A New Zealand team of preservationists have announced the found the first half of one of Hitch’s earliest known works, in 1924′s White Shadow. As THR reports, Hitchcock is credited as assistant director, art director, editor and writer. He was 24 when he worked on the film; his feature directorial debut would come soon afterward on The Pleasure Garden (1925).

“These first three reels of The White Shadow — more than half the film — offer a priceless opportunity to study [Hitchcock’s] visual and narrative ideas when they were first taking shape,” said David Sterritt, chairman of the National Society of Film Critics and author of The Films of Alfred Hitchcock.

The film, which stars Betty Compson in a dual role as twin sisters — one angelic and the other “without a soul” — turned up among the cache of unidentified American nitrate prints safeguarded at the New Zealand Film Archive in Wellington. The first three reels of the six-reel feature were found; no other copy is known to exist.

Kind of epic huh?

The Film:

Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Diabolique is an anxiety-ridden, suspense tale, and it’s no wonder Alfred Hitchcock wanted the rights before Clouzot famously got them before the Master of Suspense, because its a precursor to the suspense Hitch would master in Vertigo.  While Hitchcock would soon in 1955 go into widescreen, beautifully shot color films, Clouzot’s fullframe, black-and-white film is oddly old fashioned in the Expressionistic style, through and through, yet the camera is a much more keen storyteller than anyone in that style used. Widely considered a masterpiece, Clouzot’s film has been a source of inspiration to such films as Peeping Tom, Psycho, and Repulsion, yet I think those films use the suspense to far greater effect than in Diabolique.

Maybe we’ve come accustomed to the genre conventions of stingers, twists and turns, and heavy-handed drama, as Diabolique is a reserved, subtle thriller, that uses its subtly to its advantage for maximum chills. But it’s a rather talky and long-winded thriller, that comes off a tad too stale and stuffy now days. Still, when viewed as a prequel to such great works as what Hitchcock gave us, and those films I mentioned in the prior paragraph, the film is an interesting prequel to modern suspense films. Using careful framing and blocking of scenes, Clouzot’s film is a sleepy tale of murder and guilt, with a stagy twist ending that is a foreshadow to the strings Hitchcock would pull. Diabolque is no doubt a great film, and its age shouldn’t show just because of weaker, modern thrillers. Loud, flashy zooms, twists, direction and sound designs have limited and hurt thrillers today, and Diabolique is a superb example of restraint, a trait movies today, as well as movie goers have lost.

Diabolique truly requires multiple viewings to its full effect to wash over you. The seemingly random bits of dialogue or actions have their cause later on in the film, again allowing Clouzot’s sleight of hand to be fully engaging as a mystery. Acting as a true archetype for the modern thriller, it’s a shame I’m not reviewing this in 1955, since hindsight tells me the film is too talky and slow building compared to others. It’s essentially true, but the cinephile in me tells me suspense films post-Diabolique only reassures its dominance and influence, yet the films from Hitchcock and Polanski feels tighter and paced faster. Regardless, modern film fans should appreciate the acting, direction, and thoroughness of the story, along with Diabolique‘s dark and sinister undertones that clinches its reputation as a great chiller and its status as a wonderful Criterion addition.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Typical Criterion, everything amazing in its HD presentation. Given the source and the age, the transfer while a little soft, is restored with great contrast and depth. Minor print blemishes should distract from the wonderful black-and-white cinematography. The uncompressed mono track is clean and crisp, but naturally, it’s a dialogue-centered film, so don’t expect an audio experience.

Introduction: In HD, historian Serge Bromberg, director of a documentary on Henri-Georges Clouzot, talks about the director’s style and legacy, and how it factors into Diabolique.

Kim Newman: The film critic in HD, talks about the influence the film has over thrillers and horror films since. Some material he talks about is repeated in other extras, it’s still a good watch.

Selected Scene Commentary: French-film scholar Kelley Conway pops up periodically to dissect certain scenes in a historically and thematic analysis. Totaling about 45 minutes worth of material.

Rounding out the extras, is the HD Trailer and Criterion’s wonderful and always-included Essay Booklet.

The Film: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The book details all the aspects of the creation of Psycho, and the script which has been written by John McLaughlin will focus on Hitchcock’s relationship with his wife Alma Reville. We will keep you updated on the progress of this film, and soon enough we will find out if Hopkins and Gervasi ink a deal.

Source: THR

Would you dig this doc, or are you tired of horror-related docs?

The Film:

Psycho is the perfect horror film. It’s required viewing. It’s the quintessential Hitchcock. And after 50 years, we still haven’t run out of breathe discussing the film, yet for all of the accolades for the film being the forefather of the slasher genre, nobody has ever discussed how this film acted as a prelude for the following two decades, not in horror, but in real life. While the atrocities of Ed Gein, the quite Wisconsin serial killer for whom Norman Bates was inspired by, went largely unknown to the general populus except for a small Time magazine article. But in 1960, the year Psycho was released, we were a decade away from Charles Manson, who’s ritualized killings would soon signal the end of the Flower Power generation and usher in a whole new wave of crime, all that Psycho alluded to.

I doubt if Alfred Hitchcock was accute to this knowledge of how much foreshadowing the film would have on America’s serial killing crime boom, since all historical knowledge seems to lead us to believe all he wanted was to direct a scary thriller. But the film was a head-of-its-time, for more reasons than initially thought of. In 1960, toilets and the word transvestite were atypical things, and were never seen in film. The psychology of Norman Bates in this film was radical, yet after the likes of Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, it seems so in tune to what we know about mental and criminal mental health.

While Hitchcock is wisely applauded for the film, I think its Joseph Stefano’s script that is perhaps the film’s biggest assests. It’s smart, maybe even too smart, since most of the critics were cold on the film on initial release. I think its the fact that while being a great shocker, it was ahead of its time in terms of psychology, and perhaps that’s why the film was so scary in 1960.

Now it all seems so quaint, doesn’t it? Psycho is horror done right: it’s clever, smart, mature, yet terrifying and unpredictable. They just don’t make them like this anymore, and while crime has went from methodical serialized killings to mass killings over the years, it’s also the most subtle case of foreshadowing to was what coming in crime that we never saw coming. The world truly wasn’t ready for Psycho.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Has it really been 50 years of Norman Bates? Well, anyone who has followed the film throughout the various incarnations on home video will surely recognize that its only got better with age. This new HD print is pretty great. It’s a great improvement over the DVD releases, eliminating dirt, scratches, noise, and roughness. Some might be disappointed after seeing WB’s fine restoration of Hitch’s North by Northwest, but I think that film’s restoration benefited from being in color. The black and white cinematography is marvelous in HD. Sharp details and constrast should sparkle.

We get two audio mixes here, including the original mono for purists. The newly advertised DTS 5.1 mix is decent, if one understands the sound design. It’s largely front heavy, but it feels a little more deft than the mono.

Extras: Most of the supplemental material has been ported over from previous editions, but we do get some new material.

What’s new?

Commentary: Author of Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, Stephen Rebello, offers a pretty decent track. Maybe it’s because we all know the stories, some repeated on previous extras, that made the track a little dull. Even still, Rebello is fast-talking, energetic, and informative, which makes for a listen, even if once.

Psycho Sound: In HD, this featurette, which runs for about 10 minutes, examines the new 5.1 audio mix that Universal did for this release.

Hitchcock/Truffaut: Okay, get your film school street cred here. In HD, this 1962 interview between the great French New Wave director Francois Truffaut, he interviews Hitch about the film and his work. It’s really good, important, and informational. A must see.

All the rest of the extras have been ported over from previous editions and are all in SD.

The Making of Psycho is a great 94 minute documentary that offers plenty of interviews from nearly everyone that covers the book, the pre-production, the filming, and the release. It’s by far the best thing on Psycho. In the Master’s Shadow offers up a look at how he has inspired other directors like William Friedkin, Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, and Eli Roth (what?). A fun 1960 Newsreel Footage, Storyboards, Stills and Poster Gallery, Trailers and TV Spots, finish out the extras.

Conclusion: A masterpiece of cinema and horror on a swell Blu-ray.

The Film: Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Film:

Alfred Hitchcock’s original Psycho (1960)broke the rules for film. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is killed early in the film, forcing the audience to relate to Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). Crane’s adultery is viewed matter-of-factly. Never before had bathroom been seen in a film. A naked woman is stabbed (though she isn’t actually as a cineaste noted after breaking the film down frame-by-frame). Though the film was produced on a low budget, with Hitchcock using his TV crew to film the sequences, the story set a template for all future horror films.

