Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / Vertigo / Rear Window / The Birds / Shadow of a Doubt / Family Plot / Frenzy / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Marnie / Rope / Saboteur / Topaz / Torn Curtain / The Trouble with Harry)

Product Description

14 of the finest works from the universally acclaimed Master of Suspense come together for the first time in one collection. These captivating landmark films boast three decades of Hollywood legends, including James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Anthony Perkins, Sean Connery and Doris Day. The premium packaging and collectible book make Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection the must-own, definitive anthology of gripping works by a true genius.

System Requirements:

Running Time 1630 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Masterpiece indeed. With 14 films, each supplemented with numerous documentaries, commentaries, and other bonus materials, Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection will be the cornerstone for any serious DVD library. Packaged in a beautiful, conversation-starting velvet box, the individual discs inside come four to a case, decorated with original poster art.

No doubt opinionated fans will argue about what should fall under the rubric of "masterpiece" in Hitchcock's body of work, but with the bona fide classics Vertigo, Psycho, and The Man Who Knew Too Much, there's plenty of timeless movie magic here. Eye-popping transfers and gorgeous sound make this set one of the must-have releases of the year.

Should the Hitchcock fan have the energy for more after imbibing on the movies themselves, a bonus disc provides additional documentaries. These include a revealing interview in which the master of suspense discusses, among other things, how much he dislikes working with method actors, going so far as to name names (we're talking about you, Jimmy Stewart and Montgomery Clift). In an American Film Institute lifetime achievement ceremony, the master of suspense is praised by the likes of Stewart and Ingrid Bergman, and seems to be suffering from severe boredom as celebrities pile on the flattery. Then Hitchcock opens his mouth to accept the award, delivering an endlessly witty stream of perfect bon mots that prove once again that he was a master of high comedy as well. Revealing documentaries about the making of Psycho and The Birds round out the feast of extras. The 36-page booklet, filled mostly with stills and poster art, provides little new information about the films.--Ryan Boudinot

Films Included in Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection

Saboteur
Robert Cummings stars as Barry Kane, a patriotic munitions worker who is falsely accused of sabotage, in this wartime thriller from Alfred Hitchcock. Plastered across the front page of every newspaper and hated by the nation, Kane's only hope of clearing his name is to find the real villain. The script as a whole is a clever one--Algonquin wit Dorothy Parker shares a screenwriting credit, and her trademark zingers make for a terrific mix of humor and suspense. Saboteur is a pleasure whether you're a die-hard Hitchcock fan or just someone who likes a good nail-biter. --Ali Davis

Shadow of a Doubt
Alfred Hitchcock considered this 1943 thriller to be his personal favorite among his own films, and although it's not as popular as some of Hitchcock's later work, it's certainly worthy of the master's admiration. Scripted by playwright Thornton Wilder and inspired by the actual case of a 1920's serial killer known as "The Merry Widow Murderer," the movie sets a tone of menace and fear by introducing a psychotic killer into the small-town comforts of Santa Rosa, California. Through narrow escapes and a climactic scene aboard a speeding train, this witty thriller strips away the façade of small-town tranquility to reveal evil where it's least expected. And, of course, it's all done in pure Hitchcockian style. --Jeff Shannon

Rope
An experimental film masquerading as a standard Hollywood thriller, Rope is simple and based on a successful stage play: two young men (John Dall and Farley Granger) commit murder, more or less as an intellectual exercise. They hide the body in their large apartment, then throw a dinner party. Will the body be discovered? Director Alfred Hitchcock, fascinated by the possibilities of the long-take style, decided to shoot this story as though it were happening in one long, uninterrupted shot. Since the camera can only hold one 10-minute reel at a time, Hitchcock had to be creative when it came time to change reels, disguising the switches as the camera passed behind someone's back or moved behind a lamp. James Stewart, as a suspicious professor, marks his first starring role for Hitchcock, a collaboration that would lead to the masterpieces Rear Window and Vertigo. --Robert Horton

Rear Window
Like the Greenwich Village courtyard view from its titular portal, Alfred Hitchcock's classic Rear Window is both confined and multileveled: both its story and visual perspective are dictated by its protagonist's imprisonment in his apartment, convalescing in a wheelchair, from which both he and the audience observe the lives of his neighbors. Cheerful voyeurism, as well as the behavior glimpsed among the various tenants, affords a droll comic atmosphere that gradually darkens when he sees clues to what may be a murder. At deeper levels, Rear Window plumbs issues of moral responsibility and emotional honesty, while offering further proof (were any needed) of the director's brilliance as a visual storyteller. --Sam Sutherland

