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, and not only for packaging issues previously mentioned.

It's unfortunate that a deal couldn't have been worked out with MGM/UA so that NORTH BY NORTHWEST might have been included here rather than the boring TOPAZ. Even better would be the inclusion of such great WARNER BROS. titles like DIAL M FOR MURDER instead of MARNIE, THE WRONG MAN rather than ROPE and STRANGERS ON A TRAIN as replacement for 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 substantial project as this, perhaps the various studios owed it to Hitchcock to cooperate. And if they had, wouldn't the four substitutions suggested above TRULY make this DVD set Hitchcock's masterpiece collection?

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - SEASON THREE features some of the best 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:

Worthless!
Hitchcocks favourite movie
Hitch said in his opinion this was his best film by far
wonderful screen experience
Shadow of a Doubt

Shadow of a Doubt
Starring: Irving Bacon , Charley Bates , Virginia Brissac , MacDonald Carey , and Frances Carson
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000CCW2SY
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Amazon.com essential video

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. That's where young Charlie (Teresa Wright) lives with her parents and two younger siblings, and where murder is little more than a topic of morbid conversation for their mystery-buff neighbor (Hume Cronyn). Charlie was named after her favorite uncle, who has just arrived for an extended visit, and at first Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) gets along famously with his admiring niece. But the film's chilling prologue has already revealed Uncle Charlie's true identity as the notorious Merry Widow Murderer, and the suspense grows almost unbearable when young Charlie's trust gives way to gradual dread and suspicion. 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

Customer Reviews:

Worthless!.......2007-08-29

I found the acting, writing, directing, music, and story as bad as bad can get. And that contrived, convenient ending--gads! Don't be suckered in by the name Hitchcock--which has much more glitter in it than real gold. Everything was right in your face--there wasn't the slightest bit of subtlty or subtext in the acting or writing. From the first few minutes on I couldn't believe that the story characters were real people--the acting was so bad--the actors were not feeling themselves as actual characters but were merely mouthing lines in a sterotypical fashion rather than as such characters would really feel and speak.

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME ON THIS OVERRATED MOVIE--I TRASHED MINE RIGHT AFTER LAST FRAME; I WOULDN'T EVEN SELL IT OR GIVE IT AWAY!

Hitchcocks favourite movie.......2007-08-25

This 1943 thriller from the master of suspense features Joseph Cotton as 'Uncle Charlie' and Teresa Wright as 'Young Charlie'. Cotten having made 'The Magnicent Ambersons' and 'Citizen Kane' with Orsen Welles in the previous two years was early in his career (Shadow of a Doubt was only his 5th film) proving to be a versatile and subtle actor.

Arriving to visit his family in California, Uncle Charlie is very popular with all the family, especially 'Young Charlie'. Hitchcock of course is very clever and allows Joseph Cotten to drop a few hints of his posible sinister side. But maybe its a double bluff from the master of suspense. There are many trademark Hitchcock moments, a few lovely set pieces. In fact early in the film he uses a shot that would be recreated in Psycho 18 years later.

The script is very good and the cast matches it most of the time with classy acting. Just occasionally I felt that the acting was a little wooden. I couldn't tell you where it happened, which is good because this means I'll have to watch the film again. The DVD has an interesting documentary about the making of the film with some of the surviving members of the cast.

For me this wasn't as good as 'North By Northwest', Psycho, Rear Window or 'Strangers on a Train' but it is a very good film, and one that I have only seen once. I am sure that with repeated viewings it will improve each time and regardless of my opinion if Alfred Hitchcock liked above of all his other films it must be worth getting.

Hitch said in his opinion this was his best film by far.......2007-08-11

Uncle Charlie's coming to stay a while. The family's excited, especially the niece. Too bad uncle Charlie's a serial killer.... In Shadow of a Doubt Hitchcock offers a seamless blend of suspense, Americana and black humor. It works together astonishingly well. Hitch maintained that in his own opinion this was by far the best of all his films. Shadow of a Doubt proves that gore and explicitness really only hamper horror and suspense. The scene where Cotton violently twists the napkin under the table while talking to his niece and imagining he's wringing her neck is one of the most chilling scenes I've ever seen in a film. Check this one out. You may or may not disagree with Hitch that it's his absolute best (I personally like North by Northwest the best), but it certainly comes close!

wonderful screen experience.......2007-07-14

This movie is a classic. The mixture of a small town, intrique and a few very unique characters to add spice. The suspense and shadows of the film make it a "must have" of the classic Hollywood era.
You will LOVE it!

