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:
- Universal: The Birds, Torn Curtain, Family Plot, Frenzy, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Marnie, Mr and Mrs Smith, Psycho, Rear Window, Rope, Saboteur, Shadow of a Doubt, Topaz, The Trouble With Harry, and Vertigo
- Paramount: To Catch a Thief
- MGM: North by Northwest, and Strangers on a Train
- Granada International: Secret Agent, and The 39 Steps
As soon as I hear anything more definite, I’ll let you all know!
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.
PermalinkI 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.
PermalinkAt 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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