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The Alfred Hitchcock Collection: The Best of Hitchcock, Vol. 2 (Vertigo / The Birds / The Trouble with Harry / Frenzy / Marnie / Saboteur / Torn Curtain / Alfred Hitchcock Presents Vol. 3)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The "A" films for me in this collection are "Marnie", "The Birds", "Frenzy" and "Vertigo", all of which I've seen multiple times. I never tire of seeing these Hitchcock classics. "Marnie" is a husband and wife story between Sean Connery and Tipi Hendren. Marnie, coerced into marrying Connery, has led a life of crime based on a past that Connery seeks to uncover. It took the public some years to warm up to this film but I loved it at once. "The Birds" is one of Hitchcock's instant hits where he literally has the birds in a coastal California community go on the attack against the populace. Just seeing the birds line up on the telephone wires, ready to attack the people, is chilling! "Frenzy" was made in the '70s, set in London, and involves two men, one who sets the other up to be the fall guy for the necktie stranglings that he himself is committing. There is a scene is a truckload of potatotes where the killer needs to get a piece of jewelry back from a corpse that is absolutely unforgettable. "Vertigo" showcases Jimmy Stewart, who is rendered powerless by heights by an earlier mishap, who falls in love with a mysterious woman, Kim Novak that he follows. She seems to be fatally drawn to the bell tower of a church on the California coast. The remaining films in the collection range from B- ("Torn Curtain") to B+ ("Saboteur"). I've viewed them all at least once, sometimes twice. Most movie directors would claim them as their "A" work but Hitchcock's "A" work was so fabulous that it is indeed his lesser work. In any event, once you've started watching Hitchcock's work, you've got to see all of it. It's as simple as that.

This second boxed set has a number of stunning works by Hitchcock; Vertigo and The Birds are stunning masterpieces from the Master of Suspense. The former film is his most personal while the latter his most expansive in scope and a radical departure from what had come before. These two films represent Hitchcock's brilliance at its best.

Torn Curtain isn't a complete disaster but is far from a perfect film. Marnie is downright embarrassing. I know a number of Hitchcock scholars consider it his last great work; I'd argue that this misogynistic Freudian work of mumbo jumbo is among Hitchcock's worst films. Sure, it has a couple of stunning set pieces but the film script has clearly traveled through too many hands (although it was based on Hitchcock's concept of the film and Evan Hunter is the only screenwriter credited, Ernest Lehman, Joseph Stefano and a couple of other writers tried their hand at adapting this meandering mess). It suffers from flaws that Hitchcock had worked through earlier in his career (with the flawed but interesting Spellbound).

The only other film that comes close to Vertigo and The Birds is the minor masterpiece Frenzy. Hitchcock was clearly energized by the competition of young upstarts following in his footsteps. Frenzy, again, demonstrates that Hitchcock could be at his best even this late in his long career.

The Trouble with Harry is a fine dark comedy from Hitchcock and, although it hasn't aged all that well, still features sparkling dialogue (courtesy of writer John Michael Hayes)and strong performances.

Saboteur is another minor masterpiece from Hitchcock that still manages to be engaging. The sequence set on the Statue of Liberty as Robert Cummings tries to save the foreign spy (played by Hitchcock regular Norman Lloyd)is still gripping and powerful today.

The real reason to own this set is the episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents included on the bonus DVD. Hitchcock directed all these himself. They vary in quality from good to exceptional. Since they aren't available indivdually, it's a must have for fans of the director's work.

If you want to purchase Hitchcock's best films, get them individually but if you need this bonus disc, this set is the expensive way to go.

I loved all the selections offered in this boxed set. I especially enjoyed the additional commentary offered by Pat Hitchcock (his daughter) - it provided a great perspective of Hitch's intentions for each of these films. I loved the bonus disc of 4 episodes from his TV show "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and wish more of these were made available in this format. I always enjoyed his television show especially his intros and summations at their beginnings and endings. Truly funny stuff!! My only dissatisfaction was with "Saboteur" - I have a Panasonic Portable DVD player and during playback there were times the picture broke up and pixilized - not always in the same place. That may be a problem with this particular player but since I didn't have another brand to test it on - I'm not sure. Anyway - a great collection!! A MUST HAVE FOR ALL HITCHCOCK FANS!

This impressive Hitchcock DVD collection has seven of the master's finest film masterpieces in the early 40s and 50s to solid entertainment in the 70s. Peter Viertel brings SABOTEUR (1942) to life with a razor-sharp screenplay, while Priscilla Lane and Robert Cummings bring their well-written roles to the fore, creating a luminous blend of action and depth that Hollywood rarely sees these days. THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY is the oddity of the bunch, with the quaint little townspeople trying to decide what to do with Harry, a young man who dies mysteriously. Shot against a dreamy small-town backdrop in America, the cinematography is warm and fuzzy, and the musical score sets a nice tone for the film's story. The pace is a little slow at the beginning for a comedy, but released in 1955, almost all films were of the familiar style. There are laughs to be had here, with some great comedic moments between the actors. Repetitive and slow at times, it nevertheless is a fun little film and an interesting introspective on Hitch's opinions on life and death.

