A Taste of Vintage Hitch
Universal has done a masterful job on the digital editions of 10 thrillers from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock ($30 each): “Saboteur,” “Shadow of a Doubt,” “Rope,” “Rear Window,” “The Trouble With Harry,” “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” “Torn Curtain,” “Topaz,” “Frenzy” and “Family Plot.”
The crown jewel of the collection is the restored, remastered version of Hitch’s 1954 classic “Rear Window,” starring Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, Raymond Burr and Thelma Ritter. Hitch was nominated for his direction of this brilliant romantic, funny and scary murder mystery which finds Stewart trapped in his apartment with a broken leg and spending his time as a voyeur watching his neighbors--especially the man (Burr) whom Stewart believes is a murderer.
The DVD includes production notes and photographs, a re-release trailer narrated by Stewart, an entertaining interview with screenwriter John Michael Hayes and a comprehensive documentary about the production of the film and the meticulous restoration of “Rear Window” by James Katz and Robert B. Harris.
Each of the DVDs in the Hitchcock collection includes nice transfers of the films, behind-the-scenes documentaries, production photographs, notes and talent files. Included on the disc for 1943’s “Shadow of a Doubt” are the wonderful sketches of production designer Robert Boyle. The DVD of 1969’s “Topaz” includes several deleted scenes, two alternate endings and a wonderful interview with film historian Leonard Maltin, who offers an appreciation for this underrated thriller. The disc of 1966’s “Torn Curtain” features excerpts of Bernard Herrmann’s original score. The composer, Hitchcock’s longtime collaborator, was eventually replaced on the movie by John Addison.
Patricia Hitchcock, the director’s only child, offers splendid insight and loving remembrances of her father in eight of the documentaries.
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One of the best reasons to check out the DVD of the blockbuster comedy “Meet the Parents” (Universal, $27) is for the very funny outtakes featuring Robert De Niro, who always seems to be breaking out in uncontrollable laughter. De Niro, normally considered a very serious person, is an absolute silly billy in several scenes.
The digital edition of the Jay Roach-directed hit, which also stars Ben Stiller and Teri Polo, includes the wide-screen version of the comedy, several deleted scenes with commentary from Roach and editor Jon Poll. Roach points out that it was difficult cutting the scenes, but he felt the cuts were necessary to keep the film moving. Poll doesn’t think deleted scenes should be included on DVDs because the final cut of a film should stand.
The disc has the standard behind-the-scenes documentary and a few interactive games. One commentary track features Roach, and a second features Roach, executive producer Jane Rosenthal, De Niro and Stiller. Roach and Stiller recorded their commentary in Los Angeles and Rosenthal and De Niro in New York. Stiller and Roach are pretty funny, but De Niro is a man of few words.
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Writer-director Greg Berlanti and producer Mickey Liddell provide the interesting, informative commentary for their film “The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy” (Columbia, $30). The modest but well-acted comedy-drama has been described as a gay male version of “Steel Magnolias.” Dean Cain, Timothy Olyphant and John Mahoney are among the stars.
The digital edition includes both the full-screen and wide-screen versions of the film, deleted scenes with commentary from Berlanti and Liddell and the screen test of co-star Andrew Keegan.
In the commentary track, Berlanti and Liddell discuss the difficulties of making “Broken Hearts” on a shoestring budget in just 20 days. Berlanti had no intention of directing his screenplay, which is based on his life and his friends. It was producer Liddell who convinced Berlanti that he was the best man for the job.
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Columbia also has released a special edition of the crackling 1993 political thriller “In the Line of Fire” ($25), starring Clint Eastwood as an aging Secret Service agent wracked with guilt for not saving President Kennedy from assassination. Eastwood is drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with a dangerous psychopath (John Malkovich).
The handsome DVD includes a crisp wide-screen transfer of the film, which co-stars Rene Russo, production notes, bios, several deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes documentary, “The Ultimate Sacrifice,” a featurette, “How’d They Do That,” that focuses on how the special effects were created for the film, and another featurette, “Catching the Counterfeiters,” that examines the Secret Service’s latest technology in capturing counterfeiters. There’s also a special that originally aired on Showtime titled “Behind the Scenes With the Secret Service.”
Director Wolfgang Petersen (“The Perfect Storm”) provides the lively commentary and offers insight into working with Eastwood, whom he says is an actor who doesn’t do a lot of thinking about a character--that he plays each role with more of a gut instinct. Even though Eastwood was 62, Petersen says that the actor was in great shape and insisted on doing most of his stunts.
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Image Entertainment has released four volumes of episodes from the landmark kiddie series “The Howdy Doody Show” ($15 each), which originally aired on NBC from 1947 to 1960. Buffalo Bob Smith, Clarabell the Clown, Mr. Bluster and, of course, the beloved puppet Howdy starred. Each DVD includes three episodes of the series. The disc “Andy Handy & Other Episodes,” features two installments from 1957 and one from 1953. The series was telecast live, so there are plenty of fun goofs and gaffes. Included are the commercials for Wonder Bread and Tootsie Rolls. In 1953, Wonder Bread helped build strong bodies eight ways, but by 1957, a loaf could build them by 12!
The transfers of these vintage black-and-white episodes are crisp and clear as is the restored sound.
