Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful movies; lousy transfer
Review: I don't know why other versions of this movie are mixed in with the Criterion Collection version (or why Amazon persists in lumping VHS reviews with DVD reviews) that I am reviewing--it's confusing and frustrating to those who click on a particular version to learn about that version. The movie itself rates 5 stars, but the transfer barely rates at all. Criterion has a reputation for quality, but you'd never know it from this DVD. The picture quality is one of the worst I have ever seen, and the sound's not far behind. It looks like it was made from a bad print instead of going back to a restored negative to make a proper transfer. Although it looks better here than I have seen it before, that's not saying a lot. Dirt and white specks abound. This is restoration? Was every 25th speck removed leaving the other 24 to constantly irritate? The picture is grainy and not in very good focus. The sound is distorted and sometimes hard to understand. If this is the best that Criterion could do, they shouldn't have bothered. They have trashed a classic, and have added insult to injury by charging top dollar for a hack job.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't buy the cheap version!
Review: The "Platinum Disc Corp." version is a waste of $8. The sound quality is horrible: even with the volume all the way up I could barely make out the dialogue. I guess they used a bad old print and didn't bother to clean up the audio track. They saved money, but you'd be wasting yours. (The one star is for this DVD transfer, not the movie, which is fun. I also recommend "Night Train to Munich," which reunites so much of the cast that it's almost a sequel.)
Rating: 
Summary: The Lady Vanishes but the Suspence never does!
Review: Put yourself in this situation:You get hit on the head and a kind old lady helps you on a train. You dose off for a minute only to find when you wake up that the old lady has disappeared and everyone on the train ever even saw her. They think your crazy because your talking about a person that you know exists and they think your bump on the head made you dillusional. (Or do they.) Looking for the lady could even cost you your life but in the process it's all good cause you fall in love. (Opps, what will your future husband say?) Give this movie a try! You will witness one of the masters best British films.
Rating: 
Summary: Light as air and just as necessary.
Review: The lady vanishes is so damn cute and precious you just want give it a permanet place in your dvd player. I won't give away any bit of the plot due to the adage a little goes a long way and with Hitchcock's dipping of his foot into this genre that he nearly invented! The film fly pass by as if a jet is propeling the snapy dialogue between Redgrave and Lockwood and the accents just add to the pop and sizle nature of the film. The plot turns are abundant and the final scene leaves you breathless. I have to say that this film is catalyst to his and many other films to this genre. If you don't own this film then you have to admit it's not just the Lady who has vanished it's your mind for not buying this film!
Rating:
Summary: The best of the British Hitchcocks
Review: The train trip is inherently dramatic, a perfect venue for Hitchcock's brand of sophisticated comedy and suspense. Politically, the movie is an anti-isolationist diatribe, but as with most Hitchcock movies, the mechanism for suspense is second to the suspense itself. Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood make an excellent team as they begin, in the classic screwball style, despising each other, and then, thrown together along the rails of Europe to outwit the clever fascists who have abducted the superannuated spy played by Dame May Whitty, they fall easily in love. The wonderful script gives the two much opportunity to flirt and bicker wittily. Truffaut said of The Lady Vanishes that each time he attempted to study its craft and direction, he became so caught up in the story itself, that it became nearly impossible to divert himself long enough analyze its form. It is a seamless, exciting, richly satisfying movie with a phalanx of marvelous character actors, including the droll pair of Radford and Wayne as the cricket-obsessed travellers skeptical of the apparent mystery. They get the best laughs. Overall, The Lady Vanishes ranks with any of Hitchcock and is most comparable to the fun and thrills of North by Northwest, but it's my personal favorite of all his great work (except maybe for Psycho).
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST HITCHCOCK MOVIE!!!!!!
Review: This is a good movie about a lady that vanishes.GOOD performnes by all of the cast (ESPECIALLY Michael Redgrave).The funniest people are the Caldicott and Charters who always talk about cricket.I'd recommend this movie to ANYONE!These are the best quotes: Dr. Hartz "Most Interesting." Margaret Lockwood to Michael Redgrave: "You're the most contemptable person I've ever met!" Michael Redgrave to Margaret Lockwood: "Well you're a bit of a stinker too."
Rating:
Summary: Hitchcock's entertaining comedy thriller - one of his best!
