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Summary: I'M AN ADVERTISING MAN, NOT A RED HERRING...
Review: I won't bore you with the summary as I'm sure who ever is on this page has seen other reviews with the synopsis of North by Northwest. In my opinion, this and Psycho represent Alfred Hithcock at his apex and definitely NBNW is one of the greatest films of all time (it's in the AFI Top 100 Movies of all time). Sure maybe there are errors in it but no movie is perfect, nonetheless it comes close to perfection. It moves along, solid storyline, legendary actors and actresses (the always debonair Cary Grant; the beautiful Eva Marie Saint; the cool, calm, evil that James Mason exudes and the dark, sinister presence of Martin Landau) performing their parts to perfection. Hitchcock didn't need to use special effects, loud explosions or graphic violence to keep the viewers entertained. The characters and the storyline keep the viewers glued to the screen and the underlying espionage story was appropriate given the era of the Cold War. This was the template for future action/adventure/spy thrillers and I am even tempted to say that this could be a 1959 version of The Fugitive, ordinary man accused of a crime he didn't commit and has to exonerate himself! You forget this movie is over 2 hours long the way it moves briskly along. A perfect melange of comedy, action and suspense. See it if you haven't and buy it if you can, you WILL NOT regret it. A timeless classic!
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Summary: One of the greatest films by a gifted director.
Review: When it came to making movies filled with intrigue, murder and suspense, no one did a more convincing job than Alfred Hitchcock. I've watched this movie many times, and I am pleased to say that I never get tired of watching this. It is perhaps one of the most exciting films ever developed with a brilliant screenplay and a star cast. Now it is a treat to obtain this classic film on dvd, which includes behind the scenes information. Roger Thornhill, played by Cary Grant, becomes the unsuspecting and innocent victim. He is kidnapped by two mysterious men in the beginning of the film, who take him to a mansion. They believe he is an government agent, and Thornhill must attempt to clear up the entire mess he soon becomes involved in.
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Summary: Absolutey Hitchcock
Review: A spellbinding adventure from beginning to end. It has everything from murder to brief comedy. Gloriously Hitchcock!
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Summary: "Real bullets? That's not very sporting..."
Review: Slap yourself if you haven't seen this movie. Although not as complex as "Vertigo" or "Rear Window," this is Hitchcock at his most enjoyable. I can't even begin to count the number of contemporary action films that were infulenced by (and frequently rip off) this. The crop-duster scene continues to be possibly one of the best suspense scenes I've ever seen, and it was only done with a plane, an empty field, and Cary Grant. The cast is perfect, the script is full of surprises and funny in a smart kind of way that modern moviemaking just doesn't understand. James Mason just oozes evil charisma.So, how's the DVD? Incredible. I can't believe it ever looked this good, even on the big screen. The color separation is vivid and sharp, and I only noticed two or three imperfections in the print, which is amazing considering the age of this film. The stereo separation and noise reduction are great. Bernard Hermann's score, one of the most brilliant and propulsive I've ever heard, is absolutely transparent. And, of course, the stereo panning during the crop-duster sequence is spot-on. Oh yeah, and it includes the original theatrical trailer, as well as a mock commercial done by Hitchcock himself extolling the virtues of Mt. Rushmore as a tourist attraction!
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Summary: Herrmann and Hitchcock, a Powerhouse Team
Review: "North By Northwest" is a film to be seen AND heard. Much of Hitchcock's reputation as a genius of suspense is due to his brilliant collaboration with Bernard Herrmann, one of the most important composers of the 20th century. None other than George Martin, legendary producer of the Beatles, has cited Herrmann's "spikey string arrangements" as a major influence on recordings such as "Eleanor Rigby." Imagine, for example, the shower scene from "Psycho" without the terror-inducing, demonic music that accompanies it. Or think of the bell-tower scene in "Vertigo" without Herrmann's gut-wrenching soundtrack. "North By Northwest" is no exception. Visually, it is colorful, vibrant, and stylish, but I think it's the MUSIC that carries us through the picture emotionally. The effect of Cary Grant's "drunk driving" scene is more than doubled by Herrmann's clever score. Likewise the Mt. Rushmore scene...the visuals are great, but the actual suspense derives significantly from Herrmann's music. There is an artistic "chemistry" between Hitchcock and Herrmann, as director and composer, rivaled by none save perhaps the partnership of Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone ("The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly," "Once Upon A Time In The West," "The Mission,"). Together, these men created works more powerful than anything they created separately. The DVD release of "North By Northwest" is terrific. The picture is absolutely GORGEOUS, and the soundtrack is crystal clear, allowing Herrmann's score to really stand out. There is also a fine "making-of" documentary, a music-only feature, and a screenwriter's feature-length commentary. If you are worried because this isn't part of the fine Universal series of DVD releases, don't be. Everything here is top-notch.
