The Birds 4K UHD (1963)

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

I totally agree. In The Birds, you can see both the strengths of 1950s Hitchcock at his peak, and later 1960s Hitchcock as the films started to weaken. And I also agree that Marnie is the same way. It''s a shame, because I think Tippi Hedren is wildly underrated in both films, but I guess we now know everything unpleasant Hitchcock did to get the performances out of her, a bit like Kubrick with Shelley Duvall on The Shining, only even worse with the whole alleged psychosexual angle.

I actually really like a lot about Torn Curtain, and I don't mind the studio-imposed movie stars, it's better than the nonentities he cast in Topaz, just to spite them after Torn Curtain. To me, the biggest weakness of Torn Curtain is the lack of any location work. The Hitchcock who would go to Marrakech in TMWKTM is gone, only to weirdly reappear in Frenzy.

And I agree, it's a shame we'll never get more than those brief glimpses of test footage from Kaleidoscope/Frenzy.

Indeed there is so much to analyze and enjoy in Torn Curtain that you essentially do an entire class on the one film just like you could any Hitchcock picture. That test footage of F/K is heartbreaking to see along with reading about all the unmade and cancelled Hitchcock projects. One can even envision in a way the final film when reading the screenplay of The Short Night in David Freeman's Last Days of Hitchcock book.

I'm very glad you used the term alleged in regards to The Birds and Marnie and the story that now surrounds their making. It's extremely difficult to go into these films now and not open a can of worms. I want to stress I have no issues in regards to anyone ever speaking out and do not want to ever demean anyone for doing so. When it first appeared in the Donald Spoto books I took it as yet another of his career long Hitchcock theories that have formed a whole industry of inaccurate scholarship, coursework and general thoughts about Hitchcock's life and career ever since the publication of the ridiculous Dark Side of Genius. Ultimately we will never know and it is entirely possible but I still find it a bit hard to believe.

I think Hitchcock thought he could certainly mold Hedren into the star he wanted-not necessarily the Grace Kelly replacement people write about him looking for but the idealized on screen representation of his preferred heroine. Unfortunately I don't think she was a great actress at the time or in The Birds had very good material to work from. Melanie has such frigidity that she is very difficult to like (as a kid I always rooted for the Birds if honest) but that also is due to the very problematic script that had issues that were never ironed out-but that frigidity is absolutely perfect in Marnie and I think her performance is incredibly improved over The Birds. (Though in both cases you can't help but wonder why the male lead of the film ignores the perfectly lovely brunette who is human, expressive and obviously crazy about him. Especially in Marnie but at least there Rutland's fascination with Marnie is explained by his total pursuit of her.)

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by iaragorn1

I saw an interview Dick Cavitt has with Hitchcock and he asks if there was an idea of a movie he had but hasn't used in a film.

Hitchcock replied that he wanted to use a car factory and film the car being made starting from the very first piece being assembled, to the frame, motor, the interior, the hood, doors, the wheels being bolted on and when it stops at the end of the line, someone opens a door, and there is a dead body inside.

I think I remembered his story correctly.

He liked to come up with sequences built around what locales were known for. The auto assembly line particularly in Detroit fascinated him and it seems it was a concept they tried to get into North by Northwest but no one could figure out why Thornhill would be in an auto plant or moreover whose body was suddenly dead inside the new car.

Another of my favorites Hitchcock mentioned in a number of interviews:

When I am given a locale — and this is very important in my mind — it's got to be used, and used dramatically. We're in Holland. What have they got in Holland? Windmills? Tulips? If the picture had been in color, I would have worked in the shot I've always wanted to do and never have yet. The murder in a tulip field. Two figures. The assassin — say it's Jack-the-Ripper — comes up behind the girl. The shadow creeps up on her, she turns, screams. Immediately we pan down to the struggling feet, in the tulip bed. We dolly the camera in to one of the flowers, sounds of the struggle heard in the background. We go right to one petal — it fills the screen — and, splash! a drop of red blood comes over the petal. And that would be the end of the murder.

[Bellicose]

Really happy with this release. Love the poster art designs on the steel. Even the normal releases look good. Glad to see all of these getting some attention.

[Bostonyte]

Originally Posted by Bellicose

Really happy with this release. Love the poster art designs on the steel. Even the normal releases look good. Glad to see all of these getting some attention.

Loved this movie since childhood so picked up the steelbook myself. For the most part movie looks great, but very jarring when a scene switches from "soft focus" Tippi to any other scene with her not in a close up.

[Deciazulado]

The Birds 4K Blu-ray

[Akoutroubas]

The Birds II: Land's End

This special limited edition embossed and spot gloss slipcover (designed by Robert Sammelin) is limited to 6,000 units and is only available here at VinegarSyndrome.com!