Review: "The Lady Vanishes" is one of Hitchcock's early black and white British films (1938) and the success of this film helped Hitchcock to be recognised in America as a talented director. He made one more film in England after "The Lady Vanishes" then left for Hollywood where he became famous as the top director of suspense movies. "The Lady Vanishes" is a cracking comedy thriller with a notable script by Sidney Gilliatt, Frank Launder and Alma Reville (Hitchcock's wife). Mainly set on a train snowbound in the Swiss Alps Margaret Lockwood is Iris Henderson who befriends Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty). Miss Froy then mysteriously vanishes and no one on the train will admit seeing her (although many of them did in fact meet her they each have their own reasons to keep quiet about it). Iris manages to persuade fellow traveller Gilbert Redman (Michael Redgrave in his screen debut) to help her in the search. Cricket fanatics Charters and Caldicott (Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne) have seen Miss Froy on the train but are worried that an investigation into her disappearance might delay them getting to Manchester in time for their beloved Test Match so they decide to stay silent. Dr Hartz (Paul Lukas) tries to convince Iris that she is mistaken and has imagined the entire episode due to a blow on the head she received prior to the train journey. Several other passengers on the train also saw Miss Froy but do not want to be involved which confuses our heroine and places her in great danger as the journey progresses. Some favourite lines from the film: Basil Radford (on the phone to London): "I'm enquiring about the Test Match in Manchester. Cricket, sir, cricket! What! You don't know! You can't be in England and not know the Test score!". Margaret Lockwood (to Michael Redgrave): "I know there's a Miss Froy - she's as real as you are". The film was remade in colour in 1979 with Elliott Gould and Cybill Shepherd but the Hitchcock version is still the best. For anyone interested in spotting Hitchcock's regular cameo appearance this comes right at the end of the film when Lockwood and Redgrave arrive back in London. (Hitchcock can be seen at Victoria Station smoking a cigar). Clive Roberts.
Rating:
Summary: Hitchcock's Funniest!
Review: THE LADY VANISHES is not Hitchcock's most suspenseful, most polished, or most ground-breaking. It is far from having the superior special effects his later efforts contain. But this Hitch flick is the funniest. It even surpasses his two pure comedy ventures, MR. and MRS. SMITH and THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY. Hitchcock's humor is always, let's say different, but it seems to be especially quirky in this film. There is something very funny about dapper English gentlemen holding their own in a gunfight while carrying on an enlightened conversation. One of my favorite scenes occurs when Caldicott and Charters are eating and chatting with Miss Froy. She tells her story about the mountains being like a family, with their snowcaps as their little hats. The camera shows the two gents staring at her with that priceless deadpan expression. Hilarious! There are fun little touches throughout, but the plot never requires you to swallow too much oddity. It's weird, but not completely out in left field. The actors are very fine, especially Dame May Whitty! I happened to watch both SUSPICION and THE LADY VANISHES over the same weekend. Whitty was in both, but was most enjoyable in the latter. How can a humdrum mother of the lead actress compare to an undercover British spy?! There's no question which is the better part. My second favorite of the Master's, right behind REAR WINDOW. A true early Hitchcock gem!
Rating:
Summary: Hitchcock's best British classic!
Review: THE LADY VANISHES is what I consider the best of Hitchcock before starting his career in Hollywood. The story starts out a little slow to make way for some character developement, but once things get rolling, it becomes a very mysterious thriller. I was very pleased with this Laserlight disc. The picture and sound quality is very good for the price. Of course I'm sure the Criterion release is far superior, but for the price, Laserlight gives you the most bang for the buck. Fans of Hitchock should definitely pick up this disc.
Rating:
Summary: A Delicious Early Hitchcock Classic!
Review: A delightful movie from start to finish. Hitchcock at his best, but he also had a witty script and a terrific cast to help. A comedy-mystery that really delivers. Hitchcock changes direction effortlessly between light comedy and intriguing suspense. Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave are great as the troublesome duo who ultimately end up with each other. There's also a fascinating mystery that slowly unravels, the viewer is challenged with keeping all of the characters straight, from the good guys, the suspicious ones and the bad guys. Filled with many memorable episodes. Nauton Wayne and Basil Ratford are a scream as two bumbling stiff-necks, they are the ones who add the comic touch at precisely the right time. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!
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