Neverending
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Post by Neverending on Jul 5, 2015 14:29:56 GMT -5
HDNet Movies is airing Alfred Hitchcock movies every night this month, so I'm using the opportunity to watch/re-watch them. I haven't watched a Hitchcock movie since... high school, I think... so I'll be viewing them from an adult perspective now. SABOTEUR (1942) How hilariously bad and outdated is this movie? It takes place during World War II and it's about an aircraft factory worker who is accused of setting fire to the place. Why is he the main suspect? Because during the fire he unknowingly used a fire extinguisher that had gas in it. This is a preposterous premise because any lawyer would laugh this out of court. Nonetheless, Hitchcock goes along with it and what follows is the character trying to prove his innocence by searching for the real saboteur. In his journey he runs into such wacky people like Marvel's Daredevil, an overly patriotic billboard model and circus performers. Oi! The movie doesn't payoff till the end when the saboteur is found and there's a shootout at a movie theater and a final encounter on the statue of liberty. Hitchcock's skills as a technician are definitely on display here but the story and characters are too silly to be taken seriously. Plus, the movie feels like awkward WWII-era propaganda. As an historical artifact, Saboteur is interesting, but it hasn't aged well at all. DSHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943) For people who haven't seen Vertigo and North by Northwest and Psycho, this is Hitchcock's "masterpiece." Even Hitchcock himself thought this was his best work. Yeah... no. Shadow of a Doubt has its highlights but it's middle-of-the-road. It's about a serial killer who hides from the police at his sister's house. That's an intriguing concept but the movie focuses on his niece who goes from worshiping him to learning the truth and aiding the police in his capture. Teresa Wright does a wonderful job as the niece and Joseph Cotton is chilling as the serial killer but the movie itself isn't really Hitchcockian. It's more of a straight-forward 1940's melodrama with pieces of a psychological thriller thrown in here and there. It's okay for what it is but it's definitely no masterpiece. C+ |
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Post by Dracula on Jul 5, 2015 18:03:55 GMT -5
Saboteur is definitely not Hitchcock's best take on the "wrong man" formula and its attempts at topicality are a bit... not great. The movie get's more play than it otherwise might have because Universal owns the rights to it and whenever they put out a boxed set with all his masterpieces it gets lumped in. It does have one of Hitchcock's better "rear projection" finales though and that fall off the statue of liberty was directly referenced in Die Hard when Hans Gruber dies.
Shadow of a Doubt is not necessarily Hitchcocks best (he walked back that claim later in life, saying that was just a stock answer he got in the habit of throwing out whenever people asked him what his best film was), but it's up there. At the very least I think Uncle Charlie is one of his better villains.
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on Jul 5, 2015 21:33:17 GMT -5
I made a mistake. It's only this WEEK and it's just the Universal movies. I think Uncle Charlie is one of his better villains. The acting is great. That's probably why Hitchcock used the film as a stock answer. Deep down he was probably proud of the performances he was able to get from his cast. Anyway... ROPE (1948) I saw this movie when I was 12 and it blew me away. Actually... let me not say "blew me" in reference to a film loaded with homosexual subtext. I kid, of course. What I loved about Rope was its morbid sense-of-humor. The whole story is about two guys who murder their colleague and hide the body in the middle of a party. It's classic Hitchcock - except not really. Rope is mostly famous for its long takes and continuous shots. This was 60-something years before Gravity and Birdman made the technique popular. It also has great lighting - which almost no one talks about. I think I was more impressed with the lighting and coloring than the actual camerawork. But while Hitchcock excels in groundbreaking techniques, the script and acting are very mediocre. The whole thing feels like a play. Maybe that was the intent and maybe it worked in 1948, but it doesn't hold up too well in 2015. CREAR WINDOW (1954) Rear Window has been spoofed many times on television and there's a big reason for that. It's based on a short story and it works better as a short story. It's about a guy in a wheelchair who suspects his neighbor of killing his wife and he can't do anything except watch things unfold through his window. As a television episode, you can do great things with that plot. As a movie, all you can do is drag the story and eliminate all the suspense. Hitchcock tries his best to keep the story interesting by exploring the voyeuristic aspects of it, but eventually it gets tiring and things aren't resolved quick enough. It's a decent effort and not much else. C- |
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on Jul 5, 2015 21:41:00 GMT -5
Rope definitely has that play-on-screen feel. The one take concept is ground breaking, sure, but the plot is better in concept than in execution. Its a movie I wouldn't mind seeing remade.
