North By Northwest (4K Ultra HD)

Fans of NXNW who have not seen this blu-ray version should DEFINITELY make the effort to do so. The clarity of the blu-ray picture and sound surpass the high standard already set by the excellent DVD version and more than justify buying this pioneering spy caper anew. NXNW is rightly acclaimed as a classic and most definitely still delivers as an engaging and fun relic of its time, abundant in 1959 elegance, style, droll wit, & class. In many ways this (and its Hitchcock/Cary Grant predecessor To Catch a Thief [Blu-ray ]) were truly the first James Bond movies, as becomes glaringly apparent after even casual comparison. Sean Connery's Bond was monumental, but it's just hard to imagine how the entire Bond series would have fared without having the suave, debonair Cary Grant there to blaze the trail as "The Cat" John Robbie in "TCAT" and of course as Roger Thornhill in "NXNW". Now let's concede up front: you MUST disconnect your plausibility radar and just go along for the ride with NXNW and all its howling impossibilities. Let's not even dig into them too much EXCEPT TO suggest that if you're looking to bump off a rival spy, are you REALLY going to try to lure him onto a dusty Indiana highway and try to puree him with the propeller of a biplane? How does it happen that Thornhill (Grant) and the rival agents (James Mason, Martin Landau, Eva Marie Saint) all wind up on the 20th Century Limited after Thornhill goes on the lam from the UN? For that matter, how likely is it that Thornhill even gets OUT of the UN after getting framed for the murder there? --NEVER MIND! You simply have to surrender to the night-at-the-movies popcorn FUN of it, and enjoy the rollercoaster of thrills, chills, romance & spy intrigue Hitchcock serves up here. Sure, it's easy to chuckle at the stratospheric "suspension of disbelief" necessary to properly enjoy NXNW but really I think it's a deliberate part of the fun and not meant to stand up to serious scrutiny. Cary Grant, in his fourth and final outing with Hitchcock delivers a knockout performance as the Madison Avenue adman on the run Roger Thornhill. James Mason shines here also as the oh-so-elegant (but deadly) "enemy agent" Phillip Van Damme, with outstanding support from his menacing secretary Leonard, played with beady-eyed malice by Martin Landau. Eva Marie Saint obviously owns the role of Eve Kendall, glamorous double-agent torn between her duty to maintain her cover and her growing love for Roger, but I personally still can't fully "buy" Eva as a "femme fatale" as depicted in NXNW. No complaints about her performance--she's excellent, and again, her name goes into immortality for this role, BUT I still think another actress would have been more credible as the "morally flexible" Eve Kendall than Eva Marie was able to project. By her appearance and temperament, I think Eva was much better matched to her "good girl" roles, as in " On the Waterfront (Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray ]", which played to her strengths much more than NXNW would allow. Hitch already had two better qualified actresses "in his company" already in Ingrid Bergman (" Notorious [Blu-ray ]") and obviously Grace Kelly ("To Catch a Thief"). STILL--I'm just offering my opinion here; Eva was great and more than nailed the part. As other reviewers affirm, in many ways "NXNW" was the pinnacle of Hitchcock's career. All the stars converged for this one; OUTSTANDING cast, script, cinematography, locations and all those intangibles necessary to create a CLASSIC which no one can deliberately conjure into being. Let me pay special tribute here to that high-style Frank Lloyd Wright/"Mid-Century Modern" style chateau all the principals converge on prior to their "face-off" grand finale on Mt Rushmore! If such a house doesn't actually exist, well, it should! I'm willing to cast my vote for NXNW as Hitchcock's greatest film, but I respect anyone who prefers " Vertigo " or " Psycho (1960) " or maybe even another. No one's personal favorite is ever "wrong". HOWEVER--here, in this luxuriant 50th Anniversary blu-ray, we're privileged to enjoy what may prove to be the BEST restoration & presentation of this classic movie EVER. The colors, picture and sound are all STUNNING and exceed the already high standard set by the previous DVD release of NXNW. I see this as an absolute "demo quality" blu-ray disc, a tour-de-force of what the format can deliver to re-ignite our appreciation of these old movies through OBSESSIVELY fastidious restoration and renewal. (Another knockout example of classic movie restoration that will scorch your eyeballs with its beauty: Pillow Talk (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) .) Blu ray EXTRAS abound here as well, including a fascinating documentary on the life & career of Cary Grant; obviously relevant and well worth viewer's time & interest. The NXNW documentary hosted by Eva Marie is the same one provided on the original DVD, but it is likewise a worthy and a great bonus feature to enjoy after seeing the movie again. My only gripe is that the sole commentary track, by writer Ernest Lehman, while certainly worthy of inclusion, isn't enough by itself. A film of the stature of NXNW deserves one or more commentary tracks by some historians or directors who can offer insight into the historical context of the Cold War, Hitchcock's intentions/techniques, NXNW's influence on its times and later films, etc. Stay tuned to see whether a 4K "Special Sixtieth Anniversary Edition" doesn't hit the Amazon pre-orders in 2019 to pick our pockets anew! Until such a re-release appears on the horizon, THIS 50th Anniversary Edition certainly remains the ABSOLUTE "Gold Standard" for seeing and re-discovering the excellence and fun of NXNW. If you've never seen NXNW before, maybe watch a Netflix or Amazon download (or check out a DVD from your local library); established fans of NXNW however, MUST see this exquisite blu-ray reissue to be awed by just what the blu-ray format is capable of with a movie you THINK you've already fully experienced and appreciated. Finally: in a world overrun with movie kitsch and "Gone With The Wind" Barbies, and other assorted junk, there are only TWO movie props I would like to have for myself: FIRST (and most essential) the gold phone in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel Cary uses to call up to George Kaplan's room. Second (and something I WOULD actually wear), how about one of the "red caps", the scarlet cabbie-style hats scurrying in herds in the Chicago train station where Cary & EMS disembark from the 20th Century. WHERE can I find either (or both) of those for my personal "NXNW" appreciation shrine?