The Trouble with Harry
A busman's holiday for Alfred Hitchcock, this 1955 black comedy concerns a pesky corpse that becomes a problem for a quiet, Vermont neighborhood. Shirley MacLaine makes her film debut as one of several characters who keep burying the body and finding it unburied again. Hitchcock clearly enjoys conjuring the autumnal look and feel of the story, and he establishes an important, first-time alliance with composer Bernard Herrmann, whose music proved vital to the director's next half-dozen or so films. But for now, The Trouble with Harry is a lark, the mischievous side of Hitchcock given free reign. --Tom Keogh

The Man Who Knew Too Much
Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 remake of his own 1934 spy thriller is an exciting event in its own right, with several justifiably famous sequences. James Stewart and Doris Day play American tourists who discover more than they wanted to know about an assassination plot. When their son is kidnapped to keep them quiet, they are caught between concern for him and the terrible secret they hold. When asked about the difference between this version of the story and the one he made 22 years earlier, Hitchcock always said the first was the work of a talented amateur while the second was the act of a seasoned professional. Indeed, several extraordinary moments in this update represent consummate filmmaking, particularly a relentlessly exciting Albert Hall scene, with a blaring symphony, an assassin's gun, and Doris Day's scream. The Man Who Knew Too Muchis the work of a master in his prime. --Tom Keogh

Vertigo
Although it wasn't a box-office success when originally released in 1958, Vertigo has since taken its deserved place as Alfred Hitchcock's greatest, most spellbinding, most deeply personal achievement. James Stewart plays a retired police detective who is hired by an old friend to follow his wife (a superb Kim Novak, in what becomes a double role), whom he suspects of being possessed by the spirit of a dead madwoman. Shot around San Francisco (the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of the Legion of Honor are significant locations) and elsewhere in Northern California (the redwoods, Mission San Juan Batista) in rapturous Technicolor, Vertigo is as lovely as it is haunting. --Jim Emerson

Psycho
For all the slasher pictures that have ripped off Psycho (and particularly its classic set piece, the "shower scene"), nothing has ever matched the impact of the real thing. More than just a first-rate shocker full of thrills and suspense, Psycho is also an engrossing character study in which director Alfred Hitchcock skillfully seduces you into identifying with the main characters--then pulls the rug (or the bathmat) out from under you. Anthony Perkins is unforgettable as Norman Bates, the mama's boy proprietor of the Bates Motel; and so is Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, who makes an impulsive decision and becomes a fugitive from the law, hiding out at Norman's roadside inn for one fateful night. --Jim Emerson

The Birds
Vacationing in northern California, Alfred Hitchcock was struck by a story in a Santa Cruz newspaper: "Seabird Invasion Hits Coastal Homes." From this peculiar incident, and his memory of a short story by Daphne du Maurier, the master of suspense created one of his strangest and most terrifying films. The Birds follows a chic blonde, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), as she travels to the coastal town of Bodega Bay to hook up with a rugged fellow (Rod Taylor) she's only just met. Before long the town is attacked by marauding birds, and Hitchcock's skill at staging action is brought to the fore. Beyond the superb effects, however, The Birds is also one of Hitchcock's most psychologically complicated scenarios, a tense study of violence, loneliness, and complacency. What really gets under your skin are not the bird skirmishes but the anxiety and the eerie quiet between attacks. Treated with scant attention by serious critics in 1963, The Birds has grown into a classic and--despite the sci-fi trappings--one of Hitchcock's most serious films. --Robert Horton

Marnie
Sean Connery, fresh from the second Bond picture, From Russia with Love, is a Philadelphia playboy who begins to fall for Tippi Hedren's blonde ice goddess only when he realizes that she's a professional thief; she's come to work in his upper-crust insurance office in order to embezzle mass quantities. His patient program of investigation and surveillance has a creepy, voyeuristic quality that's pure Hitchcock, but all's lost when it emerges that the root of Marnie's problem is phobic sexual frigidity, induced by a childhood trauma. Luckily, Sean is up to the challenge. As it were. Not even D.H. Lawrence believed as fervently as Hitchcock in the curative properties of sexual release. --David Chute

Torn Curtain
Paul Newman and Julie Andrews star in what must unfortunately be called one of Alfred Hitchcock's lesser efforts. Still, sub-par Hitchcock is better than a lot of what's out there, and this one is well worth a look. Newman plays cold war physicist Michael Armstrong, while Andrews plays his lovely assistant-and-fiancée, Sarah Sherman. Armstrong has been working on a missile defense system that will "make nuclear defense obsolete," and naturally both sides are very interested. All Sarah cares about is the fact that Michael has been acting awfully fishy lately. The suspense of Torn Curtain is by nature not as thrilling as that in the average Hitchcock film--much of it involves sitting still and wondering if the bad guys are getting closer. Still, Hitchcock manages to amuse himself: there is some beautifully clever camera work and an excruciating sequence that illustrates the frequent Hitchcock point that death is not a tidy business. --Ali Davis

