Hitchcock The British Years

[DocRobertPepper]

Network Video release a ten disc box set Friday 15 February, 2008

Celebrated for his suspense-packed thrillers, macabre plots and endings with a twist, Alfred Hitchcock, born in London's East End in 1899, is one of cinema's greatest auteurs. He directed over 60 films throughout his career and this unique box set contains ten of his most significant pre-war British films, from his rarely seen 1925 silent The Pleasure Garden through to landmarks such as Sabotage, The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes and Jamaica Inn. It was these films that would pave his way to success in Hollywood.

Disc One: The Pleasure Garden
Disc Two: The Lodger (A Story of the London Fog)
Disc Three: Downhill
Disc Four: The Man Who Knew Too Much
Disc Five: The 39 Steps
Disc Six: Secret Agent
Disc Seven; Sabotage
Disc Eight: Young and Innocent
Disc Nine: The Lady Vanishes
Disc Ten: Jamaica Inn

Special Features:
[] Digitally restored versions of The Lodger, The 39 Steps, Sabotage, Young and Innocent, The Lady Vanishes and Jamaica Inn
[] Cinema: Alfred Hitchcock – unseen for forty years, Mike Scott interviews Hitchcock about his life and career
[] Aquarius: Alfred the Great – taken from the 1972 arts programme, this show includes candid photography of Hitchcock filming Frenzy in London
[] Charles Barr On… - a series of featurettes in which film historian Charles Barr introduces and analyses each of the ten films contained within this set
[] On Location featurettes for both Sabotage and The 39 Steps, introduced by Robert Powell
[] Original theatrical trailer for The Lady Vanishes
[] Hitchcock: The Early Years - 25 minute documentary covering Hitchcock’s pre-war career
[] Script PDFs for The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes and Jamaica Inn
[] Image Galleries
[] Introductory booklet written by Charles Barr
[] More TBC

Catalogue Number: 7952741Classification: TBCPicture: 1.33:1 / Black and WhiteSubtitles: NoneTime: 810 mins approx + extrasBarcode: 5027626274146Number of Discs: 10Sound: Silent / Mono / EnglishRegion: 2 / PAL

[Joenoir]

Although it does seem there are a lot of different releases of the various Hitchcock films by different companies, the extras on this package look very tempting.

[julian_craster]

Don't forget WALTZES FROM VIENNA, starring Esmond Knight and Jessie Matthews
available on a R2 DVD from Amazon.Fr (France). Nicely restored too.....

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Joenoir Although it does seem there are a lot of different releases of the various Hitchcock films by different companies, the extras on this package look very tempting.

Another Hitchcock film with some interesting extras is the German DVD of Blackmail (1929)
That contains the sound and silent version and a lovely piece with Hitch giving Anny Ondra a voice test. He tries to embarrass her - and succeeds
But you can understand why they decided to get Joan Barry to dub Anny's voice

After seeing both the sound and silent version you might agree that the silent version works better. The sound in the sound version does seem to be forced in there somewhat, or maybe he just didn't properly understand how to use sound at that time

Steve

[penfold]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook After seeing both the sound and silent version you might agree that the silent version works better. The sound in the sound version does seem to be forced in there somewhat, or maybe he just didn't properly understand how to use sound at that time Steve

No-one did at that stage...in fact Hitch was well ahead of the game in his creative use of sound, most famously in the 'knife' scene, where he indicates through sound effects the girl practically going into and then suddenly out of a trance, due to the breadknife bringing back the trauma of the night before. I do prefer the silent version though...
It will be great to have The Pleasure Garden and Downhill though, and the booklet by Charles Barr....well, who else would dare do it??

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by penfold No-one did at that stage...in fact Hitch was well ahead of the game in his creative use of sound, most famously in the 'knife' scene, where he indicates through sound effects the girl practically going into and then suddenly out of a trance, due to the breadknife bringing back the trauma of the night before. I do prefer the silent version though...