Roger O. Thornhill is a busy New York City advertising executive who loves his mother and loves his women. He's having an after-work drink with three buddies when he's abducted at gunpoint. They take him to a mansion in the country, and their boss, Lester Townsend, scrutinizes his captive: "Not what I expected. A little taller. A little more polished than the others." Thornhill replies, "Not that I mind a slight case of abduction now and then, but I have tickets to the theater this evening. To a show I was looking forward to!" And that sets the pace for the whole movie. Politely sinister. Classy humor. Thornhill is played with panache and great comic touch by Cary Grant. Townsend is played with sly menace by James Mason. The lovely Eva Marie Saint doesn't even appear in the 1st half of the movie, then her Eve Kendall takes over the screen and Thornhill's heart - but it costs her. "North by Northwest" has a couple of the most recognized and parodied scenes in films. The cropduster chasing Cary Grant in the middle of nowhere never loses its fear factor. And who can forget Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall climbing down Mt. Rushmore? I'm writing this review to let you know that the extras on the 50th Anniversary Edition, 2 DVD's, are simply excellent North by Northwest (Two-Disc 50th Anniversary Edition) : 1. "Cary Grant: A Class Apart". First airing in 2004, this is an 87 minute episode of PBS's "American Masters" TV series. It is narrated by Helen Mirren and Jeremy Northam, with many movie clips and contributing commenters. Cary Grant was in 72 films, including 4 directed by Alfred Hitchcock. He ended his film career voluntarily, quitting while he was at the top. He passed away in 1986 of a stroke. Look at this list of interviewees for this special! I found this extra in-depth and interesting. - Barbara Grant, his wife from 1981-1986 - Jeanine Basinger, film historian - Roderick Mann, friend - Nancy Nelson, author of "Evenings with Cary Grant" - Betsy Drake, actor, his wife from 1949-1962 and an outspoken pistol! - Elvis Mitchell, film critic for the "New York Times" - Peter Bogdanovich, director (he knew Hitchcock and Grant personally, and he participates on the movie commentary track for the DVD Collector's Edition of "To Catch a Thief") - Martin Landau, actor, who plays James Mason's secretary, Leonard, in "North by Northwest" - James Harvey, film historian - Ralph Bellamy, actor, from a 1988 interview (he's not in this film) - Todd McCarthy, author "Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood" - David Denby, film critic for "The New Yorker" - Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., actor, from a 1988 interview - Howard Hawks, director, from 1967 interview. He directed Grant in "His Girl Friday" (1940) and "Bringing Up Baby" (1938) - Dina Merrill, actor - Jill St. John, actor - Sidney Sheldon, writer - Ralph Laren, designer, friend - Eva Marie Saint, actor - Mel Shavelson, director, he directed Grant in "Houseboat" (1958) - Deborah Kerr, actor, from 1988 interview - Ernest Lehman, screenwriter for "North by Northwest" - Alfred Hitchcock, director, from 1966 interview - Stanley Donen, directed Grant in "Charade" (1963, with Audrey Hepburn) - George Kennedy, actor, from 2003 interview - Samantha Eggar, actor - and, last but not least, Cary Grant, in that they read excerpts from a series of autobiographical essays that were published in 1963. Grant gave few interviews, but he did open up in these essays. 2. "The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style". This is a 57 minute documentary from 2009. This was also fascinating to watch. It starts with Alfred himself saying, "It may be that I was born with the sense of drama"! A little bit of everything is covered in this extra, from costumes to music, to Hitchcock's preference for cool blonde leading ladies. Most of the comments, however, and not unexpectedly, have to do with his direction. How he made the angles, light, composition, point of view and camera tell the story and paint the mood. An impressive list of directors talk about Hitchcock's genius: - Francis Lawrence, director of "I Am Legend" and "Constantine" - William Friedkin, director of "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection" - Guillermo del Toro, director of "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Hellboy" - John Carpenter, director of "Halloween" and "Escape From New York" - Richard Loncraine, director of "Firewall" - Martin Scorsese, director of "Goodfellas" - Curtis Hanson, director of "L.A. Confidential" and "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" - Joe Carnahan, director of "Smokin' Aces" 3. "The Making of North by Northwest", hosted by Eva Marie Saint. Interesting stories are told by several people, including Pat Hitchcock, the director's daughter, and Ernest Lehman, writer for "North by Northwest". Lehman talks about the genesis of the plot, when Hitchcock tells him: "I've always wanted to do a chase across the faces of Mount Rushmore." 4. "North by Northwest: One for the Ages", a short. This looks like it is made up of unused material from extra #2, "The Master's Touch". Also interesting. 5. Stills Gallery 6. Trailers and TV Spots Happy Reader

I'm not sure about why the more recent reviewers are having so much trouble with their dvds and I can only assume that the recent batch out of the factory has got major product quality issues as my copy works just fine albeit I bought mine at least a couple of years ago. The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound quality as well as the picture quality of my dvd is excellent too. People have to recognise that most of Hitch's films combine elements of humour together with suspense and thrills and what makes this film great is the nice balance of these that's apparent. The witty dialogue and snappy one-liner jokes delivered by the brilliant Cary Grant still hold up well today. The Kafka-esque storyline is meant to be so outrageous as to be funny and if taken in that spirit many of the scenes are very entertaining indeed. The ludicrousness of trying to kill "George Kaplan" by filling him with alcohol and then helping him drive off a mountain's edge, being chased by a crop-duster in the middle of nowhere, etc make fans of Kafka's works like "The Trial" and "Metamorphosis" who can appreciate the genre truly appreciate and enjoy this film masterpiece. Granted some of the scenes do not make much logical sense such as when Eve Kendell talks to Martin Landau's character from a phone booth while he is doing so from another phone in the same line of booths and the strange way the crop duster slams into the oil tanker but that's just the point with Kafka-esques situations in that they are supposed to be ridiculous. Despite these screenplay "shortcomings" the acting is very good and I liked the camera angles very much for an overall very good film. Great combination of humour, thrills and spills, tension and drama makes this a classic film for the ages. Highly recommended! Updated 11 May 2011: Amazon will not let me review the 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray Book Edition separately and so I'll have to append it here. This film does benefit from the 1080p treatment picture quality-wise although the improvement is not a vast one as compared with the DVD release that I wrote about before. There are also a few frames interspersed here and there which are poor but overall it is still an improvement albeit not massively so over the DVD. The sound quality however is an improvement worth shouting about coming in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround sound although there are some weak audio spots at certain parts especially when it comes to dialogue. The picture book is nice to behold and will please collectors and fans alike. The special features are what really make this reissue worth shouting about as we have various directors like Friedkin, Scorcese and Spielberg talking about how Hitchcock influenced them and you even see spots in their movies where they borrowed from elements of Hitch's work. Overall, this is a worthy upgrade of the film more so for the great special feature documentaries than for the picture and sound quality which despite being still better in 1080p than the dvd release is not a great leap better in my opinion. Recommended.