Topaz
Alfred Hitchcock hadn't made a spy thriller since the 1930s, so his 1969 adaptation of Leon Uris's bestseller seemed like a curious choice for the director. But Hitchcock makes Uris's story of the West's investigation into the Soviet Union's dealings with Cuba his own. Frederick Stafford plays a French intelligence agent who works with his American counterpart (John Forsythe) to break up a Soviet spy ring. The film is a bit flat dramatically and visually, and there are sequences that seem to occupy Hitchcock's attention more than others. A minor work all around, with at least two alternative endings shot by Hitchcock. --Tom Keogh

Frenzy
Alfred Hitchcock's penultimate film, written by Anthony Shaffer (who also wrote Sleuth), this delightfully grisly little tale features an all-British cast minus star wattage, which may have accounted for its relatively slim showing in the States. Jon Finch plays a down-on-his-luck Londoner who is offered some help by an old pal (Barry Foster). In fact, Foster is a serial killer the police have been chasing--and he's framing Finch. Which leads to a classic Hitchcock situation: a guiltless man is forced to prove his innocence while eluding Scotland Yard at the same time. Spiked with Hitchcock's trademark dark humor, Frenzy also features a very funny subplot about the Scotland Yard investigator (Alec McCowen) in charge of the case, who must endure meals by a wife (Vivien Merchant) who is taking a gourmet-cooking class. --Marshall Fine

Family Plot
Alfred Hitchcock's final film is understated comic fun that mixes suspense with deft humor, thanks to a solid cast. The plot centers on the kidnapping of an heir and a diamond theft by a pair of bad guys led by Karen Black and William Devane. The cops seem befuddled, but that doesn't stop a questionable psychic (Barbara Harris) and her not overly bright boyfriend (Bruce Dern, in a rare good-guy role) from picking up the trail and actually solving the crime. Did she do it with actual psychic powers? That's part of the fun of Harris's enjoyably ditsy performance. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Necessarily flawed.......2007-09-14

The best this set rates is 3 stars.

Am I the only one wondering why a deal couldn't have been worked out with MGM/UA so that NORTH BY NORTHWEST could have been included here rather than the boring TOPAZ? And why not the great WARNER BROS. titles like DIAL M FOR MURDER, instead of MARNIE for instance? Wouldn't THE WRONG MAN be so much better than ROPE and STRANGERS ON A TRAIN a superior choice to TORN CURTAIN?

Let's tell it plainly here. This is not so much a "masterpiece collection" as it is the best Hitchcock titles that UNIVERSAL/MCA has in their vaults (along with some less-than-great filler). With such a massive project as this, I think some sort of accomodation could have been reached with the copyright holders of the films I've mentioned above. And if such an arrangement had been achieved, wouldn't those four substitutions TRULY make this DVD set Hitchcock's masterpiece collection?

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - SEASON THREE is a superb collection of TV episodes from the Master of Suspense.

A GREAT SET FOR THE PRICE! MISSING SOME GREAT FILMS!.......2007-09-08

I didn't have any of these films on DVD so,..... When I saw it on sale for around $65.00 I thought it was a great deal for 14 films with some extra material. I would have liked to see a few different films in this set,but they ended up putting most of those in another DVD set with the exception of "LifeBoat" and "Notorious". I think all "Hitches" missing films should be put into similar sets. This is a nice set, but wait to see it at the right price. These will be dropping way down before you know it. The transfers look very good!

Pick this along with the Signature Collection and you're done!.......2007-08-23

First things first - This collection is brilliant and the packaging is also good. Its a velvet box containing 4 DVD boxes, each box containing 4 or 3 discs/films and a booklet with a short writeup on each film.

When it arrived, one of the 4 sets was missing, and one was duplicated.
That is: I had 2 sets of the same films, and one set was missing.

I wrote back to the Amazon Customer Support and got an immediate reply saying they will replace it.

This set does not include certain must-have classics like
Strangers On A Train
North By North West
Dial M For Murder
Foreign Correspondent etc.

All this is available in the Signature Series which I picked up from here.

So if you buy these 2 box sets, you're done!!!

5 Stars for the movies, 1 Star for the packaging.......2007-08-13

I would love to have most of the DVDs in this collection, but I won't get it because of the poorly-designed packaging. I don't want 4 DVDs crammed into one case with the artwork reproduced one-quarter size and overlapping. I want each DVD in its own case with full-sized artwork on the cover. If the idea was to make it more compact, the space saved is insignificant. I think the real reason is corner-cutting to save a few bucks. The other Hitchcock set did it the right way- 1 DVD per case. This is very disappointing. For a lot of us, aesthetics count for a lot. Actually, my ideal preference would for all box sets to be packaged chronologically, in the order each film was released.

