A Few Words About A few words about...™ Rear Window -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Nelson Au]

The past 7 or 8 weeks of big releases have been a gold mine of deals at Costco. Indiana Jones, ET, Promethius 3D/2D, Avengers 3D/2/D, Cinderella, Titanic 3D/2D, The Hunger Games 3D/2D, Classic Monsters, James Bond 50th Anniversary set and The Masterpiece Hitchcock set.

 

[Cineman]

Like Craig Beam, I was kicking myself for ordering it online for a higher price than Costco. Got it from eBay on Oct. 30 for $215.21 including shipping, no tax. So I started doing the usual justification calculations; re-upping my Costco membership, which I had allowed to lapse because of, as JoshZ noted, declining Blu-ray selection, the cost of gas to travel around the horn on release day just to make sure I'd gotten the best deal, and so on. It was kind of a wash. Then I went right back to kicking myself late last night when I saw one vendor on eBay offering a "Buy It Now" price of $149.99, Brand New, including shipping! Even the vendor I bought it from was offering it for $182.94 last night. And I haven't even received the set yet.
So I shot off a polite email to my vendor last night, mentioning that PayPal provides for a return of unopened items, to see if they would price match their competitor price to save us both the return hassle. Lo and behold, they just responded to my request with an offer to match their own lower price instead of that $149.99 competitor (which I assumed would be their fallback position). Big surprise, of course, is their Monday morning price is no longer as low as their Sunday night price. They are listing it on eBay today for $194.94, so that's the price they'll match unless I want to deal with the return shipping bit. Then again, that $149.99 vendor is no longer offering that as a "Buy It Now" price with shipping this morning. It is only at that price as a bid.
So I went back to the justification calculations and won't be kicking myself over this anymore. Done. I accepted my vendor's offer and will probably receive the set either today or tomorrow.
Don't know if Amazon is as interested in matching eBay deals as the vendors on eBay are interested in matching eBay deals, but it might be worth a try to send that email.

 

[Bleddyn Williams]

At our Costco, Hitchcock was stacked as a pile in the end of the books section that is next to the videos. To be honest, if you're not looking for it, it was really easy to not see it if you focus on the video section. No Universal Monsters to be seen, though.

 

[bugsy-pal]

I've had a quick flick through this disc. It's nice, the best I've ever seen it, but as mentioned by RAH, one could hope for or imagine something a bit better.
I'd like to know what's with the jazz music that has been inserted over the main menus - it's loud, intrusive and sounds nothing like the score. They could have gone for a more lo-fi track from the actual film - it would have fitted in much better.

 

[ShellOilJunior]

To my eye it's about a 3.5 or 4. I agree the dupes are quite apparent. Mostly in one of the scenes with Stewart and Kelly. The shots of Stewart look great but then the camera cuts to Kelly and the print looks a bit faded.
All in all, I think it's acceptable - just not a home run I was hoping for...

 

[Matt Hough]

I watched Rear WIndow last night and was very satisfied with it. The best I've ever seen? No, but really no complaints from me about it. I'll watch The Trouble with Harry tonight. (I'm working my way chronologically through the box.)

 

[David Weicker]

I watched The Trouble With Harry over the weekend. Wow. What a beautiful film

 

[bluirv]

Costco has lowered the price of the Hitchcock set down to $129.99--an even better price.
Keep in mind that this price is good only until Dec. 24.

 

[Reed Grele]

Costco has lowered the price of the Hitchcock set down to $129.99--an even better price.
Keep in mind that this price is good only until Dec. 24.

Amazon deal of the day: $119.99
Good things come to those who wait.

 

[Oblivion138]

I still prefer the UK set's packaging, and the price was right at $138. I already have North by Northwest, so I don't mind its omission. The only area where the US set is really better is in the inclusion of the mono track for Vertigo.

 

[Vertigo in SF]

Mr. Harris, I saw your restoration of this screened last night and was pretty amazed by how it held up. I watched the new BD a few weeks ago and the timing was different, brighter and warmer. Which color timing is more accurate to the original? I know you mentioned that some scenes now have banding issues in this new BD. (I realize that I asked a similar question in the Vertigo thread. I love both films and I want to see them in the most accurate way possible).

