I've never been a fan of Dial M for Murder, the Grace Kelly, Ray Milland foiled-murder mystery. It's too stagey and claustrophobic and detail-oriented, like one giant, long scene out of an Agatha Christie novel.I'm all for Hitchcock movies on Blu-ray, and I understand that Warner Bros. only has the rights to 8-9, but how can these other studios sit back when they have To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, The Birds, Psycho, The Man Who Knew Too Much - most of which were shot in VistaVision or Cinemascope with that bold, widescreen Robert Burks allure? If I'm ranking Hitchock films, Dial M for Murder doesn't even register in the Top 15.
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It is an interesting choice: I wonder if the current trend of 3D explains this decision? It would be very cool if the blu-ray included both versions.
ReplyDeleteDIAL M is basically a stage play on film, much like the masterful ROPE. Though it isn't in my top ten Hitch film, Grace Kelly in high-def is always a plus!
PSYCHO blu-ray is scheduled to be released in France in a few months but, like this Spanish release, will probably be region locked.
SHADOW OF A DOUBT is my favorite Hitch and crossing my fingers for his entire catalogue this year...or next.
FYI: check out NORTH BY NORTHWEST on BD, it is stunning! Also, 39 STEPS is released in the UK but the transfer is muddy and not much better than the Criterion DVD. If you don't own it, the BD is the way to go.
I had to buy "North by Northwest" day-one, and it is, in fact, stunning - the quintessential high-def Hitch film. (Although I may change my tune if "Vertigo" or "To Catch a Thief" ever come out.
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