Ok, can someone with more time than me guide me on what to purchase for Hitchcock? I see some new releases out, but are they better/different than old releases? What about the recent box set? Any guidance at all?

I have the old Vertigo, and the Hitchcock signature series, but have been waiting for updates of some of the older titles. Should I wait even longer?

http://www.daveyp.com/hitchcock/index.php

Great Hitchcock DVD site

I would highly recommend the Alfred Hitchcock: Signature Collection from Warner Brothers and I also own the Alfred Hitchcock: Masterpiece Collection from Universal. I'm quite pleased with both, but if you already own most of the Universal releases it's probably not worth an upgrade to get the Masterpiece Collection, although all the films have been remastered.

I also recommend the Signature Collection and Masterpiece Collection they are really great and contain the many good movies in descent quality.

THE 39 STEPS: Criterion Collection
THE LADY VANISHES: Criterion Collection
REBECCA: Criterion Collection
ALFRED HITCHCOCK: The Signature Collection Boxed Set (DIAL "M" FOR MURDER; FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT; I CONFESS; MR. & MRS. SMITH; NORTH BY NORTHWEST; STAGE FRIGHT; STRANGERS ON A TRAIN: 2-Disc Special Edition; SUSPICION; THE WRONG MAN)
LIFEBOAT: Special Edition
SPELLBOUND: Criterion Collection
NOTORIOUS: Criterion Collection
THE PARADINE CASE (Anchor Bay)
UNDER CAPRICORN (Image Entertainment)
TO CATCH A THIEF (Paramount)
ALFRED HITCHCOCK: The Masterpiece Collection Boxed Set (THE BIRDS; FAMILY PLOT; FRENZY; THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH [1956]; MARNIE; PSYCHO; REAR WINDOW; ROPE; SABOTEUR; SHADOW OF A DOUBT; TOPAZ; TORN CURTAIN; THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY; VERTIGO)

Be aware that many of these titles (e.g. THE PARADINE CASE; most of the Criterion Collection releases) are out-of-print and will be difficult and perhaps expensive to track down (I, myself, have yet to find the funds to add THE PARADINE CASE to my collection), but they are essential for any die-hard Hitchcock fan.

Buy the Warner and Universal box sets.

The Universal set is magnificent, except for the awful The Man Who Knew Too Much. The remasters for Rear Window, Vertigo, The Birds, and Psycho are virtually flawless. The only issues are problems inherent to the films (Rear Window was shot on grainy early Eastmancolor stock, some sections of Vertigo exist only as grainy/damaged dupes, The Birds has some grainy effects footage, Psycho's optical dissolves are a little dirty - all of this is stuff on the original negatives).

Rear Window is probably the biggest improvement. Sharp as a tack, huge difference in print damage (the opening titles were littered with dirt printed into the dupe negative - the remaster totally erases all the dirt). Oh, and the mono track for Vertigo is quite good. Psycho's mono remaster sounds terrific, especially the quality of the score and dialogue.

Warner's set is just as excellent. Strangers on a Train looks almost brand new.

Wow, how anyone can call The Man Who Knew Too Much "awful" is beyond me.

Judging from the rest of his post, I'd imagine Patrick is referring to the presentation, not the merits of the film itself. I'd have to agree -- it's certainly the least impressive transfer on the Universal set.

I'd definately recommend reading "Hitchcock", it's a book-long interview essentially conducted by Francois Tuffaut about Hitch's career, great stuff.

The transfer is awful, not the film.

At this point I'm just waiting for The Paradine Case to complete my American collection. Beyond that, I just have some of the really old English stuff to pick up and my collection is complete (or as complete as it's likely to ever get). I think I currently have 44 of his films.

Is the transfer of The Man Who Knew Too Much in the new Universal box worse than the previous release? I own it but I haven't got around to watching it yet, I kept the original releases as well just in case one transfer was better than the other.

I have a sentimental attachment to the orange cover of my old Vertigo DVD

i am complete at the moment, though i wish studio canal would get some new masters of some of the english and silent stuff worked out with a distributor over here. I also will add another set of the titles criterion already released if they have worthy extras. you can follow my dvd aff link if you want to browse it.

i am also holding out for single anamorphic updates from universal on psycho and vertigo....

This is honestly a point of extreme contention and controversy, with (in my experience) equal numbers on both sides championing either the first disc or the second; since admittedly both have their own respective pros and cons, I daresay the only way you'll find a satisfactory answer will be to compare and contract them yourself...

Yeah, thanks man, that's more or less what I gathered when the initial reviews hit the street and one of the reasons that I held on to my originals (that shitty box being another, the original orange Vertigo cover being another, plus keepcases and inserts).

I actually transferred all of my Universal Hitch discs to two disc Amaray cases and tossed the new discs in with the old ones with original covers and inserts. A bit extreme? Maybe, but I likes my Hitchcock.

Guess I'll just have to break it down one day when I get some extra time...