USHE Announcement: Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Blu-ray) (2 Viewers)

[rsmithjr]

The Hitchcock collection is, IMHO, the most important Blu-ray title/box to date, and may well be the most important ever released.
The best one can say is that the worst did not happen. But that seems small consolation for the damage that has been.
It is very possible that these are the versions of these films that will be bequeathed to prosperity.

 

[Persianimmortal]

The Hitchcock collection is, IMHO, the most important Blu-ray title/box to date, and may well be the most important ever released.
The best one can say is that the worst did not happen. But that seems small consolation for the damage that has been.
It is very possible that these are the versions of these films that will be bequeathed to prosperity.

I agree. Without exception, this collection is possibly the greatest disaster the human race has ever, or will ever, face.
Seriously, don't you think you're being just a tad hyperbolic? Blu-ray is but one more format for storing movies, to be superseded probably within the next 5-10 years; this release is but one more in a long chain of past and future releases of these movies; and film restoration technology continues to improve every year, by all accounts. To imply that these movies will never be released in any better condition for posterity is just plain silly.
This set is a consumer-level compromise between perfect quality and affordable price. Most consumers will be perfectly happy with it, as most of these films have never looked better. Then in a few years' time we'll get another release, and another, and another, and so on. Let's put things in perspective.

 

[Menace Wilson]

Blu-ray is but one more format for storing movies, to be superseded probably within the next 5-10 years; this release is but one more in a long chain of past and future releases of these movies.

A lot of people believe that blu ray will be the last physical format for the home theater, and I agree with them. After this, the market will go completely digital, as is already happening with music.
For those of us who do prefer physical product, we may very well be nearing the end of the line. Not necessarily so silly.

 

[Ruz-El]

Originally Posted by Persianimmortal /t/321703/ushe-announcement-alfred-hitchcock-the-masterpiece-collection-blu-ray/1380#post_3993837
Let's put things in perspective.

There's this perspective.

Bluray is capable of nearly perfectly replicating these movies, in this set they largely are not doing that.

The studios are moving away from physical media to streaming, and the casual collector is moving along with them.

Despite potential future leaps in technology, there's no reason to think on Universals side that they will find value in doing any more with these titles than what they've already displayed. Instead of doing the very best work they can on all the titles, they save that for the best selling titles and compromise by putting out the rest of the titles out in "good enough for now" quality.

Being a long time hobbyist, I have no faith in Universal doing any better on these.

I'd love to be proven wrong.

I don't think of the people who are holding out on purchasing this, or are disappointed are begrudging those who are okay with the reports of quality and looking forward to purchasing it day one. So I'm not sure where all the judgements and talking down is coming from.

 

[Persianimmortal]

A lot of people believe that blu ray will be the last physical format for the home theater, and I agree with them. After this, the market will go completely digital, as is already happening with music.
For those of us who do prefer physical product, we may very well be nearing the end of the line. Not necessarily so silly.

I prefer physical product, but there's no way, say in 10-15 years' time, when home video achieves 4K or 8K resolution or higher, that most people will prefer the older 2K versions. That's like saying if VHS had been the last physical format, that people today would prefer VHS copies of movies to 1080p digital copies. That is silly. Blu-ray quality will easily be superseded at some point. New formats, new display technology, new ways of viewing home video will eventually make Blu-ray look ridiculous.

There's this perspective.
Bluray is capable of nearly perfectly replicating these movies, in this set they largely are not doing that.

It has nothing to do with the capabilities of Blu-ray, and everything to do with cost vs. return. Clearly Universal did not believe that the costs and effort of doing complete restorations on every one of these movies would result in sufficient returns. That is not something to be happy about of course, but we need to be realistic.

Despite potential future leaps in technology, there's no reason to think on Universals side that they will find value in doing any more with these titles than what they've already displayed. Instead of doing the very best work they can on all the titles, they save that for the best selling titles and compromise by putting out the rest of the titles out in "good enough for now" quality.

When restoration technology improves such that it costs less to do, there is every reason to believe that Universal may find it worth investing a bit more to further improve these titles. What may cost millions to do today, may cost thousands to do in 10-20 years.
I have every bit of faith that Universal will do further work on these films, if only because they will want to milk more money out of them in the future.
Let's stop looking at this set as though it is going to be the only Hitchcock movie collection for the rest of all time. That is perspective.

 

[Cineman]

Let's stop looking at this set as though it is going to be the only Hitchcock movie collection for the rest of all time. That is perspective.