Misunderstood on its release, VERTIGO (1958) was Hitch's precious gem, a marvelous tale of a man driven to obsession, played to perfection from movie legend James Stewart. Possibly his best film, this was eventually hailed as an amazing cinematic triumph that still thrills audiences today. The bell tower scene is revolutionary filmmaking, but every scene is fantastically weaved. Like Steven Spielberg, Hitchcock knew the importance of color to represent a mood (Danger, warmth, obsession) The film in certain parts is swathed in sickly green hues, connecting Stewart's beautiful acting to Hitch's well-played camera techniques while simultaneously showing Hollywood how masterpieces were made. Bernard Herrman's fantastic score sets the tone of a film that shines in every respect. Directors like Martin Scorsese are huge fans of VERTIGO, and it is one of my personal favorites, along with REAR WINDOW. The follow-up after PSYCHO, THE BIRDS is a very interesting notch in Hitch's belt, a curio of a film that has some amazing special effects and minimal music, instead concentrating the sounds of squawking seagulls to heighten the tension. Tippi Hedren's convincing performance (She really did freak out on set, having live birds attached to her clothes to maximize the realism) carries the film, and a young Rod Taylor gives a ripping presentation. Every step of the way, the tension grows, until its almost unbearable and the finale is genuinely frightening.

Hitch's last great film MARNIE shows a softer side to the director while ushering into the cinema world a new slant to filmmaking. Produced in 1964, this complex character study of a frigid lady thief (Tippi Hedren) and the mysterious man (Sean Connery) who tries to cure both her hang-ups is one of Alfred Hitchcock's most stunning films, thanks in great part to Hedren's magnificent performance in the title role. Hedren, who became a star a year earlier in Hitch's THE BIRDS, delivers her most accomplished performance to date. TORN CURTAIN is an exceptional Alfred Hitchcock film that is for the most part intriguing, suspenseful, and entertaining. Paul Newman stars as an American scientist who appears to be defecting to Germany. Julie Andrews plays Newman's associate and girlfriend who tags along for the ride. "Torn Curtain" isn't as good as "Psycho", "The Birds" and "North by Northwest" but even though the movie moves a little slow at times, it's still very interesting and sometimes funny addition to Hitch's immense list of films. The only disappointment in this formidable collection is FRENZY, a nasty little rape/murder story that failed to interest audiences in the 70s, and some scenes are shockingly graphic. A long way from the stylish shower-curtain masterstroke of PSYCHO. But the score is reasonably cool, and some action scenes do wrack up the tension. And finally "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" has 4 of the 17 fantastic TV episodes directed by Hitchcock: "Poison," "The Perfect Crime," "A Dip in the Pool" and "One More Mile to Go" This is an essential collection for Hitchcock fans and movie buffs alike.

Vol. 2 is just as great as Vol. 1! It has all of Hitchcock's best classics which include, "Torn Curtain","Marnie" "The Birds", "Vertigo", "Frenzy", "Sabotuer",and "The Trouble with Harry". Plus as a special BONUS DISC, three episodes from the original HITCHCOCK TV SHOW!! This is a great collection to own and anybody who is a major Hitchcock fan like me, must own this collection! No Hitchcock Collection is complete without it! So don't miss out! Buy it today! You will not regret it!!

Universal Studios provides more Hitchcock gems with their release of "The Alfred Hitchcock Collection: The best of Hitchcock vol. 2" on DVD. Included in this set are Hitchcock classics like Saboteur (1942), the newly-restored Vertigo (1958), and The Birds (1963).

Also included are some films like Marnie (1964), which was originally a flop but is nowadays thought of as a classic. Even films like the spy thriller Torn Curtain (1966), which is considered second-tier Hitchcock by many fans, I found grew on me with multiple viewings. The set also includes another extra disc with more episodes of the hit TV show "Alfred Hitchcock Presents".

As well as these films, Hitchcock's dark comedy The Trouble with Harry (1955) is also included.

The only film in this set I could live happily without is Frenzy (1972). It has gained quite a following over the years, although personally it is not my taste.

As for Bonus Features, they include theatrical trailers, production photos, and even more making-of documentaries for your viewing pleasure.

Overall, this is a pretty well-rounded collection of films, and when paired with vol. 1, you'll have a pretty amazing Hitchcock collection. 5 stars.

