Cameron

no word on it yet...

bboisvert

It's written by two different people... (The initial comments are by "in-the-field reporter, WhiteShiek"... while the screen caps and final disagrement comments are by Gary Tooze.



And, yes, that packaging doesn't make any damn sense at all to me. It looks like the box is huge compared to the 4 slim cases inside, leaving tons of gaps within the box. Why leave so much empty space in the box, and then stack the discs on top of each other so I have to remove Rear Window if I want to watch The Birds? Frickin' idiots.

And, if you decide to stack, how about making the box... I dunno... THINNER? Why am I (and retailers!) wasting shelf space when the box isn't full? Are 15 slimcases (or 8 double-slims) too difficult to comprehend? It could be a cool/sleek box, about the size of 5 keepcases if they used double-slims and included the booklet. That would kick ass.

Anyway, this is Universal... so I was expecting this. In the end, it looks like it is a borderline improvement. We get improved picture on several. We (finally) get anamorphic Psycho and Vertigo. Most importantly, we finally get the mono track from Vertigo so I can stop listening to that overdone 5.1 track. Overall, it's an 'upgrade'. I just don't understand why they bothered to revisit all of this stuff without making major improvements, adding a ton of cool supplements, and coming up with packaging that wasn't designed by a moron.

ENDContra

Well Ive already starting selling mine so I will continue to do so...Ive been getting a good price on Half.com so Im going to get this boxset for free at least at this rate. I will, however, most likely put these DVDs in individual cases, hopefully I can find some covers with the original poster art. Sure, it would be nice for them to take less room, but my Hitchcock Collection deserves as much room as it needs and a way to properly display each title.

PatrickMcCart

Every film has at least a making-of documentary, the trailer, a photo gallery, and production notes. Some also have storyboard art. Vertigo has a commentary, the 1996 trailer, and the European ending. Psycho has newsreels, the alternate Shower Scene, and multiple trailers and TV spots. Rear Window has an extra interview. The Birds has stuff on deleted scenes, newsreels, and screen tests. Torn Curtain has Bernard Herrmann score syncs. Topaz has alternate endings.

I guess commentaries on the other 13 films would be nice, but when the documentaries are more than adequate, why? The only extra material worth adding would be short subjects (a la Warner's "Night at the Movies") like Woody Woodpecker cartoons.

sracer

dolphinboy

Thanks, Cameron.

You seem to know all things DVD and all things Hitchcock, would you say that you are optimistic that these new transfers will be released individually within a year? (for fans who are interested in some but not a lot of his films)

Or would your guess be more likely on the "not bloody likely" side of things.

joliom

I don't feel like re-reading all 12 pages of this thread to get the scoop, but weren't some of the docs removed from the individual DVD's and remanded to the bonus disc? At least that's what I took Cameron's comment to mean.

And anyway you cut it, Universal sucks. Nearly all of those features are carried over from the original releases. If Psycho and Vertigo were Warner properties you could guarantee they would be Two-Disc Special Editions with dramatically improved transfers downconverted from HD. But this is Universal, so I guess I should be jumping for joy that they are even properly framed. They earn their reputation as the least impressive DVD Dept. with every new release.

Cameron

dolphinboy,
Thanks for the high praise. I do my best to stay educated, these forums are good place to teach but a better place to learn. I think a re-release of Psycho is well within the realm of possibility. Universal seems to pride themselves in re-releasing titles (Carlito's Way comes to mind) So I would say any of the major Hitchcock titles will probably see a re-release sooner or later. On the downside, I am not sure on what occasion they would do this...Psycho release in 1960, so an anniverary edition seems unlikely since studios like to use rounded off numbers next year will be the 46th anniversary...they also won't use it to cross promote the sequals since Psycho 2-3 came out just a few weeks back... I can see it happening within a year, but at the same time Universal has kept some of its box set exclusives close to the shirt (Original Scarface, and Alfred Hitchcock Present disc up until now.)

I hate that they didn't use individual cases, because now people like yourself can't sell off the disc they didn't want. But Universal isn't in the resale business, so I'm sure they don't care. The vast majority of the films are wonderful, and even one of hitchcocks worst is better than most...if it is within your means i would grab this box and at least give each disc a spin, you will probably find a few that your unfamiliar with that you would love. And if they do re-release the singles sell them off, and be glad your only in 60-70 bucks for all those films as opposed to 159.99 a piece for two sets (like myself and others around here.)

