Most of the very early Hitchcock films are not among my favorites--but perhaps only because his later work is so brilliant.... These two early works never fully succeeded on video, because of the exceedingly poor production quality. This DVD version improves the sound greatly, so that you don't have to strain just to make out the basic words. Hitch's take on the great Sean O'Casey play ("Juno and the Paycock") is well done, though it's a difficult work to render in film, especially during the era in which it was produced. "Blackmail" is, I think, a much better piece of work, and one that lies closer to the British director's heart. You see--in this grainy, miminal film--the seeds of his later brilliance. The plot and tone are definitely Hitchcock, although his skill as a director is still developing. The acting is pretty good, but the writing leaves something to be desired. As a whole, fans of Hitchcock and cinema history should thorougly enjoy this set.
