betty boop Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 picked this up on blu-ray from JB hifi for $10 ! Best $10 ever spent ! we watched last night, and below is a short review, To catch a thief - Aus Release - 2.0 DTS Master AudioMovie - 5/5 - We loved it, an amazing movie really, and has come up an absolute treat on blu-ray. Definitely an all time great for Alfred hitchcock I would say and both Cary Grant and Grace Kelly put in some wonderfull performances to make this the movie it is. Setting is the Cote d Azur. Which is a stunning backdrop for this movie. There is a Cat burglar at large and Cary Grant is prime suspect. PQ - 4.5/5 - This is truly astonishing, the studio has done such an amazing job with this movies restoration it really is like it was made yesterday. Especially given the gorgeous setting, lovely photography and the movie is delivered in just such splendour. The odd touch of grain or softness here and there, but overall a stunner ! AQ - 3/5 - Does the job, not a major factor for the film, but supports well with clear dialogue and the sound track plays well eg in the car scenes.Overall - 4.5/5 - Definitely an all time classic. One of the last films Grace Kelly featured in and has to be seen.some quick screen shots which show the kind of PQ on this release, 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to music Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Stunning Al, Grace is an absolute angel.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 Stunning Al, Grace is an absolute angel.... truly ! the studious must have been devastated when she stopped acting and became princess of monaco. such a short acting life ! ps the car she drove in this movie is a stunner as well ! a 1953 Sunbeam Alpine Mk1 which after filming apparently just disappeared... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flynnyfalcon Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Thanks for going to the trouble of reviewing this release. May just have to pick up a copy. :-) Love Hitchcock flicks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 Thanks for going to the trouble of reviewing this release. May just have to pick up a copy. :-) Love Hitchcock flicks. hi flynn, also wrote a short review on Vertigo which was part of the masterpiece collection, http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/47017-alfred-hitchcock-the-masterpiece-collection/, and master piece collection is well worth getting if a alfred hitchcock fan, though curiously to catch a thief and dial M for murder are not part of the collection and have to get separately. the collection is great value though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illusion Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I wouldn't mind picking up this classic movie myself. The famous car chase, where Grace Kelly was driving the Sunbeam Alpine sports car, is the same road she died in real life many years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to music Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 @Al picked up a copy today where you buy 2 for $20 and a 20% discount on top of it. Great film, however I dont think 1080 does it justice. There is a saying with 1080 that my best man commented on when I got 1080. A series 6 Samsung 52" LCD in 2008. Today Im watching it on the latest 2014 Series 6 Samsung smart panel 55" LED. He was disappointed because 1080 shows it just how they filmed it, it exposes all the visual tricks deployed and this film or re digitised is no exception. Some scenes are not meant to be for 1080 and this film is one of them. Have a look at the scene where Grace Kelly becomes a hoon in a convertable, notice the way she steers and the background and also notice Grants hair as she floors that accelerator. Take note also how the vehicle goes over bumps in relation to the background scenes. In these scenes my daughter cracks up with laughter and refuses to watch further. Another is a pool scene where Grace rolls up in a conversation.... 1080 certainly puts higher demand on realism and the way films are shot now. When I 1st watched a Jessica Alba movie, even she is considered the idea actress with no flaws, in 1080 she just looks like the girl next door, 1080 really exposes and imperfection in the skin..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 ah no pchan, you just have to immerse yourself in films such as these...and just enjoy...stop looking for imperfections ps wait till 4K comes along Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to music Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 ah no pchan, you just have to immerse yourself in films such as these...and just enjoy...stop looking for imperfections ps wait till 4K comes along Oh no, watching Star Wars will look like George Lucus in 5th grade with model space ships... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soundscape Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 It sounds like 1080 can detract from the enjoyment of films, as does an extremely revealing audio system to less than perfect recordings. It demonstrates that insisting on perfection will only reduce the media that is acceptable, which at least for me defeats the purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avalon27 Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 will go and buy this classic film. 10 bucks is only a pint at the local. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Label Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/To-Catch-a-Thief-Blu-ray/35498/ The great blu-ray.com site agrees with your evaluation - may well have to search this out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Label Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Would also strongly disagree that HD can detract from your viewing enjoyment. A film shot on 35mm will comfortably out-resolve a HD image, to say nothing of classic films shot on 70mm (Ben Hur, 2001 etc). More of a cause for concern is the care taken in transferring a film to Blu-Ray, the condition of the print used, the amount & technique of compression used to fit it on a disc, and the skill and subtlety with which any digital clean up techniques such as de-noising and sharpening are used. All concerns mentioned are also applicable to DVD so it is not a problem endemic only to Blu-Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soundscape Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Would also strongly disagree that HD can detract from your viewing enjoyment. A film shot on 35mm will comfortably out-resolve a HD image, to say nothing of classic films shot on 70mm (Ben Hur, 2001 etc). More of a cause for concern is the care taken in transferring a film to Blu-Ray, the condition of the print used, the amount & technique of compression used to fit it on a disc, and the skill and subtlety with which any digital clean up techniques such as de-noising and sharpening are used. All concerns mentioned are also applicable to DVD so it is not a problem endemic only to Blu-Ray. You raise some good points. I suppose how well a transfer works will depend to a large degree on the source material. As for the techniques used for touching-up the images, is there a purist camp that would generally disapprove? There certainly is when it comes to restoring early recorded music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avalon27 Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 gone with the wind is also good on blueray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Label Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Ah of course there must be a purist camp, as is the way when any analogue technology comes face to face with the digital future. I would think that one of the biggest no-no's with film transfers to Blu-Ray is the removal of the visible grain structure. This can lead to a hyper-real (fake) looking aesthetic where skin textures look 'smooth' and 'waxy', similar to a lot of Photoshop work that is so prevalent in modern advertorial photography. Other than that i would argue that a general digital clean up of a transfer removing spots / lines / instability / etc is highly desirable as these were never intended as part of the directors original vision. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldrose Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 (edited) A great film, I watch it a couple of times a year at least. not sure I'd spring for the BluRay over my dvd copy as it already shows the limitations of the film stock and matting technology used originally. HSH Princess Grace was by all accounts a woman that enjoyed the company of men and I'd have happily gone to my doom if I was her type. Edited June 30, 2014 by oldrose 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avalon27 Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 you cant beat the old flicks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 Would also strongly disagree that HD can detract from your viewing enjoyment. A film shot on 35mm will comfortably out-resolve a HD image, to say nothing of classic films shot on 70mm (Ben Hur, 2001 etc). More of a cause for concern is the care taken in transferring a film to Blu-Ray, the condition of the print used, the amount & technique of compression used to fit it on a disc, and the skill and subtlety with which any digital clean up techniques such as de-noising and sharpening are used. All concerns mentioned are also applicable to DVD so it is not a problem endemic only to Blu-Ray. I didnt find it detracting in this case. was more a case I sat there in awe of how amazing it looked. liked filmed yesterday. They have been very carefull with the restoration too. as will see in my screen shots they havent fuzzed away the grain, its there to be seen in every shot. the detail is amazing indeed. what I think pchan is more talking about is film making has come a long way...this is pre cgi and what not. while a lot of the car scenes in thsi film were done on location. many with incar shots for instance were done with a rear projected screen behind the actors sitting on the car on a skid. just the way scenes were done back then. and their simulated scenes just become a bit more obvious when presented in the detail possible. I just take that kind of thing in as par for the course though...its just a film...a portrayal of "reality" this film like some others have quoted is probably a very good example of just how good a film can come up in restoration and all the better for it. Its probably the best rendition of the film seen to date and I for one feel very privileged to experience it as we can here. ps have taken a lot of care on the screen shots as well. they arent just some computer/software generated screen caps. my setup includes a jvc x35 projecting onto a screen technics screen. Both of which combine to produce a pretty decent image. the viewing position and screen size was carefully selected to not only fully resolve 1080p but also so meets THX spec for full immersion. I use a canon 5D3 full frame DSLR with a sigma 50 1.4 to take the shots. as some will know a full frame camera with 50mm lens closely approximates human field of vision and I take the shots back from main seating position with no zoom, just the fixed lens. so how you see the shots gives some reasonable idea of how its presented on screen from where am seated 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to music Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 A great film, I watch it a couple of times a year at least. not sure I'd spring for the BluRay over my dvd copy as it already shows the limitations of the film stock and matting technology used originally. HSH Princess Grace was by all accounts a woman that enjoyed the company of men and I'd have happily gone to my doom if I was her type. You and me both, Al didn't get a screen shot here but the last scene where she appears in that magnificent golden dress where she just enhances the look of it, it's why life is worth living..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to music Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 The Canon 5d mk 3 is regarded as one of the best full frame SLR on the market. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 A great film, I watch it a couple of times a year at least. not sure I'd spring for the BluRay over my dvd copy as it already shows the limitations of the film stock and matting technology used originally. HSH Princess Grace was by all accounts a woman that enjoyed the company of men and I'd have happily gone to my doom if I was her type. depends how old the dvd edition is, dvdbeaver often does good comparisons between the blu-ray and dvd editions, in this case there is only brief comment, http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdreview/tocatchathief.htm To Catch a Thief looks marvelous on dual-layered Blu-ray from Paramount. Everything tightens-up impressively and the contrast takes notable strides in the 1080P resolution. Unfortunately, it is still in the 1.78:1 frame. There is some depth to the widescreen adding a scope-factor to the visuals. Colors also appear to improve with better balance in the presentation that has more than 4X the bitrate of the last SD transfer. There is a fair dusting of grain and no disturbing noise. I see no signs of digital manipulation. This is a very positive representation. By far the best viewing I have ever had of this film. The Blu-ray offers both a stereo 2.0 channel and an original mono track via, the less used, Dolby TrueHD. The music, scored by Lyn Murray, sounds super through the lossless rendering. Creeping footsteps on the rooftops produce subtle taps and clicks and there is some perceived depth. This track sounds improved to me - certainly different with a more pronounced high-end. There are optional subtitles and the disc is region FREE, playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide. Extras are duplicated from the Centennial Edition with hour's worth of video supplements and Dr. Drew Casper's excellent commentary. These are all in 480i (SD) but a trailer is provided in 1080P - and, of course, the galleries. We get all the extra features on one disc now but lose the 8-page liner notes leaflet. Easy recommendation - true fans should notice the a/v bump and be very pleased. This is the best presentation I have ever seen or heard To Catch a Thief - a film fondly remembered for its romantic and colorful visuals. Those who love Hitchcock can buy with confidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 You and me both, Al didn't get a screen shot here but the last scene where she appears in that magnificent golden dress where she just enhances the look of it, it's why life is worth living..... maybe I did get a shot this one here ? otherwise you'll have me watching the movie again hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to music Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 I haven't seen the DVD, this is the 1 st time I have seen the film so I can't comment on pass edition. I do agree that there is deph and clarity in the picture. The disadvantage is that the lighting is done different on film and it's not so forgiving as if it was shoot digitally. The sound effects and the quality is not as good as today's modern recording. This is where digital takes over where analog film reaches it's limitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to music Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 No Al, watch the ending.....where Grace says "so this is where you live, mother will love the view..." Then it ends where Grant turns with a worried face... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts