I don’t have a Blu-ray player. I never really get all geeked up over differences in “beautiful” dimensions or sound mixes. But for some reason, Universal’s announcement this morning that Psycho will come to Blu-ray on October 19, 2010 in a release titled the Psycho 50th Anniversary Edition, excited me. The restored, hi-def version has also been chosen as a Cannes Classic Selection at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Now, my TV isn’t the greatest, and my speakers even worse, but hearing “perfect digital picture and the purest DTS HD 5.1 digital sound” in the same breadth as Hitchcock’s Psycho makes me kick my feet. This is what this technology should be used for.

I’ve always felt what’s the point of owning a movie that’s already inherently impressive and filled with CGI on Blu-ray… How much of a difference could it give to something that is already by its nature polished? I’d love to see more old movies get all gussied up for a Blu-ray treatment though. To make you feel like you’re investing in something you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see. And for anyone who’d rather just see the movie “as Hitchcock intended,” the other kinda cool thing about this release is that it gives you the option to listen to the original mono audio.

Here’s what all else you get:

Psycho Sound: A never-before-seen piece that looks at the re-mastering process required to create a 5.1 mix from the original mono elements using Audionamix technology.

The Making of Psycho:  A feature-length documentary on Hitchcock’s most shocking film.

In the Master’s Shadow – Hitchcock’s Legacy: Some of Hollywood’s top filmmakers discuss Hitchcock’s influence and why his movies continue to thrill audiences.

Hitchcock/Truffaut Interviews: Excerpts from a 1962 audio interview with Alfred Hitchcock.

Audio Commentary: Feature-length audio commentary with Stephen Rebello (Author of “Alfred Hitchcock and the making of Psycho“)

Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho: Vintage newsreel on the unique policy Alfred Hitchcock insisted upon for the release of the film.

The Shower Scene: A look at the impact of music on the infamous “shower scene.”

The Shower Scene: Storyboards by Saul Bass: Original storyboard design.

Production Notes: Read an essay on the making of the film.

The Psycho Archives: See the gallery of on-set photo stills from the film’s production.

Posters And Psycho Ads: See a gallery of original posters and ads from the theatrical campaign.

Lobby Cards: View a gallery of promotional lobby cards from the film’s theatrical campaign.

Behind-The-Scenes Photographs: View rare photos showing the cast and crew at work.

Theatrical Trailer: Watch the original promotional trailer from the film’s theatrical campaign.

Re-Release Trailers: Watch the promotional trailer created for the re-release of the film.

Tags: Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho

This entry was posted by fallon on Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 11:50 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.