- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
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- Real Name
- Robert Harris
"Make way for Pengallan!"
Many cinephiles have a tendency to dismiss Jamaica Inn as a failure, or as non-Hitchcockian Hitchcock.
While the great Alfred Hitchcock's final British production until Stage Fright in 1950, and Frenzy in 1972 (yes, I'm aware that parts of The Man Who Knew Too Much II and Under Capricorn were shot in the UK) is decidedly B minus level as part of his canon, to my mind, it is not to be missed.
I was first able to view Jamaica Inn c. 1970 in a 16mm print taken from a 35 release. The audio, which had not been re-recorded was heavy on the bass, generally filled with wow, and difficult to understand.
Viewing the Cohen Blu-ray edition these many years later, turns out to be a multiple pleasure.
Initially for its quality, which is a superb image harvest from 35mm elements -- the work was performed in league with the BFI -- but also, for the quality of the film, which while not prime Hitchcock, is filled with wonderful moments and characters with depth. Charles Laughton is wonderful.
The imagery is superb. And while I'm not certain of the generation, it isn't too far away from original, as resolution, blacks and shadow detail are terrific. Grain structure may or may not be original, but it hardly matters, as the final image works beautifully even in projection on a large screen.
As importantly, the image is stable.
The audio, is likewise of high quality. Hearing the score, along with all of the dialogue for the first time left me smiling.
Seeing Miss O'Hara for the first time in Jamaica Inn, in BCU, leaves no doubt that even at this early stage of her career (her first billing as Maureen O'Hara, and not FitzSimons) a star was being born.
Jamaica Inn is a film that demands to be viewed by anyone interested in the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock. It serves as a final (albeit odd) final nod to British cinema, before he moved on to his contract with David Selznick, and another film based upon a novel by Daphne Du Maurier
Rebecca, would win the Academy Award as the Best Picture of 1940, making for one of the most auspicious geographic moves by a filmmaker ever in motion picture history.
Currently available with a street price of $23, Jamaica Inn is well worth the price admission, and belongs in any serious cinema library.
The release comes with a worthwhile commentary, and a less worthwhile booklet giving the new owner basic cast, crew and a few stills. As Cohen Film Collection is taking things seriously, I'd love to see them follow through in the future with something more in line with the Twilight Time monographs by Julie Kirgo. Their releases deserve it.
A very high quality release from Cohen.
Image - 4.5
Audio - 4.5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Highly Recommended
RAH