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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/hitchcock.htm
UK 1949

 

Hitchcock oddity, like a second-rate Gainsborough melodrama transplanted to Australia, in which a drunken Bergman, driven to the bottle by her husband's cruelty, is drawn to her cousin (Cotten), just off the boat from England. The two stars offer reheated versions of their performances in Gaslight - the relationship between their two characters is much the same, and despite the odd experimentally distended take, Hitch seems as glum and dissatisfied with the material as his cast. If you're trying to remember the titles of all of his films to pass a tedious journey, this is the one that nobody will remember.

Excerpt from Channel 4 located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 1949 (USA)

Reviews                                                                                              More Reviews                                                                                    DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL vs. Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC vs. SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Gary Tooze, Gregory Meshman and Pavel Borodin for the DVD Screen Caps!

1) Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL LEFT

2) mage Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

 

Box Covers

 

   

   

 

 

Distribution

Kinowelt

Region 2 - PAL

Image Entertainment

Region 0 - NTSC

SomeWax (Russia)
Region 0 - NTSC
Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:48:04 (4% PAL speedup) 1:56:52 1:56:52 1:57:14.610
Video

1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.23 mb/s

PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.56 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.28 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 38,618,216,777 bytes

Feature: 34,926,249,984 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.93 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

 

Kinowelt

 

Bitrate:

 

Image Entertainment

 

Bitrate:

 

SomeWax (Russia)

 

Bitrate: Blu-ray

 

 

 

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0), DUB: German (Dolby Digital 2.0) English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

English (Dolby Digital 2.0), Russian voice-over (Dolby Digital 2.0)

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1559 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1559 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles German, none None Russian, none English, none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Kinowelt

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• Claude Chabrol discusses Hitchcock (in French with German subtitles) (26:41)

• Text screen bios (in German only)

• Trailer

• Liner notes text booklet (all in German)

DVD Release Date: March 24th, 2006
Transparent Keep case

Chapters 17

Release Information:
Studio: Image Entertainment

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• none

DVD Release Date: June 17, 2003
Keep case

Chapters 24
 

Release Information:
Studio: SomeWax (Russia)

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Trailers of other SomeWax releases
 

DVD Release Date:
Keep case

Chapters 9

Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

1.32:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 38,618,216,777 bytes

Feature: 34,926,249,984 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.93 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

Audio Commentary by Film Historian Kat Ellinger
Hitchcock/Truffaut: Icon interviews Icon (audio) (12:23)
Cinema of Signs: Claude Chabrol on Alfred Hitchcock (26:42)
Theatrical Trailer (2:04)


Blu-ray Release Date: June 19th, 2018
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters  8

 

 

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Kino's new transfer is described as a "Brand New 4K Restoration" a significant leap beyond the old DVDs but still suffers from some minor damage (scratches just under the surface) and it still looks thin but colors are bolder and without a film-level restoration this is likely to be the best it can look on digital for a long while. I wasn't displeased but the image, even in SD, remains imperfect. There is generally more information in the frame - mostly on the right edge. The color shift and brighter visuals are very positive in the 4K restoration and the film flowed far more evenly than watching the older DVDs. It's the best I have seen this Hitchcock film look.

Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel (16-bit) and this period film doesn't have much in the way of aggressive effects but sports a score by Richard Addinsell, who is notable for the Blithe Spirit and the 1951 A Christmas Carol, Dark Journey, Love on the Dole, and Fire Over England. It sounds quite solid in the lossless with optional English (SDH) subtitles (see sample below) on the Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

We are treated to another exceptional audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger offering great analysis and minutia of the production. Wonderful. There is also an audio-only excerpt of Hitchcock/Truffaut: Icon interviews Icon running 12-minutes. Cinema of Signs: Claude Chabrol on Alfred Hitchcock a 27-minute piece (with English subtitles) from Robert Fischer's Fiction Factory describe as "Legendary French film director and Nouvelle Vague co-founder Claude Chabrol takes us back to the mid-fifties, when he and then-fellow film critic François Truffaut met and interviewed Alfred Hitchcock under hilarious circumstances. Chabrol then describes how he went on to write, with Eric Rohmer, the first book on Hitchcock, and even served as a consultant when Hitch came to Paris to direct his film TOPAZ. Several key scenes from Hitchcock movies, with a special emphasis on UNDER CAPRICORN, are discussed and dissected." There is a theatrical trailer and trailers for other films. The package has a revisable cover (see below).

Accepted as not The Master's most intriguing efforts but the value of the 4K Restored Blu-ray - aside from the obvious a/v boost - are the extras - the Ellinger commentary and Fiction Factory piece make this a must-own. I honestly enjoyed the film far more indulging in this Blu-ray edition.

***

ON THE DVDs: NOTE: The Image Entertainment and Somewax image quality appear to be exact - same detail and same damage marks. I have no idea whether Somewax obtained the transfer legally or not. I suppose it is possible.

What were Kinowelt thinking with this release? It's a disaster! We had high hopes for this based on Kinowelt's fine track record but this is heavily contrast boosted and severely cropped. Bergman's head is cropped in large capture #3 and body is partially cropped out of the frame in capture #4. Damage is a little less but colors are all over the place. A German DUB and German subtitles options are offered and the significant extra (Chabrol) is only in French with German subtitles. I couldn't access the text screen bios. I am very disappointed in Kinowelt and this is a true black mark on their record. We suggest the Image Entertainment DVD until we are convinced the Somewax is not a bootleg.

***

NOTE: I just wanted add to your review that the Kinowelt edition is not only visually inferior but also shortened by 4 minutes, the missing scene even ran subtitled on German TV, but Kinowelt messed up on this disc wherever it is possible. I hope they do a better job on Hitchcock's MURDER which will include the first release ever of the German version of the film which Hitchcock shot simultaneously. (thanks Armin!) 

- Gary Tooze

 

NOTE: The Kinowelt Titles are in German:

 


DVD Menus

 

Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL

 


(
Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

 

 
 

 

Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

1) Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL TOP

2) mage Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL TOP

2) mage Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL TOP

2) mage Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL TOP

2) mage Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL TOP

2) mage Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL TOP

2) mage Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL TOP

2) mage Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) SomeWax (Russia) - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

NOTE: Observe how much is cropped from the Kinowelt release

 

Box Covers

 

   

   

 

 

Distribution

Kinowelt

Region 2 - PAL

Image Entertainment

Region 0 - NTSC

SomeWax (Russia)
Region 0 - NTSC
Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Blu-ray
 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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