Member venoms5 Posted October 30, 2008 Member Share Posted October 30, 2008 I have these three all unopened... LIFEBOAT ROPE FRENZY (first R rated Hitch) Never been a huge fan of his movies, but I respect his longevity and classy directing style. Only seen PSYCHO from beginning to end, but seen bits & pieces of others. I imagine once I get around to watching these three, I will most likely be intrigued enough to see others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member teako170 Posted April 2, 2009 Author Member Share Posted April 2, 2009 Never been a huge fan of his movies, but I respect his longevity and classy directing style. Only seen PSYCHO from beginning to end, but seen bits & pieces of others. I imagine once I get around to watching these three, I will most likely be intrigued enough to see others. Just revisited this thread as I watched DOWNHILL the other night. (For the completist, otherwise skip it.) You should definitely try to explore some of his films V5. I feel you might enjoy them considering your wide appreciation for the cinema. Now, all that's left is WALTZES FROM VIENNA. Believe I saw this some years back on tape but not 100%. Then, there will no more new Hitch to watch. Sigh... I plan to visit LA at the end of the summer and visit some grave sites (Buster Keaton, Jimmy Stewart) Just read that Hitch's ashes were scattered over the Pacific. Would liked to have been able to go to his grave but alas, not to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member KyFi Posted April 2, 2009 Member Share Posted April 2, 2009 Big Hitchcock fan. I just saw The Birds recently on the big screen, and I'm always blown away by that shot, just after the gas station explosion, where we see the fire in the town from way up in the sky, and then the birds come into the frame---The completely masterful way he showed that the birds weren't just attacking a couple of random people, but were actually a threat to human civilization. Awesome. I own Rear Window, North by Northwest and The Man Who Knew Too Much (56), and ones that I love and plan to get are Psycho, Saboteur(love that Statue of Liberty climax), The Birds, Vertigo and Rope. I've seen maybe 4 or 5 others, and still have to explore the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member teako170 Posted April 2, 2009 Author Member Share Posted April 2, 2009 Saboteur(love that Statue of Liberty climax) Niiiiice choice.. ("The sleeve...!") That scene inspired my opening sequence for one of my scripts: http://www.teako170.com/page1.html Loved Priscilla Lane in this film. Heard Barbara Stanwyck was to be cast in this spot and, while BS is one of my fave actresses, I'm glad PL got the gig. Too bad she didn't do many more films afterwards. Read she got hitched a few months after shooting this film to a USAF Colonel and lived happily ever after.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member KyFi Posted April 3, 2009 Member Share Posted April 3, 2009 Niiiiice choice.. ("The sleeve...!") That scene inspired my opening sequence for one of my scripts: http://www.teako170.com/page1.html Loved Priscilla Lane in this film. Heard Barbara Stanwyck was to be cast in this spot and, while BS is one of my fave actresses, I'm glad PL got the gig. Too bad she didn't do many more films afterwards. Read she got hitched a few months after shooting this film to a USAF Colonel and lived happily ever after.... Your script has a great opening! That's right---I had forgotten that specific bit. I think it's probably been 7 or 8 years since I've seen it. I just remembered that I really liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member peringaten Posted April 3, 2009 Member Share Posted April 3, 2009 Saboteur is a good film. Feels like a dry run towards North By Northwest; partner's up nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin drunkard Posted April 3, 2009 Member Share Posted April 3, 2009 Vertigo,torn curtain and rear window are really good movies.But he has made also some far too overrated crap like psycho&birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member peringaten Posted April 4, 2009 Member Share Posted April 4, 2009 Vertigo,torn curtain and rear window are really good movies.But he has made also some far too overrated crap like psycho&birds. How are Psycho & The Birds overrated crap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin drunkard Posted April 4, 2009 Member Share Posted April 4, 2009 How are Psycho & The Birds overrated crap? ok that was too harsh...both are movies worth seeing but in my opinion not quite classic status they have gotten.In psycho only surprising moment (for me) was mother of Norman turned out to be dead long time ago and in Birds nothing really happens... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted April 4, 2009 Member Share Posted April 4, 2009 I'm kinda surprised no-one appears to appreciate the TV series Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Personally, I feel these short stories are far more convinccing than his feature length films. I really feel his movies are a bit over-rated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member peringaten Posted April 4, 2009 Member Share Posted April 4, 2009 Hitchcock's nuances are often so masterfully weaved you might not realise without a second take or more. Each subtle stroke of the whole often a masterfully purposeful contrivance, designed in such a way to almost register subconciously to the viewer than shout at them, sometimes a deeper look may be needed to understand this; a positive when taking into account Hitch's keen vision, somewhat a sixth sense from a natural born filmmaker. Story is but one aspect of his films' make ups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member teako170 Posted April 4, 2009 Author Member Share Posted April 4, 2009 Hitchcock's nuances are often so masterfully weaved you might not realise without a second