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Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

post #1 of 256
7/2/08 at 8:09am
Thread Starter 
Sounds like a nice release from MGM/Fox. The box set includes new restorations of eight Hitchcock titles, some of which are OOP or unavailable in R1, with a healthy dose of extras:

- The Lodger (1927)
- Sabotage (1936)
- Young and Innocent (1937)
- Rebecca (1940)
- Lifeboat (1944)
- Spellbound (1945)
- Notorious (1946)
- The Paradine Case (1947)

Artwork and full specs:
Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection (US - DVD R1) in News > Releases at DVDActive
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post #2 of 256
7/2/08 at 8:24am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Someone has their versions mixed up in the synopsis of The Lodger, but the specs look good enough.
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post #3 of 256
7/2/08 at 8:32am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Time to make some quick eBay cash on my Criterion Notorious and Rebecca. Not all the extras are being ported over, but those two alone should pay for this entire box.
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post #4 of 256
7/2/08 at 10:17am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

The one thing that bugged me about the Warners and Universal sets was the dearth of commentaries -- IIRC, only 3 out of 23 films total had one. The documentaries were nice, but classics like Rear Window, Psycho, and The Birds really deserve a scene by scene analysis. It's good to see all the films in the Fox set -- even The Paradine Case -- will have at least one commentary.

And since I own the Criterion Notorious, I'll have four separate commentaries on that one film!
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post #5 of 256
7/2/08 at 10:22am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

On one hand, I'm extremely excited to see this set coming, but I can't commit to it until I see some details. I already own all of the Criterion editions as well as Lifeboat. From a first glance, it appears that there are several major extras that are not contained on the new editions, plus the commentaries are different and not necesarily by better commentators.

I might be willing to part with my CC Notorious since it's one of my least favorite Hitchcock's, but I love Rebecca and Spelbound and I would need to keep both editions in order to have all of the extras.

Does anybody know if this will be a box with individual cases or one of the dreaded fold-out sets? If they're individuals, I might go for it and sell of whichever duplicates I don't care for.
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post #6 of 256
7/2/08 at 11:31am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

BTW; $120? Anyone else think that's just a little steep, even for such a well-stocked set?

If you're in any way a fan, surely this is going to involve most folk double-dipping and, well, it's $120...? The soon to be released Tyrone Power 2 set has 10 films at an srp of $49.98, which is excellent value; this just seems a little top heavy.
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post #7 of 256
7/2/08 at 11:33am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Seems almost all different extras here. Even if you have the Criterions, I think it's worth getting the box as well. I know I am!
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post #8 of 256
7/2/08 at 12:02pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

BTW; $120? Anyone else think that's just a little steep, even for such a well-stocked set?


CRIKEY! I didn't notice that price on my first viewing. That is quite steep, although I would expect the street pricing to be closer to $80 when all is said and done. I'll sell off my copy of Lifeboat which will bring it down another notch, but that still makes $70+ for a bunch of double-dips and a couple of lesser Hitchcock films. I may have to wait for these to be individually released, unless the documentaries and commentaries prove to be phenomonal and on par with the Criterion editions.
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post #9 of 256
7/2/08 at 12:15pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

The price is a little steep compared to the Universal and WHV sets. Packaging looks thin as if more than one film were on a disc. But I welcome this release.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Teller
Time to make some quick eBay cash on my Criterion Notorious and Rebecca. Not all the extras are being ported over, but those two alone should pay for this entire box.
You've got a buyer for Criterion's REBECCA right here and now. If you want to sell it today PM me.
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post #10 of 256
7/2/08 at 12:21pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Peterson
BTW; $120? Anyone else think that's just a little steep, even for such a well-stocked set?


CRIKEY! I didn't notice that price on my first viewing. That is quite steep, although I would expect the street pricing to be closer to $80 when all is said and done. I'll sell off my copy of Lifeboat which will bring it down another notch, but that still makes $70+ for a bunch of double-dips and a couple of lesser Hitchcock films. I may have to wait for these to be individually released, unless the documentaries and commentaries prove to be phenomonal and on par with the Criterion editions.

Either it's a screw up in the press release or Fox/MGM is testing us; I failed the first test - and was happy to do so with the 'Ford at Fox' box - but while I'm sure we all welcome this release, it's possibly the thin end of a very expensive wedge, and I already own four excellent editions of the films contained therein.
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post #11 of 256
7/2/08 at 12:22pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

I need a copy of The Lodger and The Paradine Case. I'd like better copies of Sabotage and Young and Innocent. But I'm not sure I'm willing to spend $120 for the rest of the movies since I already have the Criterion set and Lifeboat. If these were Blu-ray or if the set was considerably cheaper it wouldn't be an issue. But I'm only missing two of them from my collection.
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post #12 of 256
7/2/08 at 12:23pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

SABOTAGE at last??? YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, happily, I own none of the others on DVD as of yet. This set WILL be mine, and I'm sure I can find it quite a chunk cheaper than $120.00.
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post #13 of 256
7/2/08 at 12:47pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

My copies of Criterion's SPELLBOUND, REBECCA, and NOTORIOUS just went up on eBay. This sounds like a fantastic set!
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post #14 of 256
7/2/08 at 12:54pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig Beam
My copies of Criterion's SPELLBOUND, REBECCA, and NOTORIOUS just went up on eBay. This sounds like a fantastic set!

