'North by Northwest (50th Anniversary Edition)' - High-Def Digest Review

[cupboy]

Haven't most Wal-mart stores discontinued stocking new BD releases?

I know the stores around here have. All they stock now is "budget" priced stuff like Bullitt, etc. Whatever they can price under $10.

[Cochise]

Haven't most Wal-mart stores discontinued stocking new BD releases?

I know the stores around here have. All they stock now is "budget" priced stuff like Bullitt, etc. Whatever they can price under $10.

Sure isn't my experience. My local Walmart in the small town of Benson, east of Tucson, had plenty of Wizard of Oz and Transformers 2, and I even picked up a copy of the catalog release Varsity Blues. If you store isn't good a stocking new release you can always use free site to store shipping. But I'm getting my copy of NbNW from Amazon; with 8.5% sales tax I'd pay at WM, Amazon is still cheaper at $20.99.

[CorruptedDragon]

Haven't most Wal-mart stores discontinued stocking new BD releases?

I know the stores around here have. All they stock now is "budget" priced stuff like Bullitt, etc. Whatever they can price under $10.

Most still carry new release. If yours doesn't you can choose site-to-store and have them ship it to the store so you can pick it up. That way, you bypass shipping charges. Typically thats what I do.

[Doozy]

I hear what you're saying, terpfan, but I don't mind paying a premium for a true classic that's been lovingly restored at great expense. In my mind, it's a privilege to see 'North by Northwest' in such fabulous condition. And since classics are in no way flooding the Blu-ray market, I'm willing to splurge once in a while for a title like this. (Of course, $20.99 for a beautiful digibook is hardly a splurge.)

And I don't think 'North by Northwest' deserves to be lumped in with typical, run-of-the-mill catalogue releases. Studios don't spend a dime on many of those, and if they do spruce them up a bit, they're not shelling out close to $1 million like Warner did on the 'NbNW' restoration. I agree, stuff from the '80s and '90s like 'Major League,' 'St. Elmo's Fire,' and 'Wolf,' to name a random few, should be very affordable, but classics require considerably more work (and $$$) to make them suitable for Blu-ray, so I can understand a bit of inflated pricing so the studios can recoup their investment.

I'd love to see 'Rear Window,' 'Vertigo,' 'Psycho,' 'The Birds,' 'Notorious,' 'Rebecca,' and other Hitchcock classics get first-class Blu-ray restorations, but if sales for 'NbyNW' are lukewarm, the likelihood of that happening diminishes. So I think in these early stages, we do need to show our support, even if the price seems a little high initially. I sincerely believe that once the market is established and there are more titles to choose from, prices will come down. They always have in the past.

Yes Yes Yes I agree with everything you said. Ive had NBNW on pre-order the same day Amazon had it available (and actually even before that as a title I wanted on blu). I, too, am willing to spend a few extra bucks for a film like NBNW (a classic by anybodys standard) thats had all the work done to it to make it shine on blu-ray. Same is true for Wizard of Oz and the upcoming Gone with the Wind. These are all true classics that cannot be compared to today's special effects extravaganzas that have no substance (aside from just the fx), crap acting and the like - stuff meant for those who need visual stimulation to keep their attention.

If we truly want to continue seeing classics on blu-ray those of us who do appreciate great films really need to buy these films at fair prices. 21 bucks isnt all that much at all to pay for NBNW. Isnt a classic Hitchcock film worth as much as a classic Disney film? I think so. And thats all I need to say. I hope everyone who's a fan of this film and Hitchcock buffs will put this on a Day ONE purchase.

[terpfan1980]

Yes Yes Yes I agree with everything you said. Ive had NBNW on pre-order the same day Amazon had it available (and actually even before that as a title I wanted on blu). I, too, am willing to spend a few extra bucks for a film like NBNW (a classic by anybodys standard) thats had all the work done to it to make it shine on blu-ray. Same is true for Wizard of Oz and the upcoming Gone with the Wind. These are all true classics that cannot be compared to today's special effects extravaganzas that have no substance (aside from just the fx), crap acting and the like - stuff meant for those who need visual stimulation to keep their attention.

If we truly want to continue seeing classics on blu-ray those of us who do appreciate great films really need to buy these films at fair prices. 21 bucks isnt all that much at all to pay for NBNW. Isnt a classic Hitchcock film worth as much as a classic Disney film? I think so. And thats all I need to say. I hope everyone who's a fan of this film and Hitchcock buffs will put this on a Day ONE purchase.

The funny thing is (considering that I was the one that started 'whining' about the pricing for this title) that I had already pre-ordered this title at the higher price of $24.99. That's higher than I'd prefer, but I applied the same logic that you guys are in that I consider this a very worthy and worthwhile classic and I'll pay more for it (like I did for Wizard of Oz deluxe set) because of that.

With that said, I still don't think customers should just bend over backwards or blindly to pay higher prices for these titles, no matter how near and dear they are to us. Yes, yes, yes, YES we need to send the message that we want these classic titles and that we want them to get quality treatment and good transfers, but no we shouldn't just pay a premium because we're getting North by Northwest rather than Stan Helsing. A small premium perhaps, but not $5 - $10 more just because.

