What makes this so frustrating is that Universal would make far less work for themselves if they would just leave the bumpers intact. Instead, they went out of their way to add unnecessary man hours (and cost) to the project and pissed off a great many potential customers at the same time.

Quote:
Instead they seamlessly fade out of the old scene and into the new one, which is also characteristic of several scene changes throughout each episode anyway.
This is exactly why I'm so fed up with Universal. I'm sick to death of them trying to make TV shows play like movies. TV shows are supposed to have occasional pauses. That pause adds to the tension when something exciting happens just before it. The background music just before the pause is keyed to enhance this very effect. Yet Universal insists on hacking most of them out. Every other studio on the planet (including Fox) can get this right. Why can't Universal?
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post #94 of 175
10/6/05 at 7:57am
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I've had it up to here with Universal's chronic editing of TV shows.


Just out of curiosity, what shows has Universal released edited? I'm sure many fans of Alf, The Cosby Show and Roseanne would like those shows to only be missing the bumpers as opposed to having the edited versions of every episode on the DVDs.
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post #95 of 175
10/6/05 at 9:11pm
Thread Starter 
I share James' (justified) disappointment but as it stands the only real factor that should deter anyone from purchasing this DVD set is the genuine concern that it just won't play properly (as has been reported).

If you want my opinion the only two major companies that (probably) read this discussion forum are Warner Brothers Home Entertainment and 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment as evinced by the fact that actual representatives have participated in some of the discussions and online question-and-answers session conducted with the public.

I don't think that either Universal Studios Home Entertainment or Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment really care about public opinion and have both adopted an insulated, isolationist policy pertaining to the management and decision making on their DVD releases.

Jeff T.
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post #96 of 175
10/8/05 at 8:19pm
Thread Starter 
I had the occasion to view the first 4 episodes of the ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - SEASON ONE 3-disc set and it played just fine...thus far that is!

The episodes (while perhaps not fully restored) were in (much) better condition than I would have given them credit with the debut segment "Revenge" (02/10/1955) probably being the clearest although the differences between the ones that I watched (if any) were neglible.

It seems that Universal Studios Home Entertainment just took good care of the source elements used after all these years.

Yes, regrettably the mid-episode musical interlude bumpers were missing (along with the Revue (TV) Productions company logo and accompanying fanfare following the closing credits titles. In the case of "Revenge" it was blacked out entirely while the music could still be clearly heard...something I thought would be implemented with all of the episodes which (certainly) would have been preferable to having nothing at all.

Pertaining to the first season (1955-56) episodes themselves (not surprisingly) they were uniformly entertaining and delightfully witty (the late Robert Emhardt gave an especially marvellous performance as the grimly suspicious and doggedly persistant investigating insurance agent in "Don't Come Back Alive") and I can't wait to have the opportunity to view some more segments.

As it now stands (unless any unforeseen problems should arise) I can honestly recommend this particular DVD collection to those who have an interest in this (bona fide) classic tv series.

Jeff T.
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post #97 of 175
10/8/05 at 10:59pm
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Yes, regrettably the mid-episode musical interlude bumpers were missing (along with the Revue (TV) Productions company logo and accompanying fanfare following the closing credits titles.

What do you mean, Jeff? The Revue TV logo is in the end credits of every one that I've seen so far. That's how they were made up until 1960 when there was an animated Revue Studios montage after (and separate from) the end theme. I hope when Universal gets to the 6th and 7th seasons, that they keep that in but I kind of doubt it.
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post #98 of 175
10/9/05 at 3:48am
Thread Starter 
I take back everything that I've said in my previous message post!

I tried watching some more episodes in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents - First Season 3-disc set and sure enough problems did arise. Now I have to go through the added expense of exchanging this defective product for yet another...which may be in no better condition.

That's it! I'm definitely not buying anything that's so compact on a mere 3 discs from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. These people just can't handle it properly and evidently don't care enough to exercise stringent quality control procedures.