And no, RSVP with Jason Mewes doesn't count, hilarious as it may be.
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PG Cooper
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Post by PG Cooper on Jul 5, 2015 21:50:35 GMT -5
Shadow of a Doubt and Rear Window are fucking awesome.
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on Jul 5, 2015 22:21:39 GMT -5
Btw, there's at least 4 "A-" minimum movies here that if you misrank you're a crazy person.
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on Jul 5, 2015 22:35:12 GMT -5
The plot is better in concept than in execution. Its a movie I wouldn't mind seeing remade. Weekend at Bernie's doesn't count? Shadow of a Doubt and Rear Window are fucking awesome. By default, Marnie is better than both of them. |
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Post by Doomsday on Jul 6, 2015 1:39:05 GMT -5
You're trolling us with these grades.
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Post by Neverending on Jul 6, 2015 9:19:51 GMT -5
You're trolling us with these grades. I can understand defending Shadow of a Doubt and Rear Window but how am I wrong about Saboteur and Rope? You need to layoff the Criterion kool-aid if you think those movies deserve anything higher than a C. |
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Post by PG Cooper on Jul 6, 2015 9:58:33 GMT -5
Shadow of a Doubt and Rear Window are fucking awesome. By default, Marnie is better than both of them. Now you're just trying to hurt my feelings. You're trolling us with these grades. I can understand defending Shadow of a Doubt and Rear Window but how am I wrong about Saboteur and Rope? You need to layoff the Criterion kool-aid if you think those movies deserve anything higher than a C. I barely remember Saboteur, other than I think I had some fun with it. Rope is also better than your giving it credit for. It's a fun movie. |
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Post by PG Cooper on Jul 6, 2015 10:04:57 GMT -5
Rear Window (Rewatched July 25th, 2014:) In many ways, this is the ultimate Alfred Hitchcock film, incorporating the elements which most embody his body of work. Suspense, terror, murder, comedy, obsession, and sex are all major focuses here. The fact that this is an impeccably crafted film pretty much goes without saying. By the 1950s, Hitch was at the top of his game and while he still throw out some less than stellar films, when he nailed it, he really nailed it. Hitchcock builds the surrounding neighbourhood perfectly and gives it a lot of character. We get a good sense of the geography and personality, and the long voyeuristic shocks are really immersive. We really start to feel like Jimmy Stewart, confined to his room and unable to look away.
The first time watching Rear Window, it's impossible not to be sucked in by the story. Hitchcock slowly builds an intriguing conspiracy of murder with a series of simple visual clues. Like almost every character in the film, we as an audience are drawn to the murder. The tension and suspense continue to build to a near perfect climax. All of this is still true on a rewatch, but new elements come to light as well. There are tons of interesting, subtle things going on on a psychological level, dealing with topics ranging from obsession, to apathy, to voyeurism, to impotence. It's a film with a lot more depth than it seems on the surface. The fact is the surface stuff is so enjoyable it's hard to really see beyond it the first time around. At any rate, Rear Window is an extraordinary film no matter which way you look at it.
(Rewatched for film class January 22nd, 2015:) This is such a perfect embodiment of everything that rules about Alfred Hitchcock. It's thrilling, humorous, psychologically probing, full of awesome set-pieces, and deals with a ton of really compelling thematic material. The performances are excellent, the dialogue is well-written, and overall this some of the most compelling cinema you'll ever find. Basically this is perfect filmmaking. It's thoroughly engaging on a base level, and every layer you strip back reveals more to love. It's fucking awesome.
P.S. I've never had a screening in a film class where the audience was so clearly engaged with the film. They reacted in all the right moments and you can tangibly feel their investment. I was impressed. All hail Hitchcock.
