That genius of film Alfred Hitchcock is set to return to the silver screen again, but this time with DIAL M FOR MURDER in it’s original 3D format, yes, originally this was shot in 3D!
The classic thriller has been newly remastered and restored of Hitchcock’s screen version of Frederick Knott’s stage hit Dial M for Murder. It stars Grace Kelly, Ray Milland and Robert Cummings as the points of a romantic triangle. Kelly won the New York Film Critics and National Board of Review Best Actress Awards for this and two other acclaimed 1954 performances.
Check out the great trailer below for the film due for a UK release at selected cinemas and the BFI Southbank on July 26th:
And now, some official information:
Alfred Hitchcock was not a filmmaker known for following trends, so it came as a surprise to many when he presented Dial M For Murder in 3D. The studio, Warner Brothers, wanted to capitalise on the early 50’s trend for 3D movies. Audiences were curious about this technology and box office receipts were on the up in the fight back against new and alternative forms of entertainment, namely television.
Despite being finished in 1953, by the time the film was released in 1954 (they had to wait until the play it was based on had closed on Broadway) the new fad was on the wane. Many cinemas had ceased showing 3D films as it was felt that the picture quality suffered as a result of the new gimmick. Hitchcock said of this new format that,
“it’s a nine-day wonder, and I came in on the ninth day.”
Starting in August 2011, the team at Warner Brothers, headed by Ned Price, created a 4K scan of every frame of the original 35mm elements, faithfully restoring the colours to the original palette and carefully correcting any 3D misalignment, all with careful consideration and respect of the source material.
For more amazing inside information, check out the following links for an in-depth look at Hitchcock’s use of 3D in Dial for Murder: http://bit.ly/QmJOTv plus this piece: Observation on film art: Dial M for Murder: Hitchcock frets not at his narrow room: http://bit.ly/SpJd8F