Shadow of a Doubt.......2007-06-25

Hitchcock shows us how close to home treachery may be found in "Shadow", a subtle yet riveting psychological thriller about a small-town serial killer. The director himself considered this one of his finest achievements. Penned by playwright Thornton Wilder and based on the infamous "Merry Widow Killer" case, "Shadow" maintains a nerve-rattling mood of menace throughout. Highlighted by a chilling performance from Cotten, this film gives diabolical new meaning to the adage, "You can't pick your family."

Average customer rating:

COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
A remake of Dumb & Dumber????
A big surprise!

Shadow of Doubt
Starring: Melanie Griffith , Tom Berenger , Craig Sheffer , Huey Lewis , and Wade Dominguez
Director: Randal Kleiser
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000056HP3
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Product Description

When the daughter of a billionaire philanthropist is murdered in a rough sex romp gone bad, District Attorney Jack Campioni (Tom Berenger) is quick to indict an up-and- coming rap artist. Fresh off the acquittal of Councilman Steven Mayer (John Ritter), high-profile defense attorney Kitt Devereaux (Melanie Griffith) comes to the aid of the young rapper. Teaming with investigator Al Gordon (Huey Lewis), Devereaux finds herself up against unexpected dangerous forces, including one of the city's most politically ambitious families. Blindsided at every turn, Devereaux offers herself up as bait - and in the end, discovers that behind every conspiracy theory lies a grain of truth.

Customer Reviews:

COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER.......2004-06-04

Randal Kleiser, the director of this average melodrama, is also the man who directed the classic movie, GREASE. Hard to believe that he could go from such a high energy classic to such a low key, ultimately average thriller.
Melanie Griffith plays rather vapidly a high profile defense attorney who has just gotten city councilman John Ritter off of a rap. Earlier in her career, however, Griffith got an accused rapist, played with fearless ham by Craig Sheffer, off and found out later while in bed with him that he did rape the girl.
Tom Berenger plays Jack, Griffith's ex husband, who is also the prosecuting attorney in the murder trial of a rising rap singer who Griffith is defending.
Nina Foch chews up the scenery as the presidential hopeful's mother, and Wade Dominguez underplays the accused rap singer whose rap songs are far from what one would call good.
At any rate, the movie moves along at a predictable pace and we know that there's more to the killing than meets the eye.

By the way, singer Huey Lewis does a pretty good job as Griffith's PI; he at least has some life to him
I Don't know whether Griffith played low key to show her inner strength, but she actually looks totally bored.
Not a waste of time, but it could have been so much better.

A remake of Dumb & Dumber????.......2002-08-03

Melanie Griffith must've been strapped for money when she agreed to do this film. While she is quite good in it and credible in the role, her character does such stupid things -- not very smart for a supposedly smart lawyer. In an effort to catch a murderer, she actually allows the guy she knows to be the vicious killer into her house...at night...alone...and, of course, no lights are lit so that said killer can jump out at her/us and go "Boo!"

Well, let me go "Boo!" This film is too dumb to be believed.

A big surprise!.......2001-09-28

Was very surprised how good the movie was. Didn't have any expectations and I thought Melanie Griffith was great in her role. There's only one part of the movie that really was cheesy and they could have done without, but all in all, it's a good thriller with some nice twists and turns.

Average customer rating:

Adventures in Odyssey: Shadow of Doubt

Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson Publi
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 1400304008
Release Date: 2004-06-03

Book Description

None of Dylan's adventures in the Imagination Station could prepare him for the unexpected adventure that lies before him! As Dylan and Jesse journey through an amazing, imaginary safari, a glitch in the computer program causes a premature end to the adventure. When Dylan goes back in to retrieve a forgotten backpack, all goes awry as he is thrown into a series of bizarre events that would even have the inventor, himself, scratching his head. Can Dylan outrun the relentless enemy? Will he ever find his way out of the winding labyrinth? You'll hang on the edge of your seat throughout this rousing tale of faith, courage, and mystery.