I'd like to offer another perspective. I was born in 1953. Give or take a year or two, that's smack in the middle of the Baby Boom Generation. In a few months, I'll be 60 years old. It's taken at least 6 years since the official introduction of the Blu-ray format for a Blu-ray disc of VERTIGO, REAR WINDOW, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH and MARNIE to hit the market. In this "10-15 years' time, when home video achieves 4K or 8K resolution or higher" scenario that you suggest plays out and the powers that be decide to start cranking out new and improved versions of what we've been getting on Blu-ray up until that time, I'm guessing the titles that appeal more to the Baby Boom Generation, such as the ones in this box set, aren't going to be in the first wave of titles released on that new and improved format. Or the second wave. Or the third.
Let's be optimistic about the future for Boomers like me and say they get to the new and improved 4K or 8K resolution versions of the titles I've mentioned in the same amount of time it took to get to them on Blu-ray, 6 years. In your scenario, that's somewhere between 16 and 21 years from now. I'd be somewhere between 76 and 81 years old. I'm betting neither my vision nor my hearing will be as "good" as they are today. Mind you, I'm smack in the middle of the Baby Boom Generation, while others of us who have managed to stay alive will by then be between 83 and 87 years old.
I think you probably get my drift by now. For many of us, some of us most interested in these titles, I'm even guessing some of us in the demographic group for whom it will ever be financially viable for a distributor to make a very special effort to produce the best quality money can buy of these titles in a physical format, this just might be the last realistic go around.

 

[Kevin EK]

I'm standing by to go to look at the titles in the morning. I'll have a post up tomorrow night.

I agree that for many of these titles this will be the only time they will be seen on Blu-ray, for better or for worse.

I'm not as convinced about the idea that Ultra-HD, whatever that may be, will make much of a difference for most consumers. And I'm not convinced that all these titles will be made available in such a format. A massive amount of material was made available on DVD and continues to accrue. A smaller amount of material was made available on Blu-ray, stemming from the understandable belief of the distributors that while there would be a large audience for a release of, say, JAWS, in high definition, there probably would not be anywhere near that level of demand for a release of JAWS 2 in high definition.

I believe that the bigger ticket items in the set will be released individually next year, but many of the others will only be found in this set. I'll be very happy to be proven wrong on that count, but it seems to me that there is a far smaller purchase audience out there for a Blu-ray of Family Plot than there is for a Blu-ray of Rear Window.

 

[BJQ1972]

I agree. Without exception, this collection is possibly the greatest disaster the human race has ever, or will ever, face.

He DID state quite clearly that he was referring to a Blu-ray release, and that the Hitchcock set was possibly the most important Blu-ray set that may be released, so why you read it that he was claiming it was the worst disaster to befall the human race is beyond me.

 

[Robert Harris]

I prefer physical product, but there's no way, say in 10-15 years' time, when home video achieves 4K or 8K resolution or higher, that most people will prefer the older 2K versions. That's like saying if VHS had been the last physical format, that people today would prefer VHS copies of movies to 1080p digital copies. That is silly. Blu-ray quality will easily be superseded at some point. New formats, new display technology, new ways of viewing home video will eventually make Blu-ray look ridiculous.
It has nothing to do with the capabilities of Blu-ray, and everything to do with cost vs. return. Clearly Universal did not believe that the costs and effort of doing complete restorations on every one of these movies would result in sufficient returns. That is not something to be happy about of course, but we need to be realistic.
When restoration technology improves such that it costs less to do, there is every reason to believe that Universal may find it worth investing a bit more to further improve these titles. What may cost millions to do today, may cost thousands to do in 10-20 years.
I have every bit of faith that Universal will do further work on these films, if only because they will want to milk more money out of them in the future.
Let's stop looking at this set as though it is going to be the only Hitchcock movie collection for the rest of all time. That is perspective.

Only a single downside.
The most problematic titles, as opposed to the ones simply poorly mastered, will probably not be restorable in ten year's time. They may be too far gone, and advances in technology or the cost of same, will have zero affect.
RAH

 

[Persianimmortal]

I was clearly trying to demonstrate excessive use of hyperbole.
I'm 42 years old, and in my lifetime I've only ever owned some of these movies on DVD, and in a few days, Blu-ray. I may well only see one or two genuinely higher quality formats in my lifetime, who knows. However Robert Smith clearly stated that he was worried that the Blu-ray versions of these movies may well be the ones "bequeathed to posterity", which is utterly preposterous - this suggests that there will never be better versions of these movies.
I hardly think we'll be waiting 15-20 years for a better release. In fact the transition to an online-only format (much as it is not my personal preference) may mean any improvements can be phased in at a much quicker pace. One of the posters in this thread has noted that the very recent changes to Vertigo, due to Universal's one month delay, were reflected straight away in the iTunes version.
In any case i disagree with the assessment that the set is the disaster you are suddenly making it out to be. It is imperfect, but not disastrous. Most movies in the set appear to rate reasonably well, even by Mr Harris' demanding scale. Let's all take a deep breath, and see how other reviews rate it.
By the by, for those of you who are older, perhaps it's best to accept the compromises in the set and enjoy it now despite its imperfections, rather than waiting an eternity for something that may never arrive according to your own fears.

Only a single downside.
The most problematic titles, as opposed to the ones simply poorly mastered, will probably not be restorable in ten year's time. They may be too far gone, and advances in technology or the cost of same, will have zero affect.
RAH

if that is the case, it's truly unfortunate. I wasn't aware that preservation of the original movies was at stake here. I'm not sure what if anything can be done by consumers in this instance. If people don't buy the set, doesn't that simply reinforce the perception that these movies are no longer as popular, and hence mean even less investment by Universal in their restoration? A genuine dilemma.

 

[Ray H]

I just received a package from Finger Hut....with my Hitchcock box set!!

 

[Ruz-El]

Originally Posted by Persianimmortal /t/321703/ushe-announcement-alfred-hitchcock-the-masterpiece-collection-blu-ray/1380#post_3993959
I was clearly trying to demonstrate excessive use of hyperbole.

Nothing deflates hyperbole like more hyperbole...

 

[Reed Grele]

I just received a package from Finger Hut....with my Hitchcock box set!!

You are one lucky fellow!
My status still reads:
"Hitchcock BluRay Collection
Item No. PT088
Receive by 11/23/2012"

 

[Menace Wilson]

I prefer physical product, but there's no way, say in 10-15 years' time, when home video achieves 4K or 8K resolution or higher, that most people will prefer the older 2K versions. That's like saying if VHS had been the last physical format, that people today would prefer VHS copies of movies to 1080p digital copies. That is silly. Blu-ray quality will easily be superseded at some point. New formats, new display technology, new ways of viewing home video will eventually make Blu-ray look ridiculous.

How much more detail do you think there will be a demand for? As it stands, one has to have a relatively large television to fully appreciate the difference between standard and high definition. Do you really think that the studios are going to invest the money/technology in order to quadruple the image quality to an extent that few will see anyway?
If it's a matter of diminishing returns when it comes to upgrading from dvd to blu ray, it's only logical to assume that they will diminish even further with higher def formats.

 

[Worth]

I prefer physical product, but there's no way, say in 10-15 years' time, when home video achieves 4K or 8K resolution or higher, that most people will prefer the older 2K versions. That's like saying if VHS had been the last physical format, that people today would prefer VHS copies of movies to 1080p digital copies. That is silly. Blu-ray quality will easily be superseded at some point. New formats, new display technology, new ways of viewing home video will eventually make Blu-ray look ridiculous.

Technology will move forward, yes, but the VHS comparison is just silly. We've already moved past the point of diminishing returns. There's only so much information that can be squeezed out of a 35mm frame. The Vistavision titles may derive some small benefit from 4K, but for the vast majority of standard 35mm titles, 4K already represents oversampling of the source material. You're just not going to see a big difference, even on the largest screens.

 

[Ray H]

You are one lucky fellow!
My status still reads:
"Hitchcock BluRay Collection
Item No. PT088
Receive by 11/23/2012"

My order still says the same. It didn't update at all. I did, however, get a shipping notice....two hours after getting my package. Went out by FedEx yesterday.

 

[Kevin EK]

I spent about 8 1/2 hours today going through the set.

I'll have a "While We Wait" partial review up tomorrow.

But to give the really short version of it:

Saboteur - Very Nice Image (5/5)
Shadow of A Doubt - Very Nice Image, but there is one strange digital error at 17 mins in when the train arrives (4+/5)
Rope - Image is out of Red Registration for Technicolor, causing red outlining (3/5)
The Trouble With Harry - Very Nice Image, except for a little Gate Jitter in two early shots (4+/5)
The Man Who Knew Too Much - Major Problems Here - Pulsing Yellow that ruins the image for most of the movie (1/2 out of 5)
Rear Window - Very Nice Image, although there is one moment of contouring and a few soft shots (4+/5)
Vertigo - Very Nice Image (5/5) (Keep in mind this is from the perspective of a fan of the movie and not an expert on it)
North by Northwest - Very Nice Image, Identical Content to the prior WB Blu-ray (5/5)
Psycho - Very Nice Image, Almost Identical Content to the prior Blu-ray (4+/5)
The Birds - Very Nice Image, Occasional softness (5/5)
Marnie - Problematic Image, Many soft shots, but this may be due to Filmmakers' intentions (2 1/2 /5)
Torn Curtain - Soft Focus for most of movie (2 1/2 /5)
Topaz - Very Nice Image (4+/5)
Frenzy - Very Nice Image, with a small amount of enhancement (4+/5)
Family Plot - Major Problems Here - Transfer Looks Bad, Occasional Good Moments, Color is Okay (1/5)

In short, I'm agreeing with most of what has been posted before on these titles, but Vertigo looked much better than I expected, as did Frenzy. Marnie is a real question mark, as so many shots are so soft. I can understand filtration, but these shots are beyond the pale of that to my eye. I'm not an expert on how Marnie was filmed, so I can't say for certain if this wasn't exactly Hitchcock's intentions. Torn Curtain, on the other hand, is full of bad ideas both in the transfer and in the actual scenes - the outdoor restaurant scene played against background plates is but one frightening example. The Man Who Knew Too Much and Family Plot both need to be redone.