What a disappointment (and pain) this has proven to be!

Pertaining to the Revue Studios Productions tag logo (with musical accompaniment) originally appended to the closing titles it's difficult to (coherently) describe unless you're actually familiar with them but they are definitely missing!

Jeff T.
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post #99 of 175
10/9/05 at 7:54pm
How disappointing - I was so looking forward to buying this set. After reading about the production problems both here and on Amazon I will sadly have to steer clear.

Universal, please fix this and don't give "Leave it to Beaver" this kind of shoddy treatment!
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post #100 of 175
10/9/05 at 8:23pm
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Universal, please fix this and don't give "Leave it to Beaver" this kind of shoddy treatment!


Leave It To Beaver is from Universal and it's on a DVD-18. There's gonna be problems. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. I'm not trying to be a jerk but every Universal DVD-18 has some type of problem.

Just to play devil's advocate, my AHP set plays fine. If I had gotten one that was defective, I would have returned it until I got a functioning one since I want the set. To me, not buying the set because there's some problems seems to deprive you of something you want when there's a chance that the set you purchase could be fine.

I'm not saying Universal's (obscene) number of poorly manufactued discs is right but I can't see why anyone is surprised by it.
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post #101 of 175
10/9/05 at 9:34pm
Quote:
Pertaining to the Revue Studios Productions tag logo (with musical accompaniment) originally appended to the closing titles it's difficult to (coherently) describe unless you're actually familiar with them but they are definitely missing!

Once again, that wasn't until 1960 (when the series moved to NBC) that the animated "piece of film" Revue Studios logo you're describing was introduced. The same applies for all Revue series productions at the time. In the previous decade it was a stationary logo ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS "Filmed in Hollywood by Revue Studios" and "In Association with MCA TV" or words to that effect, which both appeared on the same screen before the Hitchcock sketched drawing returned.

I watched several more episodes today, and I've noticed that starting on Disc 2, whoever did the transfers screwed up by clearly editing down SOME of Hitchcock's monologs! It was more obvious in some than others.

The worst (or best) example of this is in "The Derelicts" guest starring Robert Newton. In Al's closing remarks, it abruptly cuts off before he can say goodnight -- and fades into the end theme. Why the hell are they doing this? Are the people in charge of the transfers for Universal falling asleep at the buttons??
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post #102 of 175
10/9/05 at 10:27pm
Thread Starter 
In response to Travis' message post a retail store will let a customer return a defective product just so many times and in my case I have to reship this item which was ordered online...something that could get on the expensive side.

This problem is obviously consistent and widespread and I'm very surprised that no one has (as yet) taken Universal Studios Home Entertainment to court over this issue since the company had been (for sometime now) marketing shoddy merchandise...surely a direct violation of the existing manufacturing practices and standards.

Where's Ralph Nader when he's needed?

At this (late) stage I really don't care whether I'm deprived of a good tv series or not. What possible use is it to anyone when the DVDs are not properly manufactured?

If someone here orders the upcoming DVD releases of LEAVE IT TO BEAVER (CBS 1957-58, ABC 1958-63) or THE MUNSTERS (CBS 1964-66) then you do so at your own risk...and will probably regret it!

It (now) seems apparent that the source elements used were taken from the current tv syndication video transfers and they get (much) worse in quality as one progresses further into the season.

I noticed that one segment actually using a second season (1956-57) opening title!

Jeff T.
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post #103 of 175
10/9/05 at 11:18pm
Aside from your overuse of boldface in your posts, can you explain this?
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I noticed that one segment actually using a second season (1956-57) opening title!
The opening theme heard in the 2nd season is no different than the first! Which episode are you referring to? In syndication over the years, they screwed up and had later season themes replacing some of the the first season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. However, all of the first season in this video release are first season. Over at CBS Video, they did the same thing with The Twilight Zone's opening and end themes. So for re-release they corrected that, which is a good thing.

