Alfred Hitchcock: Montage of Mysteries 2004 Horror Movie Reviews
Alfred Hitchcock: Montage of Mysteries: Movie Reviews
Title: Alfred Hitchcock: Montage of Mysteries (2004)
Genre: Mystery
Format:
Starring: Alfred Hitchcock
Director: Not available
Rating: Unrated
Runtime: Not available
Favorite: 
Review of Alfred Hitchcock: Montage of Mysteries
A companion triple-feature to Alfred Hitchcock Thrillers (ASIN: B0000A02V1), this DVD has two strong mysteries and one that's got some suspenseful moments, but isn't really a whodunit. The movies on the disc are:
Rich and Strange: Mostly strange, this movie is the weakest on the DVD. The first two thirds are ostensibly a comedy (though not very funny), as a young British couple set out to test the money-can't-buy-happiness theory. Mostly, though it's an exercise in bad film editing and silent film techniques that will leave you as seasick as poor Fred (the husband in the piece). The movie does pick up in the final half hour, and while the suspense doesn't successfully redeem the movie, the viewer is treated to some shots of the sort that would later make Hitchcock famous (including a bit of black humor involving a black cat). This is the oldest of the three movies, and the print quality is the worst, too.
The 39 Steps: Like The Man Who Knew Too Much on the "Thrillers" disc, this is the masterpiece of this set. This is the undoubtedly the best plotted, best filmed, most suspenseful of the three. The print quality is fairly good, but at times the sound quality left a lot to be desired. Still, if you haven't seen this film, the price is right, and the defects don't detract too much from the experience.
Young and Innocent: Think of it as Andy Hardy Goes to Jail ("C'mon, my uncle's got a barn and we can put on a ... I mean, where we can hide out"). Y&I features a young couple - she's the chief constable's daughter, he's the unjustly accused alleged murderer ... they fight crime - who set out to prove his innocence by catching the "real murderer." Hitchcock would do it better later (or earlier, in the case of The 39 Steps), but this movie is nonetheless enjoyably watchable. Like Rich and Strange, most of the Hitchcockian moments come toward the end of the film.
If you're a fan of Hitchcock's better-known suspense films, this DVD has some enjoyable lesser-known rarities. If you can live with less-than-pristine video and sound quality, give this disc a play or three - odds are you'll find it more than worthwhile.
Rich and Strange: Mostly strange, this movie is the weakest on the DVD. The first two thirds are ostensibly a comedy (though not very funny), as a young British couple set out to test the money-can't-buy-happiness theory. Mostly, though it's an exercise in bad film editing and silent film techniques that will leave you as seasick as poor Fred (the husband in the piece). The movie does pick up in the final half hour, and while the suspense doesn't successfully redeem the movie, the viewer is treated to some shots of the sort that would later make Hitchcock famous (including a bit of black humor involving a black cat). This is the oldest of the three movies, and the print quality is the worst, too.
The 39 Steps: Like The Man Who Knew Too Much on the "Thrillers" disc, this is the masterpiece of this set. This is the undoubtedly the best plotted, best filmed, most suspenseful of the three. The print quality is fairly good, but at times the sound quality left a lot to be desired. Still, if you haven't seen this film, the price is right, and the defects don't detract too much from the experience.
Young and Innocent: Think of it as Andy Hardy Goes to Jail ("C'mon, my uncle's got a barn and we can put on a ... I mean, where we can hide out"). Y&I features a young couple - she's the chief constable's daughter, he's the unjustly accused alleged murderer ... they fight crime - who set out to prove his innocence by catching the "real murderer." Hitchcock would do it better later (or earlier, in the case of The 39 Steps), but this movie is nonetheless enjoyably watchable. Like Rich and Strange, most of the Hitchcockian moments come toward the end of the film.
If you're a fan of Hitchcock's better-known suspense films, this DVD has some enjoyable lesser-known rarities. If you can live with less-than-pristine video and sound quality, give this disc a play or three - odds are you'll find it more than worthwhile.
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