take or more. Each subtle stroke of the whole often a masterfully purposeful contrivance, designed in such a way to almost register subconciously to the viewer than shout at them, sometimes a deeper look may be needed to understand this; a positive when taking into account Hitch's keen vision, somewhat a sixth sense from a natural born filmmaker. Story is but one aspect of his films' make ups. I concur. Hitch said he made his films on two levels; one for the average viewer and one for the more astute. Multiple viewings allow to you peel away the onion and see the unique subtleties. Example Suspicion. Something as simple as putting a lightbulb in a glass of milk (to illuminate the possibility of pending doom) might be missed at first glance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted April 4, 2009 Member Share Posted April 4, 2009 I must be the average viewer. I thought I was pretty keen with observing subtlies in film, guess not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member teako170 Posted April 4, 2009 Author Member Share Posted April 4, 2009 I must be the average viewer. I thought I was pretty keen with observing subtlies in film, guess not. Haha. Hey, we're all average viewers. I think his point was that if you watch his films over and over, you will continue to find something new each time out, that will further enhance your viewing pleasure. Once I started dissecting his films (for that class I mentioned earlier in this thread), I was really amazed at how deep some of his stuff can go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member peringaten Posted April 5, 2009 Member Share Posted April 5, 2009 For sure, things you wouldn't even register without really checking or being pointed out... the way he'd set up shots. One minor example of such ingenuity that springs to mind; look at how he might have a camera follow someone through a door, the doorway might be a movable set, lifted once the camera gets to it, the actor then dropping a hand below the camera line with a pushing motion to give you the impression you are in with them, a sound effect of a door shutting to give the illusion that has happened & not just an air motion with an actor's hand, the crane-rigged camera then able to pan sideways & upwards, a rising walk up a staircase... things thought out like that, you just take it for granted it's so smooth, you just believe it. Shot after shot of genius suggestion. Who else thought pioneeringly like that to represent the mundane to the fantastic. Might not be the best example, but there's loads & loads of different ones to consider, the mind boggles. Parts of his brilliance over & over the screen & behind it. The classic is the plane crash into the sea in one film, can't remember title off-hand, all in one uncutting shot from air to the sea viewing through the cockpit from inside as it crashes & the water floods in hitting the pilots. Done in the studio, the ingenuity/effect is brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member peringaten Posted April 5, 2009 Member Share Posted April 5, 2009 Look at Rear Window, the complexity of it all, the way the entire film is shot only from within the flat through the window, giving the sense of confinement... you don't register this so conciously, the angles/camera-usages so fresh, the voyeuristic nature more luring to the viewer's interests, heightened by such crafted set-up, yet takes some analysis to fully appreciate just how this comes about, psychological filmmaking... the way that only one part of the film is shot outside the flat, to highlight a particulary dramatic event, the tonal shift is subconcious it adds oompph so subtly yet effective it's penetratingly brilliant; you're too caught up in the drama to realise just how it's so dramatic. The way each flat Jimmy Stewart looks at represents a different side of emotional relationship, facets, concerning the theme of his & Grace Kelly's character's possibilities. The way the soundtrack is entirely made up of the music being written by his neighbour at a piano playing into the courtyard, how the song he's writing is discordant at plot points of confusion and suspense, how the piece is resolvant at conclusions, mellow when the mood need be; but this is never made strictly obvious, all part of the subtle illusory sweep... beautiful stuff, so many depths and suggestions. And we're barely scratching the surface. We just take it all in for granted; when its really broken down it's masterfully contrived manipulation of the highest artistic degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member teako170 Posted April 5, 2009 Author Member Share Posted April 5, 2009 The classic is the plane crash into the sea in one film, can't remember title off-hand, Foreign Correspondent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member peringaten Posted April 5, 2009 Member Share Posted April 5, 2009 Foreign Correspondent?Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted April 5, 2009 Member Share Posted April 5, 2009 "The classic is the plane crash into the sea in one film, can't remember title off-hand, all in one uncutting shot from air to the sea viewing through the cockpit from inside as it crashes & the water floods in hitting the pilots. Done in the studio, the ingenuity/effect is brilliant." I'd like to check that film out, actually. I appreciate well thought out camera work like what your explaining. There's an example of this in many of the old horror films of the 30s and 40s. White Zombie has this shot where the scene begins with the camera situated to frame the actor across the room sitting at his desk beneath the armpit of the actor standing on the cameras side of the room, then the camera and actors move throughout the film for about 7 or 8 minutes conversing and the camera angles are just very imaginitive throughout this whole scene, then the actor returns to his desk as the camera goes back to