North by Northwest Blu-ray

North by Northwest

 (1959)

Adventure | Mystery | Thriller



A suave, succesful New York advertising executive finds himself, through a case of mistaken identity, embroiled in a web of intrigue and murder that takes him across the country to prove his innocence to the police and get an evil crime syndicate, looking for a lost microfilm, off his tail. Filmed in VistaVision.

For more details about North by Northwest on Blu-ray, see the North by Northwest Blu-ray Review

Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jesse Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll
Director: Alfred Hitchcock

North by Northwest Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


As the first of Hitchcock’s films to arrive on Blu-ray in the U.S.—The 39 Steps was released recently in the U.K.—there’s been a great deal of anticipation and outright skepticism regarding North by Northwest’s picture quality. For what it’s worth, I’m thoroughly impressed by this new 1080p/VC-1 encoded transfer, which was scanned at an 8k resolution using the film’s original VistaVision production elements. The film has also been given an outstanding restoration; there’s no print damage at all, not a speck or fleck, and it appears that no tampering has been done with the film’s grain structure, which is still readily visible, albeit thin and unobtrusive. (There are exceptions. An insert shot of Martin Landau at the 1:45:50 mark is incredibly grainy. Not sure what the story is here, but it’s obviously a source-related issue.) Color has received a slight boost in saturation from prior DVD releases, and the Technicolor hues are rich, stable, and—I’ll say it—dreamy, presenting an ideal, Hollywood-ized vision of mid-century America. Black levels are spot on, contrast is pleasantly weighted, and shadow delineation is revealing. Cary Grant looks tan as always, but skin tones are warm and flattering throughout. Though the film isn’t razor sharp by today’s standards, overall clarity is greatly increased with this release, and for a 50-year-old film, there are several moments of stunning depth and presence. Just check out the crane shot of the empty expanse of highway as Thornhill’s bus pulls up to a stop in the middle of nowhere. Or the shot of Grant crouching in the cornfield. Or the meeting between Thornhill and Eve in the pine woods. There were a few times when I rewatched sequences just to take in the beauty of the cinematography. Could the film look any better? Naysayers will always find faults, and it’s hard to say what future technology holds, but at our present state it’s difficult to imagine a more aptly realized version of North by Northwest.

North by Northwest Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


The film’s original monaural presentation has been expanded into a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track here, and though purists may cry foul, few will have any complaints after hearing the subtle and impressive ways that the rear channels are implemented. Of course, the most striking aspect is how Bernard Hermmann’s classic orchestral score has been bled into the surround speakers, creating a tense and immersive experience. Strings spiral dizzyingly up and down, timpani drums pound mercilessly, and flutes dart and weave with a clear and breathy timbre. Considering the age of the source material, the music is remarkably full, with deep, mellow bass and crystalline high-end clarity. The rear channels also broadcast some ambience from time to time—like the bustle of the New York City streets—but I was struck most by the bold, directionally accurate panning effects used during the iconic crop-duster chase scene. The plane makes several passes, from front to back and side to side, and each time the roar of the engine screeches convincingly through the channels. Some of the foley sounds are a little weak—especially the puny punches—but that’s always been the case. Dialogue is well-prioritized and easily discernable throughout, but I should note that the whole audio track seems mixed rather low, as I had to ratchet the volume on my receiver up about 8 or 9 notches from my usual listening level.

North by Northwest Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - November 3rd - November 3, 2009


• Heat, Logan's Run, Negotiator Delayed One Week - August 27, 2009


• North by Northwest Announced for Blu-ray Digibook Release - July 20, 2009

North by Northwest Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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