Hitch asked audiences not to spoil the ending for other viewers and, it seems, for the most part they didn’t. Who saw The Crying Game or The Sixth Sense without knowing the ironic twist beforehand? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Hitchcock also hired guards like my 300 lb. Viking father-in-law to not let audience members enter the film late.

Psycho Legacy would have been better served devoting more time to the original, the classic, and less time to the three sequels, however good they might be. In Psycho 2 (1983), a middle-aged Norman Bates is released from a mental institution, much to the chagrin of Lila Loomis (Vera Miles). He returns to the hotel and the Edward Hopper-inspired Victorian mansion, where history repeats itself with a nubile Meg Tilly. Dennis Franz had an early role P2, though without nudity. The director of this effort Richard Franklin knew Hitchcock and received his daughter Pat’s blessing before continuing the series. Psycho 3 (1986) was Tony Perkins’ directorial debut. In a tower sequence, Perkins pays homage to the Hitchcock films’ Vertigo and Saboteur. To set the mood for the actors, Perkins showed the Coen Brother’s Blood Simple. In Psycho 3, an anachronistic phone booth substitutes for the shower. Psycho 4 (1990),a made for TV movie, was a prequel to the original film. Perkins pouted about not directing. Olivia Hussey–yes, Juliet of the Zeffirelli film–plays Norman’s smoking-hot mother. Later of The Shield, CCH Pounder stars here also.

Archival footage here is haphazard. At an unnamed fan festival, Perkins sports over-sized Larry King glasses and holds the world’s largest mic. Janet Leigh discusses her fear of showers on a 1970′s talk show interview à la Merv Griffen or Mike Douglas. While Robert Loggia weighs in on Psycho 2, many key figures are missing. No Vera Miles. No Meg Tilly. No Dennis Franz. No CCH Pounder. No Pat Hitchcock. The result: a doc for only the most serious of Psycho fans.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: Per the transfer, see the previous paragraph.

Extras: Three hours of extras on its own bonus DVD.

Tony Perkins’ Question and Answer Interview (41 minutes):Interesting if you can overcome the amateurish video. Is this the first time the filmer ever picked up a camera?

Psycho Reunion Panel (6 minutes): Stills from an audio interview in 2008 with Richard Franklin and others.

Tour of the Bates Motel (2 minutes): On the Universal lot. Really the second set, as the first set was built over by Jaws.

Revisiting Psycho 2 (15 minutes): Writer Tom Holland and editor Andrew London reminisce.

Shooting Psycho 2 (19 minutes):Camera-man Dean Cundey waxes nostalgic on the sequel.

A Visit with Psycho Memorabilia Collector Guy Thorpe (7 minutes): See a sculpture of Norman, the bones of the mother from Psycho 2, and numerous lobby stills.

Norman Bates in Print (12 minutes): Robert Bloch author of Psycho. Learn of Bloch’s puns and corny sense of humor.

Psycho on the Web (4 minutes):A chat with Jay Allentoff. A look at his comprehensive Psycho website.

The Hyaena Gallery presents Serial-Killer-Inspired Art (12 minutes): This Burbank gallery depicts the dark arts in many colors.

Final Note: This critic experienced Psycho during its initial run in his mother’s womb.

The Film: Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The DVD: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Secret in Their Eyes

Killer Film readers will connect with opening scene: the nude, bloody victim, splayed artfully as if Michelangelo has set up the shot. Called in against his will, Ben connects with widower Ricardo Morales (Pablo Rago) to help solve the murder, only to find the psycho-killer released from his sentence and working for the corrupt government! A closer look at their surnames foreshadows the denouement: Ben exposes the solution; Ricardo establishes a new morality.

