Charade [Criterion Collection]

Overview

Often cited as the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made, Stanley Donen's stylish and humorous thriller Charade arrives on DVD in fine form courtesy of The Criterion Collection. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the image is crisp and sharp -- offering bright, vivid colors, solid blacks, and even skin tones. The only minor complaint that could be made regarding the transfer is that it is shows minor evidence of edge enhancement in certain scenes. Audio is presented in Dolby Digital Mono and rings through very clear without any notable hiss or distortion. Though not brimming with extra features, this disc does offer some insightful bonus material that will appeal to both longtime fans of the film and those new to the work of Stanley Donen. A commentary track featuring Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone in particular is both an amusing and insightful listen, with the couple bickering at times like an old married couple with great affection for one another despite the occasional conflicting memory. There is no shortage of entertainment value to Donen and Stone's lively discussion, which addresses everything from the weight of the Cuban Missile Crisis on the lighter-than-air party scene to the film being placed in turnaround to their careful handling of minor crises and Cary Grant's indestructible hair. An introduction to the selected filmography on the disc is penned by Stephen M. Silverman (taken from his book Dancing on the Ceiling: Stanley Donen and His Movies) and offers a loving overview of Donen's films. The selected filmography is not, as on many discs, simply a list of films, but instead offers detailed descriptions of Donen's most beloved cinematic endeavors accompanied by a generous amount of film stills, posters, and other assorted images. Though Peter Stone's filmography isn't presented with quite the same reverence, it does offer a good overview in addition to a pair of black-and-white stills from Charade. A quirky full-frame trailer rounds things out nicely by offering a colorful and exciting preview of the comedic mystery.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/06/2004
UPC:	0037429194928
Original Release:	1963
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:54:00
Sales rank:	5,892

Special Features

Closed Caption; New high-definition digital transfer, with restored image and sound, enhanced for widescreen televisions; Audio commentary: A conversation with director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone; The Films of Stanley Donen: A selected filmography, with an introduction by Donen biographer Stephen M. Silverman; Peter Stone's career highlights; Original theatrical trailer; English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired; Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Cary Grant	Peter Joshua
Audrey Hepburn	Regina Lampert
Walter Matthau	Hamilton Bartholemew
James Coburn	Tex Panthollow
George Kennedy	Herman Scobie
Ned Glass	Leopold Gideon
Jacques Marin	Inspector Edouard Grandpierre
Paul Bonifas	Felix
Dominique Minot	Sylvie Gaudet
Thomas Chelimsky	Jean-Louis Gaudet
Grégoire Aslan	Voices
Stanley Donen	Voices
Roger Trapp	Actor
André Tomasi	Actor
Henry Mancini	Composer
Peter Stone	Actor
James Coburn IV	Tex Penthollow
Minot Dominique	Sylvie Gaudet
Georges Billy	m¿¿czyzna na poczcie
Louis Viret	Actor
Albert Daumergue	m¿¿czyzna na poczcie
Michel Thomas	Actor
Anthony Stuart	Actor
Michel Thomass	Actor
Jacques Préboist	Actor
Antonio Passalia	Actor
Bernard Musson	Actor
Chantal Goya	Actor
Marc Arian	le passager du métro
Claudine Berg	la femme de chambre
Marcel Bernier	kierowca taksówki
Raoul Delfosse	kierowca taksówki
Colin Drake	Hamilton Bartholomew
Clément Harari	niemiecki turysta
Monte Landis	Actor
Jean Gold	Actor
Lucien Desagneaux	Actor
Mel Ferrer	Man Smoking Cigarette in Nightclub

Technical Credits

Peter Stone

Marc Behm

Peter Stone II

Stanley Donen	Director,Producer
Peter Stone	Screenwriter
Marc Behm	Screenwriter
Jacques Carrère	Sound Effects
Allan Morrison	Sound Effects
Bob Jones	Sound Effects
Paul Stader	Stunts
Peter Stone II	Screenwriter

Scene Index

Side #1 --
1. Opening Titles [3:20]
2. French Traditional [3:56]
3. Instant Divorce [8:16]
4. The Funeral Home [3:33]
5. Mr. Bartholomew [6:22]
6. Fun and Games [6:38]
7. "I Sprained My Pride" [3:40]
8. The Three Marx Brothers [6:16]
9. "Women Make the Best Spies" [6:23]
10. American Express [4:54]
11. Up on the Roof [3:57]
12. "A Truthful Whitefoot" [4:28]
13. Treasure Hunt [7:45]
14. Drip Dry [5:32]
15. To Catch a Thief [5:03]
16. Going Down [5:54]
17. "Stealing Stolen Money" [4:39]
18. The Envelope Please [4:43]
19. The Subway Chase [5:07]
20. "That Man Is Carson Dyle" [5:23]
21. The Game Is Over [4:31]
22. Mr. Cruikshank [2:56]
1. A Real Train [3:20]
2. The Original Screenplay [3:56]
3. "Nothing Shall Be Said" [8:16]
4. The Cast Arrives [3:33]
5. A Young Mattau [6:22]
6. The Guignol [6:38]
7. The Horror Scale [3:40]
8. Cary's Stunt Double [6:16]
9. "I Cannot Chase This Girl" [6:23]
10. Black Comedy [4:54]
11. Built to Scale [3:57]
12. "A Horrifying Moment" [4:28]
13. "A Very Funny Story" [7:45]
14. "Assassinated" [5:32]
15. Theme Songs [5:03]
16. A Controversy [5:54]
17. Legal Requirements [4:39]
18. Writing Mysteries [4:43]
19. First Class [5:07]
20. Glamour [5:23]
21. A Total Fake [4:31]
22. "My Best Clothing Line" [2:56]

Menu

Side #1 --
   Play the Movie
   Chapter Index
   Commentary
      Commentary: Off
      Commentary: On
      Index
   The Films of Stanley Donen
   Peter Stone Career Highlights
   Theatrical Trailer
   Color Bars