Hitchcock on Blu-ray

It’s been rumoured for a while now that “North by Northwest” will be getting a Blu-ray release this year, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film.

Eagle-eyed John Hodson has spotted that HMV UK has added the following Hitchcock films to their Blu-ray pre-release list:

As soon as I hear anything more definite, I’ll let you all know!

3 Responses to Hitchcock on Blu-ray

  1. Like yourself, I think Hitchcock is long overdue for Blu-Ray. Warner’s North By Northwest is a prelude and there are rumors that Warner is also looking into new elements for a Blu-Ray release of Dial M For Murder in 2010. Tragically, Warner has let the copyright lapse on Suspicion and Foreign Correspondent – two classy Hitch’ classics that I would love to own in 1080p.

    To Catch A Thief seems an obvious no brainer for Blu-Ray with its gorgeous VistaVision Technicolor saturated print teeming with hi-def possibilities.

    Strangers on a Train is also a possible suspect for re-release.

    However, some of Hitchcock’s most celebrate masterworks continue to languish in less than stellar quality – hence, a complete remastering is required before we see the likes of a Blu-Ray release any time soon. These include Psycho, The Birds, Shadow of a Doubt, The Wrong Man, Spellbound, Rebecca, Notorious, Lifeboat, The Paradine Case, Rope, The 39 Steps, Young and Innocent, Saboteur, I Confess, Stage Fright and Rear Window. None are currently of the mastering quality necessary for a 1080p upconversion.

    We’ll wait around and hope though. After all, Hitchcock continues to be endlessly revived as one of Hollywood’s premiere auteurs.

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  2. I just saw The Rope for the first time, and what a great film. Loved it. But it was on a DVD, technicolour it said, but it looked so worned down. Hope they will remaster the films and make beautiful blu-ray’s to us soon. His films are to good too be spilled to DVD’s.

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  3. At first I was baffled to see that there were no Blu-Ray versions of any Hitchcock films except N by NW.

    Then I remembered that it was a profit-driven industry, and Hitchcock films have become more ‘art house’ to modern movie audiences who are not American film aficionados.

    I so want Vertigo Blu-Ray.

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