Top 5 of Hitchcock

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1) Vertigo
2) Psycho
3) Rear Window
4) Rope
5) Notorious
+
6) The Birds
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"Puns are the highest form of literature." -Alfred Hitchcock



A very difficult task, but I'm going to try:

1. Rear Window
2. Rebecca
3. Psycho
4. Vertigo (will probably rise to the top after another view)
5. Shadow of a Doubt

I've also seen:

The 39 Steps
The Lady Vanishes
Spellbound
Rope
Strangers on a Train
Dial M for Murder
To Catch a Thief
The Man Who Knew Too Much (James Stewart version)
The Wrong Man
North By Northwest
The Birds
Marnie

I liked them all very much and this list can change a little bit from time to time. Especially Vertigo can become number 1 or 2 after another view. It's just too long ago since I've seen it.



Copying this from another post of mine:

1. North by Northwest
2. Vertigo (top two are very close, NBN pips on enjoyment)
3. Psycho
4. Dial M for Murder
=Strangers on a Train
=Rear Window

For some reason I really thought I had already though I had posted in this thread, anyway as a massive fan of Hitchcock here are what I'd rate his films at from what I've seen, attaching ratings and reviews so you can understand why I rate them what I do.

I know this thread is meant to discuss his worse but thought I might as well just give my thoughts on why I don't think some films listed in this thread are his 'worst' at all.

Psycho -
- Full Review
North by Northwest -
- Full Review
Vertigo -


You might question me awarding him three 5 star ratings, but I really think these are three fantastic films in their own rights. All are completely different, "Psycho" is one of my favourite horrors, North by Northwest is just such a fun action thrilled film and Vertigo is simply a masterpiece in filmmaking, if you don't like this film I think you've watched it expecting something else, it's a really tragic and romantic film that deals with a number of issues such as obsession and it's one of my all time favourite performances from James Stewart.

Dial M for Murder -
- Full Review
Strangers on a Train -

Rear Window -
- Full Review

Three extremely strong films, all of them different. Dial M feels different for Hitchcock and is more like a murder mystery but it's great, Strangers on a Train is more dark and sinister but great and Rear Window is another fantastic performance from Stewart who deals with more important themes (isolation) and it has a great suspense.

Shadow of a Doubt -

The Birds -

Rope -

To Catch a Thief -
- Full Review

All decent/good films. Shadow of a Doubt from a technical viewpoint is great and some of the scenes are made extremely well, Cotten is really good as the villain but I felt it just lagged a bit towards the end. The Birds again from a technical viewpoint is great, and I really enjoyed the film up until the end which left me with more frustration than enjoyment, some scenes are spectacular though such as the one outside the school where the birds unknowingly gather ready to attack. Rope is also a good film.

To Catch a Thief you might disagree with and give a lower rating, but its a more enjoyable, light hearted film in which Cary Grant is an enjoyable lead. Don't expect much and enjoy the French Riviera, I wouldn't call it a bad film but not one I'd watch over and over again.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956, remake) -


Probably my least favourite. It starts off well in Morocco with James Stewart, Doris Day and their family but it goes downhill after their son is kidnap with some of Hitchcock's most preposterous scenes. Two of the biggest highlights are music related, the appearance of the great Herrmann and Day's famous song 'Que Sera Sera'.
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This is a tough one. I'd rather do 10, but here's my top 5:

1. Vertigo- Takes my breath away every time. The great sights in Northern California, Stewart's first sighting of Kim Novak in that red restaurant, the weird obsessiveness of it all.
2. Notorious- I guess I like Hitchcock's twisted relationships, with this one and Vertigo at the top. So many great shots, and Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman are amazing together.
3. North by Northwest- Fantastic set piece after set piece, this is Hitchcock's most purely entertaining film.
4. Strangers on a Train- It's great how this film can make a tennis match, a rain grate, and a merry-go-round so suspenseful. Very interesting characters.
5. The Lady Vanishes- A great blend of humor and mystery, and I think Hitchcock's funniest film.

And just for fun:

6. The Birds
7. Rear Window
8. Shadow of a Doubt
9. Psycho
10. The 39 Steps

All great, and I'd probably count the first 9 as some of my favorites of all time.



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1. Rear Window
2. North by Northwest
3. Dial M for Murder
4. Psycho
5. Vertigo

With Notorious, Strangers on a Train, and The Birds the next ones in line.



Psycho, Dial M for Murder and Rope.



Story about my mother: The Castrating Zionist
Psycho, Dial M for Murder and Rope.
You should do a Favorite film list already! You seem to have impeccable taste (in my opinion). I understand how hard it is to judge certain films your favorite, but you can do like me a put a tentative list up. My favorite films list changes a bit every other day.



Strangers On A Train was disappointing. Complete bowdlerisation of the novel. That's not necessarily Hitchcock's fault but it doesn't make for a good film.

I've only seen 4 Hitchcock films and Rebecca and Psycho are easily the best of those (the other two being Strangers and Stage Fright).



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Strangers was indeed a disappointment upon my first viewing, but has gotten better upon repeated viewings. I think I saw it at a bad time the first time because I had seen Rear Window and Dial M for Murder right before it, so my expectations were running quite high.



Strangers On A Train was disappointing. Complete bowdlerisation of the novel. That's not necessarily Hitchcock's fault but it doesn't make for a good film.
I agree with you on the point of Strangers on a Train, never liked that one (I know it has got a high rating everywhere, and people mostly seem to like it)...

I thought someone would have The Trouble with Harry in his or her top 5, but so far (including me) no one does...



I agree with you on the point of Strangers on a Train, never liked that one (I know it has got a high rating everywhere, and people mostly seem to like it)...
It's the premise and Robert Walker's performance that people rate it for. Walker's performance is good but then the character's good so...