Average customer rating:

Shadow of a Doubt
Starring: Fairuza Balk , Bonnie Bedelia , Brian Dennehy , and Kevin Dunn
Director: Brian Dennehy
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000EWBO8Q
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Average customer rating:

Worthless!
Hitchcocks favourite movie
Hitch said in his opinion this was his best film by far
wonderful screen experience
Shadow of a Doubt

Shadow of a Doubt
Starring: Irving Bacon , Charles Bates , Macdonald Carey , Frances Carson , and Patricia Collinge
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000055Y14
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Worthless!.......2007-08-29

Hitchcocks favourite movie.......2007-08-25

Hitch said in his opinion this was his best film by far.......2007-08-11

wonderful screen experience.......2007-07-14

Shadow of a Doubt.......2007-06-25

Alfred Hitchcock The Masterpiece Collection - Rear Window / Saboteur / Shadow of a Doubt / Rope (DVD)

Average customer rating:

A Good Hitchcock Starter Set

Alfred Hitchcock The Masterpiece Collection - Rear Window / Saboteur / Shadow of a Doubt / Rope (DVD)

Manufacturer: Universal
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
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Of Human Bondage

ASIN: B000M2LR12

Product Description

Four Disc Set Each disc contains bonus features for each film

Customer Reviews:

A Good Hitchcock Starter Set.......2007-03-19

This is a terrific Hitchcock sampler that those unfamiliar with his films would especially enjoy. "Rear Window" is probably the most widely known of the four films and Hitchcock at his most entertaining. "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Saboteur" are great in their own right, however, and will surprise those who haven't seen them yet. "Rope" is the weakest of the set, in my opinion, but still is of interest for Hitchcock fans. The other three are truly special, however, and will stand up under repeated viewings.

REAR WINDOW

This terrific thriller from Alfred Hitchcock about our fear of intimacy and tendency toward voyeurism stars Jimmy Stewart and the lovely Grace Kelly and is one of his most entertaining films. There are no crop dusters or other devices to provide the tension this time and it works in the film's favor. Rear Window is a more character driven film and the suspense builds slowly to a fever pitch, a bonafide grab the edge of your seat nail-biter. Hitchcock understood that most people are more comfortable looking at the lives of others from a distance and explores this area of our personalities in a very enjoyable fashion.

Jeff (Jimmy Stewart) is a professional photographer laid up in a cast due to an accident while on assignment and Grace Kelly is his doting girlfriend. We should all be so lucky. But Jeff is feeling claustrophobic, not only about his situation but about his relationship with Lisa (Kelly), whose patience and elegant charm as she tends to his needs and waits for him to ask her to marry him are put to the test. The no nonsense practicality of his nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) makes for great entertainment as Jeff is bored and begins watching his neighbors across the courtyard through the lens of his camera.

Jeff becomes involved in their lives like he is watching a daily soap opera, much to the disapproval of Lisa. He takes to heart their loneliness and finds pleasure in their finer moments. But something darker begins to take shape when Jeff begins to piece together what he has seen in one apartment and fears he may be spying on a killer. Both Lisa and his cop pal Lt. Doyle (Wendell Corey) think someone is letting their imagination run wild, at least in the beginning.

His own disbelief and Lisa's early scorn turns into an obsession that becomes evermore dangerous for all of them as Lisa begins to believe him and becomes his legs. But the man who may have murdered his wife may believe Jeff has seen too much, putting all their lives in danger. Hitchcock uses his own lens to show the voyeuristic climate Jeff has become comfortable with dangerously changing to a one on one confrontation.

This is wonderful entertainment. It moves deftly from a light and breezy beginning to a more concerned tone, graduating to heart pounding suspense. This is a teriffic and enjoyable film and one of Hitchcock's best. Raymond Burr as the possible murderer creates terror just by his glance across the courtyard at the spying Stewart. Kelly and Ritter give this film its footing, making the events completely believable.

But it is Jimmy Stewart who hits this one out of the park to dead center. He gives one of his finest performances, conveying the irritation of being in a cast and the emotional helplessness when he may not be able to escape the consequences of his own voyeurism because of it. You'll watch this one many times over. A great film to pop in the vcr late on a rainy night.

