USHE Announcement: Psycho (Blu-ray)

I'm officially stoked.

Should we worry about the PQ for this after Universal's latest debacle w/ Elizabeth, et al?  

_Man_

YES, time to worry

"COLOR"?

makes one wonder if somone who doesnt know the difference will put in the shot for shot remake,

Will the aspect ratio be 1.85 or 1.66?

Probably 1.78:1, as this was shot open matte and will likely be transferred to fit the full 16:9 frame. I've done some hunting around the web to confirm/deny that this was designed to be projected 1.66:1, but nothing definitive has come out. It's also entirely possible that this was shot with a 1.75:1 ratio in mind, as that ratio was popular among European filmmakers and some American studios (Disney, for example).

1.85 is the appropriate ratio for PSYCHO, and that's coming from paperwork that was filed with Pathe Labs when the film was being processed.

Thanks for you input, Stephen_J_H.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Theakston 

1.85 is the appropriate ratio for PSYCHO, and that's coming from paperwork that was filed with Pathe Labs when the film was being processed.

Thanks for setting that issue straight, Jack. I was hoping you'd chime in.

I've kept a full-screen VHS because I find the additional top and bottom information interesting at key points of the film. A shadow is added to the lower part of the frame during the shower murder. There is no question that the widescreen version is right and better, although sometimes it seems a little tight.

Still an awesome achievement, any way you look at this film.

That's a hard matte that was added after the film was shot so that no knucklehead projectionist could rack (pardon the pun) down the framing to see Ms. Leigh's bosom.  It mattes to nearly 1.85-1, again showing that there is really no other possible ratio to run the film in.

I don't dispute 1.85 as the proper ratio.

I point out, however, that while Hitchcock composed for 1:85 he also kept his framing TV safe which means he fills the 4:3 area with additional top and bottom information that serves the story. For example, more stuffed / pictured birds in background during Janet Leigh's discussion with Anthony Perkins. There are several other examples but I haven't watched it in a while so it's not fresh in my mind. The full-frame is not the composition Hitchcock preferred, but it's not an illegitimate variation, either. I saw that repeatedly for 25 years before the widescreen version became available.

As for your pun about Janet Leigh's bosom ... let's not be prudes. Nudity is often used to show the vulnerability and threatened mortality of a person. I believe Hitchcock would have allowed nudity if the morality of 1960 had permitted it. In fact, if WindowsVista did not prevent me from posting screen captures, I would prove to you that there is breast nudity in the shower murder anyhow, out-of-focus behind the hand clutching the curtain. Given that the hard matte was not present during shooting and was added in post, removing it now would probably free the director's intent after all these years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Man-Fai Wong 

Should we worry about the PQ for this after Universal's latest debacle w/ Elizabeth, et al?  

 

_Man_

 

I think this will be fine.  If this is a full restoration it should look quite good. 

Even if Psycho had been framed for 1.66:1, there would have been virtually no theaters in the U.S. capable of showing it that way. It would have been projected at 1.85:1.

The out of focus breast WAS in fact an issue with the MPAA. They demanded that Hitchcock remove that shot from the film. Some weeks later he re-submitted the film with out making a single change, and got it approved for release. I  guess they blinked and missed the shot on the second viewing.

By the way if you removed the hard matte on the shot of Janet Leigh, you would not see her breasts, but rather a muslin body suit that had been attached to her with spirit gum. The out of focus nude breast is actually that of her double.

Doug