From its cleverly choreographed opening sequence to its heart-stopping climax on a rampant carousel, this 1951 Alfred Hitchcock classic readily earns its reputation as one of the director's finest examples of timeless cinematic suspense. It's not just a ripping-good thriller but a film student's delight and a perversely enjoyable battle of wits between tennis pro Guy (Farley Granger) and his mysterious, sycophantic admirer, Bruno (Robert Walker), who proposes a "crisscross" scheme of traded murders. Bruno agrees to kill Guy's unfaithful wife, in return for which Guy will (or so it seems) kill Bruno's spiteful father. Hitchcock controls the escalating tension with a master's flair for cinematic narrative, aided by a tightly-constructed plot co-scripted by Raymond Chandler. Strangers on a Train remains one of Hitchcock's crowning achievements, a classic that hasn't lost a bit of its capacity to thrill and delight. Boasting a solid newly remastered digital transfer, the film appears on Warner's two-disc special edition in both the final release and preview versions (the latter is two minutes longer, including a scene hinting at Bruno's homosexual attraction to Guy), and includes extras such as a commentary by noted Hitchcock enthusiasts, a new half-hour "making of" documentary, and featurettes paying tribute to the film and its celebrated director. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: Strangers on a Train is also included in Alfred Hitchcock: The Signature Collection ($99.95), along with Dial M for Murder, Foreign Correspondent, I Confess, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Stage Fright, Suspicion, and The Wrong Man, each of which is also available separately for $19.95.] (J. Shannon)[Blu-ray Review—Oct. 9, 2012—Warner, 101 min., PG, $19.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1951's Strangers on a Train sports a nice transfer with DTS-HD mono sound. Blu-ray extras include the “Preview Version” of the film (103 min.), audio commentary (featuring sound bites from director Alfred Hitchcock, filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, critic Richard Schickel, Hitchcock's daughter Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell, and others), five production featurettes including “A Hitchcock Classic” making-of featurette and an appreciation by M. Night Shyamalan (71 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a welcome Blu-ray debut for this early Hitchcock classic.]
Strangers on a Train
Warner, 2 discs, 101/103 min., PG, DVD: $26.99 Volume 19, Issue 6
Strangers on a Train
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