SABOTEUR

This is a fun to watch wartime thriller about an aircraft munitions worker forced to take it on the lam and find a Nazi saboteur named Fry when he is wrongly accused of the act of sabotage which killed his best friend. Hitchcock's films often get compared unfairly to each other, but taken on its own terms, this is a wonderfully entertaining suspense film with some genuinely memorable moments.

Robert Cummings is excellent as munitions worker Barry Kane, in constant danger both from the police and the bad guys, as he traces a network of saboteurs to a man named Tobin (Otto Kruger) at "Deep Springs Ranch." Tobin knows who Fry is but also knows no one will believe Kane. But as Kane narrowly escapes the police and the Nazi sympathizers he is aided by some along the way who can see he is a stand-up guy, wrongly accused.

One of those people is the blind father of Pat (Priscilla Lane), a billboard model who doesn't share her father's faith in Kane. She starts out doing everthing she can to turn him over to the police but ends up falling in love instead, and in just as much danger as he is. There is a particularly tense scene at a huge party as Kane confronts the cool and slimy Tobin but can't expose the house full of secret agents because Pat has been captured and will be killed if he does.

This film has some great moments of suspense. One such moment, is a plea for help written in lipstick from a trapped Pat, floating down a skyscraper in New York, waiting to be found. The troop of a circus sideshow play a part in the couple's plight also, as his quest to clear himself takes him from Boulder Dam to Rockefeller Center to the Statue of Liberty.

There is a tight and witty script from Dorothy Parker, among others, and Hitchcock's famous little touches keep this one interesting. Robert Cummings, who had proved himself in comedy the previous year in "It Started With Eve" with Deanna Durbin, showed his versatility in this film. Priscilla Lane, pretty and likable, gives another nice performance here.

Taken on its own merits, this is a really good film, a great popcorn movie for a rainy night or a lazy weekend. There's nothing wrong with that.

SHADOW OF A DOUBT

Teresa Wright truly shines in Hitchcock's tale of darkness and evil coming to stay in Santa Rosa, California. A story by Gordon McDonnell was adapted for the screen by Thorton Wilder, Alma Reville, and Sally Benson and this slice of Americana is played out perfectly by a wonderful cast.

Teresa Wright is the bored young daughter of Emma (Patricia Collinge) and Joseph (Henry Travers) Newton. Life for her in the small town of Santa Rosa has become boring for the wholesome American girl. Wright's "Charlie" is the picture of lovely innocence that matches her small town.

The change she desires to shake things up comes to town in the form of her namesake, Uncle Charle (Joseph Cotten). Hitchcock has shown the audience that something is not quite right for the charming Uncle Charlie, however. But the special bond between he and Charlie will not be broken easily. Their unusual connection is explored in the happy and charming moments after Cotten's arrival.

Charlie's adoration of her uncle borders on a crush and leaves her open and vulnerable to anything Charlie wants. Hitchcock creates some almost uncomfortable scenes as you get the feeling any moment Cotton might just take the smiling and adoring Charlie in his arms and kiss her. And Charlie might remain passive if he were to do so, unsure of her feelings.

But strange behavior in her uncle and the attentions of a government agent after him who falls in love with her will change everything and break Uncle Charlie's spell, revealing a warped and twisted view of the world. The tune he whistles is the key to what Charlie has become in the years he has been absent.

Hume Cronyn steals every scene he is in as Joseph's good pal and mystery lover, Herbie. Their long talks on the porch as the two attempt to devise the perfect murder plays in humorous contrast to the real evil right under their noses. Even once Charlie knows about her uncle she can not tell and destroy her weak mother. But she has Agent Jack Graham's (Macdonald Carey) number and may have to use it when Uncle Charlie realizes the only thing standing between he and the gallows is young Charlie.

This is both a beautiful portrait of small-town America and a suspenseful thriller. Cotten underplays his role to marvelous effect and Teresa Wright is simply wonderful in this Hitchcock masterpiece. You'll have hours of fun and become a Hitchcock fan for certain after viewing this fabulous sampler of one of the great directors.

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Defeating the Shadow of Doubt
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Release Date: 2004-02-24

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Great for kids ages 3-99!