BOTTOM LINE: This terrific film is Alfred Hitchcock at the absolute pinnacle of his game. And that's saying something! The plot is full of inspiring twists & turns, the action & adventure are over the top, and the film never lets up until the final fade-out. If you've never seen a Hitchcock film before, this is a great one to get your feet wet with. 5 STAR film, 4 STAR Blu-ray. THE STORY: An unassuming advertising executive is mistaken for an undercover government operative by some very unsavory characters. In less than 24 hours his entire comfortably predictable routine world is completely destroyed and he himself is in mortal danger. It will take all of his fast-thinking "baffle them with BS" advertising skills, some stealthy assistance from mysterious double agent - and more than a little luck - if he hopes to stay a step ahead of the ruthless criminals intent on rubbing him out. THOUGHTS (contains minor spoilers): One of my favorite Hitchcock films. Everyone is perfectly cast. Super suave acting legend Cary Grant was never better than here, as delightfully dapper (and rather daft) New York ad exec Roger Thornhill. Eva-Maire Saint is terrific, smart and smoldering; one of the sexiest women to ever cross paths with Grant. Their chemistry is terrific. Leo G. Carroll is wonderful as the crafty government head honcho who seems indifferent to whether or not the innocent Thornhill will survive the nightmarish web into which he's become accidentally entangled. Of course any hero is only as good as his nemesis. Here, the classy, always unflappable James Mason is in top form as the sophisticated traitor who has secrets to sell. A young high-strung Martin Landau is disturbingly evil as one of Mason's , coldly cunning henchmen. The film takes us from one great set-up to another - including the deservedly legendary crop duster sequence - all culminating in a breathless chase across the presidential faces on Mount Rushmore. It's equal parts tension & fun. A thoroughly entertaining motion picture experience; a masterpiece that is equal parts style & suspense, by one of the medium's true all-time masters. NORTH BY NORTHWEST is a genuine classic that belongs in every movie fan's collection, no doubt about it. THE BLU-RAY: Sadly, I was not as impressed by the remastered Blu-ray as I had hoped to be. Don't misunderstand me. The remaster is a fine one, but NORTH BY NORTHWEST doesn't look anywhere near as amazing as the recent remaster of Hitchcock's THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY. That film looks absolutely astonishing. NBNW looks good, but not great. There are several excellent bonus features included, which increases the collectability if you're a film buff. Even if you're not, the upgraded picture and improved sound are worth a double-dip if you already own the film in DVD format.

Excellent technical quality with lots of extra's of this classic movie.

Enjoyable classic movie on a basic straightforward edition. Plays fine.

In my humble opinion, this is the best Alfred Hitchcock movie. And a great place to buy used DVDs is Dream Books Co. --- It arrived on time and in perfect condition.

One of the best films by Hitchcock, and one of the most popular films ever, North By Northwest is also one of those rare films that is even loved by people who are normally sticklers for detail. No matter that most of the incidents, most of the situations, and of course Hitchcock's beloved "MacGuffin" plot device do not make sense. Every element, however unbelievable, is so well done and so entertaining that we forgive the nonsense. Cary Grant is New York advertizing executive Roger O. Thornhill, or ROT as it says on his personalized matchbooks. He is mistaken for a government agent by foreign spies and kidnapped with the intent of murder. He narrowly escapes, and in an attempt to find out why he was targeted he goes to the U. N. building to question the owner of the house where he was held captive, only to have the man murdered before his eyes by a thrown knife, a knife that naturally ends up in Thornhill's hand. Now on the run, he heads north by northwest for Chicago, then Rapid City South Dakota, following clues to clear his name. Eventually Thornhill and Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), a member of the spy ring, end up running for their lives atop Mt. Rushmore, leading to the famous scene where they are chased across the face of George Washington while Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Lincoln look on. This is a marvelous film, mixing murder and humor as only Hitchcock could do it. The musical score by Bernard Herrmann is a classic, and fits Hitchcock's implausibly clockwork plot like a glove. A tiny aside: watch the little boy at the table in the background of the Mt. Rushmore cafeteria scene, as pistol-packing Eve Kendall confronts Roger Thornhill. Obviously they had rehearsed this scene a few times, and this kid was prepared. And you should be prepared too, prepared to enjoy a fine evening of entertainment with the Master of Suspense and his talented crew: Cary Grant, Eve Marie Saint, James Mason as Vandamm the spy master, Leo G. Carroll as "the Professor" at the CIA, and Martin Landau as a spy henchman. Pure entertainment, and now available in high definition on Blu-ray. And all those things you don't know about the top of Mount Rushmore, like the road, the luxury home and the airstrip? The film will reveal them all to you. Who could ask for more?