Poor packaging........2007-06-01

This is a great set minus the annoying packaging. As someone mentioned earlier the DVD cases are fitted to go in a certain order and if they don't go in in that order then they get stuck and the edges of the DVD cases get frayed. The corners of the cases get frayed anyway because the cases are a paper and cardboard-based binding with the plastic DVD holders glued on to them. So I put them in spine first now. Open and close them enough times and you get those white, worn edges on the spine. Another problem with the cases is that the plastic glued on part that hold the DVDs in place are notorious for getting de-glued. Yet another thing. . .one disc is now not holding in the case properly. How could I remedy this problem? Buy an entire new set??? The door on the velvet box doesn't snap shut in anyway so if you hold the wrong side down. . .the DVDs will fall out. So watch out. The velvet box looks and feels nice but it collects dust very easily and is not easily cleanable. I tried to brush off some of the dust and the silvery logos and such began to flake off.

Average customer rating:

Hitchcock does it - yet again!
It's no "Weekend at Bernie's"
No trouble with "The Trouble With Harry"
Classic Movie
Pure Hitchcock Fun

The Trouble with Harry
Starring: Ernest Curt Bach , Royal Dano , Mildred Dunnock , Parker Fennelly , and John Forsythe
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Black Comedy | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000ECX0S8
Release Date: 2006-06-20

Customer Reviews:

Hitchcock does it - yet again!.......2007-09-09

Hitchcock does comedy. Ok, a BLACK comedy, but comedy nonetheless. The first thing that struck me about this film is the absolute beauty of it. No, really, it is a gorgeous film to look at. The colors are just awesome.

The characters are really something to behold. This is a fun film to watch. The 3rd or 4th time I watched it, I spent my time looking for Mr. Hitchcock, as he likes to make appearances in his films. Go ahead, see if you can find him!

I love this movie. One does not see a master like Hitchcock show his funny side too often - a pity. This is a film that, literally, the entire family can enjoy.

I just wish I could figure out in what movies I have seen (and heard) the sheriff before.

Go ahead - indulge yourself with a film of spectacular color and witty, cutting dialogue.

It's no "Weekend at Bernie's".......2007-07-22

The trouble with Harry is he forgot his lines, he floats on a sea of grass, he needs to go on a diet and his momma dresses him funny. The trouble with Harry is I think he was in this later film where his eyes shook like he was spinning in a cotton candy machine and he used to advertise as a giant holding up a Chevy-sized sandwich, and later he was running from the law. The trouble with Harry is he never got to boink Shirley MacLaine before she turned into a crusty old regression marionette. The trouble with Harry is why in the middle of a technicolor town, poodle skirts shiny with sex and befuddled fuddyduddies who can't hear a thing and their lawns glow green like Tommyknockers? The trouble with Harry is he's a voyeur, in fact everyone in that town is spying on everyone else, but nobody sees a thing when it comes to big, fat Harry dressed like a hot-air balloon. The trouble with Harry is he wanted to live a normal life as an outcast -- like an antisocial panhandler playing hide-and-seek.

No trouble with "The Trouble With Harry".......2007-01-18

Best Hitchcock comedy there is hands down. See it.

Classic Movie.......2007-01-12

The Trouble with Harry is a wonderful Hitchcock movie combining wonderful scenery and a mystery plus romance. The acting is great and I would recommend this movie to anyone that appreciates this combination of attributes.

Pure Hitchcock Fun.......2006-08-13

Sure, this film is a little light when compared to Hitchcock's masterpieces, but when judged against his lesser works it really stands out. And it's pure fun all the way through. So, what more do you want? Maybe not everyone will be able to get into this movie. For example, if you need everything fed to you - literally shoved down your worthless waiting throat with your brain on hold - and expect constant hyped up unrealistic action or else your brain falls asleep, then you probably won't like it much. Simply put, if you don't like this movie you should be shot in the face.

Average customer rating:

Hitchcock does it - yet again!
It's no "Weekend at Bernie's"
No trouble with "The Trouble With Harry"
Classic Movie
Pure Hitchcock Fun

The Trouble With Harry
Starring: Ernest Curt Bach , Royal Dano , Mildred Dunnock , Parker Fennelly , and John Forsythe
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Black Comedy | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000055Y17
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Customer Reviews:

Hitchcock does it - yet again!.......2007-09-09

It's no "Weekend at Bernie's".......2007-07-22

No trouble with "The Trouble With Harry".......2007-01-18

Best Hitchcock comedy there is hands down. See it.

