Psycho (1960) (50th Anniversary Edition)

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by charlieray1

I prefer the US release cover art, but for another reason: the UK version gives away a major plot point!

I only wish I had some sort of brain wiping device. I envy anyone who gets to watch this movie for the first time

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by kefrank

No need because I never said the image of the house is as iconic or widely recognizable as the shower scene. I only said it's also very iconic and easily identifiable with the original Psycho, in staunch disagreement to your suggestion that it could be any scary building from any horror film. Perhaps you underestimate not only the house's ominous presence in the film but also the popularity of the preserved set at Universal Studios to this day.


The feeling is mutual, so we will have to agree to disagree. I will forever maintain that no matter how many people may know about the shower scene, putting an image from it on the cover is in direct opposition to the spirit of the film.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Well the image could be either for me. I just would like the option to buy what I consider a better quality case. As for people who only care about the disc and movie thats fine, but I prefer the whole package to be of the upmost quality. Case, Artwork, Insert, Extras. That doesn't mean I don't want the highest PQ and AQ as well. For a movie like Psycho I think it deserves it all.

I don't see what the big deal is that more studio's can't release two packages of their movies. One with higher quality packaging. And when they do they always have to go over the top insane with huge packaging like Wizard of Oz , Casablanca, African Queen , Gone with the wind, etc...

Lol man I've heard it all... When did people start thinking they should be able to choose what packaging they want, whether or not the want dnr, etc? You realize the packaging costs more to produce than the disc, right? At least that's the case for CDs and DVDs. Why should studios spend MORE on packaging when they could be using that money to release more catalog titles with proper remastering... Seriously this whole "we should have a choice thing" has got to stop. You never had it with DVD, or VHS, or CDs (except in rare special instances) so there's absolutely no logic to think u should have a choice now.

[kefrank]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

group hug FTW!

[Atreyu]

I think everyone who loves this film as much as I do should just celebrate the fact it's coming out on blu.

[manicsounds]

Originally Posted by Banned User

I only wish I had some sort of brain wiping device. I envy anyone who gets to watch this movie for the first time

A few years ago, I showed it to a bunch of friends who never watched it, and the scene in the house towards the end, one friend screamed, stood up in total horror. (Yes!)

Also, a few years ago, I showed it to a group of my students, most who hadn't seen it. And they were jumping like crazy. It really is an experience to watch it for the first time.

[RipleyLV426]

Originally Posted by Atreyu

I think everyone who loves this film as much as I do should just celebrate the fact it's coming out on blu.

How's that for celebrating!! I can't wait, this is a piece of cinema history so I 'm so glad we're getting these kind of releases... it's up there with the likes of Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, Wizard of Oz, and soon to be Metropolis.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

A few years ago, I showed it to a bunch of friends who never watched it, and the scene in the house towards the end, one friend screamed, stood up in total horror. (Yes!)

Also, a few years ago, I showed it to a group of my students, most who hadn't seen it. And they were jumping like crazy. It really is an experience to watch it for the first time.

I saw it for the first time as a freshman at Ohio State at one of the student union theaters. The theater was full, and the reactions of the other students (and not knowing what to expect) made the experience more fun.

[hardtosayx]

Originally Posted by Banned User

I only wish I had some sort of brain wiping device. I envy anyone who gets to watch this movie for the first time

I'll be watching for the first time when it comes out.

That picture hasn't ruined anything for me. Because the way I see it, I know nothing that happened other than it being in a shower. So it's not such a big deal.

[Nika]

I think this movie stays really fresh nevermind how many times you watch it. Though nothing compares to the first-time watch. It's a shame that I saw that remake before I saw the original. My mom mistook the remake for the original when she rented it. Oh well...really can't wait to see this. I'm getting the UK version cos it comes out sooner

[Nika]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

A few years ago, I showed it to a bunch of friends who never watched it, and the scene in the house towards the end, one friend screamed, stood up in total horror. (Yes!)

I had an opposite experience when I showed it to some of my friends. They cried out with boredom when we got to this scene. The stupid nitwits

[fatsnbul]

Originally Posted by Nika

I think this movie stays really fresh nevermind how many times you watch it. Though nothing compares to the first-time watch. It's a shame that I saw that remake before I saw the original. My mom mistook the remake for the original when she rented it. Oh well...really can't wait to see this. I'm getting the UK version cos it comes out sooner

Will the extras be region free?

