Northwest Passage

A long-awaited title available at last!
I have waited for quite some time for Northwest Passage to come out on DVD, and in a format that cannot be considered a rip-off. Now this wait has ended.
The Warner Archives edition of this film has few if any problems, as far as I can tell. The color looks good, the sound is OK, and the film is presented uncut, as it should be. The only way I would replace this DVD is if Warner Home Video issues an edition that goes all-out: a full restoration, with many extras. The trailer, and the short subject about the location shooting of this film are quite welcome; still I'd like to see some additional materials, such as the historical context, for both the film and its subject matter. But for the moment, those are small things.
I do not want to spoil anyone's enjoyment if they have not seen this film yet, so I'll confine myself to a few observations. First, the researchers at MGM must have done their work quite well, because the level of historical accuracy is somewhat higher...

Great Film, Disappointing Presentation
While I bow to no one in my admiration of Warner's Archive series, which has brought to light many minor and esoteric films from the MGM and Warner Bros. libraries, "Northwest Passage" is neither minor nor esoteric. This is a full-fledged major classic which warrants a complete restoration, not the simple remastering that this disc received. The disc, as it is, is badly in need of color correction. In order to achieve correct flesh tones, I had to go to the extreme with the green levels on my set. Also, the individual film elements of the Technicolor print have shrunken and are out of register. This is a great film and Warners is a great company when it comes to going the extra mile on it's special editions: hopefully, "Northwest Passage" will be better served in the future. Until then, this will have to do.

Great classical movie given the bum's rush by the studio
This review is based on the quality of the DVD, not the quality of the original movie.

I have waited years for this movie to be released on DVD. Just like anything else in this world, you have to be careful what you wish for. I was a bit worried when I ordered it for I saw that it was a DVD-R; but because I have never been unhappy with anything that I have purchased from Amazon I went ahead and bought it. Wow, Warner Brothers must think customers were born yesterday! With the quality of Blu Ray and home theaters, what must they think of us? Ok, here's the truth: Sound, mono, no subtitles. I had to push my center speakers to a level I have never used before just to hear the dialogue.(I own Klipsch speakers) Crispness of the transfer: acceptable. Some scenes are better than others, but honestly, it looks like you are watching a VHS tape it is that flat. The colors are a pale shadow of what a 1940s Technicolor movie should be like on a careful transfer of a classic...

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