The Alfred Hitchcock Collection (Murder, Number 17, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Sabotage, Secret Agent)

Rating:
Summary: Unsettling espionage thriller
Review: This is an odd Hitchcock film. It has suspense, good dialogue, plenty of action, romance, great camera work- in other words, much of Hitch's technique- but left me with an overall feeling of sadness. This was due in large part to the death of an innocent, which serves as the centerpiece of the film. I believe the movie would have been much more effective had the director found a way to get his point across without gratuitous homicide. (But then again, "Sabotage" derived much of its power and drama from the explosion on the bus which took so many innocent lives.) Secret Agent has much going for it, though. Peter Lorre's performance is excellent, as usual. He adds so much to any film he's in. Several scenes stand out: the sequence in the chocloate factory, the pursuit in the train, etc. I believe it's required viewing for any Hitchcock fan, but is also a bitter pill to swallow. War is hell, terrorism a close second, with espionage following close behind. False identites are just an excuse to act out the darker side- the alter ego- inside of many of us. Watching a film such as this, where one is hard pressed to find a true hero to root for, does not make for a very happy ending. It does make you think, though, about the value of human life, and the suffering that can result from even the smallest mistakes.

Rating:
Summary: DVDs won't play
Review: This set is all in the packaging. The sounds quality is poor, the images have not been enhanced. Not worth buying.

Rating:
Summary: Bad sound quality and video
Review: This set is all in the packaging. The sounds quality is poor, the images have not been enhanced. Not worth buying.

Rating:
Summary: You know you want them all
Review: You can look up the individual reviews. Not as good as his other collections but one should be complete. Of course some individual titles will go out of stock. Others may not be your favorite. However you will have friends and relatives that will want to compare Alfred's various styles. Look for his cameos. A single case makes the movies easier to keep track of and look better on your video storage wall. Being DVDs this is a one-time investment. With the advent of multiple DVD changers you will be able to keep Alfred ready at a moments notice. I tried buying individual as I had the money and found shipping was getting very expensive that way. So bite the bullet and buy the collection. Also check out The Alfred Hitchcock Collection I.