I liked The Lady Vanishes a lot when I saw it three or four years ago for the first time. Struck me as superior to a few of his more acclaimed American films.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 02:56 (eleven years ago) link
i think there was a cliche about his 30s Brit flicks being his best work but i think it's a reasonable case to make
― movember spawned a nobster (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 02:57 (eleven years ago) link
Rope = dope.
― sug night (sic), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 04:39 (eleven years ago) link
I didn't know about the 15-movie Blu Ray set!
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91tuY8UKEnL._AA1500_.jpg
― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Thursday, 31 January 2013 03:46 (eleven years ago) link
a vote for the lodger! saw it today, pretty funny. killer had an oedipus map, then it turns out he's misunderstood and crucified on a fence. shots of murdered women, only their faces.... amazing to watch silent film do all of this. the father (arthur chesney) is amazing.
― MAAVENN (Matt P), Monday, 12 August 2013 04:36 (ten years ago) link
The Trouble With Harry is so good. Edmund Gwenn is so beautiful he makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.
― xelab, Sunday, 8 June 2014 22:13 (nine years ago) link
I saw it a few years back and it just didn't work for me. The sweet, idyllic setting and the dark comedy were such a jarring match that I don't think that the film ever found a proper tone. I dunno. One to revisit when I have the time, perhaps.
Showed Rear Window to a class last week, which was a lot of fun. I heard a bit of condescending laughter during the early parts of the film (at Wendell Corey's misogyny, for the most part) but a good number of the students had gotten pretty jumpy by the time Burr showed up to Stewart's apartment.
― Funk autocorrect (cryptosicko), Sunday, 8 June 2014 23:51 (nine years ago) link
I just watched The Lady Vanishes and despite its many silly aspects, it somehow adds up to an entertaining movie. It's a script that is neither fish nor fowl, trying at once to be a political drama, slapstick comedy, romcom and thriller. How Hitchcock managed to make that heap of ill-assorted oddments into a watchable movie is a small miracle.
― Aimless, Monday, 9 June 2014 05:10 (nine years ago) link
political drama? that's just Macguffin hooey.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Monday, 9 June 2014 11:32 (nine years ago) link
most of Hitch's pre-WWII movies basically take place in Ruritania
― arid banter (Noodle Vague), Monday, 9 June 2014 12:17 (nine years ago) link
quite a few of the post-WWII come to think of it
― arid banter (Noodle Vague), Monday, 9 June 2014 12:18 (nine years ago) link
I'm not a huge Vertigo fan either. I admire it, in a detached way, but would much rather watch at least four or five others from the list above--not to mention Citizen Kane, which Vertigo may finally overtake in 2012's Sight and Sound poll.― clemenza, Friday, July 16, 2010 9:19 AM (3 years ago) Bookmark
― clemenza, Friday, July 16, 2010 9:19 AM (3 years ago) Bookmark
This may have been discussed in some other thread. But yeah, this did happen!
― billstevejim, Monday, 9 June 2014 14:05 (nine years ago) link
"Admire it in a detached way" is totally how I've always felt about Vertigo too, despite watching it once every 10 or so years since first seeing it as a Hitchcock-loving teen just to check and see if I've grown into it yet. Kane is way better, as are a ridiculous number of other Hitchcock films.
― Funk autocorrect (cryptosicko), Monday, 9 June 2014 14:08 (nine years ago) link
Okay, who was the joker who voted for The Mountain Eagle?
― Miss Anne Thrope (j.lu), Monday, 9 June 2014 14:14 (nine years ago) link
when did you guys have your hearts detached?
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Monday, 9 June 2014 14:22 (nine years ago) link
I only saw Citizen Kane and Vertigo for the first time within the past 6 weeks. I prefer Vertigo by a decent margin, enough that it whet my need for 5 or 6 more Hitchcock movies. Besides Vertigo, I probably enjoyed Frenzy and North By Northwest the most. I may give Notorious another shot, but I found it kinda boring.
