MovieChat Forums > DiggoryVenn > Replies
DiggoryVenn's Replies
"In my lifetime only Star Wars (1977) feels like it really did (permanently? for the forseeable future?) change movies and the movie business and even world-culture (e.g., becoming *the* go to resource for explaining and caricaturing almost any conflict) almost overnight."
I agree with this. It was the convergence of American pop culture, via westerns and beach-blanket goofball movies, with science fiction; and it is the only film I can think of that literally changed history.
"Its as if Hitchcock were suggesting that hard financial circumstances expose people to greater danger...they take more risks, accept favors from dangerous people, etc.
It seems that one has to accept Psycho "as a piece" -- its horror shocks and its depression fit together, feed off of each other...and affect OUR emotions.
I think one critic called Psycho "desolate and exhilarating, at the same time."
*******************************************************
I think only an unbalanced mind would find this film "exhilarating," but of course, that's one person's opinion. (The only character in the film who seems exhilarated at all is the, well, psycho.)
You bring up an interesting point. I was at the cultural mecca of the U.S. today, Walmart, and saw that they have a "Vintage" DVD section. I was going to buy Rear Window; they also had Frenzy. I have never seen Frenzy or Rope and would not care to. However, if, as you describe Frenzy, it is about down-and-out people, then it's almost as if Hitchcock's mind was splitting by the mid-60's.
Torn Curtain and Topaze are reminiscent of all the upper-class intrigue films of the 40's and 50's--Rebecca, Suspicion, Notorious, etc. Vertigo, which I do not care for, seems the precursor of what to me is the sick stuff about the down-and-out segment of society. If you go back as far as Strangers on a Train, which is too repulsive for me to watch, you get upper-class and psycho all in one film. The same is true of Shadow of a Doubt (upper-class, that is, as far as American society goes).
Psycho is the last film that seems to have cared about the sensibilities of a mass audience--and that's a very generous interpretation of the verb "care." The Birds is just sick, and boring; after seeing both of these movies, I would not watch either of the final two over-the-top Deranged films.
When he stuck to espionage, in no matter which generation, he was sane. When he didn't, his contempt for the poor and common man comes through too strongly.
@ecarle:
First-- Whoa, the dangers of auto-correcting. I'd written (really!): "Marion listens to the revolting millionaire BRAG about how his daughter will be spared..." How this word came to be here on this thread as "Graf" is beyond me. I have several foreign language keyboards in use, but none use anything close to "Graf" for the verb "to brag." [So I've edited the previous post.]
Second-- The reason this scene has such an impact, at least for me, is that I'm not sure the millionaire IS stalking Marion with his great big bag of cash. Sure, he wouldn't mind a quickie, but I've never gotten the impression his motive for bragging so repulsively is to (ha) seduce her. That Marion's rage is so great she literally takes leave of her senses and turns criminal--this is positively tragic. And true-to-life.
Third-- As I said before, "Psycho" is a profoundly depressing film, with a heroine whose story is decidedly twentieth century but whose motives for acting criminally are straight out of some tragic, lugubrious Victorian novel.
"And even before the horror begins, the film gives us a sense of the daily desperation of people trapped in low-earning, workaday lives without love -- Marion, Sam, Norman, Lila all seem to have financial stress and empty lives(even the lovers Sam and Marion, who aren't married, don't see much of each other, and live hundreds of miles apart.)"
------------------------------------------------------------
I agree with this. In my opinion, one scene is more horrific than the murder(s): when Marion listens to the revolting millionaire brag about how his daughter will be spared the sorrow and misery he knows Marion lives. The only thing that gives one pause is that Marion's coworker is...a millionaire's daughter--Hitchcock's.
I agree with you, like, 160%. Anyone who thinks Hitchcock wasn't deranged himself, something that only a rock could not see in the 60's part of his canon, would deny that "Psycho" was depravity-for-depravity sake.
I find even the thread title offensive. This film about the randomness of evil is about that and only that. It is one of the most depressing films ever made.
The entire cast was great, especially in seasons 2-- To whenever Bobby Simone departed.
For some reason, the altered voice wasn't as distracting in the 80's. I agree that now, the character is really annoying. On the other hand, and depending on your age, the creepiness Cage manages to convey will ring really true. You'll cringe remembering your willingness to be suckered by dirtbags, divas, and drop-dead losers like Charley. "Peggy Sue Got Married" disturbed and depressed the hell out of me when I saw it 30 years ago. Now I know why 🙀😳😀
Great question. I disagree that the reason is WWI was a "more technical" war. Outside western Europe and Russia, there are LOTS of dramatic stories. The war at sea--off the coast of South America-- Japanese involvement--
"Gallipoli" is a WWI film; "Lawrence of Arabia" is, too. But no film at all has addressed how WWI basically ensured Arabic enmity for the west. (Lawrence of Arabia is not only a boring film but a rotten person to make a hero.)
Thanks! [EDIT] Oh, sh*T! Luke and Han don't meet? Screw Redbox. Hamill is 1000% right.
What's the link?
Wayne's World was the last film to celebrate American happiness. Started with American Graffiti. Star Wars ('77), Caddyshack, Ferris Bueller's Day Off--all happy movies. Wayne's World was the last.
I type with poop all over my gnarled, rice-papery fingers. Sometimes the keyboard's a little worse for the wear.
Sorry, that's what you have to look forward to.
Interesting. As I haven't seen any of the final three, I'm now interested. Maybe Hamill's subdued hissy fit mood has a legitimate reason. Think I'll finally get around to renting TFA from Redbox. I will *never* pay to see in a theater another politically correct--but Brit!--incarnation of Lucas ' strange inferiority complex, which robs the AMERICAN actors who made him a household name.
Well as a hoary senior citizen I deserve lots of respect of course😄 And I disagree about the British affect. Sir Alec Guinness and all the other British cast in the original films were hoary senior citizens too. All the young roles were played with/as Ferris Bueller types. THIS made the films funny, because we Americans are intrinsically funny. We just are, and this is a great thing. Too, the American Graffiti affect can't be underestimated.
As a (former) fan of Mark Hamill's, I can say without doubt that the conduct of all three initial stars during interviews was/is a huge turn-off. Harrison Ford was repulsive from the beginning, but sweet God, Carrie Fisher outdid any 1960's grand guignol Diva film from the 1950's or 1960's. Whatever Happened to Princess Leia...
I'm a young 97 and agree the prequels destroyed at least half of fan interest. And casting British actors in a quintessentially American epic.
Sorry...
Ruh-ro... Das Boot. It's in the category of great films you have to see, but then you never want to see again.