Alfred Hitchcock The Masterpiece Collection Limited Edition - 10/30, 2012 Reviews

[ShellOilJunior]

I put them in tiers. Vertigo is my favorite.


MASTERWORKS

• Vertigo
• Psycho
• North by Northwest
• Rear Window
• Marnie
• The Birds

GREAT

• Rope
• Shadow of Doubt
• The Trouble with Harry
• The Man Who Knew too Much
• Saboteur
• Frenzy

GOOD

• Torn Curtain
• Topaz
• Family Plot

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by Akijama

How would you rate movies included in this box?

My ratings :

1.Vertigo
2.North By Northwest
3.Rear Window
4.Psycho
5.Shadow of a Doubt
6.The Birds
7.Frenzy
9.Rope
10.The Man Who Knew Too Much
11.Marnie

I have yet to see :

Topaz
The Trouble With Harry
Saboteur
Torn Curtain
Family Plot

Torn Curtain is a Great movie as far as I am concerned and feel it does not get the appreciation is deserves. I would check that one out first out of the one's you haven't seen yet. I too haven't seen Topaz or Saboteur yet either though.

[wooble89]

My rankings

1. Rear Window
2. Psycho
3. Shadow of a Doubt

4. Rope
5. The Birds
6. Vertigo
7. Saboteur
8. North by Northwest

9. The Man Who Knew Too Much

Top 3 are masterpieces, middle batch are great films and 9 is good.

So I have 6 new films to try out.

[Scooter1836]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Have yet to have a scratched disc with the FOX books of Star Wars or Alien. But I admit I am very carefull with taking my discs out of the packaging. Bought both sets day one and still the cases and discs look mint. FOX seems to use very sleek paper stock and it seems to me unless some type of dirt gets in there that is the only way I can see scratched happening. I think Alien sets looks the best however.

But I understand that they do recieve a lot of complaints so I'm the minority.

Mine never scratch, but I am careful with them as well.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I put them in tiers. Vertigo is my favorite.


MASTERWORKS

• Vertigo
• Psycho
• North by Northwest
• Rear Window
• Marnie
• The Birds

GREAT

• Rope
• Shadow of Doubt
• The Trouble with Harry
• The Man Who Knew too Much
• Saboteur
• Frenzy

GOOD

• Torn Curtain
• Topaz
• Family Plot

Agreed, although I'd move Marnie to 'Great' and Saboteur to to 'Good'.

Being a huge Hitchcock fan (you think?) and as big a Bond fan to have both boxes released on the same day is..well..friggin' awesome!

I even scheduled the day off so I can be here to get my stuff from Amazon..unless Best Buy discounts either further. Then I have to decide what to watch first. I'm thinking The Birds followed by On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Life is good!

[Scooter1836]

Originally Posted by rocklandsboy

oh gee, another book with disc slots...

Read my lips fox (alien, star wars, bond), wb (friends) and now universal (hitchcock):

book / cardboard packaging =
scratched discs

Then don't buy it and quit snivelling in large fonts lol

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by retablo

Well, this is the THIRD studio (after Warner and Fox) to embrace the book style packaging. If it was indeed damaging, I doubt everyone would be using it.

It's funny, people complain endlessly about huge box sets, and how much space discs take up on their shelves, etc... then the UK box is announced and it's a huge box. Then the uS is announced and it's a compact, shelf-friendly package, and people still find some nonsense to complain about. 15 individual cases would take up a huge amount of space, the UK set is smaller but still large, and this one is nice and compact. But people are NEVER happy unless they find fault in every little thing. It's quite fun to watch, actually.

The only thing that I'll complain about is having to read posts like yours that whine like a little kid because you can't stand someone else having a different preference. People have different preferences in terms of packaging. Deal with it!

[Brad1963]

I loved Family Plot and Frenzy even though it is not fashionable. IMO the man did not make any bad films.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by MrHT

The only thing that I'll complain about is having to read posts like yours that whine like a little kid because you can't stand someone else having a different preference. People have different preferences in terms of packaging. Deal with it!

Haha, well boo hoo. I have a valid point, so I'm sorry that you are whining about my "whining". Then again, you don't have to read my posts, so there's also that. No one's forcing you.

Preference is fine. It's when they post inaccurate facts like cardboard sleeves always scratches discs that people need to get a reality check. I have all those sets and have NO scratches on my discs. Therefore, their "facts" are 100% wrong. It's not to say it hasn't happened, but there's ZERO PROOF that it's these cardboard sleeves doing all this mischievous scratching. Typically, it's user error, as with most things.

And yes, it's also true that some people are never happy no matter what you give them. If this was 15 individual cases, the'd complain about the art, or that they are eco cases, or something else.

[ACMutd]

Favorites:

1. Vertigo
2. Rebecca
3. Psycho
4. Notorious
5. North by Northwest
6. Rear Window
7. Shadow of a Doubt
8. Dial M for Murder
9. Strangers on a Train
10. Rope
11. The 39 Steps
12. The Lady Vanishes
13. The Birds

Movies in the Collection
Criterion Blus
On Blu
Haven't seen:
Saboteur (1942)
The Trouble with Harry (1955)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Marnie (1964)
Torn Curtain (1966)
Topaz (1969)
Frenzy (1972)
Family Plot (1976)

I don't know if I want to buy the collection if I haven't seen 8 of the films.

