It is a testament to the power of some films, when one looks at them up close and in detail, they reveal great depths. In most cases, I was satisfied that I had done them justice in a short essay. However, an occasional film, once touched, refused to let go. Like pulling a thread from a ball of yarn, these films seemed to have an almost infinitely large ball.

The Wizard of Oz [1939] has been a staple of both childhood and adult viewing – in addition to reading the Baum book. The film, on close examination, turned out to be a veritable catalog of modern views on mythology in all natures. The film direction often disguised itself as being for children, but also dealt with some very adult issues, like drug addiction and child abuse.

North by Northwest [1958] was a different sort of animal. While watching it, I would often hit the “pause” button (thank you modern technology) and think, “Haven’t I seen something like this before?” This book is the result of going back and watching all of Hitchcock’s film, and finding the roots or the results of North by Northwest in his other films.