Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ Northwest Passage -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[StephenDH]

So Spencer Tracy hasn't made a movie for 60 years? Being dead might have something to do do with it.

 

[[email protected]]

Mine is arriving today.

 

[nara]

So Spencer Tracy hasn't made a movie for 60 years? Being dead might have something to do do with it.

You need to read more of Robert’s posts.

 

[Alan Tully]

Yup, Spencer Tracy died in 1967 only a couple of weeks after completing Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. He was only 67, which is quite shocking when you see pictures of him then, as he looks more like 87 (he was only 5 years older than Tom Cruise is now). I suppose that's a lifetime of being on the booze for you (so stick with the Evian Water Tom).

 

[Robert Crawford]

Back in the summer of 1939, an intrepid crew of filmmakers from M-G-M set off to Oregon and Idaho to create a film based upon the novel by Kenneth Roberts dealing with the Northwest Passage.

It wasn't released until February of the following year.

That was almost 85 years ago. The film was directed by King Vidor, well known at the time as a superb silent filmmaker. It starred Spencer Tracy, who hasn't made a film in almost 60 years, and Robert Young, who may be remembered by some today for a role he played on TV, as the head of a family in the series, Father Knows Best.

No getting around the fact that this is an old picture. It was shot in a process called Technicolor, which hasn't been used in almost 70 years.

Warner Bros. had the original negatives to the film. Old cellulose nitrate stock, that somehow survived. The techs at the studio took all the old elements, put it back together and were presumably shocked to find that they had color.

It's an old-fashioned form of color, which looks nothing like what we have today. Reds especially seem to jump off the screen, with crystalline clear blues and greens and yellows appearing far different than today also.

If you're one of those people who (for whatever reason) finds antique color stock of interest, and want to see the work of actors who've not worked in decades, Northwest Passage may be just the thing while away a couple of hours.

As the film was meant to be the first of several - it's only book one - it really isn't about the Northwest Passage, but rather getting there. I was surprised that there was no opening card warning viewers about the way the Native Americans are shown. It isn't good, and those with an interest should probably grab a copy before they become one more for the fire.

The Technicolor cinematography I mentioned is quite glorious (for its time). It was shot by William Skall and Sidney Wagner. While nominated for an Academy Award, the color cinematography Oscar ended up going to Thief of Bagdad.

The representation of Technicolor here is not fully representative of the original, which had far less overall resolution. But if you're willing to accept a Technicolor-like image that appears better in some ways than the original, you may be fine.

I liked it a great deal. But that's me.

Audio is also fine, and represented via two monaural tracks as opposed to one, which also works.

Bottom line. For those who know who the actors were, and has some recall of that thing called Technicolor, this is a Warner Archive title worth picking up.

The Technicolor is actually quite glorious.

For those who object to Technicolor, and have been warned that it might damage their eyes, it may be possible to turn the color off, and still be able to view the film, which is an epic sized production, that nicely stands the test of time.

Image

Forensic - 8.5

NSD - 10

Audio – 10 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - Essential

Worth your attention - 8

Slipcover rating - n/a

Highly Recommended

RAH


Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

https://www.amazon.com/Northwest-Passage-Blu-ray-King-Vidor/dp/B0D8TXZ8Q6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=321NBFYW2I5ER&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Vznz1isfWAwpvHf6HIWu9suzgGvqJxGeMLOIX9URinbGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.KfYxAJaaM0OAC0GWcplB8ax-RcP5g7PGEgn9mUOk4ZQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=northwest+passage+blu+ray&qid=1723436494&sprefix=northwest+%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-1

I have watched "Northwest Passage" a number of times over the years. Today, when I watched this Blu-ray release in its entirety, it was like watching this movie for the very first time. I had tears of joy in my eyes with such a beautiful looking presentation.

 

[Robert Harris]

I have watched "Northwest Passage" a number of times over the years. Today, when I watched this Blu-ray release in its entirety, it was like watching this movie for the very first time. I had tears of joy in my eyes with such a beautiful looking presentation.

Could not agree more, sir!

 

[Capt D McMars]

Great news!! I can't wait, it is one if favorite titles and a nice addition to my collection.

 

[gjn123]

Watched it last night. It’s a simply superb disc. It probably looks better than it did in 1940. A wonderful film now has a presentation to match. Thanks to all at the Archive and especially George F. Keep up the good work.
Now for “Scaramouche” (1952).

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Back in the summer of 1939, an intrepid crew of filmmakers from M-G-M set off to Oregon and Idaho to create a film based upon the novel by Kenneth Roberts dealing with the Northwest Passage.

It wasn't released until February of the following year.

That was almost 85 years ago. The film was directed by King Vidor, well known at the time as a superb silent filmmaker. It starred Spencer Tracy, who hasn't made a film in almost 60 years, and Robert Young, who may be remembered by some today for a role he played on TV, as the head of a family in the series, Father Knows Best.

No getting around the fact that this is an old picture. It was shot in a process called Technicolor, which hasn't been used in almost 70 years.

Warner Bros. had the original negatives to the film. Old cellulose nitrate stock, that somehow survived. The techs at the studio took all the old elements, put it back together and were presumably shocked to find that they had color.

It's an old-fashioned form of color, which looks nothing like what we have today. Reds especially seem to jump off the screen, with crystalline clear blues and greens and yellows appearing far different than today also.

If you're one of those people who (for whatever reason) finds antique color stock of interest, and want to see the work of actors who've not worked in decades, Northwest Passage may be just the thing while away a couple of hours.

As the film was meant to be the first of several - it's only book one - it really isn't about the Northwest Passage, but rather getting there. I was surprised that there was no opening card warning viewers about the way the Native Americans are shown. It isn't good, and those with an interest should probably grab a copy before they become one more for the fire.

The Technicolor cinematography I mentioned is quite glorious (for its time). It was shot by William Skall and Sidney Wagner. While nominated for an Academy Award, the color cinematography Oscar ended up going to Thief of Bagdad.

The representation of Technicolor here is not fully representative of the original, which had far less overall resolution. But if you're willing to accept a Technicolor-like image that appears better in some ways than the original, you may be fine.

I liked it a great deal. But that's me.

Audio is also fine, and represented via two monaural tracks as opposed to one, which also works.

Bottom line. For those who know who the actors were, and has some recall of that thing called Technicolor, this is a Warner Archive title worth picking up.

The Technicolor is actually quite glorious.

For those who object to Technicolor, and have been warned that it might damage their eyes, it may be possible to turn the color off, and still be able to view the film, which is an epic sized production, that nicely stands the test of time.

Image

Forensic - 8.5

NSD - 10

Audio – 10 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - Essential

Worth your attention - 8

Slipcover rating - n/a

Highly Recommended

RAH


Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

https://www.amazon.com/Northwest-Passage-Blu-ray-King-Vidor/dp/B0D8TXZ8Q6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=321NBFYW2I5ER&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Vznz1isfWAwpvHf6HIWu9suzgGvqJxGeMLOIX9URinbGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.KfYxAJaaM0OAC0GWcplB8ax-RcP5g7PGEgn9mUOk4ZQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=northwest+passage+blu+ray&qid=1723436494&sprefix=northwest+%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-1

I feel bad for all those people that lived in olden days and had to make do without orange and teal. Having to work with that simplistic color palette must have been horrible for them. But then I remember how barbaric they were toward the native peoples and think "Those bastards back then really did not deserve to have the wonders of orange and teal! Screw them!"

Sure they had that Spencer Tracy guy but he's no Chris Pratt, or Chris Evans, or Chris Hemsworth, or any other Chris for that matter. What kind of name is Spencer anyway?

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

So Spencer Tracy hasn't made a movie for 60 years? Being dead might have something to do do with it.

As far as I'm concerned that just makes him lazy. There are actors still making films and not letting being dead get in their way...Peter Cushing for one. He's never let a little thing like death stop him.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Yup, Spencer Tracy died in 1967 only a couple of weeks after completing Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. He was only 67, which is quite shocking when you see pictures of him then, as he looks more like 87 (he was only 5 years older than Tom Cruise is now). I suppose that's a lifetime of being on the booze for you (so stick with the Evian Water Tom).

Evian water, ha, we all know the secret to Tom's youthful appearance is he rips the spleens out of live baby seals and eats them while watching the baby seal go through its death throes.

They did not even know about this practice back in Mr. Tracy's day. L. Ron Hubbard had not even fathered Cruise at that point in a satanic ceremony. These were things that were still to come, like the multiplex and the movie Freddy Got Fingered. Who knew how good things would get?

(NO BABY SEALS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS POST)

 

[ahollis]

I was blown away with this release. What an outstanding technicolor beauty with a great story, acting and directing.

Not a lot being said of the short ‘Northward Ho!’ I found it fascinating showing the dedication of MGM to make this an A+ feature. The short reminds me of the wonderful ‘Romance In Celluloid‘ shorts, that I wish had WAC DVD release.

 

[Filmic]

Something I still marvel at is the model New York / Broadway night sequence at the start of Sweethearts, using luminous neon type signs. Even though you know it is a large model, it is impressive, even with all the CGI that could muster something like this today.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Something I still marvel at is the model New York / Broadway night sequence at the start of Sweethearts, using luminous neon type signs. Even though you know it is a large model, it is impressive, even with all the CGI that could muster something like this today.

Wrong thread!

 

[Filmic]

Wrong thread!

Apologies, I'm not sure how that happened.

 

[nara]

Apologies, I'm not sure how that happened.

'Sweethearts' is mentioned a couple of times upthread in posts #17 and 19#, so I don't think you're too far off -topic tbh.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

The representation of Technicolor here is not fully representative of the original, which had far less overall resolution. But if you're willing to accept a Technicolor-like image that appears better in some ways than the original, you may be fine.

So... more visible grain, less "velvet"?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Today, I watched portions of the DVD again before I threw it in the trash. Wow! Talk about a difference in detail and vibrant colors.

 

[Robert Harris]

So... more visible grain, less "velvet"?

No. The image is de-grained to achieve a similar granular appearance.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

I made this comparison video between the DVD and Blu-ray releases. These Technicolor films are stunning on Blu when digitally realigned from the negatives!