I. Ship of Fools [1965] – ★★★★ “When I think of the things I have seen on this ship. The stupid cruelties. The vanities. We talk about values? There’re no values. The dung we base our lives on…We are the intelligent, civilized people who carry out orders we are given. No matter what they may…
Tag: Alfred Hitchcock
10 Films You May Not Know Were Based on a Book (Part II)
I. Metropolis (1927) Metropolis is a classic German expressionist science-fiction film by Fritz Lang. However, some may not know that Lang’s wife – Thea von Harbou – actually first wrote the book Metropolis, which then became a film. Von Harbou wrote the book with the intention for it to become a cinematic material, but this does not…
The 4th Wonderful Grace Kelly Blogathon: Dial M for Murder (1954)
Virginie at The Wonderful World of Cinema and Emily at The Flapper Dame are hosting The 4th Wonderful Grace Kelly Blogathon to honour Grace Kelly, the icon of beauty and elegance. She was an outstanding actress, who worked most notably with Alfred Hitchcock (see Rear Window (1954) and To Catch a Thief (1955)). In Dial…
Hitchcock’s “The Birds”: Review & Analysis of Main Elements
The Birds [1963] – ★★★★★ 🐦 Fifty-five years on, Alfred Hitchcock’s highly atmospheric, suspenseful and original horror creation is still a “must-see” film. This film by the “master of suspense”, Alfred Hitchcock, takes inspiration from a story by Daphne Du Maurier (Rebecca (1940)) of the same name, and is about strange behaviour of birds in…
Mirrors in Films: Duality, Secrets and Revelations, and the Passage to the Otherworld
Mirrors can play many roles in films. (Narcissistic) film characters can utilise them to satisfy their vanity (“Gone with the Wind” (1939)); to ego-boost (“Taxi Driver” (1976) or “La Haine” (1995)); for self-examination or to marvel at their transformation (“The Aviator” (2004) or “Vanilla Sky” (2001)); or films use them for dramatic showdowns (“The Lady from Shanghai” (1947)), among many other roles and meanings. However, in this piece, I would like to focus on three interpretations in particular: (i) the usage of mirrors as they demonstrate the character’s dual nature (often revealing the character’s evil/bad nature when that character otherwise appears good); (ii) mirrors used to emphasise secrecy or to reveal secrets; and (iii) the use of mirrors as certain clandestine passages to the Otherworld.
The Alfred Hitchcock Blogathon: Rope (1948)
Maddy at Maddy Loves Her Classic Films is hosting The Alfred Hitchcock blogathon, and this is my entry dissecting one of Hitchcock’s most claustrophobic and intriguing films: Rope (1948). It is a tense and cerebral film that belongs to one of my favourite cinematic “genres”: “one location” films. This “genre” was later used by Lumet (Twelve…
The Medicine in the Movies Blogathon: Spellbound (1945)
Charlene at Charlene’s (Mostly) Classic Movie Reviews is hosting this amazing blogathon – The Medicine in the Movies Blogathon, and this review of Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound (1945) is part of the race. There are many good movies out there which explore interesting, intricate aspects of medicine: from Wellman’s overblown, but entertaining Night Nurse (1931) to…
“Psycho” Review
Psycho [1960] – ★★★★★ 🚿 A true classic which stood the test of time, revolutionising the presentation of horror on screen and showcasing Hitchcock’s unparalleled talent for creating suspense. Adapted from a novel by Robert Bloch, this film is a classic of psychological horror genre, which practically revolutionised the way horror films were shot ever since…
Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” Review
Rebecca [1940] – ★★★★1/2 “…I suppose sooner or later in the life of everyone comes a moment of trial. We all of us have our particular devil who rides us and torments us, and we must give battle in the end” (Daphne Du Maurier Rebecca (1938)). Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Rebecca is adapted from the best-selling novel…
Spotlight on Film 