Le publiciste Roger Tornhill (interprété par le génial Cary Grant) se retrouve par erreur dans la peau d'un espion. Pris entre une mystérieuse organisation qui cherche à le supprimer et la police qui le poursuit, Tornhill est dans une situation bien inconfortable. Il fuit à travers les Etats-Unis et part à la recherche d'une vérité qui se révèlera très surprenante... Réalisé en 1959 par A. Hitchook. Un classique du genre.

The example of what an American James Bond would be. Picture looks great and the steelbook feels solid.

小生は辞書ヲタクです。紙の匂いと語釈の緻密さに耽溺しながら、映画のフレーズや小道具の名称まで辞典的に確かめないと気が済まない偏屈者？です。そんな小生が本作『北北西に進路を取れ』を観直すたび、言葉、理屈より先に感情が反応してしまいます。サスペンスの「語法」が、ここではほとんど教科書的完成形として鳴り響いているからです。制作年は1959年。すなわち『めまい』（1958）と『サイコ』（1960）の間隙――ヒッチコックが様式と娯楽性の均衡を極点でつかみ取った、もっともショウマンシップがまばゆい時期の代表傑作です。 ■どんな映画か（ネタばれあり、不要な方は目を瞑ってください） 広告代理店の辣腕マン、ロジャー・O・ソーンヒル（ケイリー・グラント）は、ニューヨークの昼下がり、軽口と機転で世を渡る「都会の修辞学」を生きています。ところがレストランでの“呼び出しミス”により、存在しない諜報員ジョージ・カプランに間違えられ、見知らぬ連中に拉致される。彼らの背後には、洗練と冷酷を同居させたヴァンダム一味。ソーンヒルは否応もなく諜報戦の真ん中へ投げ込まれ、偽装の酒盛り、冤罪、逃亡、そして列車の個室で出会う謎めいた美女イヴ・ケンドール（エヴァ・マリー・セイント）。正体不明の彼女は、助け舟か罠か――その「人称代名詞」が文脈によって刻々と変わるのが本作の魔術です。 やがて舞台はニューヨークからシカゴ、穀倉地帯、そして合衆国の象徴たるラシュモア山へ。国家の顔面をよじ登る逃避行の末、彼は「Oはゼロです」というジョークを背に、ゼロから生き直すかのように、世界の罠と言葉の罠をすり抜けていきます。 ■“なぜ作ったか”に対する映画的回答 『めまい』で愛と幻視の迷路を掘り下げたヒッチコックは、次に「純サスペンスの統辞」を極めたかった――小生はそう受け取ります。アーネスト・レーマンの脚本はオスカー候補にもなった名品で、プロットの接続詞（しかし／ところが／すると）が滑走路のように切り替わり、観客の視線を“北北西（＝当て所なき方角）”へと走らせ続けます。ヒッチコック自身が得意とする「マクガフィン（物語を駆動する意味不詳の目的物）」を、ここでは“存在しない諜報員カプラン”という純粋概念にまで精製したことが肝要。つまり謎の実体を空（から）にして、運動そのものの快楽――追う／逃げる／欺く――をスクリーン上に純粋化したのであります。 ■系譜学：『三十九夜』から『間違えられた男』へ、そして本作で完成 イギリス時代の『三十九夜』（1935）が確立した「無辜の市民が国家規模の陰謀に巻き込まれ、大地を横断しながら濡れ衣を晴らす」という運動エネルギーは、本作でハリウッド的洗練とユーモアにより決定版となりました。中間に位置する『間違えられた男』（1956）が事実主義の陰翳で“誤認”の恐怖を掘り下げたのに対し、『北北西～』は同テーマをポピュラー・アートの軽やかさに変換します。恐怖は仄かに、機知は明瞭に。これぞヒッチコックの“英知の作法”ではないでしょうか。 ■ショウマンシップの真骨頂――二つの有名場面 （1）穀倉地帯の“空白”で襲う作物散布機 音もなく、理由もなく、地平線しかない場所で、ただ一機のプロペラ機がこちらへ来る。建物も遮蔽物もない“意味ゼロの空間”に暴力だけが浮き立つ。