Ted and Mary have just moved, with their two young daughters, to the sleepy coastal town of Gull Island so that Ted can complete work on his thesis. Everything couldn’t seem more picturesque about their new, seaside home…that is, except for the increasing number of aggressively behaving birds. After surviving an unprovoked nighttime avian invasion, Ted becomes determined to figure out the cause of their unusual behavior; an investigation which leads him to uncover the sinister goings on in the nearby waters. All the while, the birds increase their now deadly attacks, moving up from family pets to human victims…

One of the handful of direct-to-cable-television horror movies produced in the early to mid 90s by Universal, THE BIRDS II: LAND’S END is a jaw dropping animal attack spectacle from director Rick Rosenthal (Halloween II) which stars Brad Johnson (Always), James Naughton (Cat’s Eye), Chelsea Field (Master of the Universe), and Tippi Hedren (The Birds). Never released on disc, Vinegar Syndrome brings this notorious sequel to Blu-ray, newly restored from its 35mm interpositive and featuring comprehensive interviews with cast and crew.

directed by: Rick Rosenthal
starring: Brad Johnson, Chelsea Field, James Naughton, Tippi Hedren
1994 / 86 min / 1.33:1 / English Stereo

Additional info:

Region A Blu-ray
Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm interpositive
Commentary track with film historians Amanda Reyes and Sam Pancake
“Don't Remake Hitchcock Movies” (54 min) - an extensive making-of documentary featuring interviews with its cast and crew
“The Silence of the Birds” (17 min) - an interview with composer Ron Ramin
“The Locations of Birds II” (11 min) - a locations featurette with production assistant Craig Edwards
Still Gallery
Reversible cover artwork
English SDH subtitles


https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collecti...s-ii-lands-end

[BobSimms]

Wham, bam, No Thank You!

[Hammerlover]

Originally Posted by BobSimms

Wham, bam, No Thank You!

Seconded.

[Streetlight]

Are the optical effects shot in this movie DNR'ed in the 4K?

[Bostonyte]

Originally Posted by Akoutroubas

The Birds II: Land's End

Not a 4k

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

Blind buy and watch for me (I know). Very solid movie. Slow paced but it never felt boring and the tension built throughout. I really like how serious in tone the movie was despite the subject matter. It actually reminded me of Jaws of all things.

The ending was exactly what it should have been. I was saying to myself "End right here. End right here." and it did.

UHD wise, I'm sure it's the best it will ever look but it's definitely on the soft side. I'm sure it had more to do with the film stock and cameras than the UHD. Some shots look good while others are just plain soft. The colors were quite nice though and despite the softness, there is plenty of grain and the HDR grade is tasteful and helped. The audio is a bit shrill at times (especially during the bird attacks) but is clear otherwise. Not exactly memorable but acceptable.

I've never seen any other version to compare it to but the I can imagine its quite the upgrade from the Blu-ray but it looks like there's only so much UHD can do with the source.

Other than that, I'm still trying to process what the movie was trying to say. It's definitely a keeper.

The movie had a ton of optical composite shots, so the overall softness is to be expected. All beauty shots of Tippi had a lens filter, which was the style of a lot of classic films to make the young women look dreamlike and ethereal.

[Bostonyte]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

The movie had a ton of optical composite shots, so the overall softness is to be expected. All beauty shots of Tippi had a lens filter, which was the style of a lot of classic films to make the young women look dreamlike and ethereal.

I had a set of eyeglasses made using the same type of filter, wear them whenever my wife and I are together.

[thisis2]

..couldn't find the steelbook for The Birds anywhere...fortunately it is still available from Amazon.it , for anyone interested..

[Ben_UK]

Has The Birds been hit with the dreaded Universal DNR stick? I am just looking at some of the caps over on capsaholic. Wanted to get this but might not if its a DNR fest.

[BobSimms]

Originally Posted by Ben_UK

Has The Birds been hit with the dreaded Universal DNR stick? I am just looking at some of the caps over on capsaholic. Wanted to get this but might not if its a DNR fest.

No, it hasn’t. There are a lot of soft looking shots either because they’re dupes/part of an optical, or because of the soft focus lens used for ‘Tippi’ Hedren.

In fact all of the Universal Hitchcock UHD releases thus far have been exemplary. No DNR.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by Ben_UK

Has The Birds been hit with the dreaded Universal DNR stick? I am just looking at some of the caps over on capsaholic. Wanted to get this but might not if its a DNR fest.

During the restoration process you could tell there was a bit too much grain management applied (maybe for the scratch, dirt, and tear removal stage or maybe to try and match the OCN with the dupes and/or opticals) and then grain (either the removed grain or simulated grain) was laid over the top of the image. It's a bit weird, but there is nothing to be done now. No matter what, "The Birds" was never a stunner for various reasons.

[BobSimms]

^^ In that case, I stand corrected. If someone who worked on the restoration of the data says there was DNR + fake grain applied, then so be it. It just isn’t identifiable as such to me upon playback.

[StingingVelvet]

Man, the opticals, transitions and beauty passes really tear this 4k remaster up. Feels like half the film is impacted. Not saying it isn't an upgrade but definitely puts a damper on things. Also the lead actor's makeup tan is just insane at times.

Movie is amazingly good for how dumb and goofy it really is. It's like if Spielberg made American Ninja 2. Just nutty.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by Ben_UK

Has The Birds been hit with the dreaded Universal DNR stick? I am just looking at some of the caps over on capsaholic. Wanted to get this but might not if its a DNR fest.

This is a clear and obvious upgrade over the blu. You can buy with confidence on this one. It'll never look perfect.

[Monterey Jack]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Movie is amazingly good for how dumb and goofy it really is. It's like if Spielberg made American Ninja 2. Just nutty.