Alfred Hitchcock's - Rebecca - DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Rebecca DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Rebecca DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Rebecca DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Rebecca DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Rebecca DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Rebecca DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Rebecca DVD Review Alfred Hitchcock Rebecca DVD Review

U.S. 1940

Well, it's not a Hitchcock picture," Alfred Hitchcock once told François Truffaut when asked about Rebecca, his first American film and the first in a series made for producer David O. Selznick (Gone With The Wind, A Star Is Born). Though Hitchcock explained that Rebecca's source material (Daphne Du Maurier's best-selling book) kept it outside the sphere of a typical Hitchcock movie, he could also have been referring to any number of factors. Most of them would have been tied to Selznick, whose insistence on being closely involved with the book and producing a faithful adaptation forced Hitchcock to deliver a film that broke the mold of his British thrillers. An excellent new two-disc DVD version unpacks Rebecca's tumultuous production history through an incisive commentary, a set of Selznick's legendary and unsparing memos, exit polls from a test screening, and other material. Though the final cut of the film often supports Hitchcock's statement, the compromise seems to have kick-started the director's development, forcing him to rely less on tricks perfected in his past work, and to immerse himself in the piece's tortured psychology.

Excerpt of Keith Phipps review at the Onion AV located HERE

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DVD Comparison:

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

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

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Anchor Bay Entertainment Region 0 - NTSC	Criterion Collection Spine # 135 Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	2:10:16	2:10:52
Video	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.28 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.84 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: April 12, 1940 Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.37:1 Edition Details: • Black & White • 4.5" x 7' original theatrical poster replica DVD Release Date: September 7, 1999 Keep Case Chapters 19	Release Information: Studio: Home Vision Entertainment Theatrical Release Date: April 12, 1940 Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.37:1 Edition Details: • Black & White • Commentary by film scholar Leonard J. Leff, author of Hitchcock and Selznick: The Rich and Strange Collaboration of Alfred Hitchcock and David O. Selznick in Hollywood • Isolated music and effects track • New digital film and sound restoration • Rare screen, hair, makeup, and costume tests including Vivien Leigh, Anne Baxter, Loretta Young, Margaret Sullavan, and Joan Fontaine • Footage from the 1940 Annual Academy Awards ceremony, at which Rebecca won Best Picture and Best Cinematography Oscars • Hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos chronicling the film's production from location scouting, set photos, and wardrobe continuity to ads, posters, lobby cards, and promotional memorabilia • Illustrated essay on Daphne du Maurier, author of the book on which Rebecca is based • Hitchcock on Rebecca: excerpts from the director's conversations with filmmaker Francois Truffaut • Phone interviews with star Joan Fontaine and Dame Judith Anderson from 1986 • Hitchcock's casting notes • Reissue trailer • Production correspondance and casting notes • 1939 test screening questionnaire • Complete broadcast of the 1938 Campbell Playhouse radio adaptation, starring Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre players, including an interview with Daphne du Maurier • 1941 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast starring Ronald Colman & Ida Lupino, including and an interview with David O. Selznick • 1950 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast starring Laurence Olivier & Vivian Leigh • Liner notes by Robin Wood, author of the groundbreaking book Hitchcock's Film and Hitchcock's Film Revisited in a 22-page booklet • Number of discs: 2 DVD Release Date: November 20, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 27

Comments:

Of the three Hitch-Anchor Bay/Criterion DVD comparisons (Rebecca, Notorious and Spellbound), I think 'Rebecca' is the least obvious in the disparity in image quality, but perhaps the most in Extras. Anchor Bay did not do a bad job on transferring the image to DVD when they did it back in 1999. Upon close inspection the Criterion though is on top. Peeking film grain, cleaner and sharper picture quality are the obvious signs that Criterion has the best image of this film on DVD in Region 1. Include in that the pitch-perfect contrast and the immense extras (although this reviewer will negatively comment on the large percentage of text based screens on the Criterion). Although I didn't notice a "hiss" on the Anchor Bay 2.0 sound, it was definitely not as clear as the Criterion. Being a huge fan of this film I, of course, prefer the Criterion edition, but if you weigh into account dollar value and you just want to see this film not obsess over it, you might consider the Anchor Bay (if you can still buy it). Even being a big fan of 'Rebecca" I found the Criterion Extras excessive... but before I look a gift-horse in the mouth, I am grateful to Criterion for their efforts.

Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

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

Screen Captures

(Anchor Bay R0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Criterion R1 - NTSC - BOTTOM))

NOTE: Notice the different Font used in the title. I have no idea why.