The Hitchcock Nine (1925–1929) - Imprint

[Dailyan]

35 years before Psycho, 22 years before Rope, and 15 years before Foreign Correspondent, the great Alfred Hitchcock was at work in the vast world of silent cinema.

His nine surviving silent films are brought together for the first time in this special collection from restorations by the BFI National Archives, accompanied by NEW and archival music options, and loaded with brand NEW Special Features.

Take a trip back to over 100 years ago, to the thriving silent cinema scene, with these remarkable entries to the very beginning of Hitchcock’s six decade-long career:

The Pleasure Garden (1925) – Worldwide Blu-ray debut!
The Lodger (1927)
The Ring (1927)
Downhill (1927)
The Farmer’s Wife (1928)
Easy Virtue (1928)
Champagne (1928)
The Manxman (1929)
Blackmail (1929)

Limited Edition 10-Disc Hardbox, including the 2021 feature documentary I Am Alfred Hitchcock.

1500 copies only.

The Pleasure Garden

Special Features and Technical Specs:

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
NEW Solo Piano Score by composer Neil Brand
Theater Organ Score by Lee Erwin (Carnegie Hall Cinema, New York)
NEW Audio Commentary by editor of the Hitchcock Annual, Sidney Gottlieb
Introduction by film historian Charles Barr
NEW Interview with BFI silent film curator Bryony Dixon
NEW Neil Brand on his score for The Pleasure Garden
Aspect Ratio 1.37:1

The Lodger

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
Orchestral Score by composer Paul Zaza
Orchestral Score by Ashley Irwin in 5.1 Surround Sound (1999)
Contemporary Orchestral Score by Nitin Sawhney, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra
Live Orchestral Score by Graham Reynolds (2017)
NEW Audio Commentary by Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
Audio Commentary by film historian Patrick McGilligan
The Sound of Silence: The Making of The Lodger – featurette
Peter Bogdanovich Interviews Hitchcock – audio
Hitchcock / Truffaut – archival audio interview
Suspense: The Lodger – 1940 radio adaptation directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Herbert Marshall, Edmund Gwenn, and Lurene Tuttle
Hollywood Star Time: The Lodger – 1946 radio adaptation starring Vincent Price and Cathy Lewis
Mystery in the Air: The Lodger – 1947 radio adaptation starring Peter Lorre, Agnes Moorehead, and Henry Morgan
Scoring The Lodger with Nitin Sawhney – featurette
Introduction by Charles Barr
Image Gallery
Restoration Comparison
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

The Ring

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
Small Jazz Ensemble Score by Neil Brand
Solo Piano Score by Antonio Coppola
Solo Piano Score by Xavier Berthelot
NEW Interview with film historian Melanie Williams
NEW Neil Brand on his score for The Ring
A Knockout Score: Neil Brand on The Ring
Hitchcock / Truffaut: Archival Audio Interview
Introduction by Director / Film Historian Noël Simsolo
Image Gallery
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Downhill

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
Solo Piano Score by John Sweeney
Orchestral Score by Christophe Henrott
NEW Interview with film scholar Ian Christie
Introduction by critic Charles Barr
Image Gallery
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

The Farmer's Wife

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
Solo Piano and Digital Keyboard Score by Jon C. Mirsalis
Solo Piano Score by Neil Brand
Orchestral Score by Xavier Berthelot
Hitch in the Countryside: Neil Brand on The Farmer’s Wife – featurette
Hitchcock / Truffaut: Archival Audio Interview
Extract from BEHP Interview with Ronald Neame
Introduction by Director / Film Historian Noël Simsolo
Image Gallery
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Easy Virtue

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
NEW Solo Piano Score by composer Neil Brand
NEW Solo Piano Score by composer Mauro Colombis
NEW Interview with film historian Melanie Williams
NEW Interview with BFI silent film curator Bryony Dixon
NEW Neil Brand on his score for Easy Virtue
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Champagne

