Alfred Hitchcock's - Notorious - DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Notorious DVD Review

U.S. 1946

Notorious is also famous, of course, for having the longest on-screen kiss, with Bergman and Grant's clinch clocking in at a little over three minutes. Their relationship had a real spark. Grant's character is unsure whether he can trust Bergman, wary that she might hold a grudge against the US and its agents, while Bergman thinks that Grant is just using her. Their uncertainties aid the villains, of whom mummy's boy Alexander - a typically Hitchcockian villain - is only the least despicable. There is also, of course, virtuoso direction from the master. Early on there's a nice point-of-view shot when Alicia wakes up with a hangover after a night socializing. Later, at Alexander's party, there's a crane- shot in which the camera moves downstairs, glides across and over the crowded ballroom and finally zeroes in on Alicia's hand, clutching the stolen key to Alexander's mysterious wine cellar, all in a single magnificent take!

Excerpt from Edinburgh U Film Society [Keith H. Brown] located HERE

Posters (CLICK to enlarge)

Theatrical Release Date: August 22, 1946

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DVD Comparison:

Anchor Bay - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC

(Anchor Bay R0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Criterion R1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Anchor Bay Entertainment Region 0 - NTSC	Criterion Collection Spine # 137 Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:41:09	1:42:06
Video	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.43 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.83 NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Anchor Bay
Bitrate: Criterion
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles	None	English, and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment Theatrical Release Date: August 22, 1946 Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Discographic Information: DVD Encoding: All Regions Layers: Single Edition Details: • All Regions • Black & White DVD Release Date: September 7, 1999 Keep Case Chapters 18	Release Information: Studio: Home Vision Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Discographic Information: DVD Encoding: Region 1 Layers: Dual Edition Details: • Commentary by Hitchcock film scholar Marian Keane and film historian Rudy Behlmer, editor of Memo from David O. Selznick • Theatrical trailer • New digital film and sound restoration • Complete broadcast of the 1948 Lux Radio Theater adaptation, starring Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten • Rare production, publicity, rear projection photos, as well as promotional posters and lobby cards • Production correspondence • Collection of trailers & teasers • Script excerpts of deleted scenes and alternate endings • Excerpts from the short story "The Song of the Dragon," source material for Notorious • Rare newsreel footage of Bergman and Hitchcock • Liner notes by Hitchcock scholar William Rothman, author of the landmark study Hitchcock: The Murderous Gaze • Isolated music score and effects track DVD Release Date: October 16, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 26

Comments:

These are two discs that make for a sterling comparison. The Anchor Bay released almost 2 years earlier looks quite poor in certain capture comparisons. I am interested in how much the Criterion appears cropped on the left hand vertical side. Another intriguing difference is in the title credits - this is similar to the Rebecca DVDs where Criterion used a totally different font title than the Anchor Bay one. The sound, although very close to the Criterion... has a bit of a hiss in the Anchor Bay version. The soundtrack for Notorious was restored and preserved from a 1954 35mm acetate release print, a 35mm nitrate fine-grain master, and a 35mm nitrate optical music & effects track positive. New 35mm magnetic analog masters and DA-88 digital masters were created utilizing Sonic Solutions noise reduction software. The Extras are obviously Criterions as well. In the Anchor Bay version, a whole minute disappears. the Criterion title sequence only takes 13 seconds so I don't know what is missing, only that something is.

In the capture where Bergman and Grant are in the car together, you can plainly see where the Criterion version does not have the print scratch, but also the extent of the vertical cropping by Criterion. But the Criterion is far too sharp ( 2nd last captures ) and the black levels and contrast superbly done. The picture for Notorious was restored and preserved from the original 35mm nitrate camera negative, a 35mm nitrate fine-grain master, and a 35mm nitrate copyright print. A newly printed 35mm fine-grain master, and the 35mm nitrate fine-grain master for Reels 4A and 5B, were used for the digital film-to-tape transfer. Inherent film artifacts were corrected in video with the MTI Digital Restoration System. I don't think I need to say it but "Go for the Criterion... all the way.

Gary W. Tooze

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(Anchor Bay R0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Criterion R1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

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