its starting position and the actor who was closer to the camera stands exactly the way he started off the scene, and the actor at the desk is framed by his arm just as the scene had begun. Dosen't sound like much, but being all one shot in a 10 min span, it's very well done. I just have a problem with films like North By Northwest (I thought Cary Grant was so stiff and contrived with his character in this film as well) at the end they're on Mt Rushmore, it's just ridiculous how they all converge there and how contrived the ending scenes there are, not to mention how fake the set looks. That film really turned me off to his films. I do appreciate the imaginitive camera work and I love his TV Hitchcock Presents, but I wasn't particularly impressed with Vertigo either. His films seem too contrived with there motives and results. I'm just really surprised no-one even mentions his television work, because the stories are great and the twists in the plots are very well done. There's a Steve McQueen episode, Human Interest Story, great sci-fi story there. A Vincent Price episode, The Perfect Crime a wonderful horror type story. The Manacled is very funny with a totally unforseeable ending. A futuristic sci-fi tale, Design For Loving, starring an actor who helped pick the stories that would be presented to Hitchcock for approval of what one to shoot. Great, great actor right there, with a great conclusion to this episodes story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member teako170 Posted April 5, 2009 Author Member Share Posted April 5, 2009 I'm just really surprised no-one even mentions his television work, because the stories are great and the twists in the plots are very well done. There's a Steve McQueen episode, Human Interest Story, great sci-fi story there. A Vincent Price episode, The Perfect Crime a wonderful horror type story. The Manacled is very funny with a totally unforseeable ending. A futuristic sci-fi tale, Design For Loving, starring an actor who helped pick the stories that would be presented to Hitchcock for approval of what one to shoot. Great, great actor right there, with a great conclusion to this episodes story. Funny.. but as big as a Hitch fan that I am, I have never watched the TV episodes. I'm thinking I should definitely check some of these out in the near future. If you guys want to expand your Hitch library, drop me a PM with your wants and maybe we can work out a trade.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted December 6, 2011 Member Share Posted December 6, 2011 Rebecca, Spellbound and Notorious will be released on the 24th next month on Bluray. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Rebecca-Blu-ray/34412/ http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Spellbound-Blu-ray/34679/ http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Notorious-Blu-ray/34411/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted December 6, 2011 Member Share Posted December 6, 2011 Pretty big fan here. I do have all three of those mentioned on Criterion . There was a thread on board here from someone who watched all the films awhile back . But I'm no slouch, I've seen 35 of his films (many of them several times) so I can discuss his British period as well as his American period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted December 6, 2011 Member Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yeah, I'd imagine since you seem an all-rounder of film-watching. I'm on a Hitchcock-watching streak since two years back and been nothing but amazed. So far, I've seen Rear Window (10/10), Psycho (10/10, an absolute favorite of mine), The Birds (7.5/10), Rebecca (7/10, might change my mind when I watch it again), Suspicion (7/10, the same), Shadow of a Doubt (8/10), Spellbound (9/10), Rope (10/10), Stage Fright (7.5/10), I Confess (8/10), Dial M for Murder (10/10), Strangers on a Train (8/10), The Man Who Knew Too Much (6/10, felt too generic for a Hitchcock film), North By Northwest (10/10, great change in tone), Frenzy (9/10), and just recently The Lady Vanishes (9/10). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DarthKato Posted December 6, 2011 Member Share Posted December 6, 2011 I would say that I am a pretty big fan. I have seen many of his movies and I watch his TV show every night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted December 6, 2011 Member Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yeah, I'd imagine since you seem an all-rounder of film-watching. I'm on a Hitchcock-watching streak since two years back and been nothing but amazed. So far, I've seen Rear Window (10/10), Psycho (10/10, an absolute favorite of mine), The Birds (7.5/10), Rebecca (7/10, might change my mind when I watch it again), Suspicion (7/10, the same), Shadow of a Doubt (8/10), Spellbound (9/10), Rope (10/10), Stage Fright (7.5/10), I Confess (8/10), Dial M for Murder (10/10), Strangers on a Train (8/10), The Man Who Knew Too Much (6/10, felt too generic for a Hitchcock film), North By Northwest (10/10, great change in tone), Frenzy (9/10), and just recently The Lady Vanishes (9/10). There's so much good with his films that it's hard to find bad ones (like with Kurosawa if you dig deep enough ). Glad you liked I Confess (8/10) which I did as well, but I know several who consider it a lesser Hitchcock. So far my least favorites are: Paradine Case Under Capricorn Family Plot (though I have liked this more over the years) It will be interesting to hear what you have to say about Torn Curtain or Topaz when you get to them. Ones I think you should watch (that you haven't in your list unless I didn't see them): The Lodger (1927: R1 MGM release yes OOP but very good) The 39 Steps (1935: The Criterion Collection) Notorious (The Criterion Collection) Vertigo (seriously watch this one next) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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