Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (1942-1976)

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

It's been accurate, but not 100%

Really? Which ones were they wrong about? (A genuine question.)

[NeoMaximuz]

Where can I see this schedule? Any mention of the Classic Horror films?

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by NeoMaximuz

Where can I see this schedule? Any mention of the Classic Horror films?

Third post down here:

[Show spoiler]Feb.
M.O.D.: Marlene Dietrich double feature
Standard blu:
2/14 - Johnny English
2/21 - Honey

March
Blu combo (all 3/6): The Deer Hunter, Harvey, The Nutty Professor, Parenthood, Out of Africa
DVD (all 3/6): Charade, The Egg and I, Francis the Talking Mule, The Last Temptation of Christ, My Man Godfrey, Sullivan's Travels, Three Smart Girls
repackaged blu combo & dvd (3/6): The Blues Brothers, Despicable Me, Meet the Parents
Repackaged dvd (3/6): Car Wash, The Deer Hunter*, Destry Rides Again, Duck Soup, Harvey, The Jerk, Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, The Nutty Professor, Parenthood
Standard blu:
3/6 - Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat, Dragonheart, The Quest (all bd)
3/20 - American Pie, American Pie 2, American Wedding (all bd combo)

April
Blu combo (4/17): Buck Privates
M.O.D.: Joel Mccrea westerns
Standard blu:
4/3 - Evan Almighty, Life, Nutty Professor II (all bd)
4/10 - Definitely Maybe, Meet Joe Black (int'l. bd)

May: 5/1
Blu combo: Pillow Talk
Standard blu: About a Boy, Mystery Men, Sea of Love (all bd)

June
M.O.D.: 1950's melodrama
Blu combo (6/5): Back to the Future, Erin Brockovich, Sixteen Candles, Smokey and the Bandit, The Sting
Repackaged blu combo & dvd (6/5): American Pie, The Big Lebowski, Casino, The Fast and the Furious, King Kong, The Mummy '99, Animal House, Spartacus, United 93
Repackaged dvd (6/5): Back to the Future, Earthquake, Erin Brockovich, High Plains Drifter, Sixteen Candles, Smokey and the Bandit, The Sting, Winchester '73
Standard blu (6/5): Blues Brothers 2000 (int'l), Liar Liar (bd), Scent of a Woman (bd/dvd)

July
Blu combo (7/3): Born on the Fourth of July
Repackaged dvd (7/3): Born on the Fourth of July

Aug.
Blu combo & dvd (8/14): Jaws
M.O.D.: Universal rarities
Standard blu (8/7): Andromeda Strain, Jaws 3 3d (both bd)

Sept.
Blu combo (9/4): Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, Airport (also dvd), Double Indemnity, Jurassic Park (also dvd)
Repackaged blu combo + dvd (9/4): Atonement, Bridesmaids, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Out of Africa, Scarface '83
Repackaged dvd (9/4): The Birds*, Double Indemnity*, The Incredible Shrinking Man, It Came From Outer Space, Psycho*, Scarface '32, Vertigo*
Blu-ray Alfred Hitchcock set (9/4): Not certain, but thinking this will contain The Birds, Psycho, and Vertigo
Standard blu (9/4): Rumble Fish, Slap Shot, Streets of Fire (all bd)

Oct.
Blu combo & dvd (10/23): E.T. 30th
Blu & dvd classic monsters set (10/23): Not sure, but think this will have Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy '32, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Creature From The Black Lagoon and possibly The Hunchback of Notre Dame '23 and The Phantom of the Opera '25 & '43
M.O.D.: Billy Wilder collection
Standard blu (10/2): The Bone Collector, Bride of Chucky, Fear, Holiday Inn 70th anniversary (all bd)

Nov.
Blu & dvd 100th anniversary set (11/6)

Dec.
M.O.D.: film noir

* = new 1-disc dvd

[rezpekt]

Originally Posted by NeoMaximuz

Where can I see this schedule? Any mention of the Classic Horror films?

Here

[*PREACHER*]

Day 1...no questions asked!!!

[Akijama]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Really? Which ones were they wrong about? (A genuine question.)

Sixteen Candles is scheduled for Sept.4,not June 5 as is stated in that leaked list.
Mystery Men is actually scheduled for July 24,not May
Andromeda Strain is obviously not coming in August
Sea of Love were released on June 5th,not May,as were projected in the leaked list...etc.

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by MikeyHitchFan

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.

Dial M is a widescreen movie. Any movie you see on 1.33 video versions with "There is a lot of empty space above heads in the 'TV safe' full frame version." is a widescreen movie, as any projectionist worth its salt could tell you.

I saw it 2 years ago in 3-D but projected erroneously in Academy 1.37 and it was a very bland experience that way, like being a fly on a wall watching the action from afar. A very far wall.

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.

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.

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

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.

US produced movies shot in flat widescreen would be seen in 1.85 in 1.85 screens (most of the world, including the US) and in 1.66 in 1.66 screens.

