Home video
- French fancy flaunts many permutations on home video, with five separate transfers…
- …three of four distinct English-language soundtracks and seven international dubs
- But original director-approved mono audio is sidelined or completely abandoned
- Unique Perspecta Stereophonic Sound not been heard since 1950s theatrical run
- Both have been buried in favour of Paramount’s anachronistic modern remixes
- Woefully inept: latest 4K restorations were done twice and botched both times
- Best avoid streaming copies, TV and cinema screenings, and latest HD discs
- Let’s get physical: stick to earlier DVDs and Blu-rays for the real thing
- It takes a thief… be sure to also avoid a handful of dastardly pirates
Note: this is part of an ongoing series of 150-odd Hitchcock articles; any dead links are to those not yet published. Subscribe to the email list to be notified when new ones appear.
To Catch a Thief: Writing on a Classic | Making of a Masterpiece | Collectors Guide, Pt 2: Soundtrack and audio mixes, 3: Home video, 4: 2020s revisions
Limited edition poster by Laurent Durieux, 2016
Contents
- The road more travelled
- 2002 Widescreen Collection DVD
- 2007 Special Collector’s Edition DVD
- 2009 Centennial Collection DVD
- 2012 Special Edition Blu-ray
- 2012 standard Blu-ray
- 2020 revision
- Extras
- Screenshots
- Related articles
The road more travelled
Like all widescreen Hitchcocks, following its original theatrical run To Catch a Thief was broadcast and released with a 4:3 aspect ratio, tube TV screen-filling, open matte transfer of a fairly worn print as exemplified in the trailer above. This appeared throughout the 1980s and 1990s on VHS, Betamax and LaserDisc, including one from the US. This is the only Hitchcock fully owned and distributed by Paramount, and taking into account the numerous transfers, subs, dubs, extras, endless repackages and box set inclusions to date, it’s had a long and incredibly prodigious life on home video. But for all that, the actual number of different discs is relatively modest, as Paramount’s schtick is to recycle the same ones endlessly. In fact, the logic and consistency behind the worldwide release pattern is actually rather impressive once you examine it in detail.
All official DVDs are region-locked, come via Paramount and say so prominently on the packaging. Any that don’t, wherever they’re from, are bootlegs. Though far fewer than for other Hitch titles, especially his British films, there are still a few rip-offs floating around whose culprits deserve to feel, ahem, The hand on the collar from Paramount, eg those from Brazil (Obras Primas), Chile (Cinematekka/DVD-BD-R/box/box/box), Germany (FNM/2on1), Korea (Cine Korea, Classic Line box, Cleo Ent) and the UK (Candle Delight).
Note that for a few years commencing from 2013, Warner Bros. took over distribution of Paramount in the US and Canada, and reissued many titles including Thief. Following that, Paramount reissued them yet again. But they’re all completely interchangeable, with the exact same discs and near-identical sleeves, the only difference being the temporary addition of “Distributed by Warner Home Video” and their logo on the rear.
2002 Widescreen Collection DVD
- US: DVD (2002)
- Canada: DVD (2002)
- UK: DVD (2003, reissued* 2004), also in 2-DVD The Diva: GK, 3-DVD GK Collection and Hollywood Screen Sirens
- Italy: DVD (2003, reissued* 2004), also in Il cinema di AH series w/booklet
- Germany: DVD (2003, reissued* 2006), also in 2-Movies-Edition
- France: DVD (2003, reissued* 2006), also in La Collection AH en DVD
- Spain: DVD/alt (2003, reissued* 2006, steelbook 2010), also in 2-DVD CG: Gentleman’s Collection, 3-DVD GK steelbook (reissue), GK Collection and Musas de Hollywood
We’re going to take a deep, deep dive into the film’s complicated home video history, which I’ve hopefully laid out as simply and logically as possible. There have been two main DVD editions worldwide, in 2002 and 2007, while the US and Canada received a third in 2009. With varying sub and dub options and region-locked as appropriate, the first two have also been issued (and reissued) concurrently in all other territories. As we shall see, each takes several steps forward and one step back. First came the 2002 Widescreen Collection disc, with a decent transfer of a sightly worn print with saturated colours and original mono audio. It includes four featurettes, a photo gallery and the original trailer. It’s ubiquitous and easily the cheapest but also expectedly the least of the bunch. Germany also had a unique promotional variant.
