While I am a great admirer of "Rebecca" and Criterion, I think the sound and picture for this DVD, while superbly restored in and of themselves, are out-of-sync by four or five or more frames throughout the film. Perhaps because I edit film this is more noticeable to me, but I would think that even casual viewers would sense that something is off. Look at the scene where Joan Fontaine confronts Mrs. Danvers after the disaster of the costume ball. In the two-shots, Judith Anderson's voice is ludicrously lagging behind the movements of her lips. "Rebecca" was rather famously plagued by on-set sound recording problems, and was extensively looped in post production, but the original Criterion laserdisc of this film did not suffer from this problem and it cannot be blamed on the original technicians. Having shelled out [the money] for this set, it makes it a bitter disappointment for me. While "Rebecca" the film rates ***** always, "Rebecca" the Criterion release does not.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Rebecca B00005QAPL
Laurence Olivier
Vid Canada
Rebecca
generic
Criterion's disappointingly out-of-sync
While I am a great admirer of "Rebecca" and Criterion, I think the sound and picture for this DVD, while superbly restored in and of themselves, are out-of-sync by four or five or more frames throughout the film. Perhaps because I edit film this is more noticeable to me, but I would think that even casual viewers would sense that something is off. Look at the scene where Joan Fontaine confronts Mrs. Danvers after the disaster of the costume ball. In the two-shots, Judith Anderson's voice is ludicrously lagging behind the movements of her lips. "Rebecca" was rather famously plagued by on-set sound recording problems, and was extensively looped in post production, but the original Criterion laserdisc of this film did not suffer from this problem and it cannot be blamed on the original technicians. Having shelled out [the money] for this set, it makes it a bitter disappointment for me. While "Rebecca" the film rates ***** always, "Rebecca" the Criterion release does not.
Mr. Borderman
Mar 6 2002