Classic Movie.......2007-01-12

Pure Hitchcock Fun.......2006-08-13

Alfred Hitchcock The Masterpiece Collection - Psycho / The Trouble With Harry / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Vertigo (DVD)

Average customer rating:

These Are the Best
Coming Full Circle or Not at All

Alfred Hitchcock The Masterpiece Collection - Psycho / The Trouble With Harry / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Vertigo (DVD)

Manufacturer: Universal
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000M2NLO8

Product Description

Four Disc Set Each disc contains bonus features for each film

Customer Reviews:

These Are the Best.......2007-04-04

PSYCHO, THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH and VERTIGO were all directed by Alfred Hitchcock. All four also were scored by compser Bernard Herrman. You don't get much better than that. Terror, humor, romanticism and suspense, these films cover the gamut. They are the best from the master.

Coming Full Circle or Not at All .......2007-04-04

1956'S THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is another good DVD transfer and is Hitchcock's effective remake of his 1934 version. An American couple (James Stewart and Doris Day) visiting Morocco have their young son kidnapped as part of an international murder plot which they can not help but be drawn into. Doris Day's performance is brilliant as the mother whose son has been taken from her. Her initial reaction to the news is almost unbearable to watch. This film is very suspenseful and disturbing, as the odds against the family regaining their boy seem insurmountable as the film progresses. This is reinforced by Bernard Herrmann's almost minimal score, which adds an undercurrent of discomfort to the psyche of the viewer. There are some very memorable scenes such as when James Stewart is followed by echoing footsteps in the empty London streets on his way to finding Ambrose Chappell. The suspenseful Albert Hall assassination scenes are brilliantly filmed and edited. The face of Reggie Nalder as Rien the Assassin is unforgettable. Brenda de Banzie turns in a complex performance as Mrs. Drayton. Bernard Miles as Mr. Drayton also gives an effective performance through the various identities he goes through. And that is one of the strengths of this film: people and places are not exactly as they seem. Characters constantly evolve. Some grow in strength while others are mere shadows of virtue. Sir Alfred Hitchcock was trying to make a statement that we as moviegoers are voyeurs and are just as fanatically obsessed by the images on the screen as "Scottie" Ferguson is with Madeleine in VERTIGO. VERTIGO is in effect a movie about people who love the cinema and are captivated by it. Those people who do not like VERTIGO state that it is not realistic and too improbable. That is just the point. VERTIGO is about an artificial world and the fascination of that world. Those who like VERTIGO are drawn to it over and over because it is about something that is inside each of us that is ever so fleeting and will always remain unobtainable. Bernard Herrmann, the film's composer seems to have understood the essence of this film as he captured the erotic passion and ultimate hopelessness of its characters with his haunting score. Herrmann had always expressed his desire to be a symphony conductor, yet the lure of the cinema was more than just a means of collecting a paycheck for him. I think he had a great understanding of the cinema and its power over human emotions, yet it seems to have remained an enigma even for him. The Autumnal colors of New England seen in THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY are a beautiful backdrop to this dark comedy enhanced by Bernard Herrmann's reflective score. As life comes full circle the quirkily eccentricities of the human heart take on new meaning as an artist (John Forsythe) somehow, perhaps unwittingly, makes it all come into perspective. THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY is one of my favorite Hitchcock films. 1960'S PSYCHO is probably Hitchcock's best known film. Its images and sounds are indelibly etched into the psyche of our culture. Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, the Bates Motel, Bernard Herrmann's score, Saul Bass' main title designs, the shower scene and many other elements are cinematic icons. One element of this film that has not been given due recognition is Martin Balsam's performance as Milton Arbogast the private investigator. Balsam embodied the personification of professionalism and determination yet he was cut off in mid stream. I think there is a statement being made about the very nature of justice and fate and that life is not always fair.

The Alfred Hitchcock Collection: The Best of Hitchcock, Vol. 2 (Vertigo / The Birds / The Trouble with Harry / Frenzy / Marnie / Saboteur / Torn Curtain / Alfred Hitchcock Presents Vol. 3)

Average customer rating:

Espionage, the Wrong Man and Things that Go Bump in the Night
An Overview of Hitchcock's Work, Part 2
Who doesn't like Hitchcock?
I love it
An impressive DVD box set showcases real talent

The Alfred Hitchcock Collection: The Best of Hitchcock, Vol. 2 (Vertigo / The Birds / The Trouble with Harry / Frenzy / Marnie / Saboteur / Torn Curtain / Alfred Hitchcock Presents Vol. 3)

Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000055Y19
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Customer Reviews:

