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"Nobody ever invented a polite word for a killin' yet." - The Alfred Hitchcock Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Archive: The Amphitheatre' started by Spielberg-Fan27, Sep 14, 2002.

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  1. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    Mr. and Mrs. Smith stars Carole Lombard and, oh brother, I forget the man's name as a husband and wife couple who suddenly discover for some reason that they aren't really married, due to some legal technicality. Sort of screwball comedy, but without the laughs, except in one weird scene where Lombard shaves her ex-husband with a straight razor.
     
  2. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

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    Oct 11, 1998
    Robert Montgomery was Carole Lombard's co-star.

    I can't believe that Matsrags has actually seen "Waltzes From Vienna," Hitchcock's only musical. What was it like?

    Has anybody read the book Truffaut wrote about Hitchcock?

    And yes, 'Charade' is a terrific movie. Directed by Stanley Donen.

     
  3. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    Yeah, I knew it was Bob something. Kept thinking of Bob Cummings and I knew that wasn't it.
     
  4. Glockenspiel

    Glockenspiel Jedi Youngling star 1

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    Jul 31, 2002
    "This cake is killin Mrs. Thompson!"

    There's pretty polite USE of the word, I don't know what would be a substitute.
     
  5. Darth-Stryphe

    Darth-Stryphe Former Mod and City Rep star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Apr 24, 2001
    Has anybody read the book Truffaut wrote about Hitchcock?

    As I recall, I borrowed some passages from it for a paper I wrote in college. That's been a while, though.
     
  6. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

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    Oct 11, 1998
    It was in the form of a long interview with Hitchcock on all of his films. Very interesting, though Hitchcock is not always forthcoming.

     
  7. ClassicTrilogyFan

    ClassicTrilogyFan Jedi Youngling

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    May 20, 2001
    One cannot measure the amount of influence Hitchcock has had on filmakers. His style and creativity changed cinema forever. They don't call him the master of suspense for nothing. Some of my favorite films are.

    Vertigo
    I Confess with Montgomery Clift
    The Wrong Man with Henry Fonda
    Rear Window (or anything else with Grace Kelly)
    The Lady Vanishes
     
  8. Spielberg-Fan27

    Spielberg-Fan27 Jedi Youngling

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    Sep 14, 2002
    I saw The Birds for the first time last night. Very creepy.
     
  9. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

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    Oct 11, 1998
    I don't think "The Birds" is one of Hitchcock's better movies, but it has its moments.

     
  10. Jedi knight Pozzi

    Jedi knight Pozzi Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Apr 2, 2000
    The ending leaves alot to be desired.

    As did the eventual sequel made.
     
  11. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

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    Oct 11, 1998
    A sequel? Never heard of it.

     
  12. Jedi knight Pozzi

    Jedi knight Pozzi Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Apr 2, 2000
    Lands Ending maybe? I can't recall myself.
     
  13. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    I've never seen it, but the sequel was titled The Birds: Lands End.

    I agree that it's not one of his deeper films but some of the attacks are incredibly tense.
     
  14. Jedi knight Pozzi

    Jedi knight Pozzi Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Apr 2, 2000
    Just a thought, what did anyone here think of that dull remake of Psycho?

    And, errrr, how do you spul iit rite? [face_blush]
     
  15. MariahJade2

    MariahJade2 Former Fan Fiction Archive Editor star 5 VIP

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    Mar 18, 2001
    "Waltzes From Vienna," Hitchcock's only musical.

    *** I can't believe there is something of his I haven't seen. I'm going to have to go digging for this one. Mr and Mrs. Smith too.

    A sequel to the Birds??? :eek: Who directed?

    I think you have to remember what the state of the world was when the Birds came out. At the time, I believe it was considered a very scary film. It played into a lot of fears that people had.

    I never saw the Psycho remake, but I heard it was horrible. His films should never be remade.

    What do you all feel about M. Night Shyamalan being compared to Hitchcock?

     
  16. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    The Psycho remake was an exercise in stupidity.

    The only possible reason to do a remake is if you have something to add. But what can you add to Hitchcock? Nothing. Because you're noodling with genius.

    So, it's a straight shot for shot updating, which just seems pointless. And why in color? It's supposed to be in black and white. And why update it? Make it a period piece to make it interesting at least.

    The performances are all actually good. Macy is stellar as Arbogast and his scene with Vaughan is really gorgeously done, but other than that the film is entirely forgettable.

    Van Sant even faked a mistake (a door opens without a key) that appears in the original. It wasn't a remake. He didn't do anything with it.
     
  17. waheennay

    waheennay Jedi Padawan star 4

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    Sep 29, 2000
    Why did Van Sandt also remake the part where the psychiatrist gave that dumb speech explaining Norman's mental state? That almost ruined the ending of the original!
     
  18. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

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    Oct 11, 1998
    True. I call this 'the psychiatrist explains the psyche of the psycho' speech. A low point in the first film. If Van Sant wanted to remake this movie, he should have given it a new spin, or forgotten about it.

     
  19. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    Exactly. Van Sant really gave it a more clinical remaking than any I've ever seen.

    It just feels dull and lifeless.
     
  20. BobaBen

    BobaBen Jedi Padawan star 4

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    Mar 17, 2002
    worse hitchcock movie Stangers on a train. It's just stupid. It is so obivous that bruno has a thing for guy. and farley graner has the acting range of a gundark

    best hitchcock movie

    North by Northwest
     
  21. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

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    Oct 11, 1998
    Yeah, and so? Why does this make it a bad movie? (Though I agree Granger is pretty bad. Hitchcock wanted William Holden, who would have been perfect.)

     
  22. Spielberg-Fan27

    Spielberg-Fan27 Jedi Youngling

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    Sep 14, 2002
    Isn't Strangers On A Train supposed to be one of the best Hitchcock films? I've never seen it, but everyone tells me that it's good.
     
  23. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    Strangers on a Train is excellent, in my opinion at least. Walker is chilling and the scoring and direction are beautiful, of course. I take issue with the opinion that it's his worst film.

    It isn't his best, but it's one of his best.
     
  24. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

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    Oct 11, 1998
    It is a good film. It's based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith (which does not end as happily as the movie, as I recall). Bruno and Guy are meant as reflections of each other, and the idea of doppelgangers (sp?) is played out through the movie. Walker really gives a galvanizing performance as the psychopathic Bruno; but as pointed out, Granger is not as strong, which is too bad. It's a pretty bold performance for the time; the novel makes Bruno's orientation very clear, and neither Walker nor Hitchcock pull any punches on that question.

    The stalking of Guy's wife by Bruno is a really chilling sequence, and there are several other good ones---the tennis match and the final carousel scene, for two.

     
  25. Spielberg-Fan27

    Spielberg-Fan27 Jedi Youngling

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    Sep 14, 2002
    I just got this book a couple days ago called "The Art Of Alfred Hitchcock" by Donald Spoto. It's a terrific book. Anybody else read it?
     
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