UHD International Hitchcock's Psycho, The Birds, Rear Window, Vertigo on 4K UHD - September 2020 (France)! (1 Viewer)

[Bryan Tuck]

The original Psycho mix is brilliant - it didn't need ANY help from anyone and frankly there shouldn't even be a "stereo" track.

I always watched in mono on the old Blu-ray, so it was a while before I realized there were new effects on the remix. But yeah, they stick out for sure.

 

[Dave MJ]

Just finished watching the "new" Psycho Blu-ray. I then looked at the UK previous Blu-ray and yes, it's NOT the original mono track - it's more than just the sfx - it's the quality of the music, which sounds great in the original mono and muffled as hell in the folded down mono. And yes, confusing wording if you're watching the uncut. I'm guessing it has to be a new scan because of the uncut footage, but It doesn't really look much better - just a bit darker - I think I prefer the older UK Blu-ray, but I'll have to watch this again and of course I'm not seeing the 4K, which may be a significant improvement.

The original Psycho mix is brilliant - it didn't need ANY help from anyone and frankly there shouldn't even be a "stereo" track.

I got my set today and completely agree. I haven't listened to the entire remix since the first time I watched it and it is far more changed than I remembered. The surround effects of the rain, shower, traffic, etc. are downright obnoxious and distracting and far too modern sounding. The music and dialogue sound clean, but the music level is way off compared to the added effects and lack the punch of the original. I don't mind the pseudo stereo music, but something about it feels wrong with Psycho. The monophonic soundtrack seems to fit the starkness of the music and the black and white photography. I really hope Universal fixes it, because the new 4k master does look great.

 

[AlexNH]

Do people think buying the release will help in getting Universal to correct? Or is holding off the better option? It's probably hard to tell I guess, but curious what others are doing.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

In my message to Universal I told them I would buy the 4K set once Psycho is corrected. I am anxious to see the uncut version, but I know I wouldn't enjoy it with the fold-down mono or multi-channel mix.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Do people think buying the release will help in getting Universal to correct? Or is holding off the better option? It's probably hard to tell I guess, but curious what others are doing.

Buying it sends a message of approval, IMHO. So to send a message, don’t buy.

 

[cda1143]

Watched Vertigo now.

Well it looks better than it ever did on a home video format.....

... Also again sadly one of the final key scenes of the movie around the 2:03 mark approx goes so blurry it honesty looks like VHS upscaled to 4K! ... but its very noticeable even though its a very dark scene in the bell tower before they reach the roof (for the last time). I checked the BD I have from the 2013 Vol2 (7 Hitchcock movies compilation) its not present on there at all....

Thanks for your observations Paul, but I’m a little confused. What specifically is “not present on there at all” (2013 BD)? the blurriness?

Thanks again

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Buying it sends a message of approval, IMHO. So to send a message, don’t buy.

I think the problem with that is that the studio rarely takes away the message of, “Sales are low because there is an error in the product.” Truth be told, the number of disc viewers who will actually look for a different language option vs just listening to whatever track is the default on the disc is a pretty low percentage of the people who have it. If sales are low, the only message the studio will take is, “This is a product line that is no longer viable in the current market.”

That said, I don’t think there are any great options available to us consumers with regards to the incorrect audio track.

 

[KMR]

That looked like a set on UHF.

I thought it looked fine on the Pixelvision version.

But yes, that scene has always looked like an obvious set. The lighting is totally wrong (although not at all uncommon for daytime outdoor scenes shot on a soundstage in that era). But to be fair, almost every Hitchcock movie has something equivalent.

 

[Mark B]

I thought it looked fine on the Pixelvision version.

But yes, that scene has always looked like an obvious set. The lighting is totally wrong (although not at all uncommon for daytime outdoor scenes shot on a soundstage in that era). But to be fair, almost every Hitchcock movie has something equivalent.

The scene in Torn Curtain with Paul and Julie on the little hill in the middle of a metropolitan area being one of the most awkward.

 

[Worth]

...But to be fair, almost every Hitchcock movie has something equivalent.

And that's what made his later films look out of date. By the '70s, just about everything was being filmed on location, while Hitchcock was still shooting in studio, with dreadful rear-screen projection.

 

[KMR]

The scene in Torn Curtain with Paul and Julie on the little hill in the middle of a metropolitan area being one of the most awkward.

I remember actually seeing that set on the Universal Studios tour when I was a kid! (I also got to see Hitch's car outside his office bungalow...)

 

[midvalleyguy]

the PSYCHO mono track definitely is NOT the original mono (as others have suspected/reported). There are two dead giveaways: In the first scene, right after Marion says "Oh, we can see each other; we can even have dinner," there should be an audible double horn-honk from the street below. Later, right when Marion turns on the shower, there should NOT be a squeak when she turns the faucet. In all the English tracks, the horns don't honk and the shower faucet squeaks (meanwhile, the French track is correct, sacré bleu!). The English mono track from the previous Blu-ray was correct.

I've just checked my 2010 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition Blu-Ray. The horn honks are there, and no faucet sounds . The Bonus Material on the disc includes the documentary "Remastering Psycho Sound" which may offer a possible explanation or clueas to why the original mono sound mix was altered. (My disc label states "Psycho Colour Film Copyright 1960") . Thank you Craig Beam!