Espionage, the Wrong Man and Things that Go Bump in the Night.......2007-04-03

Sir Alfred Hitchcock was trying to make a statement that we as moviegoers are voyeurs and are just as fanatically obsessed by the images on the screen as "Scottie" Ferguson is with Madeleine in VERTIGO. VERTIGO is in effect a movie about people who love the cinema and are captivated by it. Those people who do not like VERTIGO state that it is not realistic and too improbable. That is just the point. VERTIGO is about an artificial world and the fascination of that world. Those who like VERTIGO are drawn to it over and over because it is about something that is inside each of us that is ever so fleeting and will always remain unobtainable. Bernard Herrmann, the film's composer seems to have understood the essence of this film as he captured the erotic passion and ultimate hopelessness of its characters with his haunting score. Herrmann had always expressed his desire to be a symphony conductor, yet the lure of the cinema was more than just a means of collecting a paycheck for him. I think he had a great understanding of the cinema and its power over human emotions, yet it seems to have remained an enigma even for him.
THE BIRDS metaphorically plays out the frailties of the human heart as befuddled humans' fears are visually juxtaposed against hoards of birds gone on a destructive rampage. Humans rebel against nature and each other as the birds represent nature in harmony turned against human progenitors who stand to disrupt harmony. Rod Taylor's solid performance, as the steadfast Mitch Brenner who gradually realizes (but cannot fathom why) that things are beyond even his control, is pivotal to the progression of the story. The importance of Taylor's performance has been long overlooked. This film is a masterpiece full of vivid histrionics running the gamut of human emotions.
"She's wearing my necktie." That's what Alfred Hitchcock said in the trailer for FRENZY as he returned to the United Kingdom to film this movie. Again the wrong man is accused for crimes he did not commit. And so it goes. Barry Foster's mesmerizing performance is both disturbing yet charismatic far overshadowing would be hero Jon Finch. Also Alec McCowen as Chief Inspector Oxford has never been better. The opening shot of London accompanied by Ron Goodwin's score is an instant classic.
MARNIE is one of Hitchcock's masterpieces. It has been highly underrated and misunderstood by viewers and many critics alike. It is not a straightforward narrative as it deals with the compulsive and obsessive nature of its two main characters (Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery). The viewer has to become absorbed and drawn into the film's sights and sounds. The viewer has to elicit from what is seen and heard to fathom the motivations of the film's two main characters. Some of its images are just unforgettable and disturbingly haunting. Sound too plays an important part in the viewer's experience. In accompaniment is Bernard Herrmann's low-key score. I watched this film again several times over. Herrmann's score is always present, yet never intrusive. I used to think this score was somewhat repetitive, but it is quite diverse. It complements the images in such a way that it almost evokes some hidden and suppressed experience from the viewer that creates an emotional bond with the main title character of the film. I found the DVD print to be of exceptional quality and most pleasing in the wide-screen presentation (a prerequisite in this format).
TORN CURTAIN was Alfred Hithcock's 50th motion picture. This film marked a departure from his most recent bulk of films at that time, not in directorial style, but in the absence of many of his close-knit artistic-technical company he had been utilizing. Distinctively missing is collaborator-composer Bernard Herrmann. However, John Addison does a commendable job in Herrmann's absence, as his score seems to fit this film very well with the passage of time. This was a cold war drama set behind the Iron Curtain. The hero of the story as portrayed by Paul Newman is motivated less by personal staunchness for democratic idealism, but rather by his inner confrontation coming to grips with his own failure as a scientist. This very suspenseful film is really about his own redemption for his perceived failure. This film is has been highly underrated.
The Autumnal colors of New England seen in THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY are a beautiful backdrop to this dark comedy enhanced by Bernard Herrmann's reflective score. As life comes full circle the quirkily eccentricities of the human heart take on new meaning as an artist (John Forsythe) somehow, perhaps unwittingly, makes it all come into perspective. THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY is one of my favorite Hitchcock films.
SABOTEUR certainly looks like a forerunner of his NORTH BY NORTHWEST. This WWII espionage tale planted on American soil is an impressive bit of filmmaking from Alfred Hitchcock. He uses his familiar theme of the wrong man on the run from the law and implicated by those who are in fact guilty, our hero Barry Kane (Robert Cummings) must uncover the culprits before they carry out their next act of terror and destruction before he himself is apprehended. Simultaneously Kane must clear himself of the initial crime with the aid of Patricia Martin (Priscilla Lane). Set against the backdrop of that familiar icon of freedom, The Statue of Liberty, our hero must undergo a death struggle both metaphorically and realistically demonstrating that we as Americans value our freedoms as well as all human life no matter how malevolent it be because it is in our nature to go the distance for all that is virtuous in the world. Despite the fact that Alfred Hitchcock stated that it would have been more suspenseful to have the hero dangling from The Statue of Liberty rather than the villain Fry (Norman Lloyd), this scene demonstrates the compassion for humanity that we as Americans hold dear and goes straight to the ideals of the fiber of our inner fortitude to preserve that way of life as Kane struggles to save Fry's life. Otto Kruger's performance as Charles Tobin is very stylistic and on the surface he seems more sophisticated than our earthy hero Kane but Tobin's eloquence is superficial in every sense of the word. Jack Otterson's Art Direction and Joseph A. Valentine's Cinematography are standouts. John P. Fulton's un-credited Special Effects are impressive.