これはサスペンスの語法を「情報」から切り離し、純粋な運動と時間に還元した名場面で、映画史の修辞学上の金字塔であります。 （2）ラシュモア山の“国家を踏破するクライマックス” アメリカの「記念彫像＝顔」という意味の固まりを、あえて身一つで駆け上がり、指先でぶら下がり、口づけと銃声と取引が交錯する。国家的アイコンを、男女の信頼と裏切りのアクション舞台に転用する発想の豪胆さ。ヒッチコックのアクション劇はここで最高潮に達し、同時に「これ以上ない」地点で鮮やかに幕を引きます。 ■人（役者）という辞書 ケイリー・グラントのグレーのスーツは、紳士という語の“用例”の決定版。軽口、作法、走り方、嘘のつき方――どの頁を開いても用法が美しい。対するエヴァ・マリー・セイントは、視線の揺らぎと台詞の間で“多義語”を体現します。善悪の辞書分類に収まらない、用法注記のような女。ジェームズ・メイソン演じるヴァンダムには上品な毒、マーティン・ランドー演じる側近レナードには冷ややかな嫉視が宿り、悪の側が発する“正しい文法のような礼儀”がむしろ恐ろしい。ここにヒッチコックの倫理学が覗きます。 ■音と形――ヒッチ流のレトリック オープニングのタイトル・デザイン（サウル・バス）から疾走感が始まるや、バーナード・ハーマンのスコアが拍節を刻み、観客の鼓動を物語のテンポに同調させます。撮影監督ロバート・バークスの硬質な光と都市のガラス面は、嘘と真実が反射し合うテーマの視覚化。列車の個室、摩天楼の会議室、穀倉地帯、岩壁――場所が変わるたび、文体が変わる。にもかかわらず、全体は「追跡」という主文に従属し続ける。レーマン脚本の構文感覚とヒッチの画面文法の一致は、映画という言語の理想的共著と考えます。 ■機知と下ネタの修辞――“規制時代”の動詞変化 列車のダイナーでかわされる男女の言葉遊びは、直接的語彙を避けながら意味を濃縮する、古典修辞の見本です。タバコを差し出す所作、合図のようなナイフとフォーク、視線のスイッチング。検閲の枠の内側で、意味を動かす動詞がいくつも活用されてゆく。これを“二重底（ダブルスタンダード）の語彙集”と呼びたいと小生は思います。 ■“Oは何を意味するのか”――ゼロから始める男 自己紹介で問われる「Oは？」に、ソーンヒルは“ゼロ”と答える。この名物台詞は、デヴィッド・O・セルズニックを茶目っ気たっぷりにからかう内輪ネタとして知られますが、物語論的にはもっと重要です。O＝ゼロは、彼が「空（から）」の諜報員カプランに“間違えられる”余地を示す記号であり、同時に「ゼロから新しい自己を得る」旅の暗号です。ヒッチコックは、男の虚栄（広告マンの修辞）を剥ぎ取り、身体と言葉の最小単位まで突き詰めてから、再び彼を“結婚”という日常文法へと接続してみせる。クライマックスからエピローグへの切り返しは、その象徴的な転換です。 ■興行の勝利と映画史上の位置 『めまい』が当時十分な評価を受けられなかったのに対し、本作は『裏窓』『サイコ』とならぶ興行上の大成功を収め、世評の上でも「ヒッチコックといえばコレ」と真っ先に挙げられる表札的地位を固めました。娯楽映画の語法が最も洗練された形で結晶し、しかも時代がそれを熱烈に歓迎した希有な例。オスカーは脚本・美術・編集などで候補にとどまりましたが、むしろ賞の枠を超えた“見世物の完璧さ”こそが本作の勲章です。 ■『サイコ』への地ならし 次作『サイコ』では、サスペンスは心理の断面標本へと切り込まれます。本作で磨き上げた“運動の快楽”と“観客の視線誘導”が、白黒の冷気とシャワーカーテンへさらに凝縮される。言い換えれば『北北西～』は、ヒッチ版クラシック期の総決算であり、『サイコ』というモダニズムの跳躍台です。 ■鑑賞環境・映像面の一言 近年の高精細版で観ると、穀倉地帯の“空白”の粒子感や、ラシュモア山セットの仕上げが一層クリアに。ケイリー・グラントのスーツの織りの目まで説得力を増し、彼の“用例”が視覚辞典の拡大図のように迫って来ます。音楽は低域の跳ね返りが効いたマスターが望ましく、ハーマンのリズムが物語の足取りを気持ちよく運んでくれます。 ■結語――“北北西”という名の座標 北北西とは、方角としては曖昧で、指示語としては詩的です。ヒッチコックはこの曖昧な座標に、観客の身体と好奇心を向け続ける。意味がゼロでも、運動がある。嘘が多義でも、体験は単純に面白い。『北北西に進路を取れ』は、映画という言語がもっとも優雅に“走る”ための文法書であり、何度開いても新しい用例が見つかる大型辞典であります。辞書ヲタクとして断言いたします――これは、映画という語の標準語です。どうぞ、ページを繰るように、何度でも。