Sir Alfred Hitchcock was trying to make a statement that we as moviegoers are voyeurs and are just as fanatically obsessed by the images on the screen as "Scottie" Ferguson is with Madeleine in VERTIGO. VERTIGO is in effect a movie about people who love the cinema and are captivated by it. Those people who do not like VERTIGO state that it is not realistic and too improbable. That is just the point. VERTIGO is about an artificial world and the fascination of that world. Those who like VERTIGO are drawn to it over and over because it is about something that is inside each of us that is ever so fleeting and will always remain unobtainable. Bernard Herrmann, the film's composer seems to have understood the essence of this film as he captured the erotic passion and ultimate hopelessness of its characters with his haunting score. Herrmann had always expressed his desire to be a symphony conductor, yet the lure of the cinema was more than just a means of collecting a paycheck for him. I think he had a great understanding of the cinema and its power over human emotions, yet it seems to have remained an enigma even for him.
THE BIRDS metaphorically plays out the frailties of the human heart as befuddled humans' fears are visually juxtaposed against hoards of birds gone on a destructive rampage. Humans rebel against nature and each other as the birds represent nature in harmony turned against human progenitors who stand to disrupt harmony. Rod Taylor's solid performance, as the steadfast Mitch Brenner who gradually realizes (but cannot fathom why) that things are beyond even his control, is pivotal to the progression of the story. The importance of Taylor's performance has been long overlooked. This film is a masterpiece full of vivid histrionics running the gamut of human emotions.
"She's wearing my necktie." That's what Alfred Hitchcock said in the trailer for FRENZY as he returned to the United Kingdom to film this movie. Again the wrong man is accused for crimes he did not commit. And so it goes. Barry Foster's mesmerizing performance is both disturbing yet charismatic far overshadowing would be hero Jon Finch. Also Alec McCowen as Chief Inspector Oxford has never been better. The opening shot of London accompanied by Ron Goodwin's score is an instant classic.
MARNIE is one of Hitchcock's masterpieces. It has been highly underrated and misunderstood by viewers and many critics alike. It is not a straightforward narrative as it deals with the compulsive and obsessive nature of its two main characters (Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery). The viewer has to become absorbed and drawn into the film's sights and sounds. The viewer has to elicit from what is seen and heard to fathom the motivations of the film's two main characters. Some of its images are just unforgettable and disturbingly haunting. Sound too plays an important part in the viewer's experience. In accompaniment is Bernard Herrmann's low-key score. I watched this film again several times over. Herrmann's score is always present, yet never intrusive. I used to think this score was somewhat repetitive, but it is quite diverse. It complements the images in such a way that it almost evokes some hidden and suppressed experience from the viewer that creates an emotional bond with the main title character of the film. I found the DVD print to be of exceptional quality and most pleasing in the wide-screen presentation (a prerequisite in this format).
TORN CURTAIN was Alfred Hithcock's 50th motion picture. This film marked a departure from his most recent bulk of films at that time, not in directorial style, but in the absence of many of his close-knit artistic-technical company he had been utilizing. Distinctively missing is collaborator-composer Bernard Herrmann. However, John Addison does a commendable job in Herrmann's absence, as his score seems to fit this film very well with the passage of time. This was a cold war drama set behind the Iron Curtain. The hero of the story as portrayed by Paul Newman is motivated less by personal staunchness for democratic idealism, but rather by his inner confrontation coming to grips with his own failure as a scientist. This very suspenseful film is really about his own redemption for his perceived failure. This film is has been highly underrated.
The Autumnal colors of New England seen in THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY are a beautiful backdrop to this dark comedy enhanced by Bernard Herrmann's reflective score. As life comes full circle the quirkily eccentricities of the human heart take on new meaning as an artist (John Forsythe) somehow, perhaps unwittingly, makes it all come into perspective. THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY is one of my favorite Hitchcock films.
SABOTEUR certainly looks like a forerunner of his NORTH BY NORTHWEST. This WWII espionage tale planted on American soil is an impressive bit of filmmaking from Alfred Hitchcock. He uses his familiar theme of the wrong man on the run from the law and implicated by those who are in fact guilty, our hero Barry Kane (Robert Cummings) must uncover the culprits before they carry out their next act of terror and destruction before he himself is apprehended. Simultaneously Kane must clear himself of the initial crime with the aid of Patricia Martin (Priscilla Lane). Set against the backdrop of that familiar icon of freedom, The Statue of Liberty, our hero must undergo a death struggle both metaphorically and realistically demonstrating that we as Americans value our freedoms as well as all human life no matter how malevolent it be because it is in our nature to go the distance for all that is virtuous in the world. Despite the fact that Alfred Hitchcock stated that it would have been more suspenseful to have the hero dangling from The Statue of Liberty rather than the villain Fry (Norman Lloyd), this scene demonstrates the compassion for humanity that we as Americans hold dear and goes straight to the ideals of the fiber of our inner fortitude to preserve that way of life as Kane struggles to save Fry's life. Otto Kruger's performance as Charles Tobin is very stylistic and on the surface he seems more sophisticated than our earthy hero Kane but Tobin's eloquence is superficial in every sense of the word. Jack Otterson's Art Direction and Joseph A. Valentine's Cinematography are standouts. John P. Fulton's un-credited Special Effects are impressive.