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on Jul 6, 2015 10:56:41 GMT -5
EDIT: I'm on mobile. I'll fix this mess later. By default, Marnie is better than both of them. Now you're just trying to hurt my feelings. Marnie has several advantages over those movies. I can understand defending Shadow of a Doubt and Rear Window but how am I wrong about Saboteur and Rope? You need to layoff the Criterion kool-aid if you think those movies deserve anything higher than a C. Rope is also better than your giving it credit for. It's a fun movie. [/quote] It's too "stage-y" for my tastes. Rear Window (Rewatched July 25th, 2014:) In many ways, this is the ultimate Alfred Hitchcock film, incorporating the elements which most embody his body of work. Suspense, terror, murder, comedy, obsession, and sex are all major focuses here. |
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SnoBorderZero
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Post by SnoBorderZero on Jul 6, 2015 11:04:59 GMT -5
Haven't seen "Saboteur" or "Rope", but "Shadow of a Doubt" is very solid (Joseph Cotten is excellent as the villain) even if the concept has been copied several times since and doesn't feel fresh even if it was initially. "Rear Window" is awesome, though in some ways I guess I can understand not being enamored with it. The concept is so superb I think people want it to focus solely on the mystery when really the film is fascinating in its voyeurism of observing American life and if being intrusive is acceptable or not (the movie never takes a stance one way or the other, though since he does thwart a killer I guess it does). Still, the mystery itself is a lot of fun and Stewart and Kelly are very good in the roles. I prefer "Psycho" and "Vertigo" when we're debating top-tier, ultimate Hitchcock (the other probably would be "North by Northwest") but "Rear Window" is incredible as well. A C- is too low.
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Post by Doomsday on Jul 6, 2015 12:13:32 GMT -5
Rope is good too. The C and C- for Rear Window are bait for us.
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on Jul 6, 2015 13:29:42 GMT -5
The concept is so superb I think people want it to focus solely on the mystery when really the film is fascinating in its voyeurism of observing American life and if being intrusive is acceptable or not (the movie never takes a stance one way or the other, though since he does thwart a killer I guess it does). Here's the thing, Brian De Palma already perfected this concept with Body Double. Granted, he doesn't focus on Americana like Hitchcock. He tackled the more perverse nature of voyeurism but both things are ingrained in the same psychology. |
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SnoBorderZero
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Post by SnoBorderZero on Jul 6, 2015 13:38:33 GMT -5
Haven't seen the film, but even if he improves on elements of "Rear Window", it wasn't the original film to explore it.
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Post by Jibbs on Jul 6, 2015 18:07:46 GMT -5
Gravity and Birdman made the long take technique popular?
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SnoBorderZero
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Post by SnoBorderZero on Jul 6, 2015 18:11:12 GMT -5
Lol, Orson Welles is rolling in his grave reading that one.
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on Jul 6, 2015 20:59:27 GMT -5
Lol, Orson Welles is rolling in his grave reading that one. Are you referring to the opening scene in Touch of Evil? If so, that's one scene instead of the entire movie. |
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Post by PG Cooper on Jul 7, 2015 8:56:24 GMT -5
Now you're just trying to hurt my feelings. Marnie has several advantages over those movies. Like what? And what about the several disadvantages? For someone so against the pseudo-rape in Live and Let Die, you seem awfully nonchallant about Sean Connery holding a woman against her will as a sex hostage. |
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Post by Neverending on Jul 7, 2015 9:35:05 GMT -5
Marnie has several advantages over those movies. Like what? And what about the several disadvantages? Be patient. I'm re-watching the movie in a couple of days. But in a nutshell, we've had this conversation already. I think Marnie was ahead of its time for a mainstream Hollywood movie by exploring the psychology of someone who was abused as a child. The massive success of Psycho and The Birds gave Hitchcock the freedom to take major risks and he didn't really hold back. THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (1955) I had a girlfriend in high school who made an observation about movies that always stuck with me. "You can tell A LOT about a director based on the movies he or she makes." If that's the case then The Trouble with Harry doesn't present Hitchcock in the best light. The whole movie is about a group of people in picturesque Vermont who find a dead