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Hitchcock

post #1 of 8
10/25/04 at 2:47pm
Thread Starter 
While reading the critique of the thread about "Saw" I noticed that Devin listed Vertigo as one of many better films.

That got me thinking why Vertigo? Of all the Hitchcock films I have seen I do like Vertigo but it isn't the top of my list.

My all time favorite is Notorious. I love the black and white photography, the confusion between what is moral and immoral and the questions about loyality.

On a weekly basis I think/hear Bergman's line, "You can keep your patrotism".

So any other favorites?
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post #2 of 8
10/25/04 at 3:05pm
Favorites? There are too many.

Vertigo
Strangers On A Train
Jamaica Inn (if only for Laughton's over-the-top performance)
Under Capricorn (for those tracking shots and I have always liked Cotten as an actor)
Foriegn Correspondant
The Trouble With Harry (those amazing colors)
Shadow Of A Doubt
Dial M For Murder
The Lodger
Blackmail
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1950's and 30's)
Rear Window

Shit. I realize I'm probably going to list everything, because I have yet to see a bad Hitchcock film.
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post #3 of 8
10/25/04 at 7:30pm
For the big, fun epic ones, you can't beat the remake of "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and "North by Northwest." That said, "Shadow of a Doubt" is fucking AWESOME as is "Saboteur" and "The Lodger" for the dark noir ones (well, and "Notorious" of course). Really dig "Rope" as well, just for its jaunty self-awaredness. Watching "To Catch a Thief" and "Rear Window" both are a lot of fun, too. "Psycho," I feel, is just one of the best movies ever made. "Rebecca" is just really, really haunting and crazy and "The 39 Steps" is a hell of a mind-bender.

As for not having seen a bad Hitchcock film, "Family Plot" and "Topaz" never did that much for me, nor did "Marnie" (blasphemy!) or "I Confess." Same with "Torn Curtain" and "Spellbound," though they're better than those. That said, there's still a bunch I haven't seen - even some of the big ones like "Blackmail," "Foreign Correspondent" and "Stage Fright."

I've been told that "Sabotage" is like the best Hitchcock out there, but still haven't gotten around to seeing it. Anyone?
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post #4 of 8
10/30/04 at 3:03pm
Thread Starter 
I ultimately feel more drawn to the earlier Hitchcock films. Sabotage is really good. The films I don't enjoy so much are Psycho, The Birds, Topaz, Marnie, and I have mixed feelings about Vertigo. I have watched it countless times, but there is something, perhaps about Hitchcocks own pathos, that turns me off. What I do like about Vertigo is how bright the lighting is, but how dark the story line is...such a great contrast.

Another favorite is Strangers on a Train. A masterfully done film with a story so much about an everday meeting of someone on the train and about the serious consequences that can occur after casual conversation.

Another favorite is Shadow of a Doubt. I notice a theme of what Hitchcock films I really like may be due to Joseph Cotton's acting. He really adds a great dimension to many of Hitchcocks films.
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post #5 of 8
10/31/04 at 1:37am
I saw for the first time North by Northwest and Psycho today. Loved North, because Cary is the man, and playing the game to see who can find the most sexual inneundo in that film is fun with friends. Psycho, on the other hand, I enjoyed until about two thirds though when I realized the "twist", and I never do. Still, both great films, and I'm picking up North soon on DVD. But my favorites are The Birds because it was my first exposure to Hitchcock as a child and Rebecca.
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post #6 of 8
10/31/04 at 1:55am
One thing that I will never understand is how quickly people will shrug off Hitchcock's Psycho. I can understand that you might not "enjoy" it, but to dismiss the film is interesting to me, and a comment on modern tastes. The movie has been out 40+ years, and the "twist" and Janet Leigh's demise are more than well known, so that's sloppy. My point it that to dismiss something as brilliantly crafted, expertly scored to perfection by a musical genuis, and as focused in its direction more than anything else, to deny yourself of these (and many other) items that the film has given to history, let alone call it out for being midly boring or even predictable is stunning.
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post #7 of 8
10/31/04 at 4:25am
I have a confession to make. I haven't seen Hitchcock's Psycho, but I've seen the sequels and the Gus Van Sant remake.
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post #8 of 8
10/31/04 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yando
One thing that I will never understand is how quickly people will shrug off Hitchcock's Psycho. I can understand that you might not "enjoy" it, but to dismiss the film is interesting to me, and a comment on modern tastes. The movie has been out 40+ years, and the "twist" and Janet Leigh's demise are more than well known, so that's sloppy. My point it that to dismiss something as brilliantly crafted, expertly scored to perfection by a musical genuis, and as focused in its direction more than anything else, to deny yourself of these (and many other) items that the film has given to history, let alone call it out for being midly boring or even predictable is stunning.
Well Yando it is unlikely that your comments apply to people that clearly love many Hitchcock films. What I don't particularly like about Psycho is how "modern" it's themes are. I know that this is a catch 22 since it is precisely because Psycho presented this theme to a large mainstream audience, in effect being a victim of it's own success. To be more specific I found Psycho to be far more contrived and lacking in the nuances as compared to many of Hitchcock's other films. However your premise that if you don't believe Psycho to be one of Hitchcock's bests films means that viewers are incapable of enjoying "historical" film in context of the time they were created and in current contexts is frankly sanctimonious. Since everyone in this thread has expressed enjoyment of other Hitchcock films. Psycho is over-rated in my estimation.

Notorious, Rebecca, the 39 Steps and Shadow of a Doubt to name a few are all more expertly crafted films as compared to Psycho.
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