The Alfred Hitchcock Hour: The Complete Collection [DVD]

For those who like classic television, it doesn't come any better than Alfred Hitchcock Presents (and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour). The master of suspense had droll, dryly sardonic opening and closing appearances, in this ten year anthology. Perhaps the most subversive change lay in the series treatment of wrong-doers. Americas Morale Guardians, otherwise known as the Department of Standards and Practices, insisted that criminals be apprehended and punished on screen to teach the audience that crime does not pay. This made for a predictable and boring climax, as it was impossible for the bad guy to win. What this show did was to transpose this comeuppance from the story to Hitchcock's humorous epilogues. This allowed the viewer to take what Hitchock was saying with a pinch of salt, as he blatantly thumbed his nose to the censors. In one example, he "reassures" the viewer (with a nod and a wink), that the killer did not get away with it because, "His dog, Cassandra, was really a detective in disguise and turned him in at the next town. It's getting so a man can't even trust his best friend." As justice had prevailed, this was enough to keep the censors at bay. This allowed the story-lines to end on screen with a grotesque twist, while transferring the deadening element of predictability to the easily ignored epilogue. There is a terrific variety of episodes. You never know whether a given episode will be serious or light-hearted, or whether there will be a happy ending or a tragic one. Each one keeps you guessing, and most have a memorable twist at the end.

This Hitch Hour stands between Hitch Presents and Hitch longer classic movies. Some time ago I bought a volume of this series that contained only a few of them and as I found them thoroughly and thrillingly enjoyabe, to be rewatched, I kept wondering where all the rest was. And here they are! All of them. Super plots, super viewing, SUPER MOVIE STARS. It is difficult to say which my favourites are because I love each one of them. Glad about this purchase!

Good quality. Good for Hitch fans.

Just finishing up my binge and am delighted with my purchase. I remembered a few episodes from my youth. It was well worth the purchase price.

Everything was great 👍

So pleased these have been relealed. Quality is just as good as "presents" only they last longer and a bit more to get into. Acting is good and picture quality is excellent ! Very pleased with purchase.

Season 2 didn't receive disc 3 of 8 received 2 discs of 8 of 8 don't know how that can happen ? Apart from that the series have been very good,but haven't started 3rd season yet to see if all discs are inside.

Not sure whether to give this four stars or five. The box set itself technically is fine, no problems with viewing. Am up to the final season, about half way through. Many of the stories are very good, some stray into the old Twilight Zone area (but this is no problem with the quality of the writers on view). Some of the storylines are a bit dated, but this is to be expected, and because the format was extended to approximately 50 min shows, some of them show obvious signs of padding. However, at the same time, it is good to see actors who were widely known at the time participating in these shows and some of the writing is truly excellent. Indeed, the quality of dialogue is vastly superior to much of modern television shows, even the better ones. All in all a good view and worth the looking at. I remember one or two of them being on British TV and am glad to say that my memory of these shows is as it was. Also, a very good episode in the third series shows the recently departed George Kennedy playing a different sort of role than is normally on view. All in all, worth the money and if, as I say, some of the shows are not as good as others, nevertheless, they are worth a view.