The breadknife scene is brilliant. But in some other places you feel they're just throwing in every sound effect they can find.

You'd have thought that film-makers with a background in or knowledge of the stage would have understood sound better. But I suppose it was a "new toy"

It will be great to have The Pleasure Garden and Downhill though, and the booklet by Charles Barr....well, who else would dare do it??

But it's got the usual problem with boxed sets, most fans will have already bought a lot of them individually and will question the value of buying a boxed set just to get a few DVDs that they don't already have. Those extras could sway a few though.

Or maybe it'll end up in the remainder bin at a very low price in a few months like that boxed set of P&P films for HMV (the white boxed set)

Steve

[penfold]

Perhaps, but at only a fiver a film to start with....

[Joenoir]

You may be aware that Criterion has released a double disc set of The Lady Vanishes on R1 that includes

- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Audio commentary by film historian Bruce Eder
- Crook's Tour, a 1941 feature-length Charters and Caldicott adventure, available for the first time on DVD, starring Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne reprising their The Lady Vanishes roles
- Excerpts from François Truffaut's legendary 1962 audio interview with Alfred Hitchcock
- Mystery Train, a new video essay about Hitchcock and The Lady Vanishes by Hitchcock scholar Leonard Leff
- Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos and promotional art
- PLUS: New essays by critic Geoffrey O'Brien and Hitchcock scholar Charles Barr

[cinema lane]

The one problem for me with this set is that the BFI restored version of THE LODGER is completley silent ....WHY? the Bfi VHS video release had a very fine sound track composed by JOBY Talbot and played by the Matrix Ensamble. Also the video version was approx 1hr32mins while the DVD version is 1hr30.22mins ,where did the 2mins go?
Iwould find it most annoying having to play the restored version from the DVD knowing that a splendid soundtrack was being ignored

[penfold]

Originally Posted by cinema lane The one problem for me with this set is that the BFI restored version of THE LODGER is completley silent ....WHY? the Bfi VHS video release had a very fine sound track composed by JOBY Talbot and played by the Matrix Ensamble. Also the video version was approx 1hr32mins while the DVD version is 1hr30.22mins ,where did the 2mins go?

That could be a different mastering speed, from 24 fps to 25fps would account for the difference. Personally, I hated the Joby Talbot score, but I am surprised it has been released without a music track. Copyright issues??

[John Hodson]

Originally Posted by penfold That could be a different mastering speed, from 24 fps to 25fps would account for the difference. Personally, I hated the Joby Talbot score, but I am surprised it has been released without a music track. Copyright issues??

More like they couldn't be bothered issues; the shorter (faster) unrestored version, also in the set does have a score. Most anything would have done (except a synthasised score), man with a piano would have solved the problem. Same with 'Downhill'. Gah!

[Howse]

If anybody is visiting USA, then check out the bargain bin in Walmart for an Alfred Hitchcock compilation.

Walmart.com : Alfred Hitchcock: The Legend Begins : DVD Store

Should have bought it on last visit but hopefully will on my next visit. Although I cant recall all the films it definitely had The 39 Steps. THink it featured quite a few of his early stuff. Don`t know what the quality is like but it only costs $5 anyway.

Howse

[image45]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Another Hitchcock film with some interesting extras is the German DVD of Blackmail (1929) That contains the sound and silent version and a lovely piece with Hitch giving Anny Ondra a voice test. He tries to embarrass her - and succeeds But you can understand why they decided to get Joan Barry to dub Anny's voice After seeing both the sound and silent version you might agree that the silent version works better. The sound in the sound version does seem to be forced in there somewhat, or maybe he just didn't properly understand how to use sound at that time Steve

The silent version works well for me too however I like the way the sound version starts silent then becomes a sound film some 8 minutes into the film!

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by image45 The silent version works well for me too however I like the way the sound version starts silent then becomes a sound film some 8 minutes into the film!

There are a few other places in the sound version where you can see that they've effectively made it as a silent and it's had the sound bolted on afterwards

Steve