Saturday, July 29, 2017

My Favorite, the Best Alfred Hitchcock Movies

I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to watch a plethora of Hitchcock Movies on TCM, the Turner Classic Movie station, throughout this month of July.
I have not seen them all but I will list the movies that I am making my selections from.
It's worthy noting that I shudder at violence, thus any films with high or grotesque violence I automatically give a thumbs down to.
Here are my favorites in no particular order:
**Marnie- 1964 starring Tippi Hendron and Sean Connery. This film is pure Hitchcock and pulls lots of punches. The acting is flawless. The storyline twists and is full of suspense and intrigue. A film close to my heart as it reveals the power if repressed memories. I also enjoyed Sean Connery as an altruistic, compassionate and caring being. Awesome film!!
**Shadow of a Doubt-1943 starring Joseph Cotton and MacDonald Carey. Pure brilliance!!! The mystery unravels at a slow pace and clues pop up, small and erratic building to the final, shocking climax!!
**Lifeboat-1944, a rich cast of characters stranded in a lifeboat. Watching their narratives unravel, heartstopping surprises, characters connection in the face of uncertainty and possible death. A favorite, must-see.
Spellbound-1945 Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck. Consuming suspense thriller filled with twists and turns. The Salvatore Dali special sequence is fantastic. A rather surreal film. Highly enjoyable!!
**Rope- 1948 OMG, so much to say and love regarding this film from the avant-garde shooting perspective, the macrabe humor and plot, the perfection of the neurotic actors, the delicate unravelling. Love, love, love.
**Dial M for Murder-1954 Grace Kelly and Ray Milland. My virginal experience into Alfred's world. Ideal plot, excellent actor portrayals, what's not to love?
*** Rear Window- what can I say? Five stars all the way.
***Vertigo-1958 Kim Novak, Jimmy Stewart, a must-see, excellent acting, suspenseful plot, slowly drawn out, surprising conclusion. A psychological thriller.
***North by Northwest-1959 Cary Grant. An iconic film that keeps you guessing. The Mount Rushmore scene is always to be remembered. Fantastic!!!
Other notables: I, Confess Fabulous!!! Montgomery Clift at his finest. Four stars
Strangers on a Train Great!!!
Psycho (terrifying but excellent)
The Birds (great film, too violent for me)
Stage Fright an okay film
The Trouble with Harry nice, light comedy but too trite for me
Foreign Correspondent okay, ending too traumatic for me
Suspicion- biggest reason I dislike thus film is the constant degradation of the female character by the nickname "monkeyface"..just offensive to me. Disappointing ending.
The Paradine Case
Notorious
To Catch a Thief
The Man Who Knew Too Much (disliked for personal reasons, a child kidnapped)
The Wrong Man (interesting starring Henry Fonda but too slow, boring for my tastes)
Topaz too much violence
Torn Curtain way too much violence
Frenzy unable to watch due to violence.
Those are the movies that I have seen.
My selection of favorites!!!

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