It is more crucial that The Man Who Knew Too Much be taken care of, given the age of the materials. The problems with this one can be addressed, but if they are left too long, we will lose the ability to have this title preserved. I am not exaggerating when I say that this title and Family Plot are quite unwatchable in their current state.

Given all that, I'm giving high marks to 8 out of 15 titles, noting that 2 more are excellent from their prior releases (taking you up to 10), noting that 3 (Rope, Marnie, Torn Curtain) have issues and that 2 (TMWKTM, Family Plot) need to be completely redone. A ratio of 2/3 of high quality coupled with reasonable sale prices will earn the set a Recommended from me. I can't Highly Recommend do to the issues with the other 5 titles, but I don't want to completely penalize the 10 Very Good to Excellent titles in this set.

 

[Persianimmortal]

Thanks for the quick summary Kevin, much appreciated.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Kevin EK /t/321703/ushe-announcement-alfred-hitchcock-the-masterpiece-collection-blu-ray/1410#post_3994233
I spent about 8 1/2 hours today going through the set.

I'll have a "While We Wait" partial review up tomorrow.

But to give the really short version of it:

Saboteur - Very Nice Image (5/5)
Shadow of A Doubt - Very Nice Image, but there is one strange digital error at 17 mins in when the train arrives (4+/5)
Rope - Image is out of Red Registration for Technicolor, causing red outlining (3/5)
The Trouble With Harry - Very Nice Image, except for a little Gate Jitter in two early shots (4+/5)
The Man Who Knew Too Much - Major Problems Here - Pulsing Yellow that ruins the image for most of the movie (1/2 out of 5)
Rear Window - Very Nice Image, although there is one moment of contouring and a few soft shots (4+/5)
Vertigo - Very Nice Image (5/5) (Keep in mind this is from the perspective of a fan of the movie and not an expert on it)
North by Northwest - Very Nice Image, Identical Content to the prior WB Blu-ray (5/5)
Psycho - Very Nice Image, Almost Identical Content to the prior Blu-ray (4+/5)
The Birds - Very Nice Image, Occasional softness (5/5)
Marnie - Problematic Image, Many soft shots, but this may be due to Filmmakers' intentions (2 1/2 /5)
Torn Curtain - Soft Focus for most of movie (2 1/2 /5)
Topaz - Very Nice Image (4+/5)
Frenzy - Very Nice Image, with a small amount of enhancement (4+/5)
Family Plot - Major Problems Here - Transfer Looks Bad, Occasional Good Moments, Color is Okay (1/5)

In short, I'm agreeing with most of what has been posted before on these titles, but Vertigo looked much better than I expected, as did Frenzy. Marnie is a real question mark, as so many shots are so soft. I can understand filtration, but these shots are beyond the pale of that to my eye. I'm not an expert on how Marnie was filmed, so I can't say for certain if this wasn't exactly Hitchcock's intentions. Torn Curtain, on the other hand, is full of bad ideas both in the transfer and in the actual scenes - the outdoor restaurant scene played against background plates is but one frightening example. The Man Who Knew Too Much and Family Plot both need to be redone.

It is more crucial that The Man Who Knew Too Much be taken care of, given the age of the materials. The problems with this one can be addressed, but if they are left too long, we will lose the ability to have this title preserved. I am not exaggerating when I say that this title and Family Plot are quite unwatchable in their current state.

Given all that, I'm giving high marks to 8 out of 15 titles, noting that 2 more are excellent from their prior releases (taking you up to 10), noting that 3 (Rope, Marnie, Torn Curtain) have issues and that 2 (TMWKTM, Family Plot) need to be completely redone. A ratio of 2/3 of high quality coupled with reasonable sale prices will earn the set a Recommended from me. I can't Highly Recommend do to the issues with the other 5 titles, but I don't want to completely penalize the 10 Very Good to Excellent titles in this set.

The latter is probably my least favorite Hitchcock film, but I can't wait to see the former for my own comparison.







Crawdaddy

 

[David Weicker]

Thanks for the review
David