Hitchcock Thread

[Shep]

admin said:

I was wondering what people think of The Birds, because I think that it's a pretty influential horror film. Look at Night of the Living Dead or Signs? Or counless other horror films that have the victims nailing boards on their doors and windows to keep the attackers out.

This was my favorite of his as a kid. Hitchcock was a director I seemed to actually like better as a kid than I do now. The suspense seemed to be much more tense in his flicks when I was a kid, but as I learned more about film technique, it kinda spoils Hitchcock's magic tricks for me.

"The Birds" has never been my fav to be honest (part of the problem is Tippi "can't act to save her life" Heddren), but I agree--definitely influential. This comes up regularly on people's Scariest Films of All Time lists.

As far as Hitch films go, the best imo are:

Vertigo
Psycho
Notorious
North By Northwest
Suspicion
The 39 Steps

[Mr. Atari]

admin said:

I felt that all of Hitchcock's blondes can't act, with exception of Kim Novak and Janet Leigh.

I know you also meant to include Ingrid Bergman in your exception list. Probably just an oversight.

[Mr. Atari]

Prettiest actress ever.


And since she's Swedish, I think we can safely assume she was a blonde.

And if we're going to confess to famous Hitchcock movies we didn't like, then I'll join in the fun.

Psycho. Never did anything for me.

And Hitch's rear projection technique is really distracting in some of his films.

[Deleted]

North By Northwest, truly the one to end all Hitchcock films.

[Shep]

admin said:

Does anyone else like Rope?

I love the two psuedo Nietzche college students... what are their names? They brought a lot of hilarious dark humor and enjoyment to what was otherwise a mediocre movie.

I always felt awkward watching James Stewart in it. It's just so against his normal character in most films. This was one of his lesser roles, because you can just TELL by watching him in this that he's trying to give off "hey it's all make-believe folks, I'm really not anything like this character".

Overall though, despite the crappy rear projection, and some poor acting here and there, mostly due to such long takes, I like it a lot. I was thoroughly entertained the whole time, and in great suspense.

"Rope" is a pretty good one. Stewart was good in those films, especially in Vertigo where he was really against type.

You're right about that bad rear projection, Forrest. The worst is "Spellbound's" skiing scene where Peck and Bergman don't even have ski poles. LOL

[Shep]

I think a lot of the films are pretty overrated really. There are eps of the old "Hitch Presents/Hour" that are a lot better than some of his lesser films imo.

[donmac]

Hitch was truly a master filmmaker. He planned his movie so well that he only filmed exactly what he wanted, leaving editors so little extra footage that they had to edit the film together as he wanted it. Pretty remarkable compared to how films are usually made.

I think his must-see movies are Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, Rebecca, The Birds, and Strangers on a Train. (Although he made other good films, those are the "must-sees" IMO.)

[otr]

Actually, I don't think I have seen enough Hitchcock films to form an opinion on his work or his influence on the motion picture industry.

I've only seen Family Plot (1976) and Frenzy (1972) and Topaz (1969) and Torn Curtain (1966) and Marnie (1964) and The Birds (1963) and North by Northwest (1959) and Vertigo (1958) and The Wrong Man (1956) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and The Trouble with Harry (1955) and To Catch a Thief (1955) and Rear Window (1954) and Dial M for Murder (1954) and I Confess (1953) and Strangers on a Train [both versions] (1951) and Stage Fright (1950) and Under Capricorn (1949) and Rope (1948) and The Paradine Case (1947) and Notorious (1946) and Spellbound (1945) and Lifeboat (1944) and Aventure Malgache (1944) and Bon Voyage (1944) and Shadow of a Doubt (1943) and Saboteur (1942) and Suspicion (1941) and Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) and Foreign Correspondent (1940) and Rebecca (1940) and Jamaica Inn (1939) and The Lady Vanishes (1938) and Young and Innocent (1937) and Sabotage (1936) and Secret Agent (1936) and The 39 Steps (1935) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) and Number Seventeen (1932) and Rich and Strange (1931) and The Skin Game (1931) and Murder! (1930) and Juno and the Paycock (1930) and The Manxman (1929) and Blackmail (1929) and The Farmer's Wife (1928) and Easy Virtue (1928) and The Ring (1927) and The Lodger (1927).

[Shep]

So what do you guys think of his television work? Some of the "Hitchcock Presents/Hour" eps he directed are better than his films IMO.

I especially like:

"Revenge"
"Breakdown"
"Back For Christmas"
"One More Mile To Go"
"Poison"
"Bang! You're Dead"
"The Crystal Trench"

Here's a complete list of the 17 shows Hitch directed:

Revenge
Breakdown
The Case of Mr.Pelham
Back For Christmas
Wet Saturday
Mr. Blanchard's Secret
One More Mile To Go
The Perfect Crime
Lamb to the Slaughter
A Dip in the Pool
Poison
Banquo's Chair
Arthur
The Crystal Trench
Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat
The Horse Player
Bang! You're Dead
I Saw the Whole Thing

[donmac]

admin said:

donmac said:

Hitch was truly a master filmmaker. He planned his movie so well that he only filmed exactly what he wanted, leaving editors so little extra footage that they had to edit the film together as he wanted it. Pretty remarkable compared to how films are usually made.

How hard is it to be a director and be able to edit your own films. To me, editting is the key ingrediant. If I can't edit my movie, I wouldn't even make it.

You'd be surprise how most movie are literally sculpted in the editing room. Editors aren't given the credit they really deserve in molding a film.

[donmac]

admin said:

donmac said:

The others are, in my opinion, are overrated. Psycho is good, but the simple fact that it's shock value is outdated really hurts it. As sampo said, and I agree, it doesn't do anything for me. To call it the greatest horror film of all time makes no sense to me.

It's shock factor has diminished, but Psycho's influence on the horror movie genre was huge:

Before Psycho, horror movies were usually about Vampires, Werewolves, Mummies, Monsters, Ghosts and the creations of Mad Scientists (ex. Frankenstein).

After Psycho's success, horror movies drastically shifted to being more realistically about ordinary men who are killers. (Which is a lot more frightening, because the man next door could be a killer, while everyone knows Werewolves and such don't actually exist.)

[Don Quixote]

Man, it would be rough to do that as a Director, to say:
'What can I cut from this film? But everything I shot I shot because it fit my vision and desired direction of the film...' I don't think I could do it.

[princesstoadstool]

I saw "Rebecca" over the weekend. Not my favorite Hitchcock movie, but still pretty good.

[otr]

princesstoadstool said:

I saw "Rebecca" over the weekend. Not my favorite Hitchcock movie, but still pretty good.

TRIVIA:
It was the only Hitchcock film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

[Ratso]

otrfanotrfan said:

princesstoadstool said:

I saw "Rebecca" over the weekend. Not my favorite Hitchcock movie, but still pretty good.

TRIVIA:
It was the only Hitchcock film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Thank you.