Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection: 9/7! (2 Viewers)

[PaulP]

Did a search but doesn't look like this was posted or discussed. From the Bits:



Looks like a must-have, especially since I don't have any of the titles.

 

[Eric Peterson]

Great news! I'm a little disappointed that they decided to include the long available disc of "North By Northwest". It looks like I'm off to Ebay with it as well as my original "Strangers on a Train". I'm going to wait and make sure that both cuts are going to be on the new DVD first though.

 

[Bryan Ri]

This is great news; Dial M for Murder is one of my favorite Hitchcock films. I'm also glad I was able to hold out on Strangers on the Train . Sign me up for this one, any cover art yet?

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Great news, I'm especially looking forward to Strangers On A Train and Dial M For Murder!

 

[PaulP]

Strangers on the Train will contain both versions, according to Video Business (as posted on criterionforum.org):

 

[PaulP]

I wonder, how does one go about amassing a definitive (as possible) collection of Hitchcock? I currently only have the available Criterions (Spellbound, Notorious, Rebecca - with The 39 Steps ordered, and skipping The Lady Vanishes, since as I undertsand the disc is not that great and may be revisited). I'll obviously pick this boxset up once it's out, but what other titles would be safe to pick up. I still haven't gotten Psycho and Vertigo, as criminal as it sounds, because while they're great discs, they're non-anamorphic. Hopefully Universal sees fit to re-release them soon...

 

[Haggai]

PaulP, don't tell me you don't have Rear Window!

This upcoming collection, with all these new titles, was already discussed in a few other threads, but it's great to see the official announcement with the release date, so thanks for posting it.

I hope any Hitch fans who have never seen Foreign Correspondent will take this chance to seek it out. It's a fantastic thrill-ride, very much in the 39 Steps/North By Northwest style of Hitch chase movies. It's not on the level of those other two, thanks in part to a few bizarre and gaping plot holes, but it's tremendously entertaining.

 

[DouglasBr]

Yes, Foreign Correspondent is a good show, and so are I Confess and Stage Fright. These have been movie night staples in our family for many moons now, and I'll be glad to retire the VHS copies that have borne the brunt of it.

September is going to be serious work on my wallet, with the Hitchcock and David Lean collections.

What wrong with Criterion's Lady Vanishes?

 

[Mark-W]

Haggai-

I was just thinking the same thing:
a "definitive" Hitchock set for any fan would
have to include Rear Window, which is a glory
to behold on the DVD.

 

[PaulP]

I think I read something about how Criterion might go back and re-release The Lady Vanishes. Or I could be imagining things. Yes, I don't have Rear Window, shamefully, but I will be definitely picking it up soon. What other Hitchcock titles have good releases? I was just so shocked to find out that neither Psycho nor Vertigo were anamorphic that I kinda gave up on Unversal.

Edit: You can see here (http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/ladyvanishes4.htm) that the Criterion transfer isn't all that great, so perhaps we could look forward to a re-release by them, much like the earlier Beauty and the Beast and 400 Blows discs.

 

[Adam_ME]

That 2-disc Strangers on a Train looks really tempting. I have the original DVD, but this is my favorite Hitchcock film.

Any word on whether or not Dial M For Murder will be in 3-D? Wasn't it originally screened that way theatrically?

 

[Bryan Ri]

Paul,

The Birds also is a pretty solid disc, in addition to Psycho and Rear Window of course

 

[Patrick McCart]

Argh... Warner is clearing out my savings! This set looks fantastic, though. I'm pleased to hear that the 2-disc Strangers is included... I thought it wouldn't come out until next year. Well, looks like it's time for my North By Northwest DVD to be sold...


Warner has already stated that they don't do 3-D because of the lack of watchable quality from the current systems.

 

[John Alderson]

Oh what to do... I own 38 Hitch titles, looks like it'll now be 45. The tough part is deciding if I should buy them all at once or one at a time

Awesome.

 

[Derek_McL]

Yes this is great. Looks like another winner from Warner. I think this will pretty much leave Fox's Lifeboat as the only Hitchcock major studio feature unavailable unless you count the early lost ones right enough ! Not all these films have the master at the top of his form but he's always worth watching. I'm most looking forward to seeing Dial M for Murder and The Wrong Man on DVD for the first time : two films which I think have been under-rated.

 

[Craig Sherman]

To say nothing of the Original Man Who Knew Too Much, with Peter Lorre.

Eh, maybe Uni will do an "Ultimate Edition" of the Jimmy Stewart version, and like Meet Joe Black, The Truth about Charlie, and Scarface, they'll include the original version as a bonus disc.

But probably not.

END TRANSMISSION

CS

 

[george kaplan]

This is excellent news, although I'm a bit confused about Strangers on a Train.

I'll definitely be getting Dial M for Murder, Suspicion, Foreign Correspondent, Stage Fright and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

The current Strangers on a Train has 2 versions - the original U.S. cut and the original British cut. What the hell is the "edition uncovered in 1991 and released theatrically in 1996"?

I agree that this makes Lifeboat the only serious hole left in the Hitchcock canon on dvd, although there would certainly be a place for better versions of earlier films like Man Who Knew too Much, Sabotage, Secret Agent, and Blackmail.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Actually, a new edition of The Man Who Knew Too Much may not be out of the question. I think Universal is working with Cinesite to create a new total digital restoration of the film. They're also doing To Kill A Mockingbird this way.

 

[Haggai]

Patrick, which Man Who Knew Too Much are you talking about, '56 or '34? I would assume you're referring to the later version. Probably not much of a market for a major restoration of the original.

 

[Tim_C]

Great news, even though I do already own North by Northwest. I haven't been able to find Strangers on a Train, so it's great to see they're going to re-release it.

I still haven't seen Foreign Correspondent, Dial M for Murder, I Confess, or Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

I'm pretty sure I'll get the box set, unless for some reason funds are really short in September.

So many great box sets coming from Warner...