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

Also, a few years ago, I showed it to a group of my students, most who hadn't seen it. And they were jumping like crazy. It really is an experience to watch it for the first time.

On the advice of the documentary, I tried watching the original in tandem with William Castle's "Homicidal", which came out the same year (nah, that title's not similar, is it?)--also now available on disk and just showed up on instant Netflix--and it's true: Castle and Hitchcock were just flat-out competing with each other.
You coudl expect that Castle stole the plot, twists and "Lovable trademark director" gimmicks, and what you don't expect is that Hitchcock opened his movie across town and stole the "No One Will Be Admitted" and "Do not reveal the ending!" gimmicks away from Castle...But Castle knew enough to throw in the Fright Break just before the big reveal at the house.
(And at the risk of SPOILERS,

[Show spoiler]I dare you to call the ending a coincidence...

)

[ScuseMe]

Originally Posted by Nika

I had an opposite experience when I showed it to some of my friends. They cried out with boredom when we got to this scene. The stupid nitwits

Ugh

[Nika]

Originally Posted by fatsnbul

Will the extras be region free?

I have no idea but I have a region free blu-ray player so for me it doesn't matter where I get my discs from

[mayorofsmpleton]

ol man I've heard it all... When did people start thinking they should be able to choose what packaging they want, whether or not the want dnr, etc?

About when they realized they were spending their hard-earned money on a product... When's the last time you ordered from a restaurant and got told by the server that your request for more "bread" or "salt" was un-called for... ?

You realize the packaging costs more to produce than the disc, right? At least that's the case for CDs and DVDs. Why should studios spend MORE on packaging when they could be using that money to release more catalog titles with proper remastering...

This implies if they didn't spend it on packaging it would automatically go to remastering of other films. Studios are businesses. If they see $$$ rewards in restoring a title they'll find the money to do it. If they anticipate little to no profit they won't do it. It's just as simple as that. It's not as though the studios have to pick/choose every single minor decision about funds. Typically there's a budget assigned to various areas -- the people in charge of designing box-art, etc. are not suddenly going to find themselves without a project and subsequently donating their departments funds to restoring of a random older film. It just doesn't work that way.

Seriously this whole "we should have a choice thing" has got to stop.

Yes. How dare consumers have a CHOICE in the products they spend their own money on. Seriously, do you people think about what you're saying? How dare we think we have a choice. We are mindless robots and should stay as such.

Next time you order at a restaurant and they ask you what kind of drink you'd like say you don't need a choice. The restaurant should decide. After all, you're just paying for their servitude -- heaven forbid you get what you'd LIKE.

You never had it with DVD, or VHS, or CDs (except in rare special instances) so there's absolutely no logic to think u should have a choice now.

Except those forms of media existed mostly pre-internet (in the case of DVD it was post-internet but pre-"Hey, we have a platform to be heard..." started to occur to people.

Of course we have a "choice." I chose NOT to purchase an overly DNR'd BD recently -- and I made sure to make my lack of financial support for the product was made clear.

If the studios didn't see the positive side of letting fans have an input then they wouldn't be embracing "vote for cover-contests" and they wouldn't have employees whose purpose is to troll around the internet to get info on various products etc.

It's finally been mentioned that the recent release of Predator and all the DNR controversy is reaching the ears of the studio heads at FOX responsible for the release. I would hope so. They have a free feedback forum for their product at the click of a mouse. I would imagine they spend quite a deal of time reading forums, etc. in order to better market/sell their products. Why do you think the studios offer up pre-release info/art?

I can think of several situations where studios have changed art due to fan reaction. They see this as a POSITIVE thing. If pre-release info tells them a title is poorly marketed, looks badly designed, etc... and this information might lead to a title selling better they're very happy to oblige -- especially if it's a niche product.

Back in 2005 several fans of the series Veronica Mars were upset about the hideous cover-art WB had pre-released for the 1st season set. One forum thread contained maybe 15 major complaints about how it misrepresented the show (made it look like Hanna Montana or something... and how on earth do you make Kristen Bell look Jonathan Taylor Thomas...? Somehow with airbrushing they made one of the most beautiful women in the world look like a man).

