Movie Tab II

This is my favorite Hitch film, hands down. It's funny when folks ask what is so good about it (which happens quite a bit, I am afraid), as to me, there is so much to the film, I find it hard to put things into words...but I'll try.

The camera technique: Notice the vastly different camera and editing techniques used depending on who/what is on screen. For instance, with Maddy, we are treated to soft filters, floating camera movement, and many close-ups. With Midge, we get harsh lensing, medium and long shots, and hardly any camera movement, showing Scottie's disinterest in the character as opposed to his obsession with Maddy.

The Obsession: In the first half, Scottie becomes obsessed with a woman who is rumored to be possessed by a ghost, or a dead person, and in the second half, Scottie tries to remake his new girlfriend (who is really the girl who was masquerading as Maddy) into a copy of the dead Maddy. Looking at it from his perspective, it is quite sick...necrophelia to be exact. Sexual obsession with a dead person, which, for the times, was taboo subject matter.

The symbolism: There are books dedicated to Hitch's symbolism, and each book has a large section devoted to Vertigo. Color, culture, spiritual beliefs, and much more are prominant through symbolism in Vertigo.

The Players: Kim Novak plays her dual roll as Maddy/Judy with elegance and conviction. Icy, calculating Maddy, and foolish, gullible Judy are diametric opposites..until Scottie gets involved, that is. James Stewart is in top form here, rivaling his role in It's a Wonderful Life, IMO.

The Compositions: I feel some of Hitchcock's best compositions are in this film, and some of them are tricky. For instance the graveyard scene and the flower shop scene. Hitch uses misdirection and skew perception in these scenes to help ease the viewer into the dream-like fugue that seems to permeate the film. The audience manipulation in at an all time high here.

Enough said for now. Try this. Watch the film again, now that you knopw what happens in tit, and this time foucus on the way this thing is filmsed.edited and designed, and also on the characters, and you will begin to see the magnificent construction of the film and characters. This film almost requires additional viewings, IMO.

Meanwhile:

Mean Streets (Scorsese, 1973) - This time around, I set out to focus strictly on the camera movements, as I am soon attempting a short film and was looking for ideas. I figured this early Scorsese piece would be a great film to use for inspiration. I wasn't wrong. Great film, as usual...

__________________

Creep (2004, Christopher Smith)

1/5

Hooray! Franka Potente gets terrorised by a truly terrible script while up to her knees in dirty water. About as frightening as your granny bringing you a nice cup of tea and a slice of Battenburg cake.

The worst film I've seen in a while, it makes Saw seem like Se7en. James Wan is happy at last...

__________________
"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Good heavens! Given your weekend plans, this is a most audacious tempting of fate!

__________________
Review: Cabin in the Woods 8/10

hmmmm wrong choice of phrase I admit. My lovely old gran's memory ain't the best thesedays - let's just say that I make the tea when I visit.

awwww, sweet!
(then someone should warn her)

I'm unsure if that's a criticism of my tea-making skills or not.

Post Script to Creep:

It's also got an awful director's commentary - he sounds like Gareth from The Office, which isn't a slight really but when his idea of recounting a jolly jape from filming is telling how Franka had her ankle slightly scratched by a camera dolly, it all makes sense.

And yes, I'm listening to the commentary because I like to get value out of my rentals (tight@rse in code).

Fantastic documentary that showcases the often overlooked aspects of film - Cinematography & Photography. It's definitely an interesting experience for both casual fans and seasoned veterans of cinema.

Adding Visions of Light to my NetFlix Queue now... Looks both interesting and informative.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005 - George Lucas)

Easily the best of the prequels, which does not mean it was great. It was decent.

__________________
The novelist does not long to see the lion eat grass. He realizes that one and the same God created the wolf and the lamb, then smiled, "seeing that his work was good".

--------

They had temporarily escaped the factories, the warehouses, the slaughterhouses, the car washes - they'd be back in captivity the next day but now they were out - they were wild with freedom. They weren't thinking about the slavery of poverty. Or the slavery of welfare and food stamps. The rest of us would be all right until the poor learned how to make atom bombs in their basements.

American Psycho...... another great performance by Christian Bale. The plot was a little weak, but they really nailed the spirit of the 80's.

The Notebook, C+
2004 - Nick Cassavetes

Sullivan's Travels, A
1941 - Preston Sturges

Eyes Without a Face, B+
1959 - Georges Franju

just saw Gothica............... mwep.............................i do prefer Koreans to make horror movies, or whateveryacallem.............

__________________
We're a generation of men raised by women. I'm wondering if another woman is really the answer we need.

I was going to reply with something very similar to this post yesterday but it was hot and i had to go out. Very well put Sedai, i too absoloulty love this film, it fights for first place for my favourite Hitch film. You couldnt have said it any better, everything about this film is so intriguing. The shots, the colour, the lighting, the editing, the wonderful score by Bernard Hermann and the trippy 'forward zoom and reverse tracking' shot that has now been copied by many directors since. I just love this film. It's so eerie and supernatrural, without actually having any supernatural elements what so ever. Great post Sed, and i agree with you about Jimmy's performance, creepily superb.

__________________
Pumpkins scream in the DEAD of night!

Charlie and the chocolate factory --- long awaited and greatly anticipated by me - I was a bag of excitement in the cinema. I wasn't disappointed. The amazing sets, the wonderful performances - johnny depp has done it again, the cast was spot on almost (christopher Lee-english accented as wonkas papa?) I really enjoyed Wonkas rudenss and quirkiness - th4e first time we see wonka at the entrance show to the factory was hilarious. Anytime I get to see Helena Bonham Carter is great but the false teeth were minging. Deep Roy who played the oompa loompas pulled off a stunning feet of playing every single oompa loompa by repeating actions hundreds of times. The dance numbers were really funny and wonderful to see.

I loved the boat ride! I felt as if i was actually on the boat, and i couldnt help but think that the boat or the glass elevator will soon become a ride at disney. When wonka first walks into the elevator, its a cheap laugh but its a good one. I was a little less than satisfied by the ending but it cant be perfect.

__________________

Undercoverlovers 100 REDUX

Hero, visually stunning though a little empty.

Maen Streets (first 40mins) pretty good so far, Goodfella's with less gloss.

__________________

Taped this off the telly, I should watch it soon.

Yesterday I rewatched High Fidelity with a group of friends. My friends and I have always related to this film strongly, and while there are flaws, its certainly a movie I can watch over and over again and never get sick of, so it feels wrong not to give it the whole four star rating. 4/4

__________________
"Sleep is the best form of meditation."- Dalai Lama

The Upside of Anger- A nice little dramedy that balances its comedic and dramatic aspects well. The cast is quite good, especially Joan Allen, who brings a layered and convincing edge to her character, and Kevin Costner, who usually gets way too much crap, but pulls off his character perfectly. The well-observed moments between the characters are what really won me over though. Not a great film, but a fairly original and charming one that was well worth the rental. Plus I have a thing for Evan Rachel Wood... 3/4

The Spanish Prisoner(review coming soon.)

Animal House

__________________
"Like all dreamers, Steven mistook disenchantment for truth."

Why We Fight (2005 - Eugene Jarecki)

Pretty interesting documentary about the american war machine and who controls what in american foreign and military policy.