I received the most bad ass blu-ray box set for Christmas this year.... the Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection. I will now give a brief breakdown and review of the set.
(1942)
I loved how Saboteur opened up with the smoke against the wall, it looked like something out of a David Lynch film. This was entertaining and a nice little mystery piece. It was a little heavy handed at times and the ending could have been stronger, but ultimately it was a good intro piece to this set.
(1943)
This is just a great story in itself and even without Hitchcock's direction, would still probably be pretty entertaining. I loved the way Shadow of a Doubt opens in this dark depressing room... it sparks an interesting character study on the secretive Uncle Charlie. There are a few parts where it slowed a little for me, but it didn't bring the overall experience down. One quick note... I loved the dialogue between the neighbor and the father.
(1948)
Rope is a fantastic little gem in this collection and the first of the films in color. Again, this is another great story and to see it play out on screen was a delight. I love the use of all the long takes that Hitchcock incorporates, it's pretty cool for a film from the 40's. Jimmy Stewart is awesome in this and I also loved John Dall who stole the show in my opinion. The closing shot to this film is one of the greatest endings to a film I've seen in a long time.
(1954)
I'm only four films in but one thing I've noticed already is that there is such ease to watching a Hitchcock film... they really feel timeless and extremely entertaining. Rear Window is no exception. This film is a masterpiece and set the bar high for the other films I have left in this collection. Jimmy Stewart rules in this, watching him watch other people and just seeing his reaction to everything is great. The other impressive thing is the set, I couldn't tell if it was a real building or not. Rear Window unfolds perfectly and leaves you wondering the whole way through if the neighbor is a killer or not. Absolutely my favorite so far.
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(1955)
Another pleasing selection from Mr Hitchcock. The Trouble with Harry is probably the best looking of the all the films so far, it had incredible cinematography. This is a brilliant comedy and one that has an interesting view on murder. All of the players involved seem completely unfazed by the dead body they've stumbled upon and watching them handle the corpse is part of the fun... it's all very macabre.
(1956)
The Man Who Knew Too Much could be released tomorrow, with all current actors and modern techniques... and it would be a huge hit. By now I've realized how many people rip off Hitchcock.... it's comical. This film is solid and extremely well executed. James Stewart is the man. The ending is a heavy hitter.
(1958)
I've been wanting to check Vertigo out for awhile now, but have held off until this set was released in order to partake in a proper viewing of the film. It is awe inspiring and a testament to the power of blu-ray. The visuals and cinematography are stellar and you can see why this is such a highly influential film. Jimmy Stewart cranks out another great performance... I love Jimmy Stewart. Vertigo is a highly suspenseful story and it takes a few crazy turns that I didn't expect, especially the ending, which is brilliant. I dug this film big time.
(1959)
One of the best chase films I've seen. North by Northwest is quality entertainment and peaked my interest throughout it's entire run time. Both Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint are great together. It's apparent to me how influential this film was on later films that followed. Actually, I've noticed that a lot so far... so many people rip off Hitchcock.
(1960)
It's been a long time since I've seen Psycho and I forgotten how awesome it is. The score is one of the greatest out there, it makes this film so much stronger. I actually watched half of (I fell asleep) the 1998 remake right after this (I will not be reviewing it) and it's so crazy how much better the original is. You also realize after watching the remake how much more effective Anthony Perkins and Vera Miles were. I'm a big fan of this film, it's a must if you're into thrillers and horror.
(1963)
The Birds is half love story, half horror film. It takes it's time to get to the horror, instead Hitchcock toys with the audience and injects little slivers of the impending doom that's ahead. Some of the effects used didn't hold up that well, but I still enjoyed them, especially the scene of the group of kids being chased by blood hungry crows... or were they blackbirds?
(1964)
The girl from The Birds returns for Marnie, she's also accompanied by Sean Connery, both do a good job. There's a few moments where the acting seemed a little over the top, especially coming from the mother. Marnie has a cool story behind it but the ending seemed a little over done... still it's a good film.
(1966)
A decent enough flick. Paul Newman and Julie Andrews were engaging but the story is so-so. I felt like it dragged a little towards the end. There's a cool scene at a farm house where Newman fights a German, that was the highlight for me. Torn Curtain is fine I guess, I would rank it low on the list compared to the others.
(1969)
My least favorite at this point. Topaz is pretty boring. There's a bunch of characters and no real development of them. The story is pretty lack luster and the acting is average to below average. I'd pass on this one.
(1972)
A pleasing crime thriller which keeps you hooked in throughout the whole ride. The protagonist, Jon Finch, did a great job and the supporting cast were all fantastic. It's not perfect, but a rad little film that's worth the time.
(1976)
Family Plot rounds out the collection and is the last film Hitchcock ever made. Bruce Dern (from The Burbs!) is awesome in this. It's a pretty interesting film but starts to where out its welcome towards the end. There's a great score and fantastic cinematography as always. It's a nice way to go out... not perfect, but nowhere near bad.
After watching 14 Hitchcock films back to back I can say one thing for certain... there is an inherent watchability to everything he does. Even his films that aren't great, are still good and far superior than the best titles from an average director. Hitchcock is master auteur and is able to visualize such a complete work of art from beginning to end... it is incredible how harmonious all of his films are. I'd now say he sits in the upper echelon of my favorite directors and I just ordered a bunch of his other titles I haven't seen yet... so excpect more Hitch in the future of Curtis... reviewer extraordinaire.
Great job! If I may, I would like to make a request a similar review about Woody Allen's work.
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