Alfred Hitchcock

The Lady Vanishes

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  • Title: The Lady Vanishes
  • IMDb: link

Alfred Hitchcock‘s 1938 thriller follows English tourist Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood), one of several tralevers temporarily stranded in Bandrika, home via train. Priot to boarding the train Iris recieves a head injury but is looked after by an eldery English woman who she befriended the previous night. However, after the effects of her head injury subside she is unable to find Mrs. Froy (May Whitty) or anyone onboard the train who remembers seeing her. Convinced something odd is going on, and finding no other help avaiable, she accepts the help of the obnoxious Gilbert Redman (Michael Redgrave) who she had a run-in at the hotel.

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To Catch a Thief (Special Collector’s Edition)

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  • Title: To Catch a Thief
  • IMDb: link

“I’m in love with you.”
“Now that’s a ridiculous thing to say.”

To Catch a Thief (Special Collector’s Edition)

A new string of burglaries along the French Rivieria prompt police to suspect the notorious John Robie (Cary Grant) has returned to his life of crime. The trouble is Robie is innocent. However no one, not the police nor his former friends, will believe him. With the help of an insurance agent (John Willliams) Robie hatches a plan to catch the thief in the act and clear his name.

Our retired thief cleverly insinuates himself into the lives of a wealthy widow (Jessie Royce Landis) and her beautiful daughter Fraces (Grace Kelly) knowing that their jewels will be on the list of the imposter. What he doesn’t anticipate is Frances recognizing him as the Cat and still being attracted to him.

In terms of enjoyment and escapism there are few films as well made as this one.  Though not on the level of some of Alfred Hitchcock‘s more important films like Psycho or Rear Window (also starring Grace Kelly, read that review) aside from North By Northwest it’s the most fun film the great director ever made.

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From A to Z – The Top Ten Movies of 2012

/ / Top Tens & Lists

2012 turned out to be a pretty darn good year at the movies. There were two films which I gave perfect scores to this year, one of which the majority of the country won’t be seeing until early next year. I’m breaking my own rule of including it on the list, but we’ll get to that in a moment. Between these two films, which naturally open and close the list (as it’s presented alphabetically), are eight other films rounding out the class of 2012.

Cutting down my list to ten means I need to speak for a moment on films that barely missed the cut. John Carter was the year’s most under-appreciated film, The Cabin in the Woods turned the horror genre on its ear, Ang Lee delivered an amazing journey with Life of Pi, Wreck-It Ralph was this year’s best animated feature, Safety Not Guaranteed was a terrific little sci-fi flick almost no one saw, and Moonrise Kingdom was director Wes Anderson‘s best film since The Royal Tenenbaums.

Enough with what didn’t make the list, let’s get down to discussing what did:

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Hitchcock

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Hitchcock
  • IMDB: link

“And that, madame, is why the call me ‘The Master of Suspense.'”

hitchcock-posterBased on the book by Stephen Rebello, director Sacha Gervasi‘s Hitchcock is more centered on director Alfred Hitchcock‘s personal life and the enormous stress of his widely unpopular decision to follow up North by Northwest with Psycho than the actual filming of the movie. The result is insanely well-cast and immensely enjoyable study of the famous director and the most important woman in his life, his wife Alma Reville (Helen Mirren).

The film succeeds beyond my expectations on the strength of three terrific performances. Hopkins, no stranger to throwing on prosthetics to play a larger than life historical figure (Nixon), is transformed into the famous director who is equal parts genius and spoiled child. Mirren is perfect as the loyal wife, who has never gotten her due for being Hitchcock’s most trusted collaborator, who simply wants to spend a little time with a charming old friend (Danny Huston) working on a new project. And Scarlett Johansson brings more than just a pretty face to her portrayal of Psycho actress Janet Leigh who never loses her professionalism even when the director crosses the line.

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Dial M for Murder

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  • Title: Dial M for Murder
  • IMDB: link

dial-m-for-murder-blu-rayAlfred Hitchcock‘s 1954 classic stars Ray Milland as ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice who for a year has known about his wife Margot’s (Grace Kelly) affair with an American crime novelist (Robert Cummings). Wanting revenge, and the wealth his dead wife would bring, Tony blackmails a petty criminal (Anthony Dawson) into helping him pull off the perfect murder. When things don’t go to plan Tony rolls with the punches and tries to frame his wife for the first-degree murder of the would-be assassin.

Dial M for Murder delivers several of Hitchcock’s trademark touches including a charming sociopath – even though Milland’s character is trying to bump off Grace Kelly (in her first collaboration with Hitchcock) we somehow don’t begrudge him the opportunity. We also get the central role of a staircase to the plot, and the planning and boasting of a perfect murder.

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