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Summary: "Excuse me, but who are those people living in your house?"
Review: That's the question the exasperated Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) puts to an Interpol bigwig at the UN before the next shocking turn in Alfred Hitchcock's thrilling "North by Northwest". A classic case of mistaken identity takes place when Mr. Van Dam's (James Mason's)henchmen pick up Thornhill by mistake, thinking him to be a superspy on their tail. Wonderful dialogue as Thornhill and Van Dam face off in a well-appointed LI mansion, before Thornhill is consigned to a near fatal attempt on his life by chief goon Leonard (an extremely young and thin Martin Landau). There's no way I could possibly record all the twists and turn of this plot--and you wouldn't want me to either--but along the way, Thornhill does meet up with a surprisingly sexy Eva Marie Saint playing Eve Kendall, and he faces danger both in a cornfield and on Mount Rushmore before everything gets sorted out. Cary Grant turns in one of his better late performances, and scampers around pretty well for a man in his 50s--a testament to his acrobat youth, no doubt. James Mason is always a delight to listen to, and Eva Marie Saint turns the voltage on high while being oh so subtle. And if you, like me, have a bit of an absurd sense of humor, do check out that furry chair in Van Dam's Mount Rushmore home--every time it's in a shot, I just burst out laughing! Go "North by Northwest" for your next Hitchcock outing--you won't be disappointed!
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Summary: Guy Flick and Chick Flick!!!!
Review: This is a sexy and romantic film that people get shot and stabbed in. (If you don't believe the sexy part- you haven't seen it since you were seven and you didn't get it) Buy this movie and watch it with a date!
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Summary: Non-Stop Excitement
Review: I must say I saw this movie the other day and was astonished at how well the acting was and how good the suspense factor was, if your one of those people searching for Hitchcock in this movie, I'll tell you where he is if you watch the opening credits, look for a man getting on to a bus that is HITCHCOCK! I must say if you love suspense if you love spy novels I suggest you pick up this movie and watch it trust me you will definitely like it, I loved every second of it, it's very very good and you will love it.
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Summary: WORLD'S GREATEST ROAD PICTURE
Review: Alfred Hitchcock's star-studded romantic comedy adventure is the best escapist entertainment there is. It anticipates the thrills of the James Bond genre but recasts the hero as the Hollywood equivalent of an everyman (it's easy for a guy to imagine he's Cary Grant, right?). Boring old advertising executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) signals a bellman in a hotel lounge to ask where the nearest telephone is. He is mistaken by two henchmen for a fellow named George Kaplan (not to be confused with famous Jazz radio host Michael Kaplan). He rises and walks toward the phone only to be escorted by the thugs to a mysterious mansion. Examining this initial action sheds light on what's so delightful about the entire movie. The henchmen are trying to track down a man named George Kaplan. They don't know what he looks like but they know he's staying at this specific hotel so they have him paged. Roger Thornhill appears to respond to the page so they nab him. The coincidence seems innocent enough and the action of all parties involved plausible enough that we're never challenged to suspend our disbelief. At the same time, the underlying story that sets the coincidence in motion is something that could only be cooked up by a wily screenwriter. In this case, Ernest Lehman. It's a shaggy dog story that will cast its unwitting protagonist into a world of international espionage, into the arms of icy blonde du jour Eva Marie Saint, and clambering over Abe Lincoln's nose on Mount Rushmore. The script, peppered with sexual innuendo, suits Cary Grant's sly, sexy style. James Mason as his sophisticated nemesis is a perfect match. We're asked to believe that Eva Marie Saint's character who falls in love with Grant, once fell in love with Mason. It's not too much of a stretch. Working on this gorgeous, big budget, big star production must have made Hitchcock yearn for simplicity because he followed it with the $800,000 Psycho. The road picture aspect of the film allows Alfred Hitchcock to strut his directorial stuff in locations as open as a corn field in Indiana and as tight as a railroad train sleeping compartment. We visit the United Nations Building, Union Station in Chicago, the Mount Rushmore observatory...it's almost like taking a vacation. Don't miss the bus.
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Summary: Mount Rushmore will never be the same...
Review: Hitchcock has crafted an extremely influential film with NORTH BY NORTHWEST. The storyline takes ordinary man Cary Grant and throws him into extraordinary circumstances that have him globetrotting and fighting for his life. Origanally, and for its first 40 years plus, it would have gotten a 5 star rating, but I believe that much of todays market will find the film slower than what they are now nurtured on. Hitchcock's occasional, deliberate camera tricks where important elements of his stories, todays filmmakers use unique effects far more often with less concern as to its purpose in the story. Can todays audience appreciate that paradigm shift and apply it to this film? Doubtful, and unfortunately for NORTH BY NORTHWEST, too much to ask. Still, a great DVD of a story oft imitated.
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