I have to disagree on Universal releases overall though. Columbo and Kojak are very much complete except for the minor point of the Universal 1970s logos being replaced by the 21st century graphic logos that now appear at the beginning of each show rather than the end.
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post #104 of 175
10/9/05 at 11:44pm
Thread Starter 
The episode is "The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby" (15/04/1956).

The opening title features a (radically) different lettering style in the ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS main logo seen in the (majority of) other first season (1955-56) segments.

Speaking for myself I am NOT going to order any more 3-disc, doublesided sets from UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT ever again!

It's like the profound old adage says, "Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me!"

For whatever reason my DVD machine (and a good many others it would seem) just won't play this particular software so I have no use for it.

Jeff T.
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post #105 of 175
10/10/05 at 5:38am
OK, I only watched up to Disc 2, Side B so far, but I put in Disc 3, Side A to check that. "The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby" is one of a number of episodes produced in the early part of the first season when thin black lettering for the series title was used before the thicker white block / stencil outline title replaced it. What this indicates to me is that the Appleby episode was actually filmed in 1955. The copyright date is 1956 because Hitchcock's staff probably figured it would air later in the season...which it did (March). Broadcast networks at that time were notorious for running episodes in any order they want, and CBS with the Hitchcock show was no exception. Since this is an anthology series, however, that's not important.

If that's your reason for not buying additional Universal sets, then you may want to reconsider. By the way, have you see the DVD releases of KOJAK Season One and the first 3 seasons of COLUMBO? They're all uncut. I wouldn't be surprised if McCloud and McMillan & Wife are the same way.
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post #106 of 175
10/10/05 at 4:50pm
Quote:
Quote:
They're all uncut. I wouldn't be surprised if McCloud and McMillan & Wife are the same way.

The McMillan eps seem to be OK. McCloud, however...

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hlight=mccloud
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post #107 of 175
10/11/05 at 5:00am
The biggest mistake that was made in the duplication of Hitchcock episodes was the Thelma Ritter episode "The Babysitter". Hitchcock's closing monolog is intact, but the opening comments are missing completely!! What's up with that??
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post #108 of 175
10/11/05 at 8:14am
As much as it pains me to do so, I'm boycotting this set after reading both the comments here and on Amazon. I really despise Universal's utter lack of attention to customer satisfaction. They muffed it badly on the "Night Gallery" release I own and now AHP appears to have been accorded the same shoddy treatment. Sorry, Universal, you don't get any more of my money until your staff listen to customer needs.

There are nearly 2000 signatures now on the nightgallery.net petition, people pleading with Universal to please show more care for the 2nd season release--it will all go unheeded, I can guarantee. All I can say is, thank God they've got nothing to do with the "Naked City" or "Have Gun Will Travel" releases.
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post #109 of 175
10/11/05 at 10:33am
I wonder why they hate their customer base so much? It seems like they're going out of their way to piss off the loyal Hitchcock fans and I would like to know why. All they had to do was to leave the show intact, as it was originally shown, with bumpers, ending credits etc. Other studios have done so but Universal always seems to have a problem making the customer happy.
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post #110 of 175
10/12/05 at 8:07pm
I may just suck it up and buy in the store, so I can return it when I find a defect. It will cost more money and time....but it is AHP after all.
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post #111 of 175
10/12/05 at 10:10pm
The Hitchcock end credits were all complete in this collection. SOME of the episodes with Hitchcock's remarks that were not, because you could tell that they were abruptly cut off to start the show.

