The film Alfred Hitchcock made as a low-budget black-and-white project to show how he could respond quickly and economically to the threat of audiences flocking to television is now getting a HiDef makeover for Blu-ray release on Oct. 19 and a special honor at the 2010 Festival De Cannes.
Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” which served as a horror movie template for countless films and filmmakers that followed, is being remastered for a special 50th anniversary edition from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
At Cannes this month, the classic will be presented as a Cannes Classic Selection.
In addition to a new digital picture and DTS HD 5.1 digital sound, the new edition will boast new behind-the-scenes bonus features, documentaries, audio interviews and an in-depth look at the re-mastering process.
— By Scott Hettrick
Continue reading for more details from today’s announcement:
Universal Studios BluWave Audio (Universal’s in-house post production sound facility) started the re-mastering process with the film’s previously preserved and restored soundtrack to create a new 5.1 mix. BluWave then contracted Audionamix, a Paris-based audio technology company, to split the original mono music source into quasi-orchestral tracks. Audionamix, a leader in soundtrack separation, then applied their breakthrough proprietary technology enabling BluWave to create a discrete 5.1 split music mix.
BluWave’s creative talent gathered the original sound effects from the Studios’ extensive effects library and, using these source materials, created a 5.1 up-mix to bring Psycho’s soundtrack up to the expectations of contemporary audiences while maintaining the original integrity of the filmmaker’s vision.
Psycho’s mono audio track will also be available for viewers who want to experience the film in its original form on its golden anniversary. This cinematic achievement from the Master of Suspense is an essential addition to every movie lover’s library.
Psycho 50th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray bonus features:
- 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.
Synopsis:
Join the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, on a chilling journey as an unsuspecting victim visits the Bates Motel and falls prey to one of cinema’s most notorious psychopaths – Norman Bates. Named number one on the AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills list, this infamous film has become a cultural phenomenon. Featuring one of the most iconic scenes in film history – the famous “shower scene,” Psycho is “still terrifying after all these years” (Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide).
CAST AND FILMMAKERS
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Written By: Robert Block (novel), Joseph Stefano (screenplay)
Produced By: Alfred Hitchcock
Director of Photography: John L. Russell
Edited By: George Tomasini
Costume Designer: Rita Riggs
Music By: Bernard Herrmann
Casting By: Jere Henshaw
Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Street Date: October 19, 2010
Copyright: 2010 Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Selection Number: 61112067
Running Time: 109min
Layers: BD-50
Picture Format: Widescreen
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Rating: R
Technical Info: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; English Mono; English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles