Hitchcock: Will I like the upcoming titles?

[Maggot]

Hello,

I have only seen four Hitchcock movies in my life. The Birds, Pyscho, North by Northwest and Vertigo. I absolutely didn't like Vertigo. I found it a complete borefest. On the other side, with the few movies of his that I have seen, I find North by Northwest to be a masterpiece! That being said, with some Hitchcock stuff coming out like the "Lady Vanishes", "Notorious" and "Rebecca"......how do they fair to the movies I mentioned I have seen, in particular to North by Northwest, which I find heads and tails better than The Birds or Psycho for that matter. I'm just trying to find out how much Hitchcock I really like and how these upcoming movies play in terms of other Hitchcock films? Thanks.

[Belmont]

I haven't seen The Lady Vanishes, but Notorious is solid and Rebecca is fantastic.

In regards to how they compare to North by Northwest, I haven't seen Notorious in quite some time so I can't speak to how it holds up. Rebecca is one of my favorite Hitchcock movies but it's more of a moody character piece than a twisty turny thriller like North By Northwest, so they aren't really comparable.

My favorite Hitchcock movies are Rear Window and Psycho, if that helps put it in perspective.

[octagon]

I'm not a big fan of The Lady Vanishes. That's a little too early for me.

Rebecca and Notorious are both very solid though. I think Hitchcock did some of his best work in the 40s and these are two of the better ones.

[Gardenofstone10]

All Hitchcock films are genius to me and all deserve the watch/support.

[BlackRiderX]

Originally Posted by Gardenofstone10

All Hitchcock films are genius to me and all deserve the watch/support.

+1

Everything before The 39 Steps is him learning/working out his craft. After that almost everything he did was worth seeking out and watching if you can, even 'critic' failures like Rope.

Vertigo is his masterpiece to me IMO, but all the films during that specific time period are genius and I wouldn't argue with anyone about which one they think is the best.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Maggot

Hello,
I have only seen four Hitchcock movies in my life. The Birds, Pyscho, North by Northwest and Vertigo. I absolutely didn't like Vertigo. I found it a complete borefest.

(Oh...Most find it downbeat, and a little off-putting to see lovable Jimmy Stewart playing creepy-kinky.)

On the other side, with the few movies of his that I have seen, I find North by Northwest to be a masterpiece! That being said, with some Hitchcock stuff coming out like the "Lady Vanishes", "Notorious" and "Rebecca"......how do they fair to the movies I mentioned I have seen, in particular to North by Northwest, which I find heads and tails better than The Birds or Psycho for that matter.

Hitchcock wasn't THE Hitchcock yet, back when he was working for Louis B. Mayer (40's LB wasn't exactly intellectual, and would've at least punched 50's Hitch in the face for making Vertigo), but for the conventional material he was "forced" to do for MGM, he wasn't bad, either.
Rebecca is more gothic suspense, Notorious is closer to his wartime suspense like "Saboteur", and Lady Vanishes is from his British days before he was even playing to American tastes to begin with.

If it ain't from Universal, it's not the Hitch you're thinking of...But go ahead, surprise yourself.

[paul_66]

Originally Posted by Maggot

Hello,

I have only seen four Hitchcock movies in my life. The Birds, Pyscho, North by Northwest and Vertigo. I absolutely didn't like Vertigo. I found it a complete borefest. On the other side, with the few movies of his that I have seen, I find North by Northwest to be a masterpiece! That being said, with some Hitchcock stuff coming out like the "Lady Vanishes", "Notorious" and "Rebecca"......how do they fair to the movies I mentioned I have seen, in particular to North by Northwest, which I find heads and tails better than The Birds or Psycho for that matter. I'm just trying to find out how much Hitchcock I really like and how these upcoming movies play in terms of other Hitchcock films? Thanks.

Sounds to me that you like films with activity, with action. Well, Hitchcock wasn't an action director. He did suspense, and he created that suspense with diverse storytelling. The way I see it, he also created horror through suspense, which two of the ones you mentioned are horror, and are basically the only horror films Hitchcock ever did.

Vertigo is a film that does take its time to tell its story and has a dizzying quality to it in terms of storytelling, which, to me, is the beauty of it. Considering your likes in the films you've mentioned, I sort of doubt you'll favor Rear Window very much. Though there is plenty of suspense near the end. I would recommend you to check that one out before you check out anymore Hitchcock. For one, it's one of Hitchcock's most suspenseful film and is considered by most to be one of his top best. If you can't bring yourself to like it, then I don't believe you'll like much else from Hitchcock.

However, there are some "activity" in The Lady Vanishes. If you have no trouble with watching a very old film in black and white, than you should be able to see the colors in it for yourself. The film has plenty of suspense and has some bit of action towards the end. Foreign Correspondent is another rare Hitchcock film with quite some action in it, but I can't say it has the same level of suspense as The Lady Vanishes, and definitely not Rear Window.

Lifeboat has a level of activity in its story and character development, as well as some suspenseful moments. There's a small bit of action towards the end.

As for Rebecca and Notorious, it's a little hard to say for me. There's a scene at the end of Rebecca that can get your blood pumping if you are "into" the story, but since it takes a lot of time through it's story, you may not find it very favorable. Notorious, does have a fair amount of activity. It's not much compared to the other films you mentioned, and not even Vertigo at that. However, Notorious is basically about espionage and romance.

In fact, when it comes down to it, most of Hitchcock's films do involve a quite a bit of romance, such as Vertigo. So, if romance simply isn't your cupe of tea, then I don't know what else to tell you beyond this point.

EDIT: However, I do recommend that you check out Strangers on a Train and Frenzy. Strangers on a Train has a fairly high level of suspense and some bits of action towards the end. Frenzy is almost a horror film, so it might be a bit closer to your cup of tea.

Btw: It would help if you let people know exactly what your tastes in films are.

[benbess]

My guess is that North by Northwest will always be your favorite. It was part of the model for the James Bond films, and I think you can see that.

His other film that is probably most like NNW is the early black and white WW2 thriller Saboteur...

Oh, and I think you'd also like the film that's my Avatar!

[Yojimbo68]

Originally Posted by Maggot

Hello,

I have only seen four Hitchcock movies in my life. The Birds, Pyscho, North by Northwest and Vertigo. I absolutely didn't like Vertigo. I found it a complete borefest. On the other side, with the few movies of his that I have seen, I find North by Northwest to be a masterpiece! That being said, with some Hitchcock stuff coming out like the "Lady Vanishes", "Notorious" and "Rebecca"......how do they fair to the movies I mentioned I have seen, in particular to North by Northwest, which I find heads and tails better than The Birds or Psycho for that matter. I'm just trying to find out how much Hitchcock I really like and how these upcoming movies play in terms of other Hitchcock films? Thanks.

Given your taste I would skip THE LADY VANISHES and REBECCA. (Personally I think both are great films.) Go with NOTORIOUS. It's a great movie by almost any standard.

[bigshot]

Vertigo is one of Hitchcock's best, but the action isn't overt like in those other films. It operates on a deeper level. It definitely isn't a movie for teenagers. All of the obsession and sickness would fly right over their heads. Notorious has a similar undercurrent, but it has the mcguffin to keep less sophisticated viewers occupied.

[Dragun]

FWIW my favorite Hitchcock film is Vertigo. Its the most personal and haunting of his films.

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by Maggot

Hello,

I have only seen four Hitchcock movies in my life. The Birds, Pyscho, North by Northwest and Vertigo. I absolutely didn't like Vertigo. I found it a complete borefest. On the other side, with the few movies of his that I have seen, I find North by Northwest to be a masterpiece! That being said, with some Hitchcock stuff coming out like the "Lady Vanishes", "Notorious" and "Rebecca"......how do they fair to the movies I mentioned I have seen, in particular to North by Northwest, which I find heads and tails better than The Birds or Psycho for that matter. I'm just trying to find out how much Hitchcock I really like and how these upcoming movies play in terms of other Hitchcock films? Thanks.

VERTIGO's a critics' darling because it most encapsulates the obsessive, slightly perverse themes that can be dug up in a lot of Hitchcock's films. On a narrative level, though, VERTIGO is a slow burn (and a little silly, imo, in basic plot terms) whereas NBNW is a brilliant but relatively straightforward thriller.

If you don't mind films of a vintage nature, the nearest comparisons are his earlier films - THE THIRTY NINE STEPS in particular, but also SABOTEUR and FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT. The under-rated TORN CURTAIN is also worth a look. And if you want to stray a little from Hitchcock, I highly recommend that you check out CHARADE, also starring Cary Grant.

NOTORIOUS is great - a thriller but a bit slower, more character based - it reminds me of CASABLANCA in tone. REBECCA is quite a romantic film with dark undertones - again, it's good but it doesn't share much in common with NBNW. There's a good chance you might enjoy THE LADY VANISHES but it's more of a murder mystery and, being set on a train, somewhat confined in scope.

But if you're looking to better NBNW then, yeah, you'll have a problem. It's a great film by anyone's standards and you could certainly argue that its Hitchcock's best.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by octagon

I'm not a big fan of The Lady Vanishes. That's a little too early for me.

Rebecca and Notorious are both very solid though. I think Hitchcock did some of his best work in the 40s and these are two of the better ones.

Too early? You own King Kong, from 1933, and Modern Times, from 1936, but a Hitchcock movie from 1938 is too early? I don't get it.

Originally Posted by Gardenofstone10

All Hitchcock films are genius to me and all deserve the watch/support.

I disagree. He definitely made his share of stinkers, and even he admits to sleeping through a decent amount of his films while they were shooting because he was bored and/or had no interest in them. I Confess, Stage Fright, The Paradine Case, Topaz, Torn Curtain -- all terrible.

[benbess]

Originally Posted by retablo

Too early? You own King Kong, from 1933, and Modern Times, from 1936, but a Hitchcock movie from 1938 is too early? I don't get it.