― billstevejim, Monday, 9 June 2014 14:31 (nine years ago) link
xps
The old lady as a spy was Macguffin hooey, but portraying the philandering barrister as a coward who is killed by the nefarious central Europeans, even as he waves his white flag of surrender, was trying to put across a serious political message. And the character of the 'enemy' neurologist who is a smooth, calm, reassuring, sophisticated intellectual, a two-faced liar, and cold-blooded murderer, was also designedly nuanced propaganda.
― Aimless, Monday, 9 June 2014 14:34 (nine years ago) link
why did i wait 3 decades plus to see Notorious?? amazing bit of work; such an insane balance of different moods, sorta feels like 3 different films are going on at once. incredible camera work. the Mum might give me nightmares.
― piscesx, Saturday, 24 January 2015 14:45 (nine years ago) link
Watched Rear Window with the kids, and it was neat to see a thriller operate the way it was designed to operate, as a nail-biter for a more innocent, less cynical audience, one that hides their eyes during the suspense scenes. Started NXNW with them, too, but I think it was just a little too fast and manic. They kept asking what was going on, and I was split between explaining it and telling them that none of it really matters.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 24 January 2015 15:18 (nine years ago) link
It won't mean anything to anyone who hasn't seen the film, but one of my fave Criterion covers:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/release_boxshots/773-36fcbdf38c655b58c01d3f19ac34b16d/137_box_348x490_original.jpg
― That shit right there is precedented. (cryptosicko), Saturday, 24 January 2015 15:19 (nine years ago) link
no better thriller scene than that one imo. few bigger oh shits than when you see she sees they see she sees.
― difficult listening hour, Saturday, 24 January 2015 18:26 (nine years ago) link
No room, Sebastian.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 24 January 2015 18:28 (nine years ago) link
also: Sebastian, the Hitch fink most deserving of pity?
and a nazi no less!
― difficult listening hour, Saturday, 24 January 2015 18:30 (nine years ago) link
the way he often remarks on Devlin's looks makes me wonder if HE's got the hots for Dev and is worried Alicia will catch on.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 24 January 2015 18:37 (nine years ago) link
IMO, subject to change at a moment's notice:
best of the best of the bestNotoriousPsychoRear WindowShadow of a Doubt
next best of the bestNorth by NorthwestRopeVertigo
by anyone else, a masterpieceThe 39 StepsBlackmailDial "M" for MurderFamily PlotThe Lady VanishesThe Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)SabotageSuspicion
flawed but greatThe BirdsFrenzyI ConfessLifeboatThe LodgerRebeccaThe RingStage FrightStrangers on a TrainThe Trouble with HarryTo Catch a ThiefThe Wrong ManYoung and Innocent
goodForeign CorrespondentThe Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)Marnie (sorry, auteurists!)Mr. & Mrs. SmithMurder!Rich and StrangeSecret AgentSpellboardUnder Capricorn
hmmm...Jamaica InnThe ManxmanSaboteurTorn Curtain
not goodTopaz (oof)
haven't seen… all the others
― I dunno. (amateurist), Sunday, 25 January 2015 23:38 (nine years ago) link
Rear Window really is the best of the best of the best. On that, everyone can agree.
― Eric H., Sunday, 25 January 2015 23:43 (nine years ago) link
Family Plot is a better film than Frenzy?
― One bad call from barely losing to (Alex in SF), Sunday, 25 January 2015 23:46 (nine years ago) link
I have a creeping affection for the creepy Under Capricorn.
And I am about to rewatch The Secret Agent with Gielgud and Lorre. Ta!
― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 25 January 2015 23:50 (nine years ago) link
now rank his directed TV episodes. "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "The Crystal Trench" come to mind.
― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 25 January 2015 23:51 (nine years ago) link
those are good
i can't quite figure out why "breakdown" seems the hip hitchcock TV episode to cite these days. it's effectively disturbing but kind of crude.