- Holland: DVD (2003)
- Poland: DVD (2008, Digibook 2011, reissued 2012, 2012), also in 4-DVD GK Kolekcja/alt
- Scandinavia: DVD (2003, reissued* 2006)
- Australia: DVD (2003, reissued* 2006), also in 2-DVD Classic Double Bill and Double Feature, 3-DVD GK Diva Collection and Hollywood Screen Sirens, and 6-DVD Romance Pack
- Brazil: DVD (2003, reissued* 2004)
- Japan: DVD (2003)
*Golden Classics edition w/gold case and slipcase, 12-page essay booklet and (in Spain only) eight art cards
Australian DVD
2007 Special Collector’s Edition DVD
This DVD has a variety of international sleeves; this is for the US and Canada
Next up was the 2007 Special Collector’s Edition with a vastly improved 2006 restoration mostly taken from an interpositive newly struck from the original negative. It’s more correctly framed and generally less cropped but the image also often shifts slightly up and down as necessary. Apart from having less visible damage, it most differs from the previous transfer by having the colours dialled down to a much more pleasing degree. In this regard, I think they got it just right. This transfer is also the basis for the next two reissues below.
- US: DVD (2007, reissued 2013), also in 7-DVD Grace Kelly Collection
- Canada: DVD (2007, reissued 2013)
- UK: DVD (2007, reissued 2008, 2012
- DVD (2017), also in HMV exclusive 5-DVD AH Collection – no extras
Newly remixed 2.0 stereo audio is now the default track; original mono must be selected manually but only in North America, as all other DVDs regrettably drop the mono despite having plenty of room to retain it. Also new is an audio commentary by Hitch expert and his personal friend, filmmaker-critic Peter Bogdanovich, and film historian-documentarian Laurent Bouzereau, but also on the demerit side it loses the 50-plus photo gallery.
- Italy: DVD (2007), also in 4-DVD CG: Gentleman’s Collection
- Germany: DVD (2007)
- France: DVD (2007, reissued 2017)
- Spain: DVD 2007 (reissued 2012)
Unfortunately, this is the end of the line for non-American DVDs although the 2012 UK reissue’s artwork was cheekily altered to match the then new BDs, giving the misleading impression it also contains all their extra content. Likewise, the 2009 Brazil reissue’s artwork and slipcase match the superior, 2-disc Centennial Collection edition. Very naughty. As well as appearing in various Hitch/Grant/Kelly collections, this final disc is also included in many Universal Hitchcock box sets.
- Holland: DVD (2007)
- 5-DVD AH Collection (201-) – no extras
- Scandinavia: 4-DVD CG: Gentleman’s Collection (2007)
- Australia: DVD (2007), also in 2-DVD Collectors Selections and 4-DVD CG: Gentleman’s Collection
- Brazil: DVD (2007, reissued 2009), also in 2-DVD and 4-DVD GK Collection
2009 Centennial Collection DVD
The most recent DVD was number 6 in Paramount’s 9-title, somewhat prematurely named Centennial Collection; the studio’s true founding year is 1914. Only released in North America, this time Thief really gets the deluxe treatment with a handsomely packaged, 2-disc set including an embossed, foil-printed slipcase and 8-page illustrated booklet. The previous restored transfer, now digitally remastered in 4K, benefits greatly from having the first disc to itself apart from the audio commentary. This allows for a 25% higher bitrate than the previous two DVDs, resulting in a much tighter image with the colours taken down another notch overall, allowing for a more realistic scheme. It drops the previous excellent commentary, replacing it with one of a drier, more academic bent from film historian Drew Casper.
All the other previously released extras are present alongside both audio options, albeit with default stereo again. The number of featurettes are doubled to eight and the greatly expanded gallery now has over 130 images. It’s a pity both commentaries couldn’t have been included to make this truly definitive but overall this is easily the best DVD to date. It was reissued in 2017, dropping the slipcase and booklet, and confusingly retitled the Special Collector’s Edition, as per the 2007 DVD. If you’re outside the Americas, note that it’s coded for regions 1 and 4 with English, French and Spanish sub and dub options. Note too that the 2017 reissue’s artwork, like the main reissue of the 2007 UK DVD, has been altered to match the first worldwide wave of BDs which initially appeared in 2012 amid Paramount’s actual 100th anniversary celebrations.
2012 Special Edition Blu-ray
US BD (rear with extras)
There are two different BDs which, with packaging variations, have been issued worldwide and both feature the previous DVD’s transfer. The good news is, unlike the DVDs and as with all Paramount BDs, they’re region free and each is exactly the same everywhere it’s been issued: transfer, audio, extras, subs, dubs, the lot. First and still best is the original American/UK disc, which replicates the transfer and contents of the US/Canada 2-DVD CC but with the bonus of the film, galleries and trailer being in HD. Additional supported languages are French, Spanish and Portuguese. Yet again though, it defaults to the stereo track and mono must be manually selected. I’ve dubbed this the Special Edition to distinguish it from the BDs concurrently released elsewhere.