[runnersdialzero]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I put them in tiers. Vertigo is my favorite.


MASTERWORKS

• Vertigo
• Psycho
• North by Northwest
• Rear Window
• Marnie
• The Birds

GREAT

• Rope
• Shadow of Doubt
• The Trouble with Harry
• The Man Who Knew too Much
• Saboteur
• Frenzy

GOOD

• Torn Curtain
• Topaz
• Family Plot

This, except flip flop Marnie with Rope.

[MikeyHitchFan]

I think we need a sticky thread for this topic as it just goes nowhere. I will just add that I've had no scratches on my disc sets of Alien, Star Wars & Kubrick. I think they save shelf space and as long as you use a bit of manual dexterity it is a non-issue.

Now, back on topic...the movies.

We know The Birds will look great as it's getting a full restoration. It is showing tonight at UCLA in it's restored print. Vertigo and Rear Window were previously restored and should look great. This was several years ago but I read that Vertigo was being worked on again for possible 70mm theatrical reissue. Psycho and NBNW already look wonderful. The Trouble with Harry, TMWKTM, Frenzy and Marnie should look nice. Torn Curtain was developed in a desaturated color look so it's hard to tell how this will look. Family Plot has some terrible greenish outlines on the rear projection but I'm not sure if it can be fixed.

[MikeyHitchFan]

The 53 major films directed by Alfred Hitchcock...(and my smiley opinions of each)

The Pleasure Garden (1925)
The Mountain Eagle (1926) (No known prints available)
The Lodger (1927)
Downhill (1927)
Easy Virtue (1928)
The Ring (1927)
The Farmer's Wife (1928)
Champagne (1928)
The Manxman (1929)
Blackmail (1929)
Juno and the Paycock (1930)
Murder! (1930)
The Skin Game (1931)
Rich and Strange (1931)
Number Seventeen (1932)
Waltzes from Vienna (1934)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
The 39 Steps (1935)
Secret Agent (1936)
Sabotage (1936)
Young and Innocent (1937)
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
Jamaica Inn (1939)
Rebecca (1940)
Foreign Correspondent (1940)
Mr and Mrs Smith (1941)
Suspicion (1941)
Saboteur (1942)
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Lifeboat (1944)
Spellbound (1945)
Notorious (1946)
The Paradine Case (1947)
Rope (1948)
Under Capricorn (1949)
Stage Fright (1950)
Strangers on a Train (1951)
I Confess (1953)
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Rear Window (1954)
To Catch a Thief (1955)
The Trouble with Harry (1955)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
The Wrong Man (1956)
Vertigo (1958)
North by Northwest (1959)
Psycho (1960)
The Birds (1963)
Marnie (1964)
Torn Curtain (1966)
Topaz (1969)
Frenzy (1972)
Family Plot (1976)

[popeflick]

Originally Posted by MikeyHitchFan

The 53 major films directed by Alfred Hitchcock...(and my smiley opinions of each)


Blackmail (1929)
Rich and Strange (1931)
Young and Innocent (1937)

I sat through most of these back when I was in film school. These 3 really stood out for me from his British era and I would bump them up a smilie.

[fattyjoe37]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I only double dip on a title if there are new bonus features. Just because something is on Blu doesn't mean I have to have the Blu. If all the features are the same on both and I already have the DVD, I'm fine sticking with the DVD and saving my money. Because of that, I'm not interested in this box set. I'll get The Birds if it's released individually for the new documentary.

[Markpsf]

I've seen many of them 4-5 times over the last 40 years. My first choices are the ones that keep holding up over time. I've also sort of weighed quality vis a vis pure enjoyment. In rough order of preference.

LOCKS FOR THE TOP
Vertigo
Rear Window
North by Northwest

CLOSE TO THE TOP
The Birds
Shadow of Doubt (Not as brilliant as Psycho, but I find myself enjoying it more lately)
Psycho (Much of it is truly great, but the naive ending psycho-babble hasn't held up for me over time)
Rope
The Man Who Knew too Much
Marnie (The dated psychology lectures almost kill it for me, though it's beautifully done as a film)

GREAT BUT I WOULDN'T BUY THEM AS SINGLES
The Trouble with Harry
Saboteur
Frenzy

GOOD WHEN I SAW THEM, BUT I HAVE NO DESIRE TO SEE THEM AGAIN
Torn Curtain
Topaz
Family Plot

[dsman71]

I used to be just like you, but I felt like the technology was / is going HD and didnt want to be left behind. However DVDs are very much alive , well and prominent. I did it to stay current and also Best Buy had a sale at a time where my equipment at the time fizzled and seized the opportunity.
Some titles do look better in HD while there are some which are inferior to SD or really dont look at that much better.
Overall I am enjoying Blus, the best looking ones are from Criterion , Synapse Warner and Twilight Time in my opinion.

[ghostwhowalks]

So which is better, US or UK edition..?

[TNAJason]

ANOTHER September Release? AHHHHHHHHHHH

Might wait for a sale on this one,depends on the price.

[BluPat]

We need a Pre-Order button.