Concurrently Ben reconnects with the lovely Irene (Soledad Villamil), a lost love at the time of the killing. The Secret in their Eyes thus speaks to both the crime’s solution and also his affair of the heart. With Ben’s partner Pablo Sandoval (Guillermo Francella) as drunken comic relief, the story unfolds with several intelligent twists and turns, as the fashions of Gerald Ford’s presidency clash with those of the millennium. Eyes pays homage to Hitchcock: steep angles suggest power while reflections in mirrors and panels evoke horror. A film-noir ending is reminiscent of Chinatown, leaving convalescents stumbling disoriented out of the theater. A very satisfying catharsis indeed.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Film:

Just right when you think Martin Scorsese might be putting on the cruise control in his later part of his career, out comes Shutter Island, a furious exploit into a genre that Scorsese has rarely visited. That genre could be perceived as the horror genre, as there are a few moments that would be proudly touted as such, but I liken Shutter Island to what Hitchcock had always done. Where Hitchcock’s films ever really horror, outside of Psycho? Not really. But it’s a blast seeing such a legend in the film world take a stab at a film with such conventions, and Scorsese instantly makes this better, than if another director would have touched it. He’s a much appreciated and loved film maestro, and he hits each note of the genre conventions with such grace, we really don’t mind that the film almost suffers from that Kubrick The Shining syndrome in its third act.

Immediately the film is captivating. The opening notes to what Robbie Robertson curated under the Paramount logo swells us into the film’s forthcoming mystery. The cinematography is gorgeous, easily capturing the Gothic nature to the story. It’s the suspense of the film that leaves us in our seats, something Scorsese knows how to do well, as a lot of the film structurally feels like his own Cape Fear. For most of the film, one wishes Scorsese had been more in tune to seeking out these genre pictures, as his film knowledge serves him well in Shutter Island.

Remember when Stanley Kubrick sought out and did Stephen King’s The Shining in 1980? We have a master director, a crafty storyteller, that birthed a film that missed a key punch, a much-needed flash of “boo” that would’ve send the film into the stratosphere. Kubrick is one of cinema’s best directors, as is Scorsese, but since The Shining and at times, Shutter Island, plays out like a horror film (especially The Shining), that it shows that this is a genre that both really don’t know incredibly well. Kubrick’s film is anchored by the rowdy performance of Jack Nicholson, but it missed some horror beats that a horror-smart director would’ve nailed. Scorsese isn’t too concerned with terrifying us like Kubrick hoped in his film, but these types of film’s needs to end with a bang, and Shutter Island ends with a whimper.

The ending here seems like a thriller/suspense/horror veteran would easily see coming, and that problem is more for screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis than Scorsese, although his visual splash is missing here, aiding the generic conclusion. It’s very Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919), as one would expect Scorsese’s deep film knowledge to peak up. The ending literally trickles down, leaving many with a filling of being unsatisfied. Now, I personally haven’t read the book, but for the film, it seemed rather generic to end like it did, when the first hour and 45 minutes were so stellar. It’s also the type of ending, that with a repeated viewing of the film, could work better the second time around or could collapse the film. We’ll see, but Shutter Island instantly proves Scorsese is like fine wine, as his film’s are just as good now as they were in the past. Does it matter where Shutter Island stands amongst his other work? No. Shutter Island is a must-see, but watch out for the lack-a-dazed ending.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Paramount unleashes one of their better looking HD transfers here. Blacks are bold and dark, colors pop out, details are extremely high, all of which really showcases the film’s amazing cinematography. The DTS track is really good too, with certain considerations. It really opens up with the rain and thunderstorms, but it’s mostly a front heavy mix, with the music swelling in at all angles. Still it’s a great mix, and should please thriller fans.

All extras are in HD.

Behind the Shutters: This is a very spoiler heavy chat, FYI. All of the actors talks about Scorsese, the book’s author chimes in, and Scorsese chats about making the film’s replay value high. This is a short piece, 17 minutes, but everything is quick and informational, making it a worth time spent.

In the Lighthouse: Here’s an incredible interesting tangent featurette to the film as we listen in on lobotomizing patients and the work the actors put into their characters to get a real feeling to the psychology and reactions. It’s 21 minutes and it adds to the film as an cool bit of source info.

Trailers round out the extras.

Conclusion: Not Scorsese’s best, but a daring exploration into a genre he hasn’t played around in much on a superb, if extras-slim, Blu-ray from Paramount.

The Film: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

(Warning! Possible Spoilers ahead!)

- The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919): It’s not to hard to see why Scorsese would use this film has a loose framework for Shutter Island. Of course, this film is a pivotal piece of film history, often called the greatest horror movie, but the use of the twist ending, something Shutter Island shares, where the film was told in flashback from a character known as Francis. At the end, we learned that his “story” was all a delusion as he was in the mental institution all along, again something Shutter Island and Scorsese used and honored. It’s the first and best, even if to modern audiences, it’s a stiff feeling film.

