acoolsha
Alfred Hitchcock
The Man Who Knew Too Much 12 March 2008
Section: hitchcock
Categories: Film / dvd-mine
Hitchcock. Hitchcock.
From trivia &rarr:
The plot calls for a man (Daniel Gélin in the role of Louis Bernard) to be discovered as “not Moroccan” because he was wearing black makeup. The makeup artists couldn’t find a black substance that would come off easily, and so they painted the fingers of the other man (Jimmy Stewart) white, so that he would leave pale streaks on the other man’s skin (according to Patricia Hitchcock, this idea was suggested by Daniel Gélin).
It was during the making of this film, when she saw how camels, goats and other “animal extras” in a marketplace scene were being treated, that Doris Day began her lifelong commitment to preventing animal abuse.
- Title: The Man Who Knew Too Much
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writing credits: Charles Bennett, D.B. Wyndham-Lewis (story)
- Starring: James Stewart, Doris Day, and more of course
- Year: 1956
Permalink :: hitchcock/543/The Man Who Knew Too Much
Marnie 13 January 2007
Section: hitchcock
Categories: Film / dvd-mine
This is such a visually and psychologically rich film. Yes, a few things are dated, visually, the effects with flashing red, and psychologically, some terminology. Yet the emotional insight is impressive in terms of the effects of Marnie’s childhood traumas on her adult life. Her mother’s incompetent behavior is convincingly laid out. The images are so powerful and resonant, for me.
Hitchcock is drawing on some sort of personal experience here in terms of Marnie’s phobias and trauma.
- Title: Marnie
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writing credits: Winston Graham, Jay Presson Allen
- Starring: Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, Diane Baker, Martin Gabel, Louise Latham, Bob Sweeney, Milton Selzer, Mariette Hartley, Alan Napier, Bruce Dern, Henry Beckman, S.John Launer, Edith Evanson, Meg Wylie
- Cinematography: Robert Burks
- Year: 1964
- Further details: Edith Head designed Hedren's and Baker's costumes
Permalink :: hitchcock/474/Marnie
Rope 11 January 2007
Section: hitchcock
Categories: Film / dvd-mine
A brilliantly carried out film, shot in one room/set (based on a play).
There is an undercurrent of suspense in the handling of the cityscape backdrops seen through the window. At least for me there is, as I occasionally observe the light and the position of the artificial clouds, checking for any change in position. Then just when I had given up, there is a shot with a shift in light and positioning of the clouds. Then of course as it gets dark the intervals between changes become shorter.
I noticed many idioms and phrases that seasoned the film with a dry humor:
- knock’em dead
- killing two birds with one stone
- Rupert, you’re the end
- open season for…
- ...would be out of the running
- all washed up
- to lay a bomb
- I could really strangle you
- ...called it quits ages ago
- has something gone wrong?
- got up on the wrong side of the bed
- ...were going at it hammer and tongs
- what’s it all about (then a siren starts in the background)
- I wish I could come straight with what I know
- to throw a damper on something
- I’m sure he’ll turn up
- one guest, who must be gotten rid of
- to tell you the truth
- Now we’re done for
- to be a party to it
Shot of the set
- Title: Rope
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writing credits: Patrick Hamilton (play), Hume Cronyn (adaptation), Arthur Laurents (screenplay) Ben Hecht (uncredited)
- Starring: James Stewart, John Dall, Farley Granger, Cedric Hardwicke, Constance Collier, Douglas Dick, Edith Evanson, Dick Hogan, Joan Chandler
- Cinematography: William V. Skall, Joseph A. Valentine
- Year: 1948
Permalink :: hitchcock/473/Rope
Torn Curtain 27 November 2004
Section: hitchcock
Categories: Film / dvd
Title: Torn Curtain
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Lila Kedrova, Hansjörg Felmy, Tamara Tourmanova, Wolfgang Kieling, Ludwig Donath, Günter Strack, Gisela Fischer
Writing credit: Brian Moore
Uncredited rewrites: Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
Year: 1966
- Title: Torn Curtain
Permalink :: hitchcock/272/Torn Curtain