Glad to see these video essays are picking up some steam and generating some conversation, Rich. One of the most passionate film buffs in the scene. Keep at it man.
I believe this shocking film distanced him from his audience more than Psycho did. Over the top violence people will suffer through, if not enjoy, but the grossness of the end scenes were met with a lot of criticism. It is easy to see why he dived into the fanciful Family Plot before retiring which showed no killing. Outside of an "accident". An overlooked favorite of mine is Torn Curtain. It looks every bit as cold as the wartime it was placed in and I like the score.
@@infonut As far as I know Hitchcock embraced the possibilities of showing sex and violence after the end of the Production Code (which in the past had made him change the ending of Suspicion - also the popularity of Ivor Novello had made him change the ending of The Lodger). I believe the consensus is that Hitchcock lost his drive after The Birds and that he regained it with Frenzy. With it grittiness, the unlikeable lead character and the unattractive actors it has more the feeling of a New Hollywood film than the glossier Hitchcock movies of the past. On the other hand the theme of the innocent man on the run and the dark humor (especially the French cooking, OMG) are there in Frenzy. For some reason I was rather unimpressed by Torn Curtain but maybe I have to rewatch it to be able to appreciate it more. Here in Europe there will be a release of 10 Hitchcock films of the Silent and early Sound era - a good reason for revisiting his Oeuvre. After all a weak Hitchcock film is generally still pretty good.
If the leading man reminds one of Michael Caine, it's no coincidence, Mr. Caine turned the role down b/c of excessive violence. The second lead is reminiscent of Oliver Reed but unsure of the casting situation. Great breakdown, thank you :) Also filmed just before Covent Garden was destroyed IIRC
For me Rear Window is a true masterpiece, especially if you learn how it was made. Frenzy is Hitchcock getting back to his British roots and a alright movie 🎥
I like how Hitchcock moved away from Hollywood formalism and embraced the fresh vibe of the 70s with his last two filme. To me, both are basically satirical comedies with hip young stars (Bruce, Barbara, Karen) in Family Plot and a great group of British actors for Frenzy. I enjoy them more than some of his 50s films.
Hitchcock's treatment of women in his later films (Psycho, The Birds, Marnie, and Frenzy) got more grizzly and graphic and really compromised my admiration of him. He seemed to be getting revenge for his relationship (or lack thereof) with women. Tippi Hedren's account of her experience with the director (both on screen and off) is harrowing. At least in Family Plot, Barbara Harris didn't get killed, just painfully stabbed with a hypodermic needle. She got off lightly.
I have a soft spot for Frenzy because it is the first Hitchcock film I saw and, oddly enough, because it is old-fashioned. What I mean is that, apart from the explicit sex and violence, it has much of the feel of the films he made in Britain in the 1930s.
And, it was filmed just when London was crumbling in the early 70s. A much brighter city now but I feel fortunate to have visited in the early 90s when vestiges of the old city were still palpable
@@AAZEDLARC ... I will never get to visit but you just described the reason why I haven't. I would rather see it returned to nature over it being made over. NEW concrete is still grey, cold and ugly.
Really! Frenzy. Not “lovely”. Look, Hitchcock was undoubtedly important but he did make some clunkers. The Lady Vanishes. Family Plot. Rope. I know I’ll get bile for suggesting that Vertigo is somewhat incoherent. But then, so is its source material.
Frenzy is brash, embarrassingly unsubtle and vulgar - the jokes are silly - in addition to the off-putting sexualized violence lovingly gloated over by Hitch - who is showing signs of senile degeneration.
Not disagreeing. Hitch was "off-leash" at this point, which argues to the benefits of being "on-leash" earlier in his career. Not speaking to the "senile degeneration" situation, the signs were there throughout his tenure ://
@@AAZEDLARC The carefully choreographed strangulations are quite grotesque - the close-up of Barbara Leigh-Hunt dead, tongue sticking out etc. And one can see from the documentary bits how focused on them Hitch was, how gloating. Interesting that at the time Frenzy was greeted by critics as ‘return to form’.
Nice tonalities in this post . Luv it when life is corny in England 70s bit of class stability . Still amazed they actually show that strangulation scene on TV or used to..... Can Hitch go up against the big ones of his time? Check those Imdb factors for the winner fun list of your choice. Circa 1970 throw in Twisted Nerve . Antonnioni? No flies on Hitch.
Y eah it's all of that but if you're actually like that a 70s misogynist luv how corny that is now nostalgia - then the glass is half full. No problem. But it ain't Chabrol's The Butcher 1975 the banality of the mise en scene was paradoxically more shocking more alienating. More paradoxically Voyeuristic than Peeping Tom? Less is more. Chabrol was often compared to Hitch. Is Hitch over rated underrated ect old question lingering....when the votes are counted.
I always considered this Hitchcock's attempt at Italian Giallo! Fantastic essay, thank you!
Very much so!