The Alfred Hitchcock Collection: The Best of Hitchcock, Vol. 1 (Psycho / Rear Window / Shadow of a Doubt / The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) / Rope / Topaz / Family Plot / Alfred Hitchcock Presents Vol. 2)

Average customer rating:

An Overview of Hitchcock's Work, Part 1
I love it
Another great DVD Box set for Hitchcock fans
Great Movies - love the extras! Worth the $$$$$$$$$$
Pure Classic Collection

The Alfred Hitchcock Collection: The Best of Hitchcock, Vol. 1 (Psycho / Rear Window / Shadow of a Doubt / The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) / Rope / Topaz / Family Plot / Alfred Hitchcock Presents Vol. 2)

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ASIN: B000055Y18
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Customer Reviews:

An Overview of Hitchcock's Work, Part 1.......2005-12-24

Those who would like to own an overview of Alfred Hitchcock's work surely can't go wrong with the Best of Alfred Hitchcock Collection sets issued by MCA home video. Like its companion set, Volume 1 offers viewers a wide variety of types of movies Hitchcock made during a period spanning thirty years. This set offers suspense, horror, comedy, drama, romance, and mystery. I won't rehash the plots, just give you my opinion of each movie offered.
1) Shadow of a Doubt- Lots of mystery and more than a little suspense. One of my favorite Hitchcock films. Five stars.
2) Rope- A philosophical murder story in which the question of whether some people should be allowed to kill their inferiors with impunity is revisited. The outcome was never really in doubt as one of the killers did not have the nerves of steel needed to successfully follow through on what was planned. Not a favorite. Two stars.
3) Rear Window- One of Hitchcock's best known films. Enforced idleness allows Jimmy Stewart to give rein to voyeuristic tendencies. There is murder, romance, and some dark comedy, but not enough action for me. Four stars.
4) The Man Who Knew too Much- A thriller with suspense, murder, treachery being the main elements. I like the Moroccan setting of the first part of the movie and the surprise ending. Five stars.
5)Psycho- Perhaps Hitchcock's most famous film. Believe it or not, I saw it for the first time after I bought this set. Lots of horror. Good plot, great acting, and magnificent camerawork. The Bates Motel and Psycho have earned their place in film history. Five stars.
6)Topaz- Lots of critics did not like it, I think it is a magnificent Cold War thriller. Here again the story and acting are first rate. I often felt as though I was in Cuba myself during the spying sequences. Loads of romance and suspense. Five stars.
7) Family Plot- To me, a very silly movie. Karen Black's character is obnoxious as far as I am concerned and boyfriend Bruce Dern is the bumbling dolt his character calls for. The worst part to me is that the story line is not credible. I suppose its meant to be a dark comedy, and there are a few light moments, but overall I was bored. Best scene is when the brakes fail in Dern's car and he struggles to stay on the road. Two stars.
8)Alfred Hitchcock Presents #2- Four Episodes from the old show. The best are Revenge and Breakdown. Three stars.
These films, as well as those contained in the companion set, should be regarded as the foundation to any Hitchcock film collection. The problem is that both have been withdrawn from the market and have become collectors items. I got mine for less than half the price I last saw it here. The solution is to buy Alfred Hitchcock-The Masterpiece Collection instead. It contains nearly everything the Best of Alfred Hitchcock Collection Vols 1 and 2 contain at less than half the price. If you can't get this, go for that!

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

I have/like this Vol 1 Add it in your Collection,You won't regret it :)

Another great DVD Box set for Hitchcock fans.......2005-06-29

Some of Alfred Hitchcock's most impressive and mature films are available in this DVD box set so that a new generation of fans can admire the expert craft and knowing sensibility that the acclaimed director put into his imposing resume. SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943) is a superb Film Noir thriller boasting a great dramatic turn from screen veteran Joseph Cotten, a ripping musical score from 50s Hitch stalwart buddy Dimitri Tiomkin. ROPE (1948) is less impressive, with the experimental style where the camera never "cuts" fails to impress (Hitch later stated that he didn't think it was a good idea) and the story meanders aimlessly. We all know what happened with the murder at the beginning, so the tension is virtually non-existent. Jimmy Stewart has his first Hitchcock collaboration, but it's not his best role, playing an atypical mentor to two men who commit murder as an experiment. John Dall and Farley Granger (STRANGERS ON A TRAIN) are really good as the two friends who murder. The film has its moments, but a technical achievement aside, there isn't much to like here.

