Jeremy Butler wrote:

> [...] several of Hitchcock's British films have
> been released on DVD with digitally enhanced audio tracks.  I was watching
> the DVD of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1934) recently and was stunned at how
> much clearer the dialogue was.  The signal-to-noise ratio has been much
> improved.
>
> Normally, I'd advocate seeing films in their original condition, but I
> think this is one case where the manipulation of a film is truly an
> improvement.

Jeremy, it occurs to me: how do you know that you have ever seen and
heard TMWKTM (1934) in its original condition?  Maybe all of the prints
and video copies that have been available in recent decades have been
inferior (as is often the case with old films)?  I heard that the BFI
released a new print in 1999 that was excellent, however.  Perhaps it
was struck from an original print?  And maybe the DVD is of that print?
Do you have additional information?

BTW, thanks to Leo for his insightful post about the dubbing procedures
that would have been involved in the cases of BLACKMAIL and ROPE.

- Ken Mogg.
Hitchcock Scholars/'MacGuffin' website:
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~muffin

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