I noticed that one of them actually included something we haven't seen in syndicated reruns in one of the earliest episodes: the Bristol-Meyers sponsor logo at the end of the opening theme!
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post #112 of 175
10/15/05 at 3:28am
I had the same problem with the Joseph Cotton episode. it would freeze up at a certain point in all my DVD players and the computer. I returned it to Amazon and they shipped me a new one within 2 days. I hope this set is ok. I'd rather pay a little extra for single DVD's because the problems are happening alot more often.
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post #113 of 175
10/15/05 at 4:34am
I also experienced freezeups with the Joseph Cotton episode.
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post #114 of 175
10/15/05 at 1:00pm
Disc 2 side 2 freezes up on the "There was an Old Woman" episode.
Having had similar problems recently on both discs in the Hammer set, I cannot believe that Universal cannot sit up very soon and take note. With so many faulty discs being returned somebody somewhere must be asking why. Surely?
I have tried the disc on both a Pioneer and a Panasonic.
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post #115 of 175
10/15/05 at 10:09pm
Well, Nick....I have a Panasonic DVD recorder that I've been using for 3 years and all 39 of these Hitchcocks discs play without a "hitch" (pardon the pun).

Although I have to admit that some of these old shows from the mid 1950s are so badly dated in terms of bad acting & dialog, that I had to fast-forward scan through them -- just checking to see that the copies are pristine, which they all are.
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post #116 of 175
10/15/05 at 10:15pm
I'm really glad I held off on buying this release. Universal is the only studio that I continually try not to buy from because of these type issues. I just can't believe they really do release discs this poor. Year after year I vote them the worst studio for just these reasons. And I really wanted this to be a good release too.
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post #117 of 175
10/15/05 at 10:25pm
Those of you who are boycotting because you MIGHT get a defective copy (which, by the way, you can exchange for a good one) are really missing out. The episodes look pretty good considering the vintage and apparent lack of restoration. And Christ, it's Hitchcock!

And also... it's cheap. $25.99 at CostCo.
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post #118 of 175
10/16/05 at 1:05am
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The episodes look pretty good considering the vintage and apparent lack of restoration. And Christ, it's Hitchcock!

I agree completely.

There's not a thing wrong with this AHP Season 1 set. It's very good, IMO.

The handful of episodes I've watched thus far have looked very nice for a 50-year-old program. "Breakdown" has some major "vertical line" and dirt blemishes in portions (mainly the titles and prologue which look fairly bad), but even that episode clears up nicely for the bulk of the story. Great ep. too.

Other eps. I've watched are even better in overall PQ. The sound is a bit harsh, esp. the opening music. But that's not a big deal, IMO.

These shows are terrific. I highly recommend this set.

Classy packaging too.

I haven't experienced a single "freeze up" on the DVDs either (as yet).
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post #119 of 175
10/16/05 at 3:07am
Jonathan....

I totally agree with you re. the "spoilers" on the DVD Menus. Not a good idea.

But at least the Menu cursor defaults to "Play" -- so you can merely turn your head for a second and click "Enter" or "Play" and get the darn spoiler off the screen fast.

Another AHP-1 debit -- No Chapter Stops. Which is not a good thing, IMO. (But, then too, not worthy of slashing the wrists over either.)

BTW -- I just took a look at "The Case Of Mr. Pelham", my fave ep. from S.1 -- it looks simply beautiful here. A fabulous transfer. Great epilogue too. Of course, the second part of the epilogue is cut out.
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post #120 of 175
10/16/05 at 4:17am
Just to clarify- I think this series is great. I have hardly seen many of the titles before. Great cast, good stories and Hitchcock.
However, this is now the 3rd Universal DVD I have bought where the picture freezes. The others being Lugosi, Hammer (twice) and Hitchcock. Fortunately the Lugosi set froze over the new Universal logo at the start of the film and so I could skip it and it played fine. I had to return Hammer and have now got all 8 films that play (having had to watch most of them twice in a month!!!!!!!) and now I have to return Hitchcock. Something somewhere must be wrong. Yes I am sure there are people out there with sets which play fine throughout ( one person mentioned he had seen a few episodes and they played fine-great, but might I suggest you watch the lot - all 17 hours first- and then see if you are one of the lucky ones who has a blemish-free set?), but all I wish is that I could lay my hands on such an error free copy first time, to avoid having to watch the material all over again.
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