Spellbound [Blu-ray]

Combining Hitch's fascination with Freudian symbolism, desire to work with Salvador Dali and writer Ben Hecht, "Spellbound" manages to be very entertaining even if it is a flawed Hitchcock classic. Compromise started with casting with Hitch forced to take Gregory Peck for the lead opposite his choice Ingrid Bergman. Peck does a nice job even if he is a bit stiff in the role of Dr. Edwardes--only he isn't Edwardes at all. It turns out that "John" suffers from amnesia and must rely on Dr. Constance Peterson (Berman) to discover who he is and what happened to the real Dr. Edwardes.

Blu-Ray Transfer: "Spellbound" will leave fans of the film, well, spellbound. The film receives a handsome transfer. How does this compare to the Criterion? "Spellbound" looks sleeker in a good way with nice, consistent grain (for the most part) with the only major flaw I could detect some over use of edge enhancement (resulting in some intrusive haloing). Could this look better? Probably--the use of edge enhancement was unnecessarily heavy handed but, on the whole, it bests just about every DVD presentation I've seen of the movie.

Bear in my that the bigger your screen, the higher resolution your monitor and the more noticeable the improved resolution/depth will be. It isn't a huge difference but it IS there (depth though is noticeable different on both small and large screens).

"Spellbound" had a very troubled production from conflicts between Hitchcock and Selznick's consultant on the film, to butting heads over the dream sequence (which uses a lot of Dali's concepts but was actually redesigned by William Cameron Menzies at Selznick's request)which was heavily edited for the film. Selznick had a heavier hand in this Hitchcock production compared to other films from the period (with the exception of "Rebecca" which Hitchcock always stated wasn't a "Hitchcock picture" and "The Paradine Case" about which star Gregory Peck responded he'd love to see burned when asked if he could pick one film to be destroyed from his extensive filmography).

As usual when Hitch had a conflict or couldn't quite find an angle to the material he focused his attention on certain sequences such as the last shot of the film (which briefly uses an innovative moment of color in an otherwise black and white film) and the sequence where Bergman experiences her sexual awakening.

That isn't to say that this set doesn't have some flaws. For example the lack of a main menu is a bit annoying although not a deal breaker.

The special features are solid throughout.

We get a really good commentary track featuring Thomas Schatz and Charles Ramirez Berg both film historians with some interesting observations about the movie, it's production history and the issue that Selnick had with the dream sequence (and had the bulk of it cut unfortunately).

We also get a featurette on Dali and Hitch's collaboration as well as Selznick's discomfort with the dream sequence.

"Guilt By Association: Psychoanalyzing Spellbound" is a solid featurette highlighting the narrative hook of psychoanalysis and dream interpretation. Hitch was primarily interested in Freud only as a means to tell a story.

We get a unique presentation--Hitchcock directing the radio play of "Spellbound" featuring Joseph Cotten subbing for Peck.

We also get one of Peter Bogdanovich's Hitchcock interviews.

There's also a good featurette on co-star Rhonda Fleming as well as the theatrical trailer in standard definition.

Although it isn't a flawless classic "Spellbound" has enough of Hitch's set pieces to make this interesting and Bergman is, as always, beautiful. Hitchcock's "Spellbound" receives a nice transfer to Blu-ray courtesy of MGM and, while this isn't one of Hitch's best films, it has enough moments to make it worthwhile for Hitchcock fans.

Is this the ultimate edition on Blu-ray? It's hard to tell because MGM and the company they've hired for the restoration done here has done a fine job on the film. It's possible that Criterion or another studio could do some additional work that might make this edition obsolete but, for now, THIS is the best showing of the film even with the occasional bit of noise, edge enhancement and other minor imperfections in the transfer.

Recommended for Hitchcock fans.

Another reviewer described this Blu-ray as "Terrible"; in all fairness, it is not, it's just that it is no better than my Criterion Collection DVD release. I watched about 40 minutes of the Blu-ray and decided to switch to my DVD for comparison. I watched the DVD from beginning to end (without any up-scaling) and was astounded to find that the 720 x 480i DVD picture was as good as the 1080p Blu-ray.

The main difference in the picture quality is the addition of grain on the Blu-ray; a so-called feature of digital enhancement manipulation that I really do not like.

MGM are not renowned for restoring or re-mastering old films and I expect they just did a straight transfer (with digital enhancement) from a reasonably good source. The Criterion DVD release was a full digital transfer with film and sound restoration.

The blu-ray has Mono DTS-HD Master Audio; the Criterion DVD has Mono Dolby Digital audio. My ears couldn't tell the difference.

The only thing in the Blu-ray's favour is that it is less than half the price of the Criterion DVD. So if you own one of the many inferior DVD releases I would definitely recommend the upgrade.

Also, the extras differ from the Criterion DVD, so my purchase of the Blu-ray was not a total waste of money.

The Criterion Collection Extras:
Spectacular new digital transfer with film and sound restoration, including rare theater entrance and exit music cues by composer Miklos Rozsa
Commentary by Hitchcock scholar Marian Keane
Definitive, illustrated essay on the Salvador Dali dream sequence by James Bigwood
Complete 1948 Lux Radio Theatre adaption starring Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli
Essays by noted Hitchcock scholars
Excerpts from 1973 interview with composer Miklos Rozsa
Hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos and documents chronicling the film's production
The Fisko Files: A WNYC/New York public radio piece on the Theremin.

The Blu-ray Extras:
Commentary with Author and Film Professor Thomas Schatz & Film Professor Charles Ramirez Berg
Dreaming with Scissors: Hitchcock, Surrealism and Salvador Dalí
Guilt by Association: Psychoanalyzing Spellbound
A Cinderella Story: Rhonda Fleming
1948 Radio Play
Hitchcock Audio Interview
Original Theatrical Trailer

If you already own the Criterion Collection DVD, I cannot see the value of upgrading to this Blu-ray. Unless you have a very large screen and/or own a player with inferior up-scaling capabilities.

The transfer and print for the Blu-Ray is probably the same materials uncompressed that we're on the great Criterion Edition.The increased resolution would be the only reason to upgrade.
Some reviewers have commented on ghosting and haloing, but what I believe they saw were shadows that perhaps were previously more subtle in standard def if not theatrical prints themselves. I was aware of these complaints when I creened the film last night, but immediately noticed the "ghost" or "halo" was in keeping with the directionality of the light source in the shot as well as the natural distortion of shadow on different surfaces and textures.
If you don't already own it, get this edition. I think it's unlikely Criterion will be doing an HD edition.

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