body and don't get worked up about it. They even consider burying the body without informing the police. And the only character that shows any concern about the situation is treated like the bad guy. It wouldn't be surprising if Hitchcock lost some friends because of this movie. If someone wasn't sure that he was a weird dude, they definitely knew now. But from a cinematic perspective, it took balls to make The Trouble with Harry. And not just from Hitchcock and the cast and crew, but Paramount Studios as well. It was a major gamble and it sort-of paid off. If you're the type of person who isn't easily offended by comedy then you'll appreciate The Trouble with Harry. Otherwise, stay FAR away. B- says DoomsdayFUN FACT: The Trouble with Harry was Hitchcock's first collaboration with Bernard Herrmann. They were instantly a perfect marriage. THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956) Why did Hitchcock remake his own movie? The original has Peter Lorre as an assassin and is only 75 minutes long. Why replace that with Jimmy Stewart and a much longer running time? I'm not saying the remake is bad. It's just totally unnecessary. Like when Christopher Nolan remade Batman Begins with The Dark Knight Rises. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. C- |
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Post by SnoBorderZero on Jul 7, 2015 15:53:33 GMT -5
Lol, Orson Welles is rolling in his grave reading that one. Are you referring to the opening scene in Touch of Evil? If so, that's one scene instead of the entire movie. He had tracking shots in more than just that, "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons" both contain highly impressive tracking shot sequences. Maybe they weren't for the majority of the film like "Birdman", but they've been popular for a long time, not 2013. |
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Post by Jibbs on Jul 7, 2015 18:52:01 GMT -5
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on Jul 8, 2015 9:50:11 GMT -5
VERTIGO (1958) Has their ever been a more perfect marriage between director and composer than Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann? Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone broke new ground together. Steven Spielberg and John Williams had their glory days. Tim Burton and Danny Elfman have a great understanding of each other. But Hitchcock and Herrmann are like conjoined twins. It's crazy to think that Hitchcock made movies for 30 years before hiring Herrmann and that their collaboration was short-lived. You can't think of one without thinking of the other. Their partnership is forever ingrained in the memories of cinema lovers and Vertigo is probably the best representation of that. It's the story of a private detective who falls in love with the woman he's investigating, and when she dies, he forces a look-a-like to become her. Unlike previous Hitchcock movies that tended to be dialogue heavy, Vertigo steps back and allows the visuals and music tell the story. The best - and most beloved - scenes have little-to-no dialogue. For the first time in his American career, Hitchcock acknowledged the power of the moving image accompanied with a great soundtrack and it shaped the way he made movies at the end of his career. When discussing Hitchcock, there's before Vertigo and after Vertigo. Which do you prefer? Before you answer... PSYCHO (1960) When Gus Van Sant released his remake of Psycho in 1998, I had never seen the original Psycho. And despite my youth at the time, I was smart enough to know that I should avoid a shot-for-shot remake at all costs. To this day, I've never seen the remake. Although I have listened to Danny Elfman's adaptation of Herrmann's score. Luckily, television is always a second option and Hitchcock's original was constantly on television that year. I watched the movie when it aired on cable in the after-hours with the lights in my room turned off. I still believe this is the best way to watch Psycho. And man... what an experience. Like John Carpenter's Halloween, this is a horror movie where the director is in complete control. This is the closest thing we have to sitting by a camp fire and being told a scary story. Every moment and every piece of music transport the audience to a place where a man dresses up like his dead mother and murders people. There comes a point where I forget I'm sitting in a room and feel like I'm actually there witnessing everything. I've watched Psycho countless times during the past 16 years and I get goosebumps each time. If I were ever to attempt a list of the 100 greatest movies, I can assure you that Psycho would be on it. Vertigo: A Psycho: A+
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Post by SnoBorderZero on Jul 8, 2015 10:15:55 GMT -5
Yeah, "Psycho" is to me his best work, even better than "Vertigo". So many iconic sequences, so many bold decisions for the time (killing off the lead halfway through), brilliant camera shots, etc.
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