USHE Announcement: Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[classicscaper]

DVD Beaver has their Vertigo page up:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/vertigo.htm
Looks pretty solid, but they're reporting that the disc drops the Harris/Katz commentary and some other featurettes from the Legacy Edition.

Agree with Ray. Based on the preliminary findings from DVD Beaver, I don't plan on canceling my preorder. Then again, others discs could have serious issues. However, at this point, it looks like Universal has improved a good portion of the previous errors. It's too bad about the missing supplements, no real excuse for that, but I will be holding onto 2-disc legacy DVD copy anyways.
Beaver quotes one source saying, "All in all, based on screen caps, I'm very pleased. If this is an example of the corrections Universal has made during the delay of this set, then I have to commend them for listening to the complaints. It looks like I might still have quibbles... but in all honesty with a title that commands such devotion among its fans, quibbles are inevitable."
Good to hear!!

 

[Ruz-El]

I wont get excited until I hear what RAH and Nick from Sight & Sound have to say.

 

[pete s visnic]

Amen. I am particularly interested in learning what was done to the four films that Mr. Wrigley felt needed entirely new encodes.

 

[Brianruns10]

DVD Beaver has their Vertigo page up:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/vertigo.htm
Looks pretty solid, but they're reporting that the disc drops the Harris/Katz commentary and some other featurettes from the Legacy Edition. [/quote

It's a real shame. I mean, why would they drop a commentary featuring the associate producer, and the two men who restored the film and know more about it than just about anyone?

Friedkin's by comparison is pretty useless, IMO. He pretty much just narrates what is going on, and adds very little.

What this really needs is a scholarly commentary, like Donald Spoto.]

 

[chadHobbick]

On another site a member said they found this on Fingerhut. I'm suspicious that since they are saying it's in stock that it may be the non-recalled version, but for $100 that is the cheapest deal out there.
http://www.fingerhut.com/product/Electronics/DVD-Blu-Ray-Movies/Hitchcock-BluRay-Collection/productVariantId/108335597/pc/25275/c/25438/PT088.uts

 

[rich_d]

Rear Window is up too.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare6/rearwindow.htm

 

[Ray H]

On another site a member said they found this on Fingerhut. I'm suspicious that since they are saying it's in stock that it may be the non-recalled version, but for $100 that is the cheapest deal out there.
http://www.fingerhut.com/product/Electronics/DVD-Blu-Ray-Movies/Hitchcock-BluRay-Collection/productVariantId/108335597/pc/25275/c/25438/PT088.uts

I'm somewhat suspicious of the site but went ahead and ordered it anyway. I don't think the original discs made it to retailers.

 

[haineshisway]

Correct - none of the original discs were ever shipped.

 

[DavidJ]

Of course, spread the word! Just thought some people also might not know about the Hitchcock on blu-ray thread. No harm done.

True. Keep up the good work.

 

[Reed Grele]

I'm somewhat suspicious of the site but went ahead and ordered it anyway. I don't think the original discs made it to retailers.

I went ahead and ordered one, but I'm not holding my breath that they'll honor the low price, so I won't cancel my Amazon order just yet.

 

[Craig Beam]

DVD Beaver has their Vertigo page up:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/vertigo.htm
Looks pretty solid, but they're reporting that the disc drops the Harris/Katz commentary and some other featurettes from the Legacy Edition.

I cannot even begin to fathom why they would drop the Harris/Katz commentary track (which also featured Herbert Coleman and Steven C. Smith), but retain the comparatively useless William Friedkin track. DVD Beaver lists the disc size as 43,234,934,157 bytes, which means they plenty of room for both tracks. Seriously, Universal, what the hell? :f

 

[Moe Dickstein]

The only thing I can fathom is that they feel that if further work was done comments about the last restoration weren't appropriate, but there is so much amazing stuff on that track and Harris and Katz's work was still the underpinning of any further work undertaken.
A true shame.

 

[Richard--W]

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/vertigo.htm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare6/rearwindow.htm
Questions for RAH:
What's the reasoning for dropping the featurettes and commentary track from the Legacy Edition?
I saw Rear Window and Vertigo many times during the re-release in the early 1980s, and attended a couple of screenings in L.A. since them, so I can't say how the films are supposed to look.
What is the correct color timing for the opening titles in Vertigo?
I confess I prefer the Legacy Edition color.
Unless the posted captures are not the same frame -- there is a flashing strobe light.
Is the color supposed to be as flat as these screen captures represent?
I'll buy the Blu-rays if and when they come out individually, but I'm holding onto the DVDs / Legacy Editions.

 

[Yorkshire]

Can I give a 'seconded' to that question about the colour on Vertigo, and expand a little.
In his pre-release review (which led to the set being delayed) Nick commented on the colour in the opening shots of Vertigo, though I can't remember the exact issue.
Do those caps suggest the colour has been fixed, or that they've done...something to them.
This is quite important, as it would suggest that they've done more than just correct the titles on Frenzy, and that's the news we've been waiting for.
Let's cut to the chase. What we've all been waiting for is news as to whether Universal pulled this set just to correct a few spellings, or if they've also corrected (at least some of) the other issues that Nick raised.
Cheers.
Steve W

 

[Persianimmortal]

I can't claim to know anything about what the color should look like, but it looks quite good to my untrained eyes. Not as over-saturated as the previous review images showed. Whites also look quite natural. Again, this is just my observations about what looks good to me, not faithfulness to source.
If universal has actually altered the color on Vertigo, it's a good sign of other potentially positive changes beyond just fixing the title snafu.

 

[haineshisway]

Can I give a 'seconded' to that question about the colour on Vertigo, and expand a little.
In his pre-release review (which led to the set being delayed) Nick commented on the colour in the opening shots of Vertigo, though I can't remember the exact issue.
Do those caps suggest the colour has been fixed, or that they've done...something to them.
This is quite important, as it would suggest that they've done more than just correct the titles on Frenzy, and that's the news we've been waiting for.
Let's cut to the chase. What we've all been waiting for is news as to whether Universal pulled this set just to correct a few spellings, or if they've also corrected (at least some of) the other issues that Nick raised.
Cheers.
Steve W

Yes, it would appear to have been changed

 

[Yorkshire]

Excellent - let's hope that's replicated across all of the releases.
We should see a good deal of people here queuing up to say well done to Universal, and praising their efforts and care for the films..
Though, to be fair, that'll have to wait until they've all finished posting on that thread about hell freezing over.

Steve W

 

[Robert Harris]

I've not yet seen final on Vertigo, but I'm aware that additional work was performed to get the opening correct.

I should know more next week, when I expect to have a copy in hand.

Also, regarding Fingerhut, I've ordered a copy for my son, which after a coupon code (10% discount) and shipping, comes to $104.

Not a bad deal, if they actually deliver.

RAH

 

[Doctorossi]

Correct - none of the original discs were ever shipped.

Were they sold as a lot to Fingerhut, instead?

 

[Ruz-El]

The fingerhut deal seems to good to be true. I'm damned tempted though. Can always blather your way into exchanging as defective at some shop right? Maybe?