The Films of Alfred Hitchcock : A Franchise of Riddles

Hello All,

I've been toying with the idea to start this thread for some time. I realize that Hitchcock's films aren't a franchise technically but I do believe that his style and form of filmmaking constitutes it's own genre and is a specific type of filmmaking that no one has been able to recreate save for some piss poor remakes of Rear Window with Christopher Reeves and the rumored remake of Vertigo starring Kate Hudson.

I was raised on the classics, the old black and white films, which I believe are the foundation of film history, a foundation that the film industry today has moved away from, and in my opinion, for the worse.

Alfred Hitchcock was a filmmaker before his time, mining visual and psychological territory that few filmmakers in that time dared to go. Hitchcock is perhaps one of only a couple of directors to actually remake his own film. In 1934 Hitchcock directed The Man Who Knew Too Much and then 22 years later remade the film with Doris Day & James Stewart in the title characters as the thwarted American family in a diabolical plot.

Hitchcock was infamous for hiring and remaking his female leads, most notably Kim Novak. Kim Novak starred in dual roles as Madeleine Elster and the tawdry Judy Barton. Judy Barton was not only made over but so was Kim Novak. In that time in Hollywood starlets had a great deal of input into their wardrobe for certain pictures but Hitchcock was a director of infamous vision and control. Miss Novak was quite upset about her wardrobe selection but Hitchcock stayed firm taking the blonde bombshell out of her usuall colors and implanting her in grays, blacks and whites to accent Madeleine's void and space cadet personality.

Vertigo was panned by critics upon its release in 1958 but as the years went by it has been cemented as Hitchcock’s masterpiece.

I would like to keep this thread ongoing if possible. We talk so much about Star Wars, the Matrix Saga, LOTR etc…, I believe that there’s a place for a discussion such as this one, and hopefully it will be a good one.

J.M. Prater

Yes, Kate Hudson's production company is trying to acquire the rights of Vertigo for a remake. I don't dislike Hudson but I don't like her either. We already have one Goldie Hawn, we don't need another.

as far as the shoot PM or email me, that's all under tight wraps at the moment.

J.M. Prater

It's nice to see that finally this thread has picked up a little bit of steam.

As aforementioned I was raised on the classics, Hitchcock to be specific. I'll always remember being a young boy and watching Suspicion and being transfixed on the glass of glowing milk that Carey Grant carried up the stairs. There was a definite sexuality that was palpable in Hitchcock's films that was an integral part of the tension of each of his films. Shadow of a Doubt with Joseph Cotton is a great film because of the tension between Joseph Cotten and his suspecting niece.

I sorely miss Hitchcock and his contribution to the film world. Part of my admiration for M. Night Shylaman is because he seems to echo a Hitchcockian nature whether he succeeds or fails, both which he has done.

But back to Hitchcock:

Obviously his most notable pictures are Vertigo, Rear Window [which I think is cinema perfection] and a very underrated film, Dial M for Murder with Grace Kelly. Dial M For Murder is such an amazing film because of how extrodinary diabolical Ray Miland's character is but yet how cool he plays it.

Carey Grant's character in Suspicion was actually written as a killer but the studio forbid Hitchcock to make Grant capable of murder. Suffice it to say, the end of Suspicion is very, well, ambigous, you still don't fully believe Grant's character for a minute.

All very interesting stuff.

As Far as Vertigo is concerned, f you don't care for it than it would be diffiult for myself or anyone else to convince you to like it per say.

What I will say about Vertigo is that it's hailed as Hitchcock's Masterpiece because it deals with central themes of his films as well as being very very personal. There's an admitted 'Obsession' with Vertigo from many fans and for some of us, it's difficult to explain. Obviously the film deals withmajor themes, forbidden desire, adultery of sorts, mystery, lies and murder plots.

Perhaps the best way to explain the magnificence of Vertigo is to realize Hitchcock made pure cinema, not dialogue heavy, he told a story in images as opposed to talking heads. In the beginning of the film Scottie [played by Jimmy Stewart] follows Madeleine Elster for over 30 minutes [or a good portion] and there's no talking and yet we are fully aware of what's transpiring on screen without the need for a character explaining to us what's happening. As Scottie realizes the spell that Madeleine is under so does the audience.

Vertigo is not for everyone. I would step out on a limb to say that Vertigo is for a patient audience, one very scarce in these times. Vertigo is about taking the time to understand and experience the unfolding of a story that cannot and will not be told quickly. This is why I've always been engrossed in this film and will forever be.