List Price: $39.98You Pay Only: $31.99 You Save: $7.99 (20%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9780783270791
Format: Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
ISBN: 0783270798
Label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Number Of Items: 3
Publisher: Universal Studios
Region Code: 1
Release Date: October 04, 2005
Running Time: 1003 minutes
Sales Rank: 9051
Studio: Universal Studios
Theatrical Release Date: October 02, 1955
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
When it premiered on CBS on October 2, 1955, Alfred Hitchcock Presents was an instant hit destined for long-term popularity. The series' original half-hour anthology format provided a perfect showcase for stories of mystery, suspense, and the macabre that reflected Hitchcock's established persona. Every Sunday at 9:30 p.m., the series began with the familiar theme of Gounod's 'Funeral March of a Marionette' (which would thereafter be inextricably linked with Hitchcock), and as Hitchcock's trademark profile sketch was overshadowed by the familiar silhouette of Hitchcock himself, the weekly 'play' opened and closed with the series' most popular feature: As a good-natured host whose inimitable presence made him a global celebrity, Hitchcock delivered droll, dryly sardonic introductions and epilogues to each week's episode, flawlessly written by James Allardyce and frequently taking polite pot-shots at CBS sponsors, or skirting around broadcast standards (which demanded that no crime could go unpunished) by humorously explaining how the show's killers and criminals were always brought to justice... though always with a nod and a wink to the viewer.
This knowing complicity was Hitchcock's pact with his audience, and the secret to his (and the series') long-term success. It's also what attracted a stable of talented writers whose teleplays, both original and adapted, maintained a high standard of excellence. Hitchcock directed four of the first season's 39 episodes, including the premiere episode 'Revenge' (a fan favorite, with future Psycho costar Vera Miles) and the season highlight 'Breakdown,' with Joseph Cotten as a car-accident victim, paralyzed and motionless, who's nearly left for dead; it's a perfect example of visual and narrative economy, executed with a master's touch. (The fourth episode, 'Don't Come Back Alive,' is also a popular favorite, with the kind of sinister twist that became a series trademark.) Robert Stevenson directed the majority of the remaining episodes with similar skill, serving tightly plotted tales (selected by associate producers Joan Harrison and Norman Lloyd) by such literary greats as Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Cornell Woolrich, Dorothy L. Sayers, and John Collier. Adding to the series' prestige was a weekly roster of new and seasoned stars, with first-season appearances by Cloris Leachman, Darren McGavin, Everett Sloane, Peter Lawford, Charles Bronson, Barry Fitzgerald, John Cassavetes, Joanne Woodward, Thelma Ritter, and a host of Hollywood's best-known character players. With such stellar talent on weekly display, Alfred Hitchcock Presents paved the way for Thriller, The Twilight Zone, and other series that maximized the anthology format's storytelling potential.
Packed onto three double-sided DVDs, these 39 episodes hold up remarkably well, and while some prints show the wear and tear of syndication, they look and sound surprisingly good (although audio compression will cause many viewers to turn up the volume). The 15-minute bonus featurette, 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents: A Look Back' is perfunctory at best, but it's nice to see new anecdotal interviews with Norman Lloyd, assistant director Hilton Green, and Hitchcock's daughter Pat (a frequent performer on these episodes), who survived to see their popular series benefit from the archival convenience of DVD. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Anyone who likes Alfred Hitchcock will enjoy this set. Each one has a lot of movie stars in it along with good twists and turns to the story. I highly recommend this.
Rating:  - Hitchcock is finally here -these were big$$ on ebay before.
This along with The Untouchables are 2 great classic TV shows that are now offered on DVD. Both are too pricey, that is why a 4 not a 5.
Rating: - Endless supply of little dramas.
This compilation contains bite-sized television dramas from the 1950s.
The compilation deserves FOUR STARS on the basis of the huge quantity of dramas found within, as well as the fact that six of the episodes are truly excellent. There are 39 stories. All of the stories begin with a creepy, deadpan introduction by Mr. Hitchcock. For example, in one introduction, he has a fake knife driven into his back.
This concerns the packaging. The package is sturdy. There is a separate plastic insert for each of the three discs. The discs are two-sided. This means that there are no charming pictures on one side of the disc. But in the Superman T.V. series, the five discs bear photographs of Superman, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White. The Hitchcock package has large photographs of some of the actors. But this is a waste of space. In contrast, the Superman package contains a synopsis of each of the shows, in addition to the title. This is helpful in determining if you've seen the show already or not. The Hitchcock package contains only a list of titles, and no synopsis.
A few of Amazon.com's reviewers complained about problems with the discs, for example, spontaneous stopping. None of my discs had any problems. They all performed smoothly and without any glitches.
This is about the Hitchcock dramas. The actors are first rate, for example, one of the shows features John Forsyth, a familiar face to all baby-boomers. Also, a ... Read More
Rating:  - Some great episodes, but most fall flat
The best episodes of season one are: (Don't worry, I won't give away the ending)They are:
1. "The Creeper" A woman lives in fear of a murderer who is terrorizing the neighborhood.
2. "Breakdown" An executive driving from Florida to New York is paralyzed in a car accident
3. "And so died Rabiachinska" A ventriliquist is accused of murdering a competitor...Great performance by Claude Rains, by the way
4. "Revenge" A man seeks revenge on the man who attacked his wife
As for the other episodes, sad to say, some are downright boring, consisting of people(usually with British accents)standing around talking, and talking, and talking, and nothing happens.
Another gripe I have are the menus. Instead of just setting up the premise, they give away the ending!
Rating:  - Marred by terrible sound and stupid episode decriptions
I can't speak for subsequent DVD editions of other seasons of this stellar series, but this 1st season collection has abominable sound on many episodes and when you view episodes using the episode option in the menu it is preceded by a description that usually robs the episode of any suspense it contained. I'm sorry I bought it because the flaws take all the enjoyment out of what should be an exalting entertainment.
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