- US: BD (reissued 2013, 2017), also in 3 Date Night Classics
- Canada: BD (reissued 2013, 2017), also in 3 classiques pour amoureux
- UK: BD
- Brazil: BD
2012 standard Blu-ray
German Blu-ray; its title translates as Above the Rooftops of Nice.
Hot on the Special Edition BD’s heels came the basic disc issued everywhere else. Aside from adding more subs and dubs, it’s completely barebones with nothing else present, not even the trailer. If you own it and still have any of the DVDs, you should hang onto them for their extras. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it unforgivably omits the primary English mono audio, only having the stereo remix. At least you can still sample the original mono via that all-important French dub.
- UK: only in Ultimate and House collections
- Italy: BD, also in 25-BD 10 Anni di Blu-Ray Paramount
- Germany: BD
- France: BD
Outside of the Americas, Thief has been licensed from Paramount by Universal for inclusion in various Hitch BD box sets which expand beyond their own 14 Hitchcocks. But its extras were not part of the deal, so all sets, including those from the UK, have the barebones iteration of the disc. A similar fate also befell the DVDs in two UK and Dutch box sets, and BDs of North by Northwest. If curious, see here for details of the woeful last and least HD options.
French Blu-ray; translation: A hand on the Collar
Extras
- Audio commentary by Peter Bogdanovich and Laurent Bouzereau (2007) – SCE DVDs
- Audio commentary by Drew Casper (2009) – all except WC and SCE DVDs, barebones discs
- “Writing and Casting TCaT” (9:03) – all except barebones discs, PP BDs
- “The Making of TCaT” (16:54) – all except barebones discs, PP BDs
- “Alfred Hitchcock and TCaT: An Appreciation” (7:32) – all except barebones discs, PP BDs
- “Edith Head: The Paramount Years” (13:44)* – all except barebones discs, PP BDs
- “A Night with the Hitchcocks” (23:22) – CC DVDs, SE BDs, 4K BDs
- “Unacceptable Under the Code: Film Censorship in America” (11:49) – CC DVDs, SE BDs, 4K BDs
- “If You Love TTCaT You’ll Love This” interactive travelogue – CC DVDs, SE BDs; HD on BDs
- “Behind the Gates: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly” (6:12) – CC DVDs, SE and PP BDs, 4K BDs
- “Filmmaker Focus” (7:19) – HD; PP BDs, 4K BDs
- Theatrical trailer (2:11) – all except barebones discs; HD on BDs
- Photo gallery (7:03) – WC DVDs
- Photo galleries – CC DVDs, SE BDs; HD on BDs
- 12-page booklet –WC DVDs
- 8-page booklet – CC DVDs
*Also on all DVDs of Sunset Boulevard, and US and UK BDs only; all others are barebones https://www.blu-ray.com/Sunset-Boulevard/20564/#Releases
Remember: Hitch’s superior original mono audio can be found on the SE BDs and all DVDs bar the non-US SCEs. Meanwhile, the all-important French dub, in original mono, is included on all bar the Brazil (SCE) and eastern Asia DVDs.
Screenshots
Hitch’s cameo, 2012 Blu-ray, #1/#3 | 2002 DVD vs 2012 BD
You’ll find handy comparisons at the invaluable Hitchcock Zone and Caps-a-holic, Slowpoke Pics and some more below: DVDs 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- Breakfast: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- A cat: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- Vista: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- Bus: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- Beach: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- Kelly: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- Doorway: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- Ball: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
- The Cat: DVD 2002, 2007, 2009 | BD 2012
Timeline of Historical Film Colors: Three Technicolor dye transfer prints
In summary, for the best transfer, original mono audio and (almost) all extras, you need either the Centennial Collection/SCE DVD or first BD. The only worthwhile extra you’re then missing is the superior first audio commentary, for which you’ll need the second DVD. With most classic films and especially those of the Master of Suspense, it’s fairly easy to get those with the latest restored or remastered transfers: you just stick to the most recent releases. Not quite so with To Catch a Thief though, as Paramount have recycled their first two DVDs so often via new sleeves and endless collections. The 2007 is still being reissued everywhere well over a decade after it first appeared, despite having been superseded by the newer American set. It’s a similar situation with the Blu-rays: latest is not always best…
The Master and his muse by Etienne Jung, 2010 (Cary, doorway)
To Catch a Thief: Writing on a Classic | Making of a Masterpiece | Collectors Guide, Pt 2: Soundtrack and audio mixes, 3: Home video, 4: 2020s revisions
Related articles
This is part of a unique, in-depth series of 150-odd Hitchcock articles.