- Girl, Interrupted (1999): Personality Disorders are becoming increasing common, as we learn how to easily diagnose them, something both Scorsese and James Mangold use. Even his directorial debut Heavy, explores similar themes, maybe that’s why Ryder really have to push Mangold to direct this good film. Based on a memoir of a teenager’s 18-month stay at a mental institution, the film is noted for its great acting and nominations for Angelina Jolie, even though the book’s author Susanna Kaysen was one of the film’s detractors.

- The Machinist (2003): Still a great underrated film, it too shares a link to Shutter Island as Christian Bale’s character suffers from a Dissociative Disorder, much like-as we learn later-DiCaprio’s character. The Machinist might be notable for Bale’s transformation into a severely emaciated insomniac, who rightfully believes in what he is seeing. Of course, it’s all smoke-and-mirrors since he realizes it was all him, a guilty conscience that forced him into denial. Sounds familiar?

- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975): Hey, they’re all mad in this film! Shutter Island has numerous strings attached to this classic. A great cast, where Shutter Island had Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Jackie Earle Haley, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Emily Mortimer, Cuckoo had Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Louise Flectcher, Christopher Lloyd, and Brad Dourif, making both pictures a great assemble unit, and both film’s had tyrants running the institution, with Fletcher most memorably as Nurse Ratched and Kingsley as Dr. John Cawley. Plus, don’t forget both film’s use of the lobotomy.

- American Psycho (2000): Both films share an interesting angle in which both lead’s are delusional in thinking that what they are seeing is real, but they’ve snapped reality. Certainly, “Teddy” is no Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale again), but both have stressed themselves into a fictional world, that is far more comforting that what’s really going on. Also, both characters are quite alarmed when they realize they’ve been in this “other” world and by each film’s climax, they must choose between reality and face it, or retreat into a far more controlled fantasy world.

- The Snake Pit (1948):A seemingly lesser known film, especially on this list, but the Olivia de Havilland starring Oscar nominated film made waves at the time with accolades and dismisses. Wikipedia‘s plot synopsis states it all: “Virginia, a recently married writer, is hospitalized for a nervous breakdown. Unable to perceive what is going on, for a long time she is not even sure where she is. The film follows her progress through the various wards and her psychotherapy sessions with an understanding doctor. In flashbacks she returns to her childhood and explores incidents which might have caused her breakdown. Over time she gains insight and self-understanding, and is able to leave the hospital. The film also depicts the bureaucratic regimentation of the institution, the staff — some brutal and ignorant, some kindhearted — and relationships between patients, from which Virginia learns as much as she does in therapy.”

The film’s impact far outweighs some of the dismissals from the psychiatric community, as it led to some changes within mental institutions across the US. While, Shutter Island focuses more on a fictional event in the guise of a thriller, their compatibility is unique enough to share some common links.

- Shock Corridor (1963): The great Sam Fuller presented a fine, wicked mystery/thriller set in a mental institution as a journalist seeks to solve a cold case by committing himself to the institution to do so. By the end, he finds himself with an irreparable mental disorder, and is unable to leave. The film is out on the Criterion Collection, a label that has used Scorsese a few times for commentary tracks on various films. If anything, Shock Corridor and Shutter Island share a brotherliness bond with some common themes, more so than any other film on this list.

- Clean, Shaven (1994): This is a unique film, especially because of its objectivity towards schizophrenia, yet Clean, Shaven also features a character wrapped up in a murder mystery of a young girl. In an interview, the director stated “I set it up that Peter, who suffers from schizophrenia, could be the killer, leading the audience down that path, but I withhold proof. There’s no conclusive evidence that he is and if people feel that he’s guilty, I hope that the picture holds them responsible for drawing that conclusion.” Scorsese also leads down a path where he plays with our perception of “Teddy”.

We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven’t you? – Norman Bates, Psycho (1960)

Martin Scorsese crafted a fine film and connecting the dotes between his film and other films that explored similar issues and ideas is just a part of the fun. What are your favorite movies dealing with mental disorders? Agree or disagree? Feel free to email the author at jon@killerfilm.com or leave a comment below!

Of course, this isn’t the first time that a Hitchcock film has been modernized to a certain degree. We can recall such painful experiences like the 1998 Psycho or the inevitable The Birds remake. Granted, The Birds has been floundering in and out of pre-production for awhile, but Universal Pictures and Platinum Dunes are still trying to keep this puppy afloat, Lord knows how.

The Film:

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. The picture for which you are about to read a review for, contains suspense, murder, and intrigue.

That’s what I love about Alfred Hitchcock, the fact that he delivered films that were A-list at the time of their production, featuring some of the biggest stars at the time as well, yet, treated each picture as if he was making a Drive-In B-movie. He was a showman through and through. But that doesn’t cheapen his films, in fact, North by Northwest is a superb film, and a film they don’t make anymore. The film is filled with great scenes after great scenes, but what it all comes down to is the actors. Hitchcock used some of the biggest stars to headline his films, but usually they were challenged by unknown, but still quality actors. Cary Grant is a Hollywood star we really don’t have anymore, as he carries himself with dignity, grace, wit, humor, and almost all of those things are displayed here.

Again, as great as Grant is here, his banter between Eva Marie Saint is the driving blood of the film. Saint, who up until 1959, was mostly a television actress, holds her own against the charismatic Grant. Hitchcock, who’s known for picking blonds for he lead roles for women in his films, might be noted for his great staging of scenes and suspense, needs more credit for his casting choices. Eva Marie Saint is radiant here, both as a beauty and an actress. The scene worth watching, if you want to see a good verbal sparing, with each of them not revealing too much, is the one on the train.

Eve: I tipped the steward five dollars to seat you here if you should come in.

Roger: Is that a proposition?

Eve: I never discuss love on an empty stomach.

Or…

Roger: The moment I meet an attractive woman, I have to start pretending I have no desire to make love to her.

Eve: What makes you think you have to conceal it?

Roger: She might find the idea objectionable.

Eve: Then again, she might not.

There’s a lot of great exchanges between them, and let’s credit the screenwriter, Ernest Lehman, for giving them such sexually charged, and fun dialogue. The dialogue is so good in this film, and not just with Saint and Grant. Grant and Jessie Royce Landis, who plays Grant’s mother in the film, have plenty of great banter.

Hitchcock reached this so-called pinnacle in the late 1950s to early 1960s, with Vertigo, Psycho, Birds, and his TV series, but some recognize North by Northwest as a great film, but pass over it when talking about this time frame. Not a chance for me. This film is as good as any Hitchcock, perhaps the benchmark for his wrong man genre, crafting a film that is a whirlwind experience of suspense, intrigue, and comedy. Hitchcock is known as a master, and absolutely true, but even when he has a brilliant composer, like Bernard Herrmann, Hitch tells him to stop during the cornfield sequence. A scene deliberately set-up for suspense, and without music, it’s still thrilling. This is a textbook example of how to make a thriller. See, they really don’t make them like they use too.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: This is North by Northwest‘s 50^th Anniversary, and having owned the older DVD version from the late 1990s, all I can say is: wow. This is a beautiful restoration, hands down. Colors are rich and alive (man, how I miss Technicolor), details are extremely high (I can see the fabric in Grant’s suit!), and no print damage. Most importantly, it looks like it should. No digital manipulation. You know it’s film. Take a look at the cornfield scene: it’s so rich and detailed, this is why Blu-ray exists.

The audio is pretty robust too, for an older film. The original mono track is remade into a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, and impressively, it rocks. Music swells from all speakers, loud and in your face, and even some rear speaker activity. You won’t mistake this for a modern sound design (oh, how foley mixes have come a long way), but when all things are considered, it’s a superb attempt.

Warners have put North by Northwest in one of those fancy digibooks. There’s a pretty cool 40-some odd page book, filled with information on the cast and crew, rare photos, and fun quotes.

Commentary: Screenwriter Ernest Lehman is here providing a soft, but informative track. This track was on the old DVD release, but for Hitchcock fans and fans of the old Hollywood way of making films, here’s a great lesson.

The Master’s Touch: In SD, this is a great hour long documentary on everything Hitch. From his style, to his films, to his career, Scorsese, del Toro, and Friedkin offer up analysis that’s really worth the watch. While it’s surface level at times, especially for long-time Hitch fans, it’s worth the time, regardless.

Cary Grant: A Class Apart: This 90-minute PBS film on the British actor never sugar coats anything from Grant’s life. From failed marriages, to L SD use, to his legendary career, nothing is missed. Fans of the actor will find no better documentary on the man. Perhaps the disc’s best extra.

Destination Hitchcock: Eva Marie Saint hosts this look back at the making of the film with Lehman and Hitchcock’s daughter. Great insights, rare stills and video, and a fantastic piece. Runs 40 minutes in SD.

North by Northwest: One for the Ages: Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential and White Dog) pairs with William Friedkin and others for an examination of the film from start to finish, with 20 some minutes. This is a gift for all you film school students. Full of great analysis and topics of discussion.

Trailers, a wonderful Music Only Track for Herrmann’s score, and some HD Stills round out this fantastic package.

Conclusion: The first Hitchcock film on Blu-ray is a radiant success. This great film is beautifully restored, with a wealth of quality extras. A must own.

The Film: Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Film:

It was in the mid-late 1960′s that Catherine Deneuve cemented herself as much more than a pretty face. Prior to Repulsion‘s release, she appeared in Jacques Demy’s wonderful The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, whom she would again collaborate with in 1967′s The Young Girls of Rochefort. In the same year as the latter film, Deneuve would work with the highly acclaimed Luis Bunuel in one of his most famous films, Belle de jour. Although she may not be a household name to a casual American audience, I think it’s safe to say that she is one of the greatest living actresses in the world.

In Roman Polanski’s Repulsion, Deneuve plays Carol, a Belgian immigrant working as a beautician in London. Through an old family photograph, we can gather than Carol was always a bit strange and reserved, perhaps even the victim of abuse at the hands of her father. She’s timid and sexually repressed, completely disgusted by men and the bourgeois middle-aged customers in her salon.

When her older sister, Helen (Yvonne Furneaux), goes on holiday for a couple of weeks, Carol’s isolation drives her to insanity. Her apartment becomes an organic being – hands emerge from the walls and grope her, and improbably deep cracks form in the plasterwork. A rotting cooked rabbit and sprouting potatoes rest on the kitchen counter. When a pushy suitor, Colin (John Fraser), breaks into the apartment in order to see her, I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying that he doesn’t escape.

The film works because of how restricting it’s setting is. Almost the entire picture takes place inside of the apartment and in Carol’s mind, and this allows for a tremendous focus on the inner turmoil of the woman. Her descent into madness is a natural progression – we’re kept at an arm’s distance from the beginning, and therefore as observers we have no emotional connection or deep understanding of the subject. This means that she doesn’t necessarily go through a “transformation” in a conventional sense, but rather we witness her unveiling the many layers of repressed memories and macabre fantasies.

Repulsion has often been compared to Hitchcock, and in 1965 Kenneth Tynan even remarked that it’s Psycho turned inside out. We see the double murder through the eyes of the killer in Polanski’s film, whereas we see the murders through the eyes of the victims in Psycho. The visual style of the film is definitely Hitchcockian, as is the methodical pacing that creates an unrelenting discomfort and suspense. Repulsion now looks better than ever in a fully-restored print by the Criterion Collection, and it should certainly be a welcome addition to any DVD or Blu-ray collection.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: The transfer is nearly flawless. There are never noticeable artifacts, and the contrast is astounding. Grain is present throughout, but it adds to the look of the film. The audio track is also very good with audible dialogue and a startling dynamic range (the first jump scare nearly sent me up the wall).

Audio Commentary: This track originally appeared on the laserdisc release of the film, and it’s by Roman Polanski and Catherine Deneuve. Unfortunately, like a lot of the Criterion laserdisc tracks, the interviews weren’t recorded at the same time, and therefore you don’t get the charm of a natural conversation. Nevertheless, it’s extraordinarily informative and adds a lot to the film.

Trailers: The disc includes two trailers for the film – one American, and one British.

A British Horror Film: This is a very educational 24-minute documentary on the film. It covers a lot that is mentioned in the audio commentary, so it serves as a good companion piece. Simple features like this are what most DVD releases are missing – it’s quick, but informative and insightful, and it adds to the film.

Grand ecran: I really enjoyed this piece. It’s a documentary from 1964 with behind the scenes footage of Polanski and Deneuve while filming “Repulsion”. It’s a very intimate look at the film-making process, and we get to eavesdrop on philosophical conversations between Polanski and Deneuve regarding Carol.

