In a six-decade career as a filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock directed over fifty films. A substantial amount of cinema, let us not forget that he also played a large part in television series like the popular Alfred Hitchcock Presents for a decade between 1955 and 1965. A prolific individual with an exceptional once-in-a-lifetime talent for creating suspense on film, it is daunting figuring out just where to start when diving into his work.
Sure, if you are a student of Alfred Hitchcock chances are you have seen most of his films… at least the most widely acclaimed. Then there are the novice who know of Alfred Hitchcock by name, and merely associate him with the all-time classics like 1960’s Psycho or 1963’s The Birds, but know little else. A shame, considering Hitchcock’s ability to direct films that flowed so perfectly and offered plenty of twists and turns, the positive thing is you can still plunge into Hitchcock’s world.
Yes, you should watch Psycho and The Birds, but other top choices would have to include 1954’s Dial M for Murder and Rear Window, 1958’s Vertigo, but also 1959’s North by Northwest. One of only fourteen Hitchcock films in color (Technicolor to be exact), North by Northwest initially opened at the United Artists Theatre in Chicago on July 1, 1959. Featuring Cary Grant (one of Hollywood’s all-time most prestigious leading actors in his fourth and final film working with Hitchcock), the award-winning Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason, there were others like Martin Landau amidst the all-star cast.
A sensational lineup, Cray Grant and Eva Marie Saint truly steal the show. Grant, portraying the leading Roger Thornhill, is mistaken for someone else, and as a result, is on the run. This is while Saint portrays the smart and confident Eve Kendall, a lady Grant’s Roger Thornhill is attracted to, but clearly suspicious of who she is and her intent. The two play off one another magically and because of such dignified performances, you cannot help but be emotionally invested in each of their character’s fate.
Much like many of Hitchcock’s films, North by Northwest keeps you guessing until the end, but the hook is a steady pace and unique filming style that keeps you engaged until the end. Furthermore, while most Hitchcock films use dialogue sparingly and rely heavily on the visual aspects, North by Northwest has extremely eloquent exchanges between the characters where the words spoken have varied meanings. A factor that forces you to think, it only further builds for the moments of tension that are sprinkled throughout the film.
Not lost on audiences at the time of release, North by Northwest had a big box office performance that found it remaining at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall for seven straight weeks. Historically not only considered one of Hitchcock’s best films, but one of the best of all time, North by Northwest is highly influential in laying the groundwork for the first James Bond film in 1962, Dr. No.
All fascinating aspects of North by Northwest’s cultural significance, in honor of the film’s 65th anniversary we now have its first 4K Ultra HD release. Released through Warner Bros. on November 19, 2024 as a single 4K Ultra HD with digital download code, it could be the most breathtaking visual experience of North by Northwest ever. Presented in a 2160p HDR10 transfer, the result is a stunning color and a clarified sharpness that does not taint the original feeling but amplifies it.
Presenting North by Northwest as you have never seen before, the new release (available in a standard 4K case with slipcover, a limited edition Steelbook, or Limited Steelbook Ultimate Collector’s Edition), also includes pretty much every supplement feature that was a part of the 2009 50th anniversary Blu-ray edition, minus the Cary Grant: A Class Apart documentary which was licensed at that time from PBS’s Cary Grant DVD box set.
All matters carefully considered the boldest aspect of this 65th anniversary release is the 4K Ultra HD upgrade. A treat to those who know this film, but also anyone who wants to educate themselves on classic cinema, Cryptic Rock gives the 4K Ultra HD release of North by Northwest 5 out of 5 stars.
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