7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Canadian Richard Hannay is vacationing in England when a terrified woman begs him to help her. He's certain she's crazy until she appears at his flat with a map in hand and a knife in her back, muttering something about 39 steps.
Starring: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, Lucie Mannheim, Godfrey Tearle, Peggy AshcroftMystery | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 1.5 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Based on John Buchan’s book of the same name, Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors ITV-Granada. Amongst the supplemental features on the disc are an audio commentary with film scholar Marian Keene, the famous Lux Radio Theater adaption, the Art of Film Video Feature and more. With optional English subtitles. Region-B "locked".
Followed
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors ITV-Granada.
I do not quite know what to make of this Blu-ray release. I did some extensive comparisons during the last 48 hours with the Criterion R1 SDVD and at this point must conclude that a) either I received a defective screener of some sort or b) something went terribly wrong at ITV-Granada. As a result, what ended up on this disc is very much comparable to an upconverted standard-definition transfer.
I am a firm believer that screenshots don't ever accurately reveal how good, or bad, a high-definition transfer is, but this time around, I think that even the most inexperienced amongst you would be able to tell that something is off with the Blu-ray release of The 39 Steps.
Contrast is very problematic. Obviously, a lot of the issues can probably be traced back to the original film elements, but I also believe that the producers of this disc could have addressed at least some of them. Clarity and detail are also problematic. In fact, so much that I feel very comfortable stating that during a number of scenes the Criterion SDVD release actually looks a lot stronger.
Damage – large debris, scratches and stains – is everywhere. At least a partial clean-up of the transfer should have been performed, but, regrettably, I don't think that such procedure was even considered. The color-scheme is also fairly weak; the blacks, in particular, look pale and very unhealthy.
To sum it all up, I certainly expected The 39 Steps to have a completely different look. Every single ITV-Granada Blu-ray release that has come my way has been a strong upgrade over the existing SDVD release of the same film (probably with the exception of The Thunderbirds, due to the aspect ratio fiasco) and I most definitely had a lot of faith that the first Hitchcock film to get a high-definition treatment in the United Kingdom would look beautiful. I am heartbroken!
There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono. For the record, ITV-Granada have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.
The audio treatment is also underwhelming. I am unsure why an uncompressed track isn't offered with this release, but if I had to speculate, I would say that it is precisely because what we have here is an upconverted standard-definition transfer.
Generally speaking, the dialog is fairly easy to follow. There is some background noise and hiss, but, overall you should not have trouble understanding what is being said. Still, anyone expecting the type of depth and clarity heard on Criterion's Blu-ray release of The Third Man, for example, would be gravely disappointed.
Feature Commentary - this is the same audio commentary with film scholar Marian Keene that is available on the Criterion SDVD release of The 39 Steps. It is very informative and well done.
Art of Film Video Feature - another supplemental feature from the Criterion disc, courtesy of Janus Films. (29 min),
The Lux Radio Theater Adaptation - a 1937 broadcast performed by Robert Montgomery and Ida Lupino. The Lux Radio Theater was first broadcast in 1934 and was a prestigious U.S. radio series sponsored bu Lever Brothers - the masker of Lux soap. It ran until 1955 and became one of the most popular dramatic radio programs in America. In 1936, the show moved from New York to Los Angeles and began to favor adaptations of films rather than plays. The Lux Radio Theater feature many of the biggest names in Hollywood in its extravagant productions. Orson Welles, Humphrey Bogart, Shirley Temple, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra would all appear. Legendary film director and showman Cecil B. DeMille hosted the show from 1936 until 1945.
On Location - an informative program focusing on the exact locations used for the different versions of The 38 Steps that have appeared during the years. (14 min).
Photo Galleries - On Set Photography and Posters and Publicity.
Plain and simple, I am very disappointed with this Blu-ray release. I am unsure what else to say. Up until now, every single ITV-Granada release that reached my desk was worthy of a strong recommendation. I am heartbroken.
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