[Show spoiler]Here's Kubrick in 1.85 :

The Shining (1980)

Barry Lyndon (1975)

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Paths of Glory (1957)

The Killing (1956)

1.85 projection vs 1.66 projection:


185vs166-2.jpg

I've seen movies like Clockwork, Strangelove, Holy Grail projected in 1.85 only.

By 1975 Kubrick surveyed that the majority of theaters in Germany and France too couldn't project 1.66 anymore..

As to why movies that were framed in 1.85 for theaters could be being transferred in 1.66, it may've been because somewhere in a perfect visionary magazine 20 years ago it was stated that 1.66 = European ratio and people and places like imdb now automatically assume that for every movie and assign 1.66 to any movie made in Europe automatically, when some are and some aren't. In practice movies would be projected in 1.85 theaters 99% of the time no matter what. And I'm sure producers, directors and cameramen, specially technically savvy ones , would know this. And shoot accordingly. Specially movies destined for worldwide exhibition. Why transfer at 1.66 then? I can offer a few possible reasons, justifiable or not. The movie may have been projected in 1.66 theaters (and protected in shooting accordingly) so you can say that be a legitimate presentation. TVs (even HDTVs) can have overscan so if the TV has 5% overscan, then a 1.66 transfer shows you the movie in 1.75 ratio on that TV. If it has 10% (TV Safe Action Area) it actually shows you the 1.85 vertical framing with just a slight crop on the sides. This includes broadcasts. Many 1.85 movies were historically transferred at 1.66 for 4:3 video as that minimized the black bars. Some markets still have 1.33 TVs and doing or using an all purpose 1.66 HD master works better for those. A flat movie transferred at 1.66 1080p, instead of proper 1.85 1080p, just has 7% less image resolution (probably not even a JND (just noticeable difference) ) than if it had been transferred at 1.85 and you can always frame it back at 1.85 if you so desire by means of tape, masks, zooms, and/or curtains . But not the other way around. (For example the other day I watched Yellow Submarine (UA) matted to 1.75 and it looked more balanced that way) (A Hard Day's Night's (UA) 35mm film reel leaders specify 1.75:1). Transferring at 1.66 gives you a little less grain on screen. A company might think/be convinced the OAR is 1.66. Or might not want to have a "internet cognoscenti" backlash by people saying Hey why is this in 1.85? 1.78??? It should be 1.66! Read that on the internet since it started! Heck it should be 1.33 i saw it on my telly for 40 years!! so they play it safe. In addition to TV overscan, theater's have their own version and not all show a 100% of the standard Projector Aperture (be it 1.85, 1.75, or 1.66) on their screens. SMPTE practices make allowance for this up to 5% cropping (3% recommended). Depending on the direction of the crop (vertical, horizontal or both) a so called 1.66 screen could be showing a movie between 1.58 and 1.75, a 1.85 one between 1.76 and 1.95 so flat widescreen movies could have been shown between the extremes of 1.58 and 1.95 depending on the theaters. In any case the question is, is the framing too tight/loose vertically or does it look fine in 1.66/1.75/1.85/1.78 (take your pick and adjust your sets accordingly. We control the Vertical. We control the Horizontal.

[Show spoiler]

)

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

As to why movies that were framed in 1.85 for theaters could be being transferred in 1.66, it may've been because somewhere in a perfect visionary magazine 20 years ago it was stated that 1.66 = European ratio and people and places like imdb now automatically assume that for every movie and assign 1.66 to any movie made in Europe automatically, when some are and some aren't. In practice movies would be projected in 1.85 theaters 99% of the time no matter what. And I'm sure producers, directors and cameramen, specially technically savvy ones , would know this. And shoot accordingly. Specially movies destined for worldwide exhibition. Why transfer at 1.66 then? I can offer a few possible reasons, justifiable or not. The movie may have been projected in 1.66 theaters (and protected in shooting accordingly) so you can say that be a legitimate presentation. TVs (even HDTVs) can have overscan so if the TV has 5% overscan, then a 1.66 transfer shows you the movie in 1.75 ratio on that TV. If it has 10% (TV Safe Action Area) it actually shows you the 1.85 vertical framing with just a slight crop on the sides. This includes broadcasts. Many 1.85 movies were historically transferred at 1.66 for 4:3 video as that minimized the black bars. Some markets still have 1.33 TVs and doing or using an all purpose 1.66 HD master works better for those. A flat movie transferred at 1.66 1080p, instead of proper 1.85 1080p, just has 7% less image resolution (probably not even a JND (just noticeable difference) ) than if it had been transferred at 1.85 and you can always frame it back at 1.85 if you so desire by means of tape, masks, zooms, and/or curtains . But not the other way around. (For example the other day I watched Yellow Submarine (UA) matted to 1.75 and it looked more balanced that way) (A Hard Day's Night's (UA) 35mm film reel leaders specify 1.75:1). Transferring at 1.66 gives you a little less grain on screen. A company might think/be convinced the OAR is 1.66. Or might not want to have a "internet cognoscenti" backlash by people saying Hey why is this in 1.85? 1.78??? It should be 1.66! Read that on the internet since it started! Heck it should be 1.33 i saw it on my telly for 40 years!! so they play it safe. In addition to TV overscan, theater's have their own version and not all show a 100% of the standard Projector Aperture (be it 1.85, 1.75, or 1.66) on their screens. SMPTE practices make allowance for this up to 5% cropping (3% recommended). Depending on the direction of the crop (vertical, horizontal or both) a so called 1.66 screen could be showing a movie between 1.58 and 1.75, a 1.85 one between 1.76 and 1.95 so flat widescreen movies could have been shown between the extremes of 1.58 and 1.95 depending on the theaters. In any case the question is, is the framing too tight/loose vertically or does it look fine in 1.66/1.75/1.85/1.78 (take your pick and adjust your sets accordingly. We control the Vertical. We control the Horizontal.

