Rear Window

Hey, a real post! So, Rear Window, directed in 1954 by Alfred Hitchcock, is what I ended up watching today. If I was doing this in any sort of order, I would have watched The Leopard, but that's long and I'm tired and my back is feeling wonky, so I had the internet pick something shorter. Plus, I sort of felt like watching this way more.

Probably we all know the plot of this movie. It's been referenced and remade many times. Two notable examples being Body Double (which I think I watched simply because of how much it's referenced in the book American Psycho) and Disturbia (which I didn't see but looked like it was about as awesome as a box of farts). Even though Rear Window is familiar, I personally have always found that it's still really tense and exciting to watch. I mean, I know what happens in the most tension-filled scenes, and I still find it makes me squirmy. We all know Hitchcock is amazing at tension. Can I contribute something new to this discussion? We will find out.

Strangers on a Train

I totally lost track of how much time I spent outside today. I went out thinking I'd just be there for a little bit while I waited for Anthony to come over, and somehow I ended up staying out there relaxing until almost 5:00pm. And I ended up looking like I might be rather sunburned, ugh. It took me longer to watch Strangers on a Train, directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951, because I had to pause it towards the end to make an emergency run to Walgreen's for some aloe. They make aloe with lidocaine in it! I had no idea of this genius invention.

Enough about me. I really liked today's movie, but I like all of the Hitchcock films that I've seen. I love his style, and I really like the tense thrillers that he directs, and this one was no different. I thought the story here was especially cool as well. It was a fun movie to watch, and even more fun to watch in the A/C, with fans blowing on my disgusting red knees and arms. :p

Vertigo

For some reason, I feel overwhelmingly tired, so I'll keep this post a bit short. Although I had a really great, relaxing day, nothing seemed to go right this evening, even the movie watching - the DVD kept skipping since it was really scratched. It was one of those nights, which maybe has left me a little drained. Passing out in bed sounds really good right about now, hopefully no one will mind a bit shorter of a post. :)

Today's movie was Vertigo, directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1958. It's one of his most highly praised and discussed films. It is also, as Ebert mentions and I have noticed, one of least trying for the female character out of all of his films. Hitchcock was a bit infamous for how he treated women in cinema - his movies with his blond women, always humiliated or abused in some way. This movie is slightly more sympathetic, showing much more of the pain and emotions that she experiences.

Psycho

This post will probably stay short - not because this isn't an incredible movie, but because I am pretty sure that everything possible to say about it has already been said. You can't even look it up on Wikipedia without finding long-winded analysis. I don't want to just re-tread everything, poorly - if you want to read analysis and history about the movie, it's all out there for you.

I think Alfred Hitchock's most famous film (in my small social circle) is Psycho, which he directed in 1960. Oddly enough, there is a point where it's sort of like Citizen Kane - a lot of people haven't actually watched it. I think it has had that strange effect where people feel like they have seen the whole movie already, even if they haven't. Cultural consciousness. People have seen the shower scene, either parodied or in pieces, and its like, "Why else do I watch this movie? I know the main plot." I always feel sort of bad when I see this happen to movies, but it's so hard to avoid it when a film become famous or notorious in any way. I wish I had an explanation for why I know so many people who have never seen this movie, but I don't. Maybe modern horror has de-sensitized and spoiled people. Maybe people actually do feel like they have seen this film already, like I was pondering. Maybe black and white is off-putting. I have no idea, but it is a little more interesting to think about than the normal "the Bates house represented the ego, id, and the superego!"

Notorious

Is there anyone who hates Alfred Hitchcock? I've never heard of such a thing. I haven't seen all of his films, even though so many of them are always on Netflix Instant. I guess I just forget, somehow. I always seem to have the best times watching his movies, and I am always surprised by how engrossed in them I become. I have the best memory of going to see Vertigo not too long ago at Northwestern with some dear friends of mine. I did a bit of grumbling at first and wasn't sure if it would be worth it, but seeing the old film, on actual film, with great people, was a really cool experience. And afterward, all three of us in Clark's diner, huddled over coffee, discussing and pondering. I wish more movie going experiences were that good, which is why I always think about it so fondly. So, Hitchcock conjures warm and fuzzy memories for me, who knew!