Conclusion: I give a very strong recommendation for this one. This was my first time seeing the film and I really loved it. The transfer is as good as anything put out by Criterion this year, and although the supplements aren’t lengthly, they’re informative. I’m not much of a blu-ray whore myself, but this is one to spoil yourself with as it looks marvelous in 1080p.

The Film: Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The Blu-ray: Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The official announcement was May 8th, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar called it “a new beginning, restoring confidence in the American people, in their government and in our place in the world.” He also said that reopening the Crown “would proclaim to the world — both figuratively and literally — that the path to the light of liberty is open to all.”

My trip to Liberty Island during the summer of 2004 was quite bittersweet; being so close to the Statue, but not being able to take in view. However, in my plans to try and get to the opening of the Tim Burton exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City this fall, (and naturally let you KillerFilm cats know about it) I may finally be able to experience one of those touristy things that everyone plans on being there forever.

You may recall Lady Liberty from classics like Escape from New York, Ghostbusters II, Planet of the Apes, Mel Brooks’ History of the World Part 1, Cloverfield, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Saboteur, in addition to many other film, cartoon, and television appearances.

Source: USA Today

The Film:

I think Transsiberian succeeds by not falling into the types of traps most thrillers make. It takes it’s time, first. The film is a slow burn; you’ll appreciate it a lot more after a few hours pass from seeing it. It’s a tough, cold, and very gripping thriller from start to finish.

Woody Harrelson plays a typical squeaky clean American who lovers his wife as much as he does trains. Emily Mortimer in a really great performance plays his wife, who had a troubled past until she married him. Their vacation gets interrupted by a young couple who shares their compartment on the Trans-Siberian Express. Soon there on they are not what they seem and our American protagonists are caught up in a web of lies.

The film never over-plots and never wimps out. I think most thrillers try to make themselves edgy with quick cutting in the editing room and highly implausible twists in the plot. Brad Anderson doesn’t do that; his film is too smart for simple mechanics like that. Each scene is followed by another scene of common dialogue and events. By the last thirty minutes you’ll be recalling those seemingly average events and interactions and that’s where the film wins. Those scenes could’ve easily called themselves out, perhaps with an over-bearing score or weak writing. Anderson has crafted a truly interesting suspense film.

The film acts as a warning to American travelers. In one scene Harrelson proclaims ‘But we’re Americans’ to the Russian authorities and they don’t answer. The film rides along with the train and while it never feels claustrophobic you get a sense that no matter what they, there’s probably no escape. I think that really adds to the film. Something happens to Emily Mortimer’s character (I won’t spoil it) and as she tries to hide it, lies eventual surface. Ben Kingsley is in the film too and he’s really good here. He sees her lies but allows them to go on until he can read her correctly. We know the truth and we cringe into our seats as she continues to bluff her way out.

I enjoyed Session 9 and The Machinist a great deal. Both were good thrillers in the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock. Transsiberian is even better. I think here he has perfectly captured what makes a good thriller, something we can get invested in and doesn’t cop out to silly twists or turns. This is as good as I’ve seen in the genre and if critics must continue to use Hitchcock in every good thriller review to draw comparisons, well, Anderson has no better teacher. I’m sure he would’ve gotten a good grade.

The Blu Ray:

Audio/Video: If it matters, First Look didn’t release a lossless audio track for Transsiberian, but I can say it’s a solid track regardless. Surrounds are well active, as it gives us a perfect soundscape for the atmosphere of the film. Video wise, boy oh boy, is this ever a beautiful transfer. For a modest film, this transfer is jaw-dropping, as good as anything from films with bigger budgets and studios willing to drop a mint on the BD. I’d go as far to say this is reference quality.

Making-Of: While this is the only extra, it is a good one. Running a little over thirty minutes, we get to hear Anderson’s story about railroads that inspired this story. Luckily, this feature avoids those annoying EPK-styled making-of that are cheesy and uninformative. We get in here interviews and thoughts on the film and its challenges in creating the film on its low budget. This is a good little piece, with one draw back-it’s not high definition.

Transsiberian is a superb thriller that hit a few art houses in the summer, but is really worth seeking out even if it’s a blind buy. If smart thrillers without campy twists and like-minded wanna be Hitchcock films are your thing, dig this out!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars