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Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Season One

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: Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Season One
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9780783270791
Format: Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
ISBN: 0783270798
Label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Number Of Items: 3
Publisher: Universal Studios
Region Code: 1
Release Date: October 04, 2005
Running Time: 1003 minutes
Sales Rank: 6084
Studio: Universal Studios
Theatrical Release Date: October 02, 1955



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Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
When it premiered on CBS on October 2, 1955, Alfred Hitchcock Presents was an instant hit destined for long-term popularity. The series' original half-hour anthology format provided a perfect showcase for stories of mystery, suspense, and the macabre that reflected Hitchcock's established persona. Every Sunday at 9:30 p.m., the series began with the familiar theme of Gounod's 'Funeral March of a Marionette' (which would thereafter be inextricably linked with Hitchcock), and as Hitchcock's trademark profile sketch was overshadowed by the familiar silhouette of Hitchcock himself, the weekly 'play' opened and closed with the series' most popular feature: As a good-natured host whose inimitable presence made him a global celebrity, Hitchcock delivered droll, dryly sardonic introductions and epilogues to each week's episode, flawlessly written by James Allardyce and frequently taking polite pot-shots at CBS sponsors, or skirting around broadcast standards (which demanded that no crime could go unpunished) by humorously explaining how the show's killers and criminals were always brought to justice... though always with a nod and a wink to the viewer.

This knowing complicity was Hitchcock's pact with his audience, and the secret to his (and the series') long-term success. It's also what attracted a stable of talented writers whose teleplays, both original and adapted, maintained a high standard of excellence. Hitchcock directed four of the first season's 39 episodes, including the premiere episode 'Revenge' (a fan favorite, with future Psycho costar Vera Miles) and the season highlight 'Breakdown,' with Joseph Cotten as a car-accident victim, paralyzed and motionless, who's nearly left for dead; it's a perfect example of visual and narrative economy, executed with a master's touch. (The fourth episode, 'Don't Come Back Alive,' is also a popular favorite, with the kind of sinister twist that became a series trademark.) Robert Stevenson directed the majority of the remaining episodes with similar skill, serving tightly plotted tales (selected by associate producers Joan Harrison and Norman Lloyd) by such literary greats as Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Cornell Woolrich, Dorothy L. Sayers, and John Collier. Adding to the series' prestige was a weekly roster of new and seasoned stars, with first-season appearances by Cloris Leachman, Darren McGavin, Everett Sloane, Peter Lawford, Charles Bronson, Barry Fitzgerald, John Cassavetes, Joanne Woodward, Thelma Ritter, and a host of Hollywood's best-known character players. With such stellar talent on weekly display, Alfred Hitchcock Presents paved the way for Thriller, The Twilight Zone, and other series that maximized the anthology format's storytelling potential.

Packed onto three double-sided DVDs, these 39 episodes hold up remarkably well, and while some prints show the wear and tear of syndication, they look and sound surprisingly good (although audio compression will cause many viewers to turn up the volume). The 15-minute bonus featurette, 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents: A Look Back' is perfunctory at best, but it's nice to see new anecdotal interviews with Norman Lloyd, assistant director Hilton Green, and Hitchcock's daughter Pat (a frequent performer on these episodes), who survived to see their popular series benefit from the archival convenience of DVD. --Jeff Shannon



Customer Reviews
Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Anyone who likes Alfred Hitchcock will enjoy this set. Each one has a lot of movie stars in it along ... Read More


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - Hitchcock is finally here -these were big$$ on ebay before.
This along with The Untouchables are 2 great classic TV shows that are now offered on DVD. Both are too ... Read More


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - Endless supply of little dramas.
This compilation contains bite-sized television dramas from the 1950s.

The compilation deserves ... Read More


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars - Some great episodes, but most fall flat
The best episodes of season one are: (Don't worry, I won't give away the ending)They are:
1. "The Creeper" ... Read More


Rating: 1 out of 5 stars - Marred by terrible sound and stupid episode decriptions
I can't speak for subsequent DVD editions of other seasons of this stellar series, but this 1st season collection ... Read More

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Copyright ©2003, Mark Carey.