MovieChat Forums > Vertigo (1958) Discussion > Blu-ray Transfer

Blu-ray Transfer

posted 9 years ago by norse76
11 replies | jump to latest

I recently picked this up on Blu-ray and was blown away by the picture and sound clarity. Whoever was responsible for the work on this should be praised. I watched the documentary that's included on the disk, and enjoyed the time and attention to detail that the people who restored it several years ago showed, but I get the feeling that it went through an even more intensive restoration for the Blu-ray release. Whoever put the work in on this, my hat's off to you. It brings even more well-deserved life to this fascinating movie.

[–] cwoolfork 9 years ago

...Agreed! The Blu Ray transfer of this film looks amazing!!!...

[–] robbystoner 9 years ago

which copy did you get? which distribution company?

Can this really be the end..to be stuck inside of mobile
with the Memphis blues again.

[–] sgburns-68869 9 years ago

The Blu-ray actually isn't a complete restoration, in fact, Comcast/Universal skimped on it. Vertigo still awaits a definitive restoration that utilizes all the tools available today. The following was written by the original restorer.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/318414-a-few-words-about%E2%84%A2-vertigo-in-blu-ray/

[–] krycek19 9 years ago

Were you not blown away by how fake the entire movie looks in bluray clarity??

Did you not notice the awful studioshots either in front of matte paintings or screens? Did you not notice that most of the forest scene were shot in front of a screen and part of their dialogue is clearly shot indoors?

Did you not notice how the churchtower was a painting pasted on to an actual shot of the rooftop of the church?

Or are you just one of those people that love this overrated garbage so much that you refuse to see it's flaws?

If so, bluray is either wasted on you or you need glasses or stronger glasses than the ones you may have.

[–] balthazar_bee 9 years ago

I'm having a hard time determining the point of your post.

Yes, the film was made many years ago, and thus, increased resolution will "show the seams" as it were. But no more than in theatrical screenings in 1958.

Or are you just one of those people that love this overrated garbage so much that you refuse to see it's flaws?

If by "flaws" you're alluding to the things listed in your post, then the passage of time will render all films "flawed" eventually simply because they don't change with the times.

The biggest advantage of blu-ray is that it is able to more fully replicate theatrical resolution in one's home. Vertigo is a beautifully rendered work, and thus will benefit from this. Questions?

[–] rsgre 9 years ago

Blue-Ray or not, the thing that pissed me off about the restoration was they altered the original soundtrack. I still have an old VHS copy of the original film
and the sound effects and background noise was much better. For instance, that beautiful moment when Scotty stares at Carlotta's tombstone and Herrmann's low bass notes and the church bells ring out is gone now (the bells, that is). I still have a copy of the original soundtrack which I treasure now. They should not have changed the original track, just restored it as much as possible. Once you change that it is not the same film. I am not going the Blue-Ray route, have enough stuff now !

RSGRE

[–] jojopuppyfish 9 years ago

Comparing the mono of the blu ray to the Masterpiece collection dvd, I think the mono is different on the Blu ray.
That one early scene in Midge's apartment.....on the dvd its normal in mono.
On the blu ray, there are car noises that are still very distracting

[–] balthazar_bee 9 years ago

You should definitely seek out the U.S. blu-ray release, rsgre. It has the original mono track, and even the ludicrous, so-called "restored" 5.1 track from 1996 has been completely discarded in favour of a much less revisionist 5.1 track.

Heck, one of the main reasons I bought the blu-ray was for the mono soundtrack, and even I don't mind the new surround track.

[–] rsgre 9 years ago

Glad to hear that and thanks for the info balthazar. There is a big difference between a "restoration" and a "modification" or "alteration". Might be tempted to get the blueray version, but yikes, I have so much stuff now. Enough already yet !

RSGRE

[–] thebigmouth 8 years ago

Were you not blown away by how fake the entire movie looks in bluray clarity??

On the contrary, I was blown away by how good it looked.

Or are you just one of those people that love this overrated garbage so much that you refuse to see it's flaws?

If so, bluray is either wasted on you or you need glasses or stronger glasses than the ones you may have.

Or option three: you're an idiot.

TV: http://ihatemydvr.blogspot.com
LOST:http://eyemsick.blogspot.com

[–] digitalfake 8 years ago

I think the Blu-ray is really good and the definitive version to have but I did notice one pretty major difference to me anyway in the Blu-ray. The scene when Scottie and Midge go talk to the owner of the Argosy book shop to find out some backstory on Carlotta. In the Blu-ray as they are getting the story from "pop" the sun shadow changes directions and it's starting to get dark and you can tell that scene has been enhanced to show the difference of the sun fading as the room gets darker. As we the audience and Scottie and Midge get the story of Carlotta. It slowly gets darker and sadder in the story and in the room. I do not remember it being this dramatic of an effect in the 1996 restoration.I noticed it very definitely on the Blu-ray.