Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (1942-1976)

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by jmo78

I'm sorry if I offended you - that wasn't my intention. I thought some members might be interested in the quality of a recent box set put together by Universal, that's all.

Thanks for that, although I was not offended. I just got tired of the Lynch box basher talk in another thread. Sorry. Anyway, I hope for the best with this release as I'm sure you do. DNR is my main concern.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Now I'm confused. If this is the actual box set, why is NBNW and 39 Steps on there? It's released by Universal. Is this a 'complete' Hitchcock set?

Alfred Hitchcock Collection Limited Edition Blu-ray

[Show spoiler]

[wooble89]

That is...sexy.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by MikeyHitchFan

Now I'm confused. If this is the actual box set, why is NBNW and 39 Steps on there? It's released by Universal. Is this a 'complete' Hitchcock set?

Alfred Hitchcock Collection Limited Edition Blu-ray

[Show spoiler]

Thanks for the fix!

[Akijama]

Originally Posted by MikeyHitchFan

Now I'm confused. If this is the actual box set, why is NBNW and 39 Steps on there? It's released by Universal. Is this a 'complete' Hitchcock set?

[Show spoiler]

Movies listed on Amazon.de (and several other German sites too) includes Hitch's movies he did at Universal only (14 of them).So,this is Universal box set,there's no doubt about it.
IMO,this picture has two possible explanations :

1.This picture is inaccurate and have nothing to do with this set.

2.Germans are planing to merge upcoming Universal set with previously released Hitch's stuff (NBNW,The 39 Steps,Psycho,etc.) in one giant box.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Movies listed on Amazon.de (and several other German sites too) includes Hitch's movies he did at Universal only (14 of them).So,this is Universal box set,there's no doubt about it.
IMO,this picture has two possible explanations :

1.This picture is inaccurate and have nothing to do with this set.

2.Germans are planing to merge upcoming Universal set with previously released Hitch's stuff (NBNW,The 39 Steps,Psycho,etc.) in one giant box.

I'm guessing number 2 from the looks of it. That's cool with me. I can sell any single release dupes I have.

[RiFiFi1955]

The only problem of selling off individuals titles I have for a box set is that you lose the individual case's which I kinda like. But sometimes you got to.

[RiFiFi1955]

I have seen a few of Hitchcock's films on the HDNET channel and even though blu-ray's are always better with the work done on them and all, you can still get a hint of what a film will look like in high def. When "Vertigo" was played it looked amazing as did "Stranger's on a train". I think the only other one I saw was "Dial M For Murder" but I didn't see much improvement over my DVD copy(improvement yes... but minimal) but after seeing them in HD man has it got me stoked to actually own them in blu-ray.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

I have seen a few of Hitchcock's films on the HDNET channel and even though blu-ray's are always better with the work done on them and all, you can still get a hint of what a film will look like in high def. When "Vertigo" was played it looked amazing as did "Stranger's on a train". I think the only other one I saw was "Dial M For Murder" but I didn't see much improvement over my DVD copy(improvement yes... but minimal) but after seeing them in HD man has it got me stoked to actually own them in blu-ray.

Same here. Although 'Dial M' was shown in widescreen 1:85 VS full frame 1:33. Not sure which version to pick since the 3D effect is better with more objects visible, but as I don't really care about 3D then widescreen looks more natural. There is a lot of empty space above heads in the 'TV safe' full frame version. (Let's not get into the old Kubrick's preferred aspect ratio debate again) Hitch had his TV show and knew how to compose but also this was made to be shown on the big, wide screen. Warner could always give us 4 versions (a la' Touch of Evil U.K. BD), 2 ratios and 3D/2D, but not likely.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

The only problem of selling off individuals titles I have for a box set is that you lose the individual case's which I kinda like. But sometimes you got to.

Yeah, I go back and forth on this but I usually go with the box as it's less space.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by jmo78

I don't want to be negative, but Universal's recent David Lynch box set was an unmitigated disaster, so perhaps those of you who are yet to pre-order may want to wait for a review?

