If there’s one thing I love about being ill, (apart from the red, skin-flaking nose and the double vision – always fun) its the excuse to curl up on the sofa and watch any amount of films, guilt free! Being particularly germy and gross this weekend (you’re welcome) and having little energy for anything else, film watching was on!
I’ve wanted to watch Hitchcock (2012) for AGES (well, since 2012) so today was the day that I finally did it. I did my homework first, as you sometimes must with a film like Hitchcock. Yes, I diligently prepared by first watching Psycho. And I’m very glad I did. While Hitchcock is obviously filmed as a stand alone movie, the experience is definitely more satisfying with the background knowledge of Psycho.
There are several scenes that are heightened with this previous knowledge. It allows a more familiar approach; remembering the scenes as you playfully elbow ‘Hitch’, rolling your eyes with a knowing smile on your face as if you were there in the studio in 1960. The house in the opening scenes of Hitchcock; Marion Crane ‘driving’ away from Phoenix; Detective Arbogast’s demise on the stairs; Lila Crane’s realisation in the basement that Norman’s mother is actually a skeleton in wig (soz, spoiler); and of course, the famous shower scene.
I think my favourite scene in Hitchcock has to be towards the end of the film. The rest of the cast are in the theatre experiencing Psycho for the first time. Meanwhile, Anthony Hopkins is in the foyer, alone but for a bemused boy sweeping the floor. As the distinctive soundtrack depicts the action of the knife onscreen, Hopkins, like a well established conductor, orchestrates the screaming that flows delightfully from the auditorium.
I love watching films about how films are made; the influences and the lives of the creators of the film. Like Saving Mr Banks, watching Hitchcock made me want to catch the next flight out to 1960’s Hollywood and set up shop as a stupendously successful writer/ director/ producer. Obviously, this is realistic. In my spare time I am also an inventor of time machines and such. And writers are really scarce in Hollywood at the moment so they would probably really like me and let me write loads of stuff and film it and pay me lots of money.
If anyone would like to fund my life in Hollywood (this wouldn’t involve much, just flying me there, first class obvs, buying me a house with a pool, giving me lots of pens/ papers and fancy laptops on which to write and the unwavering cooperation of all the producers and actors etc.) I am contactable on the twitters and probably on here somewhere ….
Looking forward to your call!
AB x
Tales From a Bruce Eye View 