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Vertigo in SF
Mr. Harris, I saw your restoration of this screened last night and was pretty amazed by how it held up. I watched the new BD a few weeks ago and the timing was different, brighter and warmer. Which color timing is more accurate to the original? I know you mentioned that some scenes now have banding issues in this new BD.
(I realize that I asked a similar question in the Vertigo thread. I love both films and I want to see them in the most accurate way possible).

I have no way of answering your question. What did you see? Where did you see it? etc...
RAH

 

[Vertigo in SF]

Oh, sorry for my vagueness. I saw a 35mm print of what I believe is your restoration of Rear Window at the Stanford Theater last night. I noticed that the timing was a bit bluer and more subdued than the new Blu-Ray, which I viewed a few weeks prior. I also did a comparison with the 2008(?) DVD of Rear Window, and noticed that the film print I saw at Stanford was almost identical timing wise to it. My question was whether your restoration (as I saw in Stanford and on the 2008 DVD) or Universal's new digital restoration for the BD is more faithful color-wise to what was seen in 1954. Hope that clears up what I was asking.

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Vertigo in SF
Oh, sorry for my vagueness. I saw a 35mm print of what I believe is your restoration of Rear Window at the Stanford Theater last night. I noticed that the timing was a bit bluer and more subdued than the new Blu-Ray, which I viewed a few weeks prior. I also did a comparison with the 2008(?) DVD of Rear Window, and noticed that the film print I saw at Stanford was almost identical timing wise to it.
My question was whether your restoration (as I saw in Stanford and on the 2008 DVD) or Universal's new digital restoration for the BD is more faithful color-wise to what was seen in 1954.
Hope that clears up what I was asking.

I'm not attempting to be vague. If what you saw was one of the dye transfer prints we created, it would be as good as it gets.
Prints in 1954 were correct for the era, as they replicated what was on the early Eastman stock via direct positive printing. But prints varied, and none survive outside of full magenta.
The dye transfer prints are superb. One was run last night at GEH in Rochester. There's a long story here, mostly about the inconsistencies of the taking stock and how prints were made, but my fingers need rest.
RAH

 

[bryan4999]

I had the best time watching Rear Window on blu-ray this afternoon. I have a friend over (she is starting dinner as I post this) and she had never seen it before and was beside herself with suspense - so much so that I almost felt like I was watching it for the first time, as well. I am sure Hitch would have been pleased at her reaction. Projected at 100 inches, I was thrilled with the quality. Grace Kelly has never looked so lovely! Why did she have to marry that Prince? She should have kept on making movies. After dinner we are going to watch North By Northwest. I have created a new Hitchcock fan! In my opinion, this is what home theater is all about.

 

[Nelson Au]

Why not To Catch a Thief? Though North By Northwest is certainly an excellent choice!

 

[Paul D G]

Originally Posted by bryan4999
I had the best time watching Rear Window on blu-ray this afternoon. I have a friend over (she is starting dinner as I post this) and she had never seen it before and was beside herself with suspense - so much so that I almost felt like I was watching it for the first time, as well. I am sure Hitch would have been pleased at her reaction.

I had the same experience when I (literally) dragged my wife to see Rear Window at the theater after it was restored ten-some years ago. She only cares about chick flicks so to sit beside her all white knuckled and tense was almost more entertaining than watching the film (which is my favorite of Hitchcocks)

 

[EddieLarkin]

http://moviemorlocks.com/2015/03/21/fathoming-rear-window/

 

[Robert Crawford]

http://moviemorlocks.com/2015/03/21/fathoming-rear-window/

Yup, I'm going to see it at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow just for the experience of seeing this great film in a movie theater.

 

[TravisR]

Yup, I'm going to see it at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow just for the experience of seeing this great film in a movie theater.

I've already seen RW theatrically back in 1999 or 2000 (whenever the restoration was) and a couple of times at an art theater some time over the last decade but if I can get my friend to get her ass to the theater, I plan on going tomorrow too.