Just pray it's not cancelled or postponed (again) Craig...
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post #15 of 256
7/2/08 at 1:08pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Well I own the R2 PAL German Concorde set with excellent copies of Sabotage and Young and Innocent, as well as a decent print of The Lodger. I also own the Fox Lifeboat and all the Criterion Hitchcocks. In short, I don't really need this set--but I'll probably still get it. Whether I do get it or not, I'm glad to see all of these movies being made more readily available in R1.
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post #16 of 256
7/2/08 at 1:29pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Finally!! This set was supposed to come out 2 years ago.
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post #17 of 256
7/2/08 at 2:20pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig Beam
My copies of Criterion's SPELLBOUND, REBECCA, and NOTORIOUS just went up on eBay. This sounds like a fantastic set!
Sight unseen and not even reviewed? Now that's what I call optimism!
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post #18 of 256
7/2/08 at 3:48pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Wow, this is an expensive double-dip for me... but I'll surely take the plunge as these are some of my favorite films!

I already own all Criterion Hitchcocks and Lifeboat as well. I wonder if that will be a straight port of the existing disc. I just hope these are packaged individually so that we can pick the set apart and part with whatever is not needed.
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post #19 of 256
7/2/08 at 4:23pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

That 's a must buy for me!!!!!
FINALLY!!!!!!!
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post #20 of 256
7/2/08 at 4:30pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

I would hold off getting rid of those Criterions. All the extras are different between MGM and Criterion, including the commentaries.
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post #21 of 256
7/2/08 at 4:36pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

great news indeed.

Is it premature to sell your Criterions
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post #22 of 256
7/2/08 at 4:49pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

It's about FREAKIN' TIME!!

The one I'm most excited about here is Young and Innocent. And it will be nice to have copies of The Lodger & Sabotage.

I hate having to buy my Criterion movies & Lifeboat & Paradine Case over again.

Now we just need someone to release good R1 versions of 1934's The Man Who Knew Too Much, both versions of Blackmail and The Secret Agent...
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post #23 of 256
7/2/08 at 5:40pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

This is just a minor quibble...but it always bothers me when companies use box art that doesn't match the time-frame of the films included. This happens all the time in PD Hitchcock releases, but it would be nice if MGM had used a picture of Hitch that was actually taken before the late 1950s. Im tired of seeing all the Hitchcock box sets illustrated with pictures of Hitch taken in the 1960s when the films in the set are from the 1920s and 1930s. I know many will say thats how the public best remembers him, but no matter how old he was you can always tell its Hitch in the picture. Its just the obessive compulsive historian in me I guess....lol.
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post #24 of 256
7/2/08 at 5:53pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

can't wait!

I was getting really tired of trying to win those criterions on ebay!
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post #25 of 256
7/2/08 at 6:15pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

So once this set is placed on my shelf with the Warner, Universal and Lionsgate sets, only TO CATCH A THIEF and UNDER CAPRICORN will be left standing on their own (outside of boxed sets, that is). Hmmm.....

And yeah, call me an optimist, but newly restored prints of the Criterion Three should look at least as good. If I'm wrong... well, that's way the cookie crumbles.
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post #26 of 256
7/2/08 at 6:16pm

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

I guess I can say this now. When I lived in LA, I temped at MGM in their records management/special projects department. I remember overhearing someone in the elevator mentioning work on a Hitchcock DVD set. That was the last I heard of it but seeing this release news conjured up the memory.
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post #27 of 256
7/3/08 at 3:23am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

For all those who are unhappy about the price, what do you think would be fair?

If it RETAILS for $119, it should be available for aroung $80. Not to mention that since it's being released on 10-14, that's just in time for a certain site's 20% off November sale, where I bet the sale price will be around $65. That's ~ $8 apiece for a bunch of classic and OOP Hitchcocks, loaded with extras!
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post #28 of 256
7/3/08 at 5:54am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

Well, I checked the opening link and was shocked at the factual errors Sony/MGM/Fox made in the publicity blurbs:

Giving Mrs. Paradine the wrong first name,

listing the 1944 remake of The Lodger instead of Hitchock's silent version,

and worst yet, they gave away the true identity of Gregory Peck's character in Spellbound!!! Somewhere Hitch is turning in his grave......
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post #29 of 256
7/3/08 at 6:12am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

I've been waiting a long time for Young & Innocent to be available, but I already own the rest of those, so I'll probably wait and hope it's available separately at some point.
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post #30 of 256
7/3/08 at 7:06am

Re: Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection - Oct 14, 2008

I own all of these but I'd gladly replace my cheap PD/bootleg versions of The Lodger, Young And Innocent and Sabotage and Anchor Bay's version of The Paradine Case. However, I'm not going to spend $80 for just those movies when I own the other half of the set so I'll just hope that they are eventually released separately.
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