USHE Press Release: ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE MASTERPIECE COLLECTION (1 Viewer)

[Member 323668]

Nobody seems to have the Hitch box yet? I can't wait to hear if Universal used new improved telecines for the DVDs. My Hitchcock box is on it's way for delivery, expected to arrive on Monday. As soon as I checked the transfers on Monday I will post all the details. But I still hope to hear some good news durung the week-end.

Sep 24, 2005 12:48 AM
Arrived at FedEx location FRANKFURT 12:48 AM

Sep 23, 2005 2:46 AM
Departed FedEx location NEWARK, NJ 12:43 AM

Estimated delivery
Sep 26, 2005

 

[Chris Cheese]

I'm very eagerly awaiting the day when sets start being delivered as well. Hoping to hear good news about this set which I've already ordered.

 

[John Hodson]

Over at The DVD Forums, one chap has posted his first impressions here; good news, and not so good news...

 

[Member 323668]

....sounds very disappointing so far... Universal seems to have used the old telecines - recycled with digital enhancment. (they dare to call this "digitally remastered") What we really want is them to take the original negatives and do a "state-of-the-art" high definition telecine, color correction and professional encoding. But that's just Universal - what else could we expect?? There probably will be another three or four "Hitchcock Ultimate Collections" until we see the quality everybody should expect from a "major" studio. I will give you detailed reviews when I get the Collection tomorrow....

 

[Patrick McCart]

Well, looks like the set isn't going to be a let-down...

Vertigo mono track - confirmed

16x9 Vertigo - confirmed (Brighter and "Still muddy color" seems to mean the color timing was kept, but not the contrast)

16x9 Psycho - confirmed (critique says it's too grainy, but the original DVD was too smoothed over)

Improved "The Man Who Knew Too Much" with Paramount/VistaVision logos - confirmed


And he mentions that most of the other films look cleaner, sharper, and more vivid. He also seems to expect Lowry Digital Images (or I guess DTS Digital Images now) quality... which is probably an indicator that the films look fine. The Man Who Knew Too Much is said to be "softer" yet the old DVD isn't very sharp.

 

[Arnie G]

I'll wait for a second opinion

 

[Deepak Shenoy]

Everything I have heard so far sounds positive. I am most curious about the two B&W films in the collection - especially Shadow of a Doubt. This film apparently went through a restoration after the original DVD came out and I wonder if Universal did a new transfer from the restored version.

The original Vertigo and Psycho DVDs have excellent non-enhanced transfers that hold up very well projected on to a large screen. This can only get better with the 16x9 transfers.

Any further details about the packaging ? Is each disc in an individual slimcase ? It would be awesome if they used the original poster art for each case.

-D

 

[Ruz-El]

I'll wait for a second opinion as well, also, a confirmation on what the R1 version is like.

 

[Dale MA]

Can someone post the negative things this guy said about the set? I'm not registered over there yet, so I can't see the page.

 

[Deepak Shenoy]

 

[Dale MA]

Thanks Deepak For some reason it's not letting me view the posts without registering.

 

[Arnie G]

Does anyone know for sure if these titles will be released individually?

 

[TravisR]

There very well maybe something wrong with the transfer on The Man Who Knew Too Much but I find it hard to trust someone who says 'something' is wrong but he 'can't put [his] finger on it.' Call me crazy but I'd like to hear something more specific before getting worked up.

Like every release, someone is gonna have a problem with it anyway. Especially when you're the 'first' person to have the set, you have to find something to say is wrong with it. And like I said, there may be problems but I want to hear other opinions first.

 

[PaulaJ]

>Does anyone know for sure if these titles will be released individually?



I'd like to know this too. I saw the box listed at Dvdplanet but none of the individual titles. I was hoping to pick up Vertigo and Psycho separately.

 

[Patrick H.]

I would also be most interested in picking up some individual titles from the box, since it's looking as though the presentation IS much improved. Vertigo, Psycho, Rear Window, The Birds and Shadow of a Doubt, specifically. The others I've seen once and don't really need to see again. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

 

[Deepak Shenoy]

If you are interested in at least 5-6 of the titles you might as well get the whole box. Even if the titles were available for individual sale you would end up paying almost as much as you would pay now for the whole box ($84 or less).

-D

 

[Joe Caps]

Another good piece of news is a new transfer for Marnie. the old dvd had color that was way off and very bad noise gated sound. I wonder if the sound is better too.
It will be w2orth it jkust for Vertigo with the original mono track.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Never a truer word spoken!

 

[Jing_B]

Yeah, if they WERE indeed newly remastered transfers, then I would certainly pick it up. I just need the information of whether or not these are indeed NEWLY REMASTERED TRANSFERS!!! All I want from this set are Anamorphic Versions of Psycho and Vertigo (favorite Hitchcock film), The Birds, Rear Window and Shadow of a Doubt. The others I don't really care. But if this is going to be one hell of a nifty package then I guess picking them all up won't matter too much. (I just have to sell my old DVD versions of Psycho, Vertigo and Rear Window).

 

[Craig Beam]

On a less important note, it appears that each film does NOT have its own case... rather, the set features multiple 4-disc cases. Gotta say, I'm kinda disappointed. I was hoping for the original poster art on each.

...but I suppose in the grand scheme of things, this isn't anything resembling a dealbreaker. Anamorphic Vertigo with the original mono track? That's all I need to hear. I can put together my own covers.