Those who are fans of Alfred Hitchcock will naturally want to own copies of the films featured in this box set. This is the second of two sets issued by MCA home video that give the fan a wide-ranging overview of Hitchcock's work, not only chronologically, but in the type of film as well. Many people who are unfamiliar with his long career associate him and his fame with just one type of film. This set and its predecessor do a good job of scotching that notion.
There is far too much here to review in depth, others have done so already. I will just make a comment about each film and what I think of it.
1) Saboteur- A wartime patriotic film that undoubtedly buttressed government efforts to keep the public aware of potential fifth-columnists in their midst. The character of Frank Fry makes a great stereotype of the fifth-columnist bogeyman. Lots of suspense, good acting, and many ethical questions posed to make the audience think. Five stars.
2) The Trouble With Harry- To me, the story is just downright silly. I like the rural setting, but I did not care for the plot nor did I really like the cast. It was supposed to be darkly humorous, but it just left me cold. Two stars.
3) Vertigo- A classic. The story, the acting, the scenery, and the filming are all first rate. Lots of suspense, and a lot of romance. Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart make this one a film for the ages. Five stars.
4) The Birds- Another Hitchcock classic. Fear and terror strike an idyllic seaside community as its birds inexplicably go berserk. Tippi Hedren makes a great ice queen, but she doesn't take as long to thaw here as she does in Marnie. The scenery is spectacular, both the story and the acting are first-rate. Another of Hitchcock's finest. Though it is never said why the birds attacked, there is a possible hint early on in the film. See if you can catch it.
5) Marnie- A psychosexual story that features a frigid, kleptomaniac woman and a suitor who is determined to chip through her icy demeanor paying no heed to the costs. Tippi Hedren is Marnie the ice queen and Sean Connery plays her wealthy suitor who apparently likes a big challenge. Here again, ethical issues come into play as the viewer is forced to consider what he/she would do if in the position of Connery or of one of the many people Hedren had ripped off attempting to prove her worth to a mother she felt did not truly love her. By the way, the mother is a rather bitter and detestable shrew. Lots of drama, but Marnie is not one of my favorite Hitchcock films. Three stars.
6) Torn Curtain- The critics did not like this, but I did. To me, the film is very suspenseful and like its cousin Topaz, is a great cold-war film. The East Germans were regarded as a feared and successful vanguard of Soviet Communism and I think the characters who portrayed East German officials did a great job of doing so in the most unflattering light imagineable. While there is not a lot of romance in Torn Curtain, there is betrayal, violence, fear and at times there is hope and the selfless nobility of people who only want freedom for others as well as for themselves. Some reviews have said that Torn Curtain was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I don't think so, I think it was dead serious and Paul Newman's character reinforces that. Five stars.
7) Frenzy- Another gem. Set in London, the story exudes a great sense of place. The story line, the acting, and the camera work are all top-notch. And amid the suspense, there is always an undercurrent of droll humor. The sequence in the potato truck is a gut-buster. Five stars.
8) Alfred Hitchcock Presents #3- This contains four episodes from his television series. The best two are A Dip in the Pool and One More Mile to Go. Three stars.
I was fortunate in being able to pick this up at a reasonable price here just a few months ago. It seems the price is now roughly doubled. This set of course is recommended, but if you order Alfred Hitchcock-The Masterpiece Collection instead, you get nearly everything in both Volumes 1 and 2 of the Best of Alfred Hitchcock Collection at roughly half the price. I wish that I'd noticed that set first, I would have at least saved some money.

I have this VOL 2 And I love it much,it deserves to be added in your Collection :)

I love the Hitchcock movies, and the Best of Collection Volumes takes most of his best known movies and puts them in an attractive packaging. I personally enjoyed Volume 1 better than Volume 2, but who can't laugh at the rubber birds in "The Birds"? And the Psycho Collectors Edition is a treasure to hang onto for years and years (or until the next multi-movie pack). However, why is there no inclusion of "To Catch A Thief" with Cary Grant? This is a terrific movie, and yet not in any Best of Collections! Anywho, if you are a fan of Hitchcock, you really can't get much better of a value than these collections.