Joliom,
Thats exactly what I meant. The docs are still in the set, they just moved from their respective disc to the bonus features disc.

Cameron

and now for some salt in the wound...

overseas covers

John Hodson

That's the R2 UK cover, soon to be superceded by the one shown at www.dvdanswers.com :



Oh dear...

bboisvert

Yes, but everything you're listing was present on the original release as well. Don't get me wrong -- those extras are great (and I'm happy that they didn't disappear). But why not *add* to that. Since they clearly revisted every transfer, why not get a couple of scholar commentaries on there (ala Criterion)? Or dig some other things out of the archives?

Or, how about including the full AFI tribute, rather than just a tiny bit of it?

I guess what I'm saying is that they went through the trouble of actually revisiting all of the transfers, yet the release still appears half-assed. That doesn't make any sense to me...

Johnny Zhivago

I'm sure it's half-assed because another release is on the horizon with HD-DVD/Blu-Ray... And, being Universal, that one will be fucked up as well.

Nice salt Cameron...

baracine

Ddvdbeaver's screen capture comparison of "Vertigo" makes the new transfer look positively pukey.

And here's more salt on your wounds: the R2 Psycho edition of this coming October...



http://www.dvdanswers.com/index.php?...%26k%3DVertigo

baracine

Well... For those of you who didn't see the complete AFI tribute, the most touching moment came when Ingrid Bergman was on the podium and told the audience that the famous key that is central to the "Notorious" plot was given to her as a souvenir by Cary Grant and that she still had it. She then took it out of a fold of her gown, went down into the audience and gave it to Hitch. Kisses, applause, tears all around.

DVD King

"In addition to the single disc releases, a special fifteen disc Alfred Hitchcock Collection boxed set will also be available."

So the UK is getting a similar boxset eventually? What are the chances of that being better? I'd be interested in it if only to get rid of that dumb velvet box.

ViewAskewbian

Of course, when this story is told it usually is not mentioned that Bergman had the wrong key. She later gave Aflie the right one. Ooops.

The Third Jake

Really? You wanted the outer box to be too big for the inner cases?

Julie Walker

I just placed an order with Deepdiscount and threw in The Fly SE and Nightbreed for good measure. My biggest order ever,total $107 dollars. But I did make $109 on ebay selling a few dvds I could live without. So I took my chance to get this massive order while I could.

Zvbxrpl

I got an "early" copy of this yesterday. Simply stated, if you already have the last set, don't waste your money.

The upgrades are minimal, and knowing Universal's "sell-it-cheap, and who'll know the difference" mantra, those who want proper upgrades all around should either step up to the eventual single releases on the two or three that were made better, or better yet, wait for the HD-DVD editions. I'm glad I didn't fall for their promises.Once again, Universal fails to deliver something that could and should be exceptional, since they own almost all of Hitch's best work.

Pity.

sracer

You are assuming that Universal is releasing this set as an upgrade to those who already purchased them. Not all Hitchcock fans have purchased these films. I love his films, but never got around to picking up more than Rear Window and Vertigo. I'm sure that I'm not alone. Based on the comments on this thread alone, it looks to be a very decent set.

What promises did they make that you didn't "fall for"?

Wait for the HD-DVD editions? If they don't remaster these films for HD, then they'll look equally "bad".... or only marginally better.

darkside

I'm not worried. I cashed in on my old Hitch boxsets sets on eBay so I made $40 and I'm getting a new set with better versions of most of the films.

Again for the HD-DVDs to even be worth picking up Universal will actually have to spend the money to restore all of these films and Universal doesn't seem very interested in restoring old films.

chanster

This set seems really bad. I hate not having seperate keepcases. I am keeping my old discs and might upgrade vertigo when it gets released individually. And you know they will at some point in the near future.

wordtoyamotha

Does anyone know what format the discs are? Dual-sided dual layer? Single-sided single layer?

Thanks

darkside

They are single sided dual layered. If they were dual sided dual layered I would cancel my preorder immediately.

island007

Well, I'm glad I kept my old discs.

I'll pass on this set.