[Show spoiler]

)

This is very interesting. Thank You for the knowledge.

[RiFiFi1955]

Yeah They are going to release the US Hitch box set any day now! All the other regions are coming out so the US one won't be far behind. Amazing price too for all that you get! Very impressed!

[Akijama]

An update from bluray-disc.de (more like confirmation):

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has officially the details of "Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection" reveals. The special edition will be on 27 September 2012 and released a total of 14 feature films include the legendary director. The set will be "Rope," "Rear Window", "The Man Who Knew Too Much," "Torn Curtain", "The Birds", "family grave", "Frenzy", "In Shadow of a Doubt, "" The Trouble with Harry, "" Marnie, "" Psycho, "" saboteurs, "" Topaz "and" Vertigo "directory.
This special edition not only represents a first for many Hitchcock films in high definition on Blu-ray disc, but is it features also the ultimate collector's box. Not only the individual movie discs will have a substantial bonus material that can be found in detail in our movie database, but the box itself will contain lots of gifts. Buyers can look forward to this edition, a 15-page hardback book, Artcards with storyboards, costume sketches, correspondence and photographs.
The Preorder for "Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection" is currently at € 145.99 proud. Relativized However, considering that the box includes 14 movies and lots of extras and additions, then the price is spread over 14 discs and also results in a reduced unit price of just over 10, - €.

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by Akijama

An update from bluray-disc.de :

Why have you crossed out Ed Wood in your signature?Has it been released?...

[Akijama]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

Why have you crossed out Ed Wood in your signature?Has it been released?...

Lol.Not yet,but it will be in September! https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Ed-Wood-Blu-ray/40514/

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Lol.Not yet,but it will be in September! https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Ed-Wood-Blu-ray/40514/

Thanks.One of my favourite movies,and it has passed me by

[Kirsty_Mc]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Sixteen Candles is scheduled for Sept.4,not June 5 as is stated in that leaked list.
Mystery Men is actually scheduled for July 24,not May
Andromeda Strain is obviously not coming in August
Sea of Love were released on June 5th,not May,as were projected in the leaked list...etc.

Is this title due? ... can't find any reference to it. Hope so.

[Akijama]

Originally Posted by Kirsty_Mc

Is this title due? ... can't find any reference to it. Hope so.

According to this list - it's.You can expect this title sometime in Fall.

[bluskies]

I am excited by the Hitchcock set but I don't like the slots, either. Even with Blu's protective coating, those kind of slots have scratched many a DVD. (Didn't you wonder how they could have just a 15-page book but it looks so thick?)

[Akijama]

OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED!

Release date - September 25th!

Universal has announced a September 25th release date for Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection (Blu-Ray).

Duplicating their standard DVD set, and adding North by Northwest, the studio doesn't appear to be offering singles to coincide with this set (although several have already been released on Blu).

It will retail for $299.98, but is available at ClassicFlix.com for only $229.99.

SYNOPSIS:
Universally recognized as the Master of Suspense, the legendary Alfred Hitchcock directed some of cinema’s most thrilling and unforgettable classics. Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection features 15 iconic films from the acclaimed director’s illustrious career including Psycho, The Birds, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest and many more.

Starring Hollywood favorites such as James Stewart, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Paul Newman, Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery and Kim Novak, this definitive collection showcases a true cinematic master at his best. Featuring over 15 hours of insightful bonus features plus an exclusive collectible book, each film has been digitally restored from high resolution film elements for the ultimate Hitchcock experience.

15 DISC SET:


Saboteur (1942)
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Rope (1948)
Rear Window (1954)
The Trouble with Harry (1955)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Vertigo (1958)
North by Northwest (1959)
Psycho (1960)
The Birds (1963)
Marnie (1964)
Torn Curtain (1966)
Topaz (1969)
Frenzy (1972)
Family Plot (1976)

Available for pre-order at Classicflix.com $229.99.

[#Darren]

So Psycho will be the same disk?

[Wyndam]

I can't wait to see the US packaging...

[Markpsf]

I may have missed that in this thread, but please indulge me if I did.

Still wishful thinking?

Thanks.


Mark