Bellissimo film, Hitchcock è una garazia

The 50th Anniversary edition of North by Northwest has just about everything anyone could want. This is a 2-DVD set. On the first DVD is the movie itself, presented in its original widescreen format. You can watch it three ways: as the movie, as the movie with commentary by screenwriter Ernest Lehman, or as the movie with no sound but the Bernard Herrmann score. The film runs 2 hours and 16 minutes, which is the original length according to the IMDb. The commentary by Lehman is informative, though he doesn't offer as many detailed insights about the art of screenwriting as one would like. On the second DVD contains a mass of special features. There are two theatrical trailers, a standard one plus one narrated humorously by Hitchcock himself, and there is one TV advertisement for the film. There is a stills gallery which runs for a few minutes. There are two features on North by Northwest, totalling over an hour between them; of these two, the "Making of" feature, which takes you through the production of the picture in chronological order, is the more substantial, the other one being more or less a collection of fan appreciation clips from directors and Hitchcock family members who admire the film. There is a nearly hour-long feature on Hitchcock's cinematic style, which is informative and which has some reference to North by Northwest as well as to many of Hitchcock's other films. Finally, there an hour-and-a-half PBS special on the career and roles of Cary Grant, with lots of biographical information about Grant and numerous appreciations of his work by various people. It's quite good, but would have been better without one uncalled-for four-letter word used in an interview by one of Grant's former wives. (Presumably PBS bleeped the word when the special was originally aired.) The print of the movie is very good. The colour is beautiful, the sound is excellent, and so on. The movie itself, a suspense thriller along the line of Saboteur (itself one of Hitchcock's greatest films) is polished and highly entertaining, as good (albeit not as high-tech and splashy) as the 1960s James Bond films. The plot, characterization and dialogue are all excellent. Grant is at his best, showing both his comic and serious sides with equal facility; Mason is perfect as the smooth, cultivated, but subtly menacing villain; Eva Marie Saint is excellent as the emotionally torn woman working for -- whose side? (You'll have to watch the movie to find out.) Not only are the three leads great: there are several wonderful supporting characters, including Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau, and Jessie Royce Landis. There are also smaller supporting bits by people one knows well: Edward Platt ("the Chief" from Get Smart) as a lawyer, Robert Shayne ("Inspector Henderson" from Superman) as a drinking buddy in a hotel lounge, Ken Lynch as a cop, etc. The sets and photography (both indoor and location) are wonderful. The special effects are pretty good, as well, though to me the celebrated plane crash scene, though well-shot, is a lot less interesting than its reputation indicates, and the Mt. Rushmore scenes are of mixed quality, some looking very real and some very much giving away the fact that they were shot on a studio set (the rock is too shiny and smooth and toothbrush-scrubbed white, and the sense of being at a real height and in danger of falling is not as convincingly portrayed as in some other Hitchcock films). But overall, the film is a great visual pleasure -- as is so often the case with Hitchcock's films. I purchased this product for only about $18 from Amazon.ca. Many single DVD-Rs of lesser films cost more than that, and they have no special features. There is nothing to fault in this product. Five stars.