I disagree. He definitely made his share of stinkers, and even he admits to sleeping through a decent amount of his films while they were shooting because he was bored and/or had no interest in them. I Confess, Stage Fright, The Paradine Case, Topaz, Torn Curtain -- all terrible.

I disagree on Stage Fright. Strong, funny and suspenseful film. A lost classic imho. Would look great on blu. This one is controversial because of the..um...don't want to give it away. Alaster Sim and Marlene Dietrich are great in this. Jane Wyman is good too.

The others, I agree, are duds.

I like Rebecca a lot. It is slow like Vertigo, but in other ways quite different...

[retablo]

Originally Posted by benbess

I disagree on Stage Fright. Strong, funny and suspenseful film. A lost classic imho. Would look great on blu. This one is controversial because of the..um...don't want to give it away. Alaster Sim and Marlene Dietrich are great in this. Jane Wyman is good too.

The others, I agree, are duds.

Well, i dismiss Stage Fright because of the trick Hitchcock employed that he later agreed was a huge cheat. It's not a bad film, but the cheat ruins it.

[benbess]

Originally Posted by retablo

Well, i dismiss Stage Fright because of the trick Hitchcock employed that he later agreed was a huge cheat. It's not a bad film, but the cheat ruins it.

Yeah, first time I saw it I kinda felt the same why. But on the second view you see why it's less of a cheat than it seemed the first time. And it's such a fun picture. Love the London setting.

[benbess]

So what we've got now when it comes to Hitchcock and blu...

1. North by Northwest
As the OP said this is a great classic. And a terrific blu-ray. Filmed in VistaVision and carefully restored, this is probably the one Hitchcock that everyone should have in their collection--even if they don't otherwise have a single Hitchcock film.

2. Psycho is also a huge classic. I don't like it nearly as much, but it was his biggest success and a profoundly influential film

Is that it right now?

Coming up in a few days we have

3. The Lady Vanishes from Criterion. This one I've liked well enough, but I'll probably like it better on blu.

4. Rebecca. The one deserved the Oscar for best picture, imho. I still think this one stands up, but I know many Hitchcock fans who just don't care for it that much.

5. Notorious is a classic. Still a winner.

6. Spellbound--is that one coming out too?

7. The Birds--is that one coming up?

I would love to see on blu the following not yet announced

Saboteur (1942) Great WW2 thriller with lots of set pieces, including finale on Statue of Liberty. Lack of real stars is the only weakness in this good old piece of entertainment.

Shadow of a Doubt (1943) One of Hitchcock's personal favorites, and it still stands up.

Lifeboat (1944) Another controversial picture that even many Hitchcock fans don't care for, but I think it's impressive and suspenseful. Tallulah Bankhead is great in this, imho, and the rest of the cast solid too. The negative was damaged in a flood, however, and it's not a big commercial property, so it's not likely to ever make it to blu...

Rope (1948) Hitchcock's first Technicolor film and first with James Stewart. Experimental ten minute takes. Basically a rewrite of the Leopold and Loeb case. Tense one set winner.

Stage Fright (1950) Already talked about this one

Strangers on a Train (1951) Another classic

Dial M for Murder (1953) Grace Kelly in 3d! There's already a fine non-3d HD master of this on Netflix. It looks great!!! Needs nothing. Bring it to blu asap.

Rear Window (1954) Huge hit and giant classic. Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. Amazing set design.

To Catch A Thief (1955) Grace Kelly again. Plus Cary Grant. The lighter side of Hitch.

The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, etc.

[bboisvert]

You've just referred to my all-time favorite film as a "borefest", but I'll ignore that an answer the question.

Your best bet is to put Rebecca at the bottom of the list. That's the one I think you'll have the least chance of liking.

Get The Lady Vanishes... then Notorious... then take a chance on Rebecca if that all pans out.



And although I love Hitch, he did absolutely make some stinkers. I still have trouble sitting through The Paradine Case.

[benbess]

Originally Posted by bboisvert

You've just referred to my all-time favorite film as a "borefest", but I'll ignore that an answer the question.

Your best bet is to put Rebecca at the bottom of the list. That's the one I think you'll have the least chance of liking.

Get The Lady Vanishes... then Notorious... then take a chance on Rebecca if that all pans out.



And although I love Hitch, he did absolutely make some stinkers. I still have trouble sitting through The Paradine Case.

In Hitchcock's defense the Paradine case was really a Selznick project. And although Selznick was good on Rebecca imho, and somewhat helpful on Spellbound, he really made a mess of Paradine. The casting and the script are all wrong. Alida Valli in particular is just not believable to anyone as someone who would drive a wholesome guy like Gregory Peck over the deep end. The only thing I really like about that agonizingly awful film was the part with Charles Laughton at the dinner table....

[octagon]

Originally Posted by retablo

Too early? You own King Kong, from 1933, and Modern Times, from 1936, but a Hitchcock movie from 1938 is too early? I don't get it.

Early in his career.