― I dunno. (amateurist), Monday, 26 January 2015 00:05 (nine years ago) link
speaking of crude, "bang! you're dead" is a fun one
― I dunno. (amateurist), Monday, 26 January 2015 00:06 (nine years ago) link
"Lamb to the Slaughter" I read in high school sophomore English.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 26 January 2015 00:07 (nine years ago) link
I forgot how garrulous and moldy Dial M For Murder is. It would have taken a stronger actor than Ray Milland and his terrible accent to redeem this stagebound material. Talk, talk, talk.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 25 February 2015 22:59 (nine years ago) link
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Talk_Talk
― EPMD Conference 2015 (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 25 February 2015 23:01 (nine years ago) link
spatially it's quite nice
(dont think ive ever watched in 2D)
― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 25 February 2015 23:04 (nine years ago) link
yes the negotiations of space among Milland, the police inspector and Cummings in that apartment is shrewd in its way.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 25 February 2015 23:05 (nine years ago) link
also like the conceit that it's a sequel to Strangers on a Train
― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 25 February 2015 23:06 (nine years ago) link
I kept thinking what would Preminger have done with this material and remembered Bunny Lake is Missing.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 25 February 2015 23:06 (nine years ago) link
Just rewatced Dial M for Murder for the first time since high school. Not a great Hitch, but maybe a pretty good episode of Columbo. Why this was his foray into 3D is puzzling, though, given how this may be one of his least visually dazzling films.
― Bitch I'm in the 2112 (cryptosicko), Thursday, 31 December 2015 05:09 (eight years ago) link
the use of the 3D is kinda the point and i can't really name a 3D film i prefer.
― skateboards are the new combover (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 31 December 2015 05:58 (eight years ago) link
I wonder if the final title card for The Wrong Man was forced upon Hitchcock (or if it was even possible to force something on Hitchcock in 1957). It's jarringly false, although the film is allegedly based on a true story, so maybe that's what actually happened. Anyway, take that title card away, and wow, what a depressing ending (admirably so). Reminded me in an odd way of Carrie's ending. Fascinating as a '50s film: one anonymous man in a gray flannel suit has his life turned upside down by another man in a gray flannel suit, wife understands the pointless of it all and sinks into clinical melancholy.
― clemenza, Monday, 23 May 2016 01:20 (eight years ago) link
I recognized Werner Klemperer, but had no idea that was Tuesday Weld and Bonnie Franklin as the girls, and Harry Dean Stanton I completely missed.
― clemenza, Monday, 23 May 2016 03:12 (eight years ago) link
Notorious really is his best.
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 3 July 2017 11:42 (six years ago) link
I love any Hitchcock poll that doesn't put Vertigo on top.
― some sad trombone Twilight Zone shit (cryptosicko), Monday, 3 July 2017 13:25 (six years ago) link
who gives a fuck what's best? Vertigo is great, so is Notorious, Rear Window etc. Enjoy.
Ingrid is put through some p kinky stuff in the overly maligned Under Capricorn.
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Monday, 3 July 2017 13:29 (six years ago) link
I have it in queue at the public library (it's been checked out for two weeks, funnily enough).
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 3 July 2017 13:33 (six years ago) link
xp Counterpoint: Topaz is not great. But Frenzy is.
― Old Lynch's Sex Paragraph (Phil D.), Monday, 3 July 2017 15:08 (six years ago) link
This. Dude has at least six or seven hard-red masterpieces. I don't care if you prefer one over the other. Just prefer a few of them and we're good.
― Anne of the Thousand Gays (Eric H.), Monday, 3 July 2017 15:20 (six years ago) link
I wanted to like Stage Fright a lot (Jane Wyman is great) but man, what a mess. Or just confusing? I do have the urge to watch it again - at some point - unlike the bottom 5 or 6 of the 32 Hitchcock movies I've seen.
― flappy bird, Sunday, 15 April 2018 03:31 (six years ago) link