An Overview of Hitchcock's Work, Part 2.......2005-12-23

Those who are fans of Alfred Hitchcock will naturally want to own copies of the films featured in this box set. This is the second of two sets issued by MCA home video that give the fan a wide-ranging overview of Hitchcock's work, not only chronologically, but in the type of film as well. Many people who are unfamiliar with his long career associate him and his fame with just one type of film. This set and its predecessor do a good job of scotching that notion.
There is far too much here to review in depth, others have done so already. I will just make a comment about each film and what I think of it.
1) Saboteur- A wartime patriotic film that undoubtedly buttressed government efforts to keep the public aware of potential fifth-columnists in their midst. The character of Frank Fry makes a great stereotype of the fifth-columnist bogeyman. Lots of suspense, good acting, and many ethical questions posed to make the audience think. Five stars.
2) The Trouble With Harry- To me, the story is just downright silly. I like the rural setting, but I did not care for the plot nor did I really like the cast. It was supposed to be darkly humorous, but it just left me cold. Two stars.
3) Vertigo- A classic. The story, the acting, the scenery, and the filming are all first rate. Lots of suspense, and a lot of romance. Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart make this one a film for the ages. Five stars.
4) The Birds- Another Hitchcock classic. Fear and terror strike an idyllic seaside community as its birds inexplicably go berserk. Tippi Hedren makes a great ice queen, but she doesn't take as long to thaw here as she does in Marnie. The scenery is spectacular, both the story and the acting are first-rate. Another of Hitchcock's finest. Though it is never said why the birds attacked, there is a possible hint early on in the film. See if you can catch it.
5) Marnie- A psychosexual story that features a frigid, kleptomaniac woman and a suitor who is determined to chip through her icy demeanor paying no heed to the costs. Tippi Hedren is Marnie the ice queen and Sean Connery plays her wealthy suitor who apparently likes a big challenge. Here again, ethical issues come into play as the viewer is forced to consider what he/she would do if in the position of Connery or of one of the many people Hedren had ripped off attempting to prove her worth to a mother she felt did not truly love her. By the way, the mother is a rather bitter and detestable shrew. Lots of drama, but Marnie is not one of my favorite Hitchcock films. Three stars.
6) Torn Curtain- The critics did not like this, but I did. To me, the film is very suspenseful and like its cousin Topaz, is a great cold-war film. The East Germans were regarded as a feared and successful vanguard of Soviet Communism and I think the characters who portrayed East German officials did a great job of doing so in the most unflattering light imagineable. While there is not a lot of romance in Torn Curtain, there is betrayal, violence, fear and at times there is hope and the selfless nobility of people who only want freedom for others as well as for themselves. Some reviews have said that Torn Curtain was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I don't think so, I think it was dead serious and Paul Newman's character reinforces that. Five stars.
7) Frenzy- Another gem. Set in London, the story exudes a great sense of place. The story line, the acting, and the camera work are all top-notch. And amid the suspense, there is always an undercurrent of droll humor. The sequence in the potato truck is a gut-buster. Five stars.
8) Alfred Hitchcock Presents #3- This contains four episodes from his television series. The best two are A Dip in the Pool and One More Mile to Go. Three stars.
I was fortunate in being able to pick this up at a reasonable price here just a few months ago. It seems the price is now roughly doubled. This set of course is recommended, but if you order Alfred Hitchcock-The Masterpiece Collection instead, you get nearly everything in both Volumes 1 and 2 of the Best of Alfred Hitchcock Collection at roughly half the price. I wish that I'd noticed that set first, I would have at least saved some money.

Who doesn't like Hitchcock?.......2005-09-30

I love the Hitchcock movies, and the Best of Collection Volumes takes most of his best known movies and puts them in an attractive packaging. I personally enjoyed Volume 1 better than Volume 2, but who can't laugh at the rubber birds in "The Birds"? And the Psycho Collectors Edition is a treasure to hang onto for years and years (or until the next multi-movie pack). However, why is there no inclusion of "To Catch A Thief" with Cary Grant? This is a terrific movie, and yet not in any Best of Collections! Anywho, if you are a fan of Hitchcock, you really can't get much better of a value than these collections.

I love it.......2005-09-01

I have this VOL 2 And I love it much,it deserves to be added in your Collection :)

An impressive DVD box set showcases real talent.......2005-06-29

This impressive Hitchcock DVD collection has seven of the master's finest film masterpieces in the early 40s and 50s to solid entertainment in the 70s. Peter Viertel brings SABOTEUR (1942) to life with a razor-sharp screenplay, while Priscilla Lane and Robert Cummings bring their well-written roles to the fore, creating a luminous blend of action and depth that Hollywood rarely sees these days. THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY is the oddity of the bunch, with the quaint little townspeople trying to decide what to do with Harry, a young man who dies mysteriously. Shot against a dreamy small-town backdrop in America, the cinematography is warm and fuzzy, and the musical score sets a nice tone for the film's story. The pace is a little slow at the beginning for a comedy, but released in 1955, almost all films were of the familiar style. There are laughs to be had here, with some great comedic moments between the actors. Repetitive and slow at times, it nevertheless is a fun little film and an interesting introspective on Hitch's opinions on life and death.

Misunderstood on its release, VERTIGO (1958) was Hitch's precious gem, a marvelous tale of a man driven to obsession, played to perfection from movie legend James Stewart. Possibly his best film, this was eventually hailed as an amazing cinematic triumph that still thrills audiences today. The bell tower scene is revolutionary filmmaking, but every scene is fantastically weaved. Like Steven Spielberg, Hitchcock knew the importance of color to represent a mood (Danger, warmth, obsession) The film in certain parts is swathed in sickly green hues, connecting Stewart's beautiful acting to Hitch's well-played camera techniques while simultaneously showing Hollywood how masterpieces were made. Bernard Herrman's fantastic score sets the tone of a film that shines in every respect. Directors like Martin Scorsese are huge fans of VERTIGO, and it is one of my personal favorites, along with REAR WINDOW. The follow-up after PSYCHO, THE BIRDS is a very interesting notch in Hitch's belt, a curio of a film that has some amazing special effects and minimal music, instead concentrating the sounds of squawking seagulls to heighten the tension. Tippi Hedren's convincing performance (She really did freak out on set, having live birds attached to her clothes to maximize the realism) carries the film, and a young Rod Taylor gives a ripping presentation. Every step of the way, the tension grows, until its almost unbearable and the finale is genuinely frightening.

Hitch's last great film MARNIE shows a softer side to the director while ushering into the cinema world a new slant to filmmaking. Produced in 1964, this complex character study of a frigid lady thief (Tippi Hedren) and the mysterious man (Sean Connery) who tries to cure both her hang-ups is one of Alfred Hitchcock's most stunning films, thanks in great part to Hedren's magnificent performance in the title role. Hedren, who became a star a year earlier in Hitch's THE BIRDS, delivers her most accomplished performance to date. TORN CURTAIN is an exceptional Alfred Hitchcock film that is for the most part intriguing, suspenseful, and entertaining. Paul Newman stars as an American scientist who appears to be defecting to Germany. Julie Andrews plays Newman's associate and girlfriend who tags along for the ride. "Torn Curtain" isn't as good as "Psycho", "The Birds" and "North by Northwest" but even though the movie moves a little slow at times, it's still very interesting and sometimes funny addition to Hitch's immense list of films. The only disappointment in this formidable collection is FRENZY, a nasty little rape/murder story that failed to interest audiences in the 70s, and some scenes are shockingly graphic. A long way from the stylish shower-curtain masterstroke of PSYCHO. But the score is reasonably cool, and some action scenes do wrack up the tension. And finally "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" has 4 of the 17 fantastic TV episodes directed by Hitchcock: "Poison," "The Perfect Crime," "A Dip in the Pool" and "One More Mile to Go" This is an essential collection for Hitchcock fans and movie buffs alike.

Average customer rating:

Hitchcock does it - yet again!
It's no "Weekend at Bernie's"
No trouble with "The Trouble With Harry"
Classic Movie
Pure Hitchcock Fun

The Trouble with Harry [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005EAXB

Customer Reviews:

Hitchcock does it - yet again!.......2007-09-09

It's no "Weekend at Bernie's".......2007-07-22

No trouble with "The Trouble With Harry".......2007-01-18

Best Hitchcock comedy there is hands down. See it.

Classic Movie.......2007-01-12

Pure Hitchcock Fun.......2006-08-13

Average customer rating:

Hitchcock does it - yet again!
It's no "Weekend at Bernie's"
No trouble with "The Trouble With Harry"
Classic Movie
Pure Hitchcock Fun

The Trouble with Harry [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00005JJAB

Customer Reviews:

Hitchcock does it - yet again!.......2007-09-09

It's no "Weekend at Bernie's".......2007-07-22

No trouble with "The Trouble With Harry".......2007-01-18

Best Hitchcock comedy there is hands down. See it.

Classic Movie.......2007-01-12

Pure Hitchcock Fun.......2006-08-13

DVD:

DVD

DVD