North by Northwest (1959), Movie Review Example

Use of color in North by Northwest

In North by Northwest, Alfred Hitchcock uses color subtly to draw the viewers’ attention to certain objects or people within a scene.  The main color schemes that Hitchcock utilizes are browns, greys, blues, blacks, yellows, and reds.  Hitchcock, specifically, uses the color red, stylistically in the film to signify danger or a threat.

The use of the color red is also prominent in the film, and because its use is less frequent, it helps to draw the viewers’ attention to certain objects or people, especially Eva, who is shown wearing a red dress twice; each time she is with Vandamm and the use of the color red can signify danger. The color red is also used to bring the viewers’ attention to the train porters when Eva and Roger arrive in Chicago as the police begin to target the porters in an attempt to apprehend Roger.  In this sense, the color red is used to be representative of a target.  This is evident as the red hats the porters wear dot the platform full of commuters, most of which are wearing dark colored clothing.  Given that the film was made during Hollywood’s anti-Communist, the use of the color red to indicate danger can be considered to be a commentary on the threat posed by “Reds,” or communists.

Use of sound in North by Northwest

In films, sound can be used to increase or create suspense and influence the audience’s emotional and psychological reactions.  In North by Northwest, the film’s soundtrack accompanies the editing in the film.  Because the music follows the film’s editing, it is likely that there would be little change to the film’s impact on the audience.  In North by Northwest, music is used to heighten what is seen on screen.  Because Hitchcock believed that a film should be able to relay what is happening on screen without dialogue or sound—as was demonstrated in his early silent films—music in North by Northwest does not create atmosphere or suspense, but rather complements it.