Far more impressive is Hitch's best film ever and possibly the greatest film ever made. Forget CITIZEN KANE, CASABLANCA and GONE WITH THE WIND, REAR WINDOW (1954) is a masterpiece of voyeurism and thrilling suspense. Few movies have affected me like this, and James Stewart gives such a convincing performance and Grace Kelly is fabulous. Stewart is photographer L B. Jefferies, stuck in a wheelchair in his apartment with nothing to do but stare out the window, until one day he starts seeing things that possibly point to a murder. In an Oscar-worthy role, Stewart really ensconces himself in the role of Jefferies, and Raymond Burr is terrifyingly superb as Lars Thorwald, the man who may or may not have murdered his wife. Filming the entire movie on the one apartment set should feel claustrophobic, but its not, in fact, it feels more elaborate and fantastic than other experimental thrillers like 39 STEPS. A fantastic movie masterpiece. A remake of the 1938 original, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1955) is another fantastic Jimmy Stewart film, and Hitch's strong directorial style shows through in many of the film's tense action scenes.

Slammed by some critics for being vulgar and disgusting upon the film's release in 1960, PSYCHO is the first 'slasher' film, but it's a lot more than that. Who ever heard of setting your story around an actress, providing an engrossing story, problems, solutions, then killing off your main character 25 minutes through? Robert Bloch's fascinating book is a great starting point for a movie, giving everything what it needs, and Anthony Perkins gives a bone-chillingly-horrifying turn as Norman Bates, the deeply disturbed young man with parental problems. Bernard Herrman's unnervingly creepy score wracks up the terror. The famous shower scene alone is worth watching the film for. Unlike other slashers, PSYCHO actually does things artfully, with unique camera moves and amazing film techniques. TOPAZ (1969) is less impressive, with some nice performances, but this was the first film to signal Hitch's unfortunate decline in quality, and FAMILY PLOT, his last film in 1976 is far from his best movies. However, Bruce Dern gives a solid performance, and surprisingly, this is a fitting swansong for the director whose career spanned almost 50 years and 60 amazing films. Alfred Hitchcock will always be remembered forever as the master of suspense, inspiring young filmmakers for generations and scaring the pants of audiences for years to come. This is an essentail DVD collection for film fans

Great Movies - love the extras! Worth the $$$$$$$$$$.......2004-01-27

I totally disagree with the person who said this collection is expensive.

Each one of these movies comes with a documentary feature (not just a publicity film like most DVD's) that feature the stars of the picture (if possible), the writers, creative teams and even Pat Hitchcock (his daughter & sometimes actress). These documentaries are an hour long sometimes and very detailed. Some of them even talk at length about the film restoration process. They are worth having even without the movie and the movies are classics.

If you price out these movies individually it is a Deal buying this collection together. There is only one movie here not worth having (TOPAZ in my opinion) unlike the #2 collection which is mostly duds.

These are great movies with tons of extras - the documentataries, storyboards, deleted scenes, screen tests etc etc.

Buy this if you are a Hitchcock fan!

Pure Classic Collection.......2003-08-11

Heaping praise on Hitchcock's works is an unnecessary task. He is among the top 5 directors of the 20th Century. This collection has four movies which are rightly considered amongst the best movies made (Psycho, Rear Window, The Man who Knew Too Much, and Rope). As a collection, it is a treat to have an assortment of videos that include so many truly excellent titles.

Rope deserves special mention. It was filmed in its entirety as a continuous shot. Watch it for the chilling, engaging plot the first time. Watch it for the compelling direction. In a movie era dominated by montage, Rope stands out in stark contrast.

Average customer rating:

Worthless!
Hitchcocks favourite movie
Hitch said in his opinion this was his best film by far
wonderful screen experience
Shadow of a Doubt

Shadow of a Doubt [Region 2]

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Customer Reviews:

Worthless!.......2007-08-29

Hitchcocks favourite movie.......2007-08-25

Hitch said in his opinion this was his best film by far.......2007-08-11

wonderful screen experience.......2007-07-14

Shadow of a Doubt.......2007-06-25

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