Cinema is images, usually 24 frames per second. Sometimes the story is predominant, sometimes not. What will I remember of this film in 10 years? Probably not much of the story line. But I'll remember: the super-saturated yellow of the autumn leaves; the rain falling on the 40 Steps during the murder scene; the starburst "wipe" in the first reel (I've seen iris shots, and Kurosawa wipes from left to right & right to left, I've seen wipes spiralling from a center point out,I may have seen top to bottom and/or bottom to top wipes - but never one like this); the inserts of what appeared to be color sketchings of characters inbetween live-action shots near the film's beginning; the strobe-like black & white shots at the disco and the balletic brawl on the rooftop among the billowing sheets.
Style over substance? Perhaps. But mighty impressive style.
Style over substance? Perhaps. But mighty impressive style.