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Alfred Hitchcock 1929-1931 - 2 DVD Boxset
Blackmail (1929) The Skin Game (1931) Murder (1930)
DVDs of Blackmail are compared to the Blu-ray HERE
DVDs of Murder are compared to the Blu-ray HERE
The Blu-ray of The Skin Game is compared to this DVD HERE
Studio Canal (France) have put together three stacked boxsets of "The Masters" early films. A silent set with The Manxman (1929), The Farmer's Wife (1928), Champagne (1928), and The Ring (1927) listed HERE and this 'talkie' set with Blackmail (1929), The Skin Game (1931), Murder (1930) and another with Rich and Strange, Number 17 and Foreign Correspondent HERE. The transfers are stupendous - certainly outdoing the many DVD production companies who thrive on Public Domain material in NTSC. Extras are all in French with no English subtitles, but thankfully the Feature presentation subtitles (again French only and mandatory with most DVD players) are player generated and can be easily removed, with any PC with a DVD burner as all films take up less than 4.75 Gig thereby fitting on a single layered blank DVD (see tutorial HERE). |
(aka "La muchacha de Londres" or "Erpressung")
This was the first sound film to be produced in Britain, making
it also Hitchcock's first sound film. Originally completed as a silent film, as
the times shifted and audio became the new craze, production had to start all
over again including talking parts and new scenes included. Hitch bore up with
one towering stumbling block - his protagonist heroine, Anny Ondra, had a most
pronounced Czech accent forcing one of the initial innovations of the
'voice-over' (simultaneously recorded off-camera by actress Joan Barry). |
Posters
Theatrical Release: June 30th, 1929 - UK
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Review: Studio Canal (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL
DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | Studio Canal (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL |
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Contains: Blackmail (1929), The Skin Game (1931) and Murder! (1930) |
Contains: Rich and Strange, Number 17 and Foreign Correspondent |
Contains: The Manxman (1929), The Farmer's Wife (1928), Champagne (1928), and The Ring (1927) |
Runtime | 1:21:57 |
Video | 1.11:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.26 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
Subtitles | French (non-removable but player generated) |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details:
• An introduction (in French - no subtitles) by Noel Simsolo |
Comments: |
DVDs of Blackmail are compared to the Blu-ray HERE DVDs of Murder are compared to the Blu-ray HERE The Blu-ray of The Skin Game is compared to this DVD HERE This is very similar to the Kinowelt edition reviewed HERE and quite possibly the same transfer. It maintains the pillar-boxed aspect ratio, but we don't get the silent version of the film as an extra and the French subtitles are player generated and mandatory on most DVD playback units, but easily removable on all computers with DVD burners (see HERE). It is fairly consistently sharp and the contrast and grayscale are marvelous - some damage and flickers but I love the occasional visible film grain. Audio is weak but as good as we may ever hear it. This is one fascinating part of cinema history that transports you back to the film projections of 1930. We strongly recommend, but the DVD loses a half point for the mandatory French subtitles. out of |
DVD Menus
Screen Captures
( Studio Canal (sound)- Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kinowelt (sound)- Region 2 - PAL -BOTTOM)
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( Studio Canal (sound)- Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Kinowelt (sound)- Region 2 - PAL -2nd vs. Laserlight - Region 0 - NTSC 3rd vs. Kinowelt (silent) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
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DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | Studio Canal (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL |
Made for British
International Pictures, The Skin Game (1931) was adapted by Hitchcock
himself, with a scenario by Alma Reville, from the successful stage play by John
Galsworthy. A melodrama of rural class conflict, the film has been dismissed by
some as too theatrical, and the work of a Hitchcock disengaged from his subject
matter. Certainly, by this stage in his career, Hitchcock was becoming
frustrated at the number of stage adaptations he had to take on. |
Theatrical Release: February 26th, 1931
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DVD Review: Studio Canal (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL
DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | Studio Canal (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL | |
Runtime | 1:18:57 | |
Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.26 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) | |
Subtitles | French (non-removable but player generated) | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Studio Canal Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1
Edition Details: • An introduction (in French - no subtitles) by Noel Solo
• Picture Gallery (11
stills) |
Comments: |
Another great transfer - there were a few very inferior quality DVD
releases of this film in NTSC, being that the film was Public Domain but
this is the best I have seen the film look digitally. Audio is not at
modern standards but surprisingly good. Again,
the French subtitles are player generated and mandatory on most DVD
playback
units, but easily removable on all computers with DVD burners (see
HERE).
There is a Photo Gallery of 11 high quality images as an extra
along with the French language introduction. We strongly
recommend, but the DVD loses a half point for the mandatory French
subtitles.
out of
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DVDs of Blackmail are compared to the Blu-ray HERE
DVDs of Murder are compared to the Blu-ray HERE
The Blu-ray of The Skin Game is compared to this DVD HERE
DVD Menus
Screen Captures
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DVDs of Blackmail are compared to the Blu-ray HERE
DVDs of Murder are compared to the Blu-ray HERE
The Blu-ray of The Skin Game is compared to this DVD HERE
Hitchcock uses sound imaginatively in one of his earliest talkies, making the most of Marshall's mellifluous voice. Marshall plays an actor-playwright on a jury who undertakes an investigation on his own when he believes the girl on trial to be innocent of murder. At one point we hear Marshall's thoughts as he looks in the mirror while Wagner's Liebestod plays in the background. However, the denouement of the intriguing plot is pretty distasteful by today's standards. Percy, a transvestite trapeze artist, is obviously gay, but he murders before it is revealed that he is a half-caste. |
Theatrical Release: July 31st, 1930
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Review: Studio Canal (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL
DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | Studio Canal (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL | |
Runtime | 1:37:56 | |
Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.75 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) | |
Subtitles | French (non-removable but player generated) | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Studio Canal Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1
Edition Details: • An introduction (in French - no subtitles) by Noel Solo
• Alternate ending (9:40) |
Comments: |
Another solid transfer - fairly consistent with moments of great clarity
- again,
the French subtitles are player generated and mandatory on most DVD
playback units, but easily removable on all computers with DVD burners
(see
HERE).
Audio has a few weak moments but is otherwise excellent - with quite
clear and consistently audible dialogue. It occasionally seems slightly
out of sync. There is a Photo Gallery of 11 high quality images as an
extra along with the French language introduction. We strongly
recommend, but the DVD loses a half point for the mandatory French
subtitles.
out of
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DVD Menus
Screen Captures
CLICK to
order from:
Contains:
Blackmail (1929),
The Skin Game (1931)
and Murder!
(1930) Contains: Rich and Strange,
Number 17 and Foreign Correspondent Contains:
The
Manxman (1929),
The Farmer's Wife (1928),
Champagne
(1928), and
The Ring (1927)
DVD Box
Cover
Distribution
Studio Canal (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL