Our favorite Hitchcock Movies #7

Written by: Nightmare Child

Hitchcock truly was the master of suspense. This film alone proves that as fact. VERTIGO is one of Hitchcock's most intense and thrilling pictures. Those with a fear of heights can relate to James Stewarts portrayal as a man who is deathly afraid of tall structures. Hitchcock loves to take ordinary people and put them in extraordinary situations. Based on a novel by Boileau-Narcejac, VERTIGO is about retired police detective John "Scottie" Ferguson (James Stewart). Ferguson suffers from acrophobia (fear of heights) and has been re-hired as a private investigator to follow the wife of an acquaintance to uncover the mystery of her peculiar behavior.

When VERTIGO was first released, it seemed to be ahead of its time. Although it wasn't a box-office success when originally released in 1958, VERTIGO has since taken its deserved place as Alfred Hitchcock's greatest, most spellbinding, most deeply personal achievement. VERTIGO has been called the most personal, emotional, and complex of Hitchcock's films. I tend to agree with all these statements. VERTIGO is such an amazing picture. It's been analyzed and praised to death by fans all over the world. It's one of those Hitchcock movies that I'll never get sick of watching.

It's suspenseful and scary to watch in parts. I myself am afraid of heights. Just thinking about falling off large buildings gives me goosebumps. There are phenomenal performances by Jimmy Stewart, who plays the biggest anti-hero of his career and Kim Novak whose stunning beauty and exceptional personalities shine through this dark film. If you don't already have this film in your collection, I recommend picking up the Universal Legacy Special Edition DVD set. It's a 50th Anniversary set with restored picture, audio and some great bonus material.



CAMEO NOTE: Eleven minutes in Hitchcock can be seen in a grey suit walking in the street.

Our favorite Hitchcock Movies #8

Written by: Nightmare Child

Much like the last film in our countdown (ROPE), this movie is notorious for its setting and atmosphere. LIFEBOAT is different from Hitchock's usual crime thriller. It's a war movie that follows a group of survivors who are stranded out at sea. During World War II a group of American and British citizens are stuck in a lifeboat after their ship and a U-boat sink each other in combat Survivors from the freighter torpedoed by a U-boat huddle together including columnist Constance Porter, the ship's engineer Kovac, radio operator Stanley Garrett, nurse Alice MacKenzie, millionaire Charles 'Ritt' Rittenouse, seaman Gus Smith, steward Joe, and Mrs. Higley, a hysterical English woman holding her dead baby. Though the inhabitants of the lifeboat come from vastly different backgrounds, they quickly set aside the social and economic differences that divide them in a united effort to survive.

Explaining the plot further would just ruin the whole thing, so I'll just leave it at that. Basically you're stuck watching these people trying to survive out at sea. Just the thought of being stranded out in the ocean is scary. Trying being in the middle of war while it's happening. These elements together create paranoia, and that's just one of the reasons why we love this movie. What makes LIFEBOAT stand apart is its character development and dialog. LIFEBOAT runs at a pretty good pace and at 91 minutes total it doesn't ever seem to drag. The story comes from John Steinbeck, the author of such stories as "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Of Mice and Men."

Trying to fit a group of actors in one place can be a challange, and it's remarkable that Hitchcock was able to get it down. For such a small frame Hitchcock managed somehow to fit a good number of characters on screen at the same time. If you haven't had the oppertunity to see LIFEBOAT yet, then I suggest adding it to your Netflix cue right away. Especially if you're a fan of the movie ROPE. The film is so good that it received Academy Award nominations for Best Director, Best Original Motion Picture Story and Best Black and White Cinematography. Some critics see this as an unsubtle wartime propaganda piece; I call it a great achievement in cinema. LIFEBOAT's portrayal of a German character (was perceived as a positive fashion) caused considerable controversy at the time of its release. Looking back at it now, I don't think that's entirely true. Go see this movie!



CAMEO NOTE: How can Hitchcock make an appearance in LIFEBOAT without having to play a character on screen? That's easy, just read the newspaper. 25 minutes into the film Hitchcock's body is seen in the "before" and "after" newspaper ad for "Reduco Obesity Slayer".

Our favorite Hitchcock Movies #9

Written by: Nightmare Child


ROPE is an interesting movie to watch. Especially when you watch it with a group of friends. Right after the opening credits the audience is treated to a quick and simple murder. Needless to say, the suspense builds up from the start. You can't help but wonder: What else is going to happen? What does the rest of the movie have in store for me? It's brilliance. Pure, long brilliance. In ROPE we follow Branden and Philip. The couple have just murdered their former classmate David, and hid his body inside of an antique wooden chest. After the so called "perfect murder", Branden and Philip host a dinner in the very same room where David was killed. The guests are unaware that David has gone missing, and begin to question his disappearance. Little do they know David is close by, but he is no longer the life of the party (pardon the pun).

What makes ROPE stand out from Hitchcock's other films is that the entire thing takes place in one setting (much like the next film in our countdown). For about 80 minutes you're stuck inside of Branden and Philips apartment. The only time you get to see outside is during the opening credits. For the rest of the picture you're inside the apartment with a view of Manhattan blaring outside the windows. The premise is strange yet satisfying. Branden and Phil throw a party while theirs a dead body in their wooden chest; which is proudly displayed in the living room with the dinner guests eating off of it. The only person in the party who begins to suspect Branden and Phil is Rupert Cadell, the prep-school housemaster and publisher played brilliantly by James Stewart. Stewart's facial expressions alone are great, and for some reason he's the only one who can see throught Phil and Branden's lies. The suspense in ROPE builds you up until the very end, and that's why we love this movie with a passion. It's very subtle, but Hitchcock still manages to keep you on the edge of your seat.

ROPE is notorious for its long and extended cuts. There are literally hundreds of cuts in movies where the camera switches from time to time depending on the scene. In ROPE the camera doesn't cut out for long periods of time. In total there's only ten cuts in the film. Each extending for about 5-10 minutes. The longest segment runs about ten minutes and seven seconds. Each part is cleverly edited with blackout shots - continuously panning from actor to actor. Most segments end by panning against or tracking into an object (a man’s jacket blocking the entire screen, for example). In this way, Hitchcock effectively masked almost all the cuts in the film. It's an experimental piece of art that begs to be seen. Be sure to add ROPE to your Netflix cue if you haven't seen it already. It's such a great film.



CAMEO NOTE: Hitchcock has not one but two cameos in this picture. One is in bodily form walking along a street. The other is his trademark silhouette which can be seen on a red neon sign advertising "Reduco" in the view from the apartment window. The neon sign is the little hard to see, so look very carefully!

Our favorite Hitchcock Movies #10

Written by: Nightmare Child


The best way to watch Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES is with a laptop (or mini-dvd player) on an Amtrak train. Perhaps with a cup of coffee in your hand. What is THE LADY VANISHES about anyway? Well it's about a woman named Iris who befriends an older lady on a train. Iris is on her way back to England. Sadly her train is delayed by an avalanche that has blocked the railway tracks. Once the avalanche clears, Iris begins preparing for her journey. While on her way to the train, Iris gets hit over the head by an unknown shadow. It's apparently obvious that something is not right. That's when Miss Froy comes in. Miss Froy is an elderly lady who has worked some years abroad as a governess. Both Miss Froy and Iris board the train together. Getting to know each other by making coversation.

When Iris takes a nap on the train, she awakens later and discovers that Miss Froy has gone missing. Was she kidnapped? Or is it just in Iris' head? The question of whether or not Miss Froy actually existed is just one of the many mysteries in Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES. The mysterious plot is the very thing that sucks you in from the start. THE LADY VANISHES is one of Hitchcock's best mysteries that keeps you glued to the couch until the very end. The movie was Hitchock's penultimate film made in the UK before his move to Hollywood years later. It was the great success of THE LADY VANISHES, after a slump of three films that were not hits, that made it possible for Hitchcock to negotiate a very good deal to work in the States. The film was also remade in 1979 by Hammer Studios. THE LADY VANISHES is full of suspense, mystery and humor. It's a great film to watch; especially when you're on a train yourself.

I will admit the film does get a little far fetched towards the end. There's an intense build up for the reveal, and when you do figure out what's going on, it's hard to believe. Luckily that doesn't spoil the entire experience. See THE LADY VANISHES if you haven't already.



CAMEO NOTE: Hitchcock is known to make quiet cameo appearances in most of his movies. Here Hitchcock shows up an hour and a half into the film (near the end). He can be seen in the Victoria Station, wearing a black coat and smoking a cigarette. It's a quick one, so look carefully.

Hitchcock's PSYCHO turns 50 next month!

We're so excited and we just can't hide it. Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO will be turning fifty next month. There's only one way to celebrate (other then watching the movie for the millionth time); a top ten list! We'll be counting down our favorite Alfred Hitchcock films for your enjoyment. Will such favorites as THE BIRDS, VERTIGO and NORTH BY NORTHWEST make the list? In Hitchcock's signature style, we're going to leave it as a mystery for now. Be here early when the posting is announced, because you won't be let in once it's started.

Night, Dawn, Day, Land, Diary and now Survival!

George Romero's new zombie flick SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD can be seen everywhere. You can watch it in select theaters, on demand and on HDNet. We've had the oppertunity to see the film for ourselves - and to be quite honest, it's not Romero's best film. SURVIVAL contains all the familiar elements that Romero is know for: Flesh eaters, social commentary and a whole lot of zombie gore. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD took place on the very first evening of the zombie apocolypse. DAWN and DAY took place sometime after that. Following different groups on their struggle to survive against the onslaught of zombies. LAND OF THE DEAD was the film that brought Romero back to doing what he did best. Of all the "Dead" films, LAND was the one with the biggest budget. DIARY was short on both the budget and scope, but that didn't stop it from becoming an ejnoyable experience. DIARY went back to the beginning (the where all hell broke loose). SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD is George Romero's newest zombie film. Unlike all the previous film in the "Dead" series, SURVIVAL feels more like a sequel to DIARY.

The film takes place in a desperate, nightmarish world where the dead walk the earth, relentlessly attacking the living. It is the story of Plum Island - a beautiful refuge whose isolation allows two powerful families to maintain a semblance of order in the wake of the zombie apocalypse. But as the inhabitants slowly die off, the two clans become sharply divided: The O'Flynns believe that the undead must be destroyed without exception, while the Muldoons insist that afflicted loved ones be kept "alive" until a cure is found. Into this situation wander a small group of National Guard soldiers who, after robbing the protagonists of the previous film (DIARY), have decided to strike out on their own in an effort to survive.

If it's a Romero zombie movie, then you'll know what to expect.

Halloween 6 Producers Cut screen shots

If you haven't seen the Producer's Cut of HALLOWEEN 6 yet, then I suggest that you do so (s0mehow). I've been wanting to see this cut for years and I patiently waited for Dimension to come out with an official release. Sadly that has yet to happen, and thanks to Disney it may not happen anytime soon. Bootlegs of the Producer's Cut have been selling all over the internet for years. Both in VHS and DVD format. As you would expect, the bootleg quality isn't great - but it's more than worth the cash. After abandoning all hope, we finally gave in. Now we've got our hands on a copy of the infamous original version of HALLOWEEN 6. After giving it a shot, we realized that it was a horrible mistake to wait for Disney to release a proper version. This Producer's Cut is amazing!

It's way better than the theatrical cut. There's more scenes with extended footage and it carries a much darker tone. The music and narration is different as well. We could go on for hours about all the changes, but it's best for you to see it for yourself. I think the biggest difference overall is the actual telling of the story. All the restored footage gives the story a little more flare and maturity. It's violent, though the death scenes in the theatrical cut are slightly better. We prefer a good story over brutality, and H6 is a perfect example. Did you ever wonder what happened to Dr. Loomis at the end of H6? The Producer's Cut shows it all. If you ever get the chance, we highly recommend that you snag yourself a copy. It's definitely worth it. Who doesn't love Michael Myers? Perhaps these screen shots will persuade you: