Criterion Hitchcock Box Set (1 Viewer)

[Dave Danek]

Anyone have a street or list price on this box???

 

[Lew Crippen]

I would have to disagree with Lew. Stolen Kisses, I feel, is one of the best romantic comedies ever made

Well Brook, Stolen Kisses is certainly very good and though I’m more affected by ‘Blows’ and think it the superior film, I’m open to reconsidering my ordering (I’ve not seen it for many years).

Of all of his work, though I’m most taken with Shoot the Piano Player. But that may well be because it was the first by him that I had ever seen.

With the new set, I’ll be able to catch up with some old friends. Perhaps I’ll decide that you are correct. Or maybe not. Either way it makes no difference.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Nuts, I think I already have two of the ones in the box set.

Anywho, I think I'll buy the Fox Lorber 400 Blows (it's only fifteen bucks) and see if I want the Criterion editions, much less the rest of the set. I don't have much luck with French films.

 

[Lew Crippen]

You may be disappointed with the Fox Lober version, Dome. It’s not anamorphic, and at least on my system, some of the subtitles are below the letterbox, meaning that on my 16:9 set, I can’t even expand the picture, as my French is limited to menus and wine labels.

I’ve heard good things about the R2 version, but I’ve never seen it.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I'm just calling it a very expensive rental.

 

[kevin_y]

I like that they are doing these box sets (Kurosawa, Truffaut) as I don't have too many Criterions. It's an easy (and cheaper) way for me to catch up.

I haven't seen any of these Hitchcock films yet. Same goes for the Truffaut films.

Someone want talk me into (or out of) buying them?

What other previous Criterion releases lend themselves well for box sets?

Shaun

Notorious, Rebecca, Spellbound, and The 39 Steps are high-quality releases. But The Lady Vanishes was one of Criterion's earliest releases and its quality may seem not up to today's standards. It has no subtitles or captioning, and I looked at it the other day and was surprised at how awful the video transfer was...

There are other Criterion box sets in which the included films are not sold separately: The Orphic Trilogy box set (3 films), The Carl Dreyer box set (4 films), The Eisenstein Sound Years box set (3 films).

 

[Brook K]

Certainly Lew. Also I'll qualify my statements by saying that a great deal of the appeal of Stolen Kisses is based on personality and the ongoing relationship with the characters.

There isn't necessarily anything overtly within the film story/plotwise (though it is often uproariously funny and makes great use of sight gags) that set's it apart in the way of say The Lady Eve, It Happened One Night, or even Eric Rohmer's Boyfriends And Girlfriends. It is the multiple light and tender moments between characters we know and love - the way JP touches Claude Jade's hand, the gleam in their eyes as they look at one another, the early and awkward moments of spontaneous affection, and the film's wonderful music that create's such an atmosphere of love and sincerity.

But I can also see how someone could see the film without this appreciation and regard it as "just another good movie". What I'm saying is just words on a screen unless you see the film and feel what I feel when I see it - a completely subjective thing. I hope that others do see these things in Stolen Kisses, but I certainly understand if they do not.

 

[Ted Todorov]

if I could get the box for all the discs, that would probably seal the deal for me.

Are any of you sure that there will be an actual box? From what I heard, the Criterion Kurosawa set was just the DVDs packaged together at a lower price -- not some physical "box". I can only presume that this will be treated the same way as the Kurosawa set.

If anyone knows differently, please correct me.

On the subject of the Truffaut box (which is indeed going to be a "box"), I have always tended to like Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board & Antoine and Colette better than The 400 Blows, so don't think of the other films as some sort of filler, they and the series as a whole are great.

Ted

 

[Simon_Lepine]

Actually, there is an actual box for the Kurosawa release:



For Truffaut, I think the 400 Blows is clearly the superior movie and the only one I would really want to buy...I like the others too but I probably wouldn't get Love on the Run were it not included in a box set, I'm not a huge fan of this one...

 

[Adam_S]

Amazon has the set up for preorder now.

Release date May 13
SRP - 124.95 (not bad considering all five are 39.95 SRP individually)

Adam

 

[Bob Movies]

Kevin_y said:

Notorious, Rebecca, Spellbound, and The 39 Steps are high-quality releases. But The Lady Vanishes was one of Criterion's earliest releases and its quality may seem not up to today's standards. It has no subtitles or captioning, and I looked at it the other day and was surprised at how awful the video transfer was...
---

With all due respect I have to disagree with this comment. I've seen many copies of the Lady Vanishes on video, and the other DVD version, and the criterion transfer blows everything else away. You can actually read "froy" on the window when she writes her name on the dust.

Though and early release, The Lady Vanishes is still a good disc. It's also one of Hitchcock's best British films, as someone mentioned earlier in this thread.

Bob

 

[Brian PB]

Amazon is offering this for $93.71, while the current best deal going is DVD Planet at $81.22 (when you add in shipping--there are a total of 6 discs in this 5 film set--it comes to $86.22, or 57% off the MSRP of the discs bought separately .

Makes me wish Criterion would create box sets of a lot more of their films!

 

[Scott Kimball]

Avoid the Fox Lorber edition of The 400 Blows. While I never saw the original Criterion release, nothing I've seen from Criterion is of this lackluster quality. It's not a great print (lots of dust & scratches), it's non-anamorphic, there are subtitle problems, and the disk plays a commentary track by Glenn Kenny (critic) BY DEFAULT.

Also, at least on my player, the disc spins up to the chapter selection screen instead of the main menu.

A poorly authored disk with a poor transfer. Wait for the Criterion.

-Scott

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

DeepDiscountDVD has it up now for $89, shipping included. I'd have to pay $5 sales tax from DVD Planet.

 

[Adam_S]

I already have love for this at amazon, so I'm going to do some digging to see if I can find a 10$ off 75$ coupon and get my price (shipped cause I'll take free shipping and no sales tax!) down to about 75$. which if fifteen dollars for five criterion titles, three of them two disc sets.

Adam

 

[Brian PB]

I believe only one of these films is a 2-disc set (Rebecca ), so there should be a total of 6 discs. Most internet DVD sales sites I surveyed are describing this as a "5-disc set" for some reason (perhaps Criterion didn't make it clear). Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Damin J Toell]

I believe only one of these films is a 2-disc set (Rebecca ), so there should be a total of 6 discs. Most internet DVD sales sites I surveyed are describing this as a "5-disc set" for some reason (perhaps Criterion didn't make it clear).

I believe they just mean to advertise it as a 5-movie set. You're correct that Rebecca is a 2-disc set, and both discs will be in the box. Criterion will just be packaging together the same releases that are already on the market.

DJ

 

[Adam_S]

I believe only one of these films is a 2-disc set (Rebecca ),

ahh I was under the impression that notorious and spellbound were both SEs like rebecca with an extra disc of content, apparently all the content's on one disc then... honest mistake to make, I remember reading reviews of both at dvdfile and seeing the content and thought it would be two discs, since I've, only seen rebecca in a B&M it's an honest mistake to make thinking they're 2 discs :p

i placed my order, something like 74.84 btw.
Adam

 

[Dharmesh C]

Received my boxset, I can confirm that Rebecca is the 2 disc set

I love the box cover art design, but I wish Criterion had the opening at the top rather than bottom. An upside down box doesn't look good on the shelf.

Considering Crits are expensive, this was a good deal!

 

[John Alderson]

Hmm, I already have Rebecca, Notorious and Spellbound Criterions. I have The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes on cheap-o editions, and have been waiting to get the Criterions later...