Hitchcock Classics Collection
[4K and Blu-ray]
I don’t think there’s ever been a better time to watch Hitchcock movies. If you’re familiar with him, you’ll be reminded of why his movies keep standing out after all these years, and if you’ve never watched his movies, prepare for your mind to be blown. I think people often neglect Hitchcock’s early work when they think of his filmography, like Foreign Correspondent or The Lady Vanishes, and think of him as more of a 50s and 60s director. Actually, Hitchcock made movies way back in the silent era. What probably can’t be argued, however, is that his movies from the 50s and 60s had a very cleaned and polished look and maybe were the more successful of his endeavors. If you’re a newcomer, by all means, this is where you should look. And this era is where this 4-movie 4K restoration collection focuses. If you’re a fan, then you’re in for a treat.
Included here are probably four of the top 5 most well-known Hitchcock movies, and they’ve been brilliantly restored in 4K. Although I would have liked to see a wider range represented here (hint hint, The Lady Vanishes), or seen North by Northwest included, there is no doubt that Birds, Psycho, Rear Window, and especially Vertigo are heavy hitters and some of the best films in cinema history. Rewatching these movies after so many years, you remember what stands Hitchcock filmmaking apart from the modern style. His movies build and pace slowly, and the audience is allowed to take in both the strangeness of the stories, and the beautiful backdrop in which they take place. What’s more, his movies deal with very particular characters and the way the story plays out, it’s easy to get sucked in. These are unprepared ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances which makes for a perfect formula for an audience to feel completely engrossed. And instead of the fast-paced cutting and editing of modern filmmaking, here we have long scenes where we see interactions play out in real time. No wonder it all feels so realistic and believable.
This Hitchcock Classics Collection is represented on 8-discs and goes about these movies the right way. You have a 4K mastering, making these already the definitive edition to own. Then you also get an additional uncut version of Psycho available for the first time. Also, there are hours of additional features on the movies and hitchcock, making-ofs, behind the scenes, newsreels, commentary tracks, conversations with the filmmakers and writers, trailers and much more. It’s truly the kind of treatment these classics deserve and brings a tear to my eye. Forget about streaming services, because they don’t respect you or the art of movie making. Start thinking about building your collection, and no collection would be incomplete without some Hitchcock. And like I said, here is the gold standard for these movies. They look as beautiful as ever and feel as relevant as ever. A wonderful package that will keep on giving for years to co