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
Solo Piano Score by Neil Brand
Solo Piano Score by Ben Model
Orchestral Score by Xavier Berthelot
Audio Commentary by film historian Farran Smith Nehme
NEW Interview with Pamela Hutchinson on Betty Balfour
Hitch and Champagne – Neil Brand on Music for Silent Film
A Heady Cocktail – Charles Barr on Champagne
Hitchcock / Truffaut: Archival Audio Interview
Introduction by Director / Film Historian Noël Simsolo
Image Gallery
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

The Manxman

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
Solo Piano Score by composer Andrew Earle Simpson
Small Ensemble Score by composer Stephen Horne
Solo Piano Score by composer Antonio Coppola
Solo Piano Score by composer Xavier Berthelot
Audio Commentary by film historian Farran Smith Nehme
NEW Interview with film scholar Ian Christie
NEW Interview with Pamela Hutchinson on Anny Ondra
Melodrama a la Manx: Stephen Horne on Scoring Hitchcock
Hitch’s Leading Ladies by Davina Quinlivan
Hitchcock / Truffaut: Archival Audio Interview
Introduction by Director / Film Historian Noël Simsolo
Image Gallery
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Blackmail

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray of the Silent Version
Orchestral Score by Moritz Eggert (year unknown)
Electroacoustic score by Edison Studio (5.1 Surround or Stereo)
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray of the Talkie Version
Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas
NEW Interview with BFI silent film curator Bryony Dixon
Silent into Sound: Neil Brand on Blackmail
Anny Ondra’s Screen Test
Extract from BEHP Interview with Ronald Neame
Hitchcock / Truffaut: Archival Audio Interview
Introduction by Director / Film Historian Noël Simsolo
Introduction by actor Tony Curtis
Image Gallery
Audio: English LPCM 2.0
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

I Am Alfred Hitchcock

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray of the 2021 feature documentary
Becoming Hitchcock: The Legacy of Blackmail – documentary
More Special Features TBC
Audio: English DTS-HD 5.1 Surround + LPCM 2.0 Mono
Aspect Ratio 16:9

https://viavision.com.au/shop/the-hi...ction-440-448/

[745745]

Is Neil Brand's score for Blackmail available anywhere online or on physical media? I saw some clips of that version and was quite impressed.
It's weird StudioCanal and Imprint included "Silent into Sound: Neil Brand on Blackmail", in which Mr. Brand explained how he managed to write the score in detail, but that score was not included as an option.

[philthehip]

Originally Posted by 745745

Is Neil Brand's score for Blackmail available anywhere online or on physical media? I saw some clips of that version and was quite impressed.
It's weird StudioCanal and Imprint included "Silent into Sound: Neil Brand on Blackmail", in which Mr. Brand explained how he managed to write the score in detail, but that score was not included as an option.

It is a work for hire from Faber Music so is not available on home media. Whether someone recorded it at a live screening and posted it somewhere on the dark corners of the web, I don't know.

[popeflick]

There isn’t any indication that Pleasure Garden is the BFI restoration. It seems to be implied but does anyone know for sure?

[poisonmail]

The general description for the box says “special restorations from the BFI” so I assume that applies to all nine. And I know of no reason why it would have a different genesis than the others, which doesn’t make it impossible that I’m wrong..

[popeflick]

Originally Posted by poisonmail

The general description for the box says “special restorations from the BFI” so I assume that applies to all nine. And I know of no reason why it would have a different genesis than the others, which doesn’t make it impossible that I’m wrong..

Yeah, it feels like the answer is "yes" but there's no actual wording to that effect.

Given it's both his first film and hasn't ever been on blu ray befor I'd expect marketing to make that feature front and center, but it clearly isn't.

Regardless, I've got all of the others on blu and will wait for a (hopefully) standalone release elsewhere.

[745745]

Originally Posted by philthehip

It is a work for hire from Faber Music so is not available on home media. Whether someone recorded it at a live screening and posted it somewhere on the dark corners of the web, I don't know.

Thank you for the information! I found that it was commissioned by Cinema Ritrovato (https://www.fabermusic.com/music/blackmail), so hopefully in the future, there would be an Italian release that feature the score.

[jacksparrow900]

One question will Blackmail be the restoration from 2012 or the one done last year by the BFI for the UK release.

[Filmmaker]

Originally Posted by popeflick

There isn’t any indication that Pleasure Garden is the BFI restoration. It seems to be implied but does anyone know for sure?

Originally Posted by poisonmail

The general description for the box says “special restorations from the BFI” so I assume that applies to all nine. And I know of no reason why it would have a different genesis than the others, which doesn’t make it impossible that I’m wrong..

Originally Posted by popeflick

Yeah, it feels like the answer is "yes" but there's no actual wording to that effect.

Given it's both his first film and hasn't ever been on blu ray befor I'd expect marketing to make that feature front and center, but it clearly isn't.

The email they sent to buyers of their previous releases reads as follows:

”His nine surviving silent films are brought together for the first time in this special collection from restorations by the BFI National Archives…”

Seems pretty clear to me.

[philthehip]

Originally Posted by Filmmaker

The email they sent to buyers of their previous releases reads as follows:

”His nine surviving silent films are brought together for the first time in this special collection from restorations by the BFI National Archives…”

Seems pretty clear to me.

And that was the wording from Viavision too, which Imprint linked to from their page.

His nine surviving silent films are brought together for the first time in this special collection from restorations by the BFI National Archives

[odlid]

This looks to be a nice set but surprised at this not having subtitles. I know for most, it’s not a big deal but I find they help me enjoy the movie.

[Filmmaker]

Originally Posted by odlid

This looks to be a nice set but surprised at this not having subtitles. I know for most, it’s not a big deal but I find they help me enjoy the movie.

[philthehip]

Originally Posted by odlid

This looks to be a nice set but surprised at this not having subtitles. I know for most, it’s not a big deal but I find they help me enjoy the movie.

You might have to use the intertitles instead.

[PGW]

Maybe odlid doesn't realize these are all silent films, so they would have English intertitles as part of the film and therefore no need for subtitles.

Another possibility is that English is not odlid's primary language, and so subtitles in his own language would be useful for him.

There could also be a use for subtitles for the various commentaries (for the hard-of-hearing) but I doubt they would go to the expense of creating that for what is, after all, a niche item.

[odlid]

Originally Posted by PGW

Maybe odlid doesn't realize these are all silent films, so they would have English intertitles as part of the film and therefore no need for subtitles.

Another possibility is that English is not odlid's primary language, and so subtitles in his own language would be useful for him.

There could also be a use for subtitles for the various commentaries (for the hard-of-hearing) but I doubt they would go to the expense of creating that for what is, after all, a niche item.

My bad! Did not realize that. English is my native language. Just an oops on my part as just not being familiar with early Hitchcock. Hence my interest in the set.

[poisonmail]

Imprint’s sale link for this is gone (and so are the bundles containing it). Did it sell out already? I know they allocated some to Orbit.

[James Luckard]

Yikes! Appreciate the heads up! I just ordered from Diabolik, to be safe.

[Aunt Peg]

If the set has sold out I wonder if Imprint would consider a second pressing - though they may be contractually only able to release 1500 sets.

Anybody recall this happening before?

[Raggady_jack]

It would be a shock if it really had sold out that quickly. The other releases for that month are all listed on JB's site, but this one isn't, which is something I've not seen before. My thinking is that there is an issue behind the scenes, possibly with licensing (could be the whole film, or could be a score). But if it has sold out, I think they'll likely increase the print run.

[cochon]

Originally Posted by Raggady_jack

It would be a shock if it really had sold out that quickly. The other releases for that month are all listed on JB's site, but this one isn't, which is something I've not seen before. My thinking is that there is an issue behind the scenes, possibly with licensing (could be the whole film, or could be a score). But if it has sold out, I think they'll likely increase the print run.

I agree they are not films one would expect to sold out in such short frame. Especially because if you wanted them you could have bought them from overseas, if not all, most of them for sure have been available for a while. As for increasing the run, it depends on whatever is in the contract they might have signed although I'll be surprised they were forced to release such a limited number. I already got the only two I wanted my interest remains with the AH Hour.