(Off topic) I finally decided to send my Lynch box back to Amazon!

[KCota15]

What if in the U.S. there is a possibility of Warner titles appearing in that boxset? For the Kubrick set, Universal let Warner put Spartacus in it, so maybe Warner will let Universal put some of their films in that set?

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by jmo78

Oh dear. Are you sure they're not going to sort the discs out? Ricster has been brilliant emailing them complaints and the Blu-ray.com review, etc.

Yeah, I just figured that it's been out for 2 weeks and they haven't made any replacement deal. I'm tired of waiting. I may re-purchase later if everything is fixed, which I doubt. Not saying it was a total waste, but I'll spend my money right now on the many other box sets coming this year.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by KCota15

What if in the U.S. there is a possibility of Warner titles appearing in that boxset? For the Kubrick set, Universal let Warner put Spartacus in it, so maybe Warner will let Universal put some of their films in that set?

It's possible, considering that North by Northwest was included in the 'Essentials' DVD 5 disc set last year that Universal released in the U.S. I'd love it if Paramount put To Catch a Thief in there, too. My gut feeling is that the U.S. will mirror the Masterpiece Collection set of 14 Universal titles. Any other permutations of this will vary from country to country as copyright and distribution rights are sometimes different. Personally, I love the look of that German set and have pre-ordered it.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by jmo78

Including this one! Which, I do hope, will be treated with respect by Universal.

Yes, if they do 1080/24p transfers of all titles, fix the sound warble issues, include 5.1 mixes on all but Eraserhead, etc.

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by MikeyHitchFan

(Let's not get into the old Kubrick's preferred aspect ratio debate again).

Haha Yes, I know all that debate. I wonder why though that many of the BR discs of Kubrick's work that were shot in 1:85 are being presented with a 1:66 aspect ratio like "A Clockwork Orange" and "Paths of Glory". Same goes for a good amount of Criterion's BR releases. How do you feel about the slight change in aspect ratio's for Blur Ray releases? It really doesn't matter too much to me, especially when it is only down to 1:78 as it is in many cases but I wonder why.

[MikeyHitchFan]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

Haha Yes, I know all that debate. I wonder why though that many of the BR discs of Kubrick's work that were shot in 1:85 are being presented with a 1:66 aspect ratio like "A Clockwork Orange" and "Paths of Glory". Same goes for a good amount of Criterion's BR releases. How do you feel about the slight change in aspect ratio's for Blur Ray releases? It really doesn't matter too much to me, especially when it is only down to 1:78 as it is in many cases but I wonder why.

Those 2 titles are correct. ACO is 1:66. Barry Lyndon should be, but is slightly cropped. The main argument was the last 3 titles, which were shot full frame for eventual TV viewing, and were released that way on some early DVD's, but are now correctly framed 1:85.

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by MikeyHitchFan

Those 2 titles are correct. ACO is 1:66. Barry Lyndon should be, but is slightly cropped. The main argument was the last 3 titles, which were shot full frame for eventual TV viewing, and were released that way on some early DVD's, but are now correctly framed 1:85.

Oh Yeah I totally forgot that Kubrick actually wanted certain aspect ratio's to be shown so I shouldn't have even mentioned him. I am more curious about Blu-ray titles that I'm pretty sure the Director did not have a say in during the production of the blu-ray. Take Romero's "The Crazies" for example, the film was shot in the 1:85 format (Romero PROBABLY intended for all of the picture to be shown) so why would Blue Underground change it's aspect ratio to 1:66 for its blu-ray release. I could see them maybe changing it to 1:78 so that the picture would completely fill up a widescreen TV (but even then why not just keep the little black bars on the top and bottom and leave it at 1:85) but why 1:66? I know this is a question nobody could probably answer except for Blue Underground but I still wonder what is the point of company's doing this. There might be some legit reasoning with "The Crazies" too, I just picked it as an example but there are many other similar type situations.

[Lnds500]

MikeyHitchFan, use the edit button!

[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