Well, now that I've had some time to sit down and digest the various Hitchcock sets that I bought, I thought it might be an idea to write about my experiences. Now I'm a fairly modern guy with modern sensibilities, and yet I've found Hitchcock's films completely accessible. In fact I would even go so far as to call myself a 'convert' now. Not bad for films that were made predominantly in the 30's, 40's and 50's eh? Well with this in mind I'd like to go on to prove that Hitchcock, ultimately, is timeless..
It was a bit strange to all of a sudden decide to 'tackle' someone like Hitchcock, as I'd never really seen any of his films before, or really had the desire to. I had always just assumed that his films would be completely dated now, though at the same time I realised that he was an obvious master. It's one of the great great things about these sorts of box sets.. when they come on sale it's just a perfect opportunity to open yourself up to a filmmakers work and watch new things.To be honest the films are actually dated, and quite significantly in some cases. But I've found that it doesn't really matter because Hitchcock has such a good grasp of the cinematic language. So you have your damsels in distress and you have your melodrama.. but the films are constructed in such a way as to make it truly gripping despite all that. If you can turn a blind eye to certain aspects then you can see them for the true classics that they are. A good example.. consider the 'reveal' of the mother in Psycho. Show that to someone for the first time these days and they're likely to piss themselves laughing. If you consider it in context then the film is still gripping and even shocking.
The first film I watched in the Hitchcock boxset was Rear Window, which as it turned out was the perfect film to introduce yourself with. If you're still a bit unsure then I urge you to see this film, and you'll immediately realise just how good Hitchcock can be. The entire film is set in one apartment, with one view of the local neighbourhood by one bedridden Jimmy Stewart. Considering the limitations it's amazing how Hitchcock can build and build on the suspense, from simply showing the routines of his neighbours and the reactions of the main character. By the end the levels of paranoia and suspense are massive, and it's resolved in a completely satisfying way. The film also has the stunningly beautiful Grace Kelly, in what I consider to be the best introduction of a leading lady that I've seen..
Since Rear Window I've gone on to watch many more, which have been hit and miss in some respects, though even the 'miss' films I've still found completely watchable. A good example is 'The Wrong Man', which is structured in such as way as to make the conclusion totally underwhelming. Perhaps it's because it's one of the few based on a true story. There aren't any clever little twists or anything like that, and certain story strands are made kind of redundant. Yet overall the film is pretty good.
Other highlights include Vertigo, which easily lived up to its reputation as a classic - thrilling and suspenseful in equal measures. Jimmy Stewart once again shining, and cementing himself as a favourite of mine. Films like Strangers on a Train, Rope and Dial M for Murder deal with the idea of the prefect crime, and have some seriously demented characters in. Dial M for Murder and Rope are both 5 star films as far as I'm concerned, and share parallels in having seemingly ordinary people attempting murder. Rope in particular was quite interesting, as the main characters commit murder for no reason at all - simply for the sport of it. They hold a party with the family and friends of the guy they murdered, stuffing him in a cabinet and laying out the buffet lunch on top of it. It's refreshingly dark, and another brilliant example of Hitchcock building suspense from limited scenery (it's essentially set in one room).
At the time of working my way through these sets, I've actually been reading the fantastic interview book by Francois Truffaut. You can find that on Amazon here. It's an in-depth look at every one of Hitchcock's films, showing his method and looking closely at the structure of his films. It makes for a fascinating companion piece and puts a lot of the films in context too. It also brings up a lot of interesting history on Hitchcock that you might not have realised. I for example didn't realise that so many critics sneered upon him and his style back in the day. One of the arguments levelled at him was that his films were considered too 'simple', showing things visually as opposed to verbally. Really this just shows his inherent understanding of cinema, and the power of the visual image. In fact in the book Hitchcock talks candidly about his start in the movie business, designing the titles for silent films. He mentions how the idea was to have as few titles in the film as possible, showing it visually if at all possible. This could obviously go to show why he seems to have such a grasp for it.Naturally the rest of the book is thoroughly enjoyable, and Hitch recounts some truly funny stories. It's hard not to like him, and all the while you kind of adopt a jowly tone in your head as you read his answers - which is always fun!
So in conclusion I highly recommend reading the book, but I mainly recommend checking out some of these DVD sets. It looks like HMV is a bit of a rip-off right now, but they're also the shop that had them for the cheapest when I bought them (both in-store and online). So it could be worthwhile keeping an eye on those. The master of suspense boxset at £18 is pretty good, and the complete collection at £33 is too, but bear in mind that I got them for just £10 and £25 respectively just a little while back.
HMV
The Master of Suspense Boxset - £59.99
The Complete Collection - 89.99
Amazon
The Master of Suspense Boxset - £17.98
The Complete Collection - £32.98
Play.com
The Master of Suspense Boxset - £17.99
The Complete Collection - £39.99
Up next in my continuing discovery of Hitchcock is The Man Who Knew Too Much, or possibly North by Northwest. I haven't quite decided which one to watch yet.
And I'll leave you with a nice quote by the man himself, explaining the idea behind his films:
"Some films are slices of life, mine are slices of cake"
Until next time readers!
- Jimmy
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