91Èȱ¬

While many recent blockbusters have enjoyed superb releases onto DVD, older films have often suffered. PT Video looks set to rectify this situation with a stunning release of Hitchcock's classic "Rebecca" on DVD.

Films don't come with much more melodrama than "Rebecca". Hitchcock's steady direction is surprisingly faithful to the novel and captures beautifully the utter despair of Joan Fontaine.

The dark psychological mood of the film is handsomely mounted in brooding sets and shadowy, evocative cinematography. This appeared as sheer murkiness on recent VHS releases, taken from a shocking, dusty old print with a thin and distorted soundtrack.

Now, the film has been digitally re-mastered from the original negative and on DVD it is a stunning revelation. The picture is filled with strong, deep images and dark shadows of blackness that for years had looked grey.

The sound is in mono but it's strong and clear.

Fans of the film and any serious film collector will be wowed by the transformation of "Rebecca" on DVD.

Included on the disc are a series of extras that include a short but fascinating 91Èȱ¬ interview with Hitchcock. While it is hardly in-depth, it is revealing of how Hitchcock almost single-handedly turned the image of the previously 'behind the scenes' director into the showbiz stars that many are today.

Also on the DVD is an interview with film critic Kim Newman. He helps provide an insight into Hitchcock that the many added items of trivia, quotes, and interviews on the disc explore further. One interesting fact is that Hitchcock was to have made a movie about the Titanic instead of "Rebecca". It would have been fascinating to see how that film might have fared critically against the James Cameron version.

Chapters: 14
Ratio: 1.33:1
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0
Extra Features: Scene selection, animated menus, 'A Conversation with Hitchcock' interview, 'The Real Me (The Thin One)' text Hitchcock interview, text Hitchcock interview by Francois Truffaut, interview with critic Kim Newman, detailed biographies with quotes and trivia, slide show of stills, lobby cards, posters, and production sketches.