A few years from now the prices for all of these titles are likely to be low enough that we're seeing Blu-rays in the bins in Wally-worlds and then some of us are going to feel like idiots for nearly bankrupting ourselves for these titles. Meanwhile the studios are gonna continue to push out whatever they choose anyway, no matter how many more copies of North by Northwest sold versus Year One. They'll make those decisions based on costs, projected profits, marketing costs, and a bunch of other factors, nearly none of which really relate back to the fans reception of these earlier titles. They may, just may, look at the sales for this catalog title when making up their mind about other catalog titles to release, but again it's more likely they'll look at a lot of other factors and decide that they're better off releasing Big Daddy instead of Rear Window. (Not that I wouldn't buy Big Daddy or Rear Window).

[dbacksfan]

Good points, terp, but I must interject that when I interviewed George Feltenstein, who heads up Warner's classics division, several months ago for an HDD article about classics on Blu-ray, the point he kept driving home was that classics require so much prep work to make them suitable for Blu-ray, and that prep work is so astronomically expensive, that before Warner approves future restorations, the powers-that-be have to be assured that sales will support the price tag. Titles likes OZ and GWTW are no-brainers; they'll sell well no matter what. They're icons. But NBNW, even though it's Hitchcock, doesn't possess quite the same name value, so further down the line, when more minor titles are considered - say, 'The Big Sleep' or 'Mildred Pierce' or 'Now Voyager,' which are all in black-and-white - they may get nixed because a big, color, action Hitchcock film didn't sell well.

So, while I agree with you about a lot of what you say, I do feel the studios really pay attention to sales, and I think they're the ultimate determining factor in whether studios go forward in a big way with classics on Blu-ray.

[romwarrior]

Amazon is at $19.99 now...

[shaolin95]

Deleted Message

[Filmmaker]

I find this movie VERY boring to be perfectly honest.
Before you flame me, understand this has nothing to do with age, or maybe it does but for older persons driven by nostalgia.
I mean, the action is lame, the acting is so so, with all due respect but the girl is ok but mr Grant is very dorky looking and is as far from an action person as one can be.
Really even the so famous air plane is like...that's it?
I know I will get hit BIG but I just find it odd that the love for this movie.

Somebody please make him stop. He's hurting my head.

[shaolin95]

Deleted Post

[Doozy]

Well, my copy of NBNW arrived today from Amazon.com and I just finished watching the movie as well as the documentaries and I have to say it is even better than I hoped.

As the reviewer here at HiDef Digest has said the transfer is awesome (my word, not his). The transfer is so clean and just breathtaking that I've never experienced this quality of this film on home video. The original theatrical release may (or may not) have looked this good. I am a nitpicker to the upteenth degree and a major fan of Hitchs films so believe me when I say how happy I am to see this film look this gorgeous. This is a very high quality film (a classic at the very least) and now has such a beautiful transfer to match for all of us (old and young) who appreciate fine cinema art.

Being in my teens very few of my friends and family can understand my love of classic films and they ask me why I prefer them to some (if not most) of todays movies. I always answer them the same - a classic is something that people can relate to for years to come - it doesnt grow old. If there is ever a best example of this, its NBNW. So while I read that others here find this film "boring" I have to believe they didnt give this film a chance. Dont let the costumes or wardrobe, haircuts, etc get in the way of enjoying a film like this as those are incidental items. Let yourself be absorbed in the story by the master himself and if you allow yourself to do this, I have not a shadow of a doubt your will realize why Hitchcocks films are so important still all these years later.

[twonunpackmule]

Being in my teens very few of my friends and family can understand my love of classic films and they ask me why I prefer them to some (if not most) of todays movies.

It gets easier. College will be kind.

[Filmmaker]

Sorry that I am hurting your head.
I did not know that expressing my opinion of a movie could be that influential on others.
My bad then.

I constantly court being suspended/banned here for expressing my opinions...never underestimate the power of an unpopular point of view...

[dbacksfan]

Well, my copy of NBNW arrived today from Amazon.com and I just finished watching the movie as well as the documentaries and I have to say it is even better than I hoped.

As the reviewer here at HiDef Digest has said the transfer is awesome (my word, not his). The transfer is so clean and just breathtaking that I've never experienced this quality of this film on home video. The original theatrical release may (or may not) have looked this good. I am a nitpicker to the upteenth degree and a major fan of Hitchs films so believe me when I say how happy I am to see this film look this gorgeous. This is a very high quality film (a classic at the very least) and now has such a beautiful transfer to match for all of us (old and young) who appreciate fine cinema art.

Being in my teens very few of my friends and family can understand my love of classic films and they ask me why I prefer them to some (if not most) of todays movies. I always answer them the same - a classic is something that people can relate to for years to come - it doesnt grow old. If there is ever a best example of this, its NBNW. So while I read that others here find this film "boring" I have to believe they didnt give this film a chance. Dont let the costumes or wardrobe, haircuts, etc get in the way of enjoying a film like this as those are incidental items. Let yourself be absorbed in the story by the master himself and if you allow yourself to do this, I have not a shadow of a doubt your will realize why Hitchcocks films are so important still all these years later.

Great post, Doozy!! I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear of your enthusiasm for classic films, and that someone in your age group appreciates them so much. You remind me very much of myself way back when. I'm in my 40s now, but I discovered classic films around the age of 12, and have been a diehard fan ever since. You have excellent taste, and I hope you will continue to explore the genre for years to come. The support of people like you will keep these films alive, and hopefully will enable more classics to be released on Blu-ray in the future. I look forward to reading more of your posts in future classic movie threads.

[cheez avenger]

I'm stoked to watch this. It's at home waiting to be screened. Hell, this is a blind buy, but I love Hitchcock's films. Rope, Lifeboat, Psycho, and Vertigo being my top 4.