I forwarded the thread to Gord at tvshowsondvd.com and he said he would be forwarding it to his contacts at WB. Within a month WB released updated cover-art that was much closer in tone with the "film noir" aspect of the series. Artwork that recycled a promo shot used for the UPN debut of the series... or rather... something they had access to already. They spent MORE time and MORE money having someone do a terrible photoshop job on the release -- which represented the material as something it wasn't. After listening to the fans they decided to design something they thought better represented what they were selling. The studios LIKE free feedback. They spend MILLIONS of dollars on market research going to shopping centers, etc. every single year. Often this info is used to make very big decisions (re: marketing, trailers, cover-art, poster designs, etc.)

Every once in a while they get free feedback on forums, etc. and often make decisions based on that as well -- and I fail to see how this is something we should not embrace...

Studios release "temp" art for feedback, unfinished trailers, film-script bits, etc... all in the hopes of getting FREE feedback from consumers. I fail to see how offering up opinions is something we should be encouraged NOT to do.

Is this not a discussion forum...?

People didn't have a voice with VHS, etc because it was a different time. With the internet age and information at the click of a button consumers are more than ever involved in the process of picking/choosing what they will/won't buy. I fail to see how this is a "problem" and the notion that we should just "shut up" in such a situation is a very short-sighted and dare I say, dangerous way to think.

To say that our rights to be heard as consumers is somehow undeserved or unwarranted in 2010 because 20-30 years ago we didn't have the technology to voice our opinions is ludicrous.

So long as my money goes to purchasing packaged media I will feel nothing but comfortable voicing my opinion on what I think is/is not an inferior product.

[mayorofsmpleton]

I had an opposite experience when I showed it to some of my friends. They cried out with boredom when we got to this scene. The stupid nitwits

They'd rather watch a movie that explains every single detail of Bates' childhood and contains at least 1 shower death every 10-15 minutes. As well as a "stinger" effect on the soundtrack any time a shadow moves within the frame.

Today's youth is terrifying when it comes to this stuff. Everyone is so disturbingly incapable to sitting still or really appreciating well paced stories. It's very disheartening.

[Nika]

well you are right for the most part. I still consider myself to be part of the "youth". Im 24 and I've been watching Hitchcock films since I was 12. But mostly young people today don't understand what movies are all about

[Banned User]

Its sad we are this many years into Bluray and this is only the second Hitchcock film for North America. UK got a less then stellar 39 steps release. Other then that I haven't heard anything about other hitchcock releases.

[mayorofsmpleton]

well you are right for the most part. I still consider myself to be part of the "youth". Im 24 and I've been watching Hitchcock films since I was 12. But mostly young people today don't understand what movies are all about

Haha, I've been watching Hitchcock since probably 10-12 as well (I'm also 24). This is probably why I don't relate so well to my peers.

I spent yesterday rewatching "Rock 'N' Roll High School" on Blu-ray thinking "I'll bet of the 400+ people I went to HS with... maybe 5 have seen this movie..."

Its sad we are this many years into Bluray and this is only the second Hitchcock film for North America. UK got a less then stellar 39 steps release. Other then that I haven't heard anything about other hitchcock releases.

It's likely due to the fact that his films are tied up at different studios and like it or not... they're older films... which we haven't seen too many of on BD yet.

Aside from some of the big names "Vertigo" "psycho" "The Birds" etc... most of the public doesn't know his films... they know him. So unless they release a big box "the Hitchcock Blu-ray Collection" they don't likely see a big market for the individual releases of his "smaller" films.

It's a shame because I'd kill for his films to get released... Rope is a personal favorite that I imagine will happen at SOME point... but who knows. The format is still young. I'm sure something will happen in the near future.

Universal owns quite a bit of them and they were late in the BD game -- this PSYCHO release should give you an idea... it's arguably his biggest film and defies purely "Hitchcock" status... and even that took until Oct 2010 to get a release. I would say in the next 1-3 years we'll see more of his titles -- and more likely a box with several -- get released.