Plot: What’s it about?
The television series Alfred Hitchcock presents was a treasure trove for suspense fans, especially when Hitchcock himself would direct an episode at times. This disc offers a total of five episodes from that popular series, all of which were helmed by the master of suspense himself. Universal has not released these episodes alone as of yet, so the sole chance to nab them is within the various Hitchcock collections. Since that means a lot of cash is involved to acquire these episodes, here’s a look inside this volume, so you can decide if it is worth the cash and effort or not. I think the episodes are well worth the cost, but not everyone does, so read on and learn a little more about the included episodes.
1. Arthur- Although he lives alone, Arthur (Laurence Harvey) likes his bachelor lifestyle and has a pleasant disposition most of the time. He runs a poultry farm in New Zealand and has a nice level of income, but he doesn’t live the life of a rich man, by any means. He seeks out the fun in life and wants to remain single, but when an old flame shows up, his status as a bachelor is in trouble. She seems determined to marry Arthur and his money, but Arthur wants no part of it and would take harsh measures to retain his life as it is. An excellent overall episode, with lots of suspense and a top notch cast, very cool indeed.
2. The Crystal Trench- This is an offbeat, but terrific episode and the ending is superb, make sure not miss this one, you’ll be pleased you didn’t. An English mountain climber has died on the summit of a mountain, but his corpse remains frozen within a glacier, preserved to perfection inside the ice. His young wife refuses to let go of him however and looks forward to the day he returns from his frozen slumber, but of course, that seems insane to most folks. But after four decades of waiting, perhaps the day has finally arrived and the ice will give way, but what would she do if he did return?
3. The Horseplayer- This is by far the jewel of this case, an excellent episode in all respects, as the storyline, direction, and cast are all superb. If there’s one episode you can’t miss, this is it and I recommend this disc just for this one episode alone, if nothing else. Claude Rains plays the priest of a run down church, who needs money more than ever to fix the roof and mend other parts of the church as well. He has always preached against gambling, but when a member confides in him that his prayers have paid off with winners at the track, the priest is forced to make a choice between remaining true to his words, or making some cash to supplement his church’s needs.
4. Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat- I found this to be a solid installment, but the ending is what makes it worthwhile, as the body is little more than filler, I think. A bored housewife (Audrey Meadows) has been having an affair with a wealthy man, since she isn’t getting what she needs from her husband. But when the man decides to end the affair, he gives her an expensive mink coat as a present, which she loves to death. How she will get this coat home however, is another issue and one thing’s for sure, things won’t go as she expects in the end.
5. Bang! You’re Dead- Another tremendous episode, this one remains potent to this day, when we still face the issues explored within. Jackie is six years old and loves to play “cowboys and indians” with his friends, but this time, the game could prove to be fatal. You see, Jackie has discovered a real gun in his uncle’s suitcase and taken it with him, to use in his game with his friends. The gun is loaded and Jackie is out on the streets, but perhaps his family can track him down in time and avert the tragic potential.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes were first shown on television and as such, the full frame form used here is the correct presentation method. Aside from some slight grain at times, these episodes look terrific and much better than the ones shown in previous installments. The source materials seem cleaner and better presented, perhaps due to the younger age of these episodes. In any event, the images look more than solid, with well balanced contrast and no serious flaws I could discover. I was very pleased with these episodes and how they looked, so I am adding half of a disc to the final score in this section.
Audio: How does it sound?
Not much to talk about here, basic mono tracks are included and cover the material, but never go much beyond that. But then again, how much can we expect from television shows from the late 50s & early 60s, right? I think these tracks sound cleaner than expected, with minimal hiss and distortion, which are welcome absences. The dialogue is clear and always easy to understand, which is about all you can ask for from these options. No one will mistake these for dynamic mixes of course, but I think the material is well covered and that is what counts in the end. This disc also includes a Spanish language option, as well as subtitles in English and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains no bonus materials.
