- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,417
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
This is a huge boxed set.
Where do I begin?
Possibly by giving you the bottom line.
Those who already own most or all of the Universal Hitchcock films on DVD, and aren't terribly interested in qualitative increases in the look of the discs, and don't have high end gear to show off image quality, are not going to be gaining anything extraordinary.
For those who have only a handful or none of the discs, or simply want a higher quality copy of certain films, The Masterpiece Collection is the deal of the decade.
Checking online prices, the cost per disc is less than $6 a film.
Back in the days of 16mm prints, one could easily have spent almost $20,000 to own copies of all of these films, if one could find them. This is part of the miracle of DVD.
THE DETAILS
As has been reported, Psycho and "Vertigo" are now anamorphic widescreen, although I'm not certain if they are new transfers or adapted from earlier digital masters.
Psycho has a cleaner look to it overall, although still dupey in some sequences, possibly source related; "Vertigo" overall looks as good or better than the previous release.
With one small caveat.
Whoever was handling color erred in the main title sequence, which should be virtually colorless until the image moves in on the eye. It is now simply wrong. The title sequence in general looks better, and is brighter than the previous DVD which was too dark. It had been ported over from the laser disc. The rest of the disc is fine.
Back when the original DVD was being prepared, it was requested that the "original" monaual tracks be included. The studio position at that time was very simple. Buyers of those little CD-like discs were not going to be given anything more than the purchasers of laserdiscs. So be it.
You'll note that I use the term "original" tracks in quotes. There's a reason for this. The original tracks do not exist. What one hears today is mono audio derived from a used 35mm optical print - several generations away from any semblence to the quality of the magnetic originals.
Rear Window is sharper, with an apparent new transfer. This exacerbates the grain problem which is part and parcel of any 5247 Eastman Color production. The grain on the new DVD is normal and accurate.
The Birds has a cleaner look than the previous release.
The Trouble with Harry is a fine looking transfer, which has a cleaner and more accuragte look to it.
Saboteur is a major improvement over the older rendition.
Shadow of a Doubt, one of the great Hitchcock films, has a cleaner look.
Topaz looks cleaner with better shadow detail, and more accurate color.
Frenzy appears cleaner, with better color fidelity.
Rope seems to be a carry over. The same appears to be the case with Marnie and Family Plot.
The only really bad news here is that The Man Who Knew Too Much is probably only suitable as a coaster. Simply impermissible.
Two fine feature length documentaries, carried over from the earlier discs now find their way to disc 16. Quality work from Laurent Bouzerou, previous to his "talking head" period.
A television interview of Mr. Hitchcock conducted by Pia Lindstrom is a nice extra. However, anyone purchasing the boxed set to get the Hitchcock AFI tribute should be warned. The only thing here are about fifteen minutes of excerpts. This is not the broadcast.
In short only a few of the films appear to be carry overs, with improvements to be found in most of the other titles - some major.
At approximately $83 for the collection, which is beautifully packaged, as long as one doesn't mind extracting discs from beneath others, the new Masterpiece Collection is a solid buy of some of the greatest films ever created.
Universal is virtually giving this away, and it is certain to be one of the major Holiday gift items of the 2005 season.
Overall, from a personal perspective, as I love these films, I'm extremely impressed and pleased.
As an addendum, and after an extended re-evaluation of the discs on a higher end system, and on a large screen yesterday evening, Torn Curtain also has been upgraded.
RAH
Where do I begin?
Possibly by giving you the bottom line.
Those who already own most or all of the Universal Hitchcock films on DVD, and aren't terribly interested in qualitative increases in the look of the discs, and don't have high end gear to show off image quality, are not going to be gaining anything extraordinary.
For those who have only a handful or none of the discs, or simply want a higher quality copy of certain films, The Masterpiece Collection is the deal of the decade.
Checking online prices, the cost per disc is less than $6 a film.
Back in the days of 16mm prints, one could easily have spent almost $20,000 to own copies of all of these films, if one could find them. This is part of the miracle of DVD.
THE DETAILS
As has been reported, Psycho and "Vertigo" are now anamorphic widescreen, although I'm not certain if they are new transfers or adapted from earlier digital masters.
Psycho has a cleaner look to it overall, although still dupey in some sequences, possibly source related; "Vertigo" overall looks as good or better than the previous release.
With one small caveat.
Whoever was handling color erred in the main title sequence, which should be virtually colorless until the image moves in on the eye. It is now simply wrong. The title sequence in general looks better, and is brighter than the previous DVD which was too dark. It had been ported over from the laser disc. The rest of the disc is fine.
Back when the original DVD was being prepared, it was requested that the "original" monaual tracks be included. The studio position at that time was very simple. Buyers of those little CD-like discs were not going to be given anything more than the purchasers of laserdiscs. So be it.
You'll note that I use the term "original" tracks in quotes. There's a reason for this. The original tracks do not exist. What one hears today is mono audio derived from a used 35mm optical print - several generations away from any semblence to the quality of the magnetic originals.
Rear Window is sharper, with an apparent new transfer. This exacerbates the grain problem which is part and parcel of any 5247 Eastman Color production. The grain on the new DVD is normal and accurate.
The Birds has a cleaner look than the previous release.
The Trouble with Harry is a fine looking transfer, which has a cleaner and more accuragte look to it.
Saboteur is a major improvement over the older rendition.
Shadow of a Doubt, one of the great Hitchcock films, has a cleaner look.
Topaz looks cleaner with better shadow detail, and more accurate color.
Frenzy appears cleaner, with better color fidelity.
Rope seems to be a carry over. The same appears to be the case with Marnie and Family Plot.
The only really bad news here is that The Man Who Knew Too Much is probably only suitable as a coaster. Simply impermissible.
Two fine feature length documentaries, carried over from the earlier discs now find their way to disc 16. Quality work from Laurent Bouzerou, previous to his "talking head" period.
A television interview of Mr. Hitchcock conducted by Pia Lindstrom is a nice extra. However, anyone purchasing the boxed set to get the Hitchcock AFI tribute should be warned. The only thing here are about fifteen minutes of excerpts. This is not the broadcast.
In short only a few of the films appear to be carry overs, with improvements to be found in most of the other titles - some major.
At approximately $83 for the collection, which is beautifully packaged, as long as one doesn't mind extracting discs from beneath others, the new Masterpiece Collection is a solid buy of some of the greatest films ever created.
Universal is virtually giving this away, and it is certain to be one of the major Holiday gift items of the 2005 season.
Overall, from a personal perspective, as I love these films, I'm extremely impressed and pleased.
As an addendum, and after an extended re-evaluation of the discs on a higher end system, and on a large screen yesterday evening, Torn Curtain also has been upgraded.
RAH