Glad to see these video essays are picking up some steam and generating some conversation, Rich. One of the most passionate film buffs in the scene. Keep at it man.
Much appreciated, George. It was great to see you at the recent Broadway Cinema course.
@@richpieces Was great to be there surrounded by passionate and insightful people and can't wait for the one in February!
Thank you! We will keep the fires burning...
One of my favorite Hitchcock movies that is unfortunately overshadowed by his classics from the 1950s.
It's a very gritty film in his filmography for sure. I wanted to do this one because its such a outlier
I believe this shocking film distanced him from his audience more than Psycho did.
Over the top violence people will suffer through, if not enjoy, but the grossness of the end scenes were met with a lot of criticism.
It is easy to see why he dived into the fanciful Family Plot before retiring which showed no killing. Outside of an "accident".
An overlooked favorite of mine is Torn Curtain. It looks every bit as cold as the wartime it was placed in and I like the score.
@@infonut As far as I know Hitchcock embraced the possibilities of showing sex and violence after the end of the Production Code (which in the past had made him change the ending of Suspicion - also the popularity of Ivor Novello had made him change the ending of The Lodger). I believe the consensus is that Hitchcock lost his drive after The Birds and that he regained it with Frenzy. With it grittiness, the unlikeable lead character and the unattractive actors it has more the feeling of a New Hollywood film than the glossier Hitchcock movies of the past. On the other hand the theme of the innocent man on the run and the dark humor (especially the French cooking, OMG) are there in Frenzy. For some reason I was rather unimpressed by Torn Curtain but maybe I have to rewatch it to be able to appreciate it more. Here in Europe there will be a release of 10 Hitchcock films of the Silent and early Sound era - a good reason for revisiting his Oeuvre. After all a weak Hitchcock film is generally still pretty good.
If the leading man reminds one of Michael Caine, it's no coincidence, Mr. Caine turned the role down b/c of excessive violence. The second lead is reminiscent of Oliver Reed but unsure of the casting situation. Great breakdown, thank you :) Also filmed just before Covent Garden was destroyed IIRC
Yes but Caine would later show up in a similar role in DePalmas Dressed to Kill.
Lovely…lovely….lovely….!!! Masterpiece. Great essay!!!
Thanks Chris! Good to hear you on The Gala Show again! Gala rocks!
Hitchcock's best film imo.
Wow!
I saw this at a drive in when 8. Made an impact.
For me Rear Window is a true masterpiece, especially if you learn how it was made. Frenzy is Hitchcock getting back to his British roots and a alright movie 🎥
It is def a resetting of the table. So to speak.
I like how Hitchcock moved away from Hollywood formalism and embraced the fresh vibe of the 70s with his last two filme. To me, both are basically satirical comedies with hip young stars (Bruce, Barbara, Karen) in Family Plot and a great group of British actors for Frenzy. I enjoy them more than some of his 50s films.
he was def becoming tired of that scene and looking for his roots.
I love Frenzy, i watched it a couple of weeks ago.
Awesome!
Never got warm with this one, but I appreciate your effort to give more insight into this movie.
I am curious, do you like British films at all?
It took me awhile to warm up to this one but I watch it all the time now.
Hitchcock's treatment of women in his later films (Psycho, The Birds, Marnie, and Frenzy) got more grizzly and graphic and really compromised my admiration of him. He seemed to be getting revenge for his relationship (or lack thereof) with women. Tippi Hedren's account of her experience with the director (both on screen and off) is harrowing. At least in Family Plot, Barbara Harris didn't get killed, just painfully stabbed with a hypodermic needle. She got off lightly.
Yes, Hitch was def putting his perversions out in the open.
Still unsettling today
I have a soft spot for Frenzy because it is the first Hitchcock film I saw and, oddly enough, because it is old-fashioned. What I mean is that, apart from the explicit sex and violence, it has much of the feel of the films he made in Britain in the 1930s.
And, it was filmed just when London was crumbling in the early 70s. A much brighter city now but I feel fortunate to have visited in the early 90s when vestiges of the old city were still palpable
@@AAZEDLARC ... I will never get to visit but you just described the reason why I haven't. I would rather see it returned to nature over it being made over. NEW concrete is still grey, cold and ugly.
He's def looking for that return him vibe.
So many directors have tried to recreate that scene
Remember - Bob's your uncle
I’ve long linked this with Peeping Tom in my mind. At least it didn’t cost Hitchcock his career.
They are certainly linked no question.
A really unpleasant film.
most certainly.
Really! Frenzy. Not “lovely”. Look, Hitchcock was undoubtedly important but he did make some clunkers. The Lady Vanishes. Family Plot. Rope. I know I’ll get bile for suggesting that Vertigo is somewhat incoherent. But then, so is its source material.
Rope was great, I agree with the others.
I think Vertigo subsists on its perceived incoherency. It's cinema without the baggage of narrative.
its a down and dirty sleazefest.
Frenzy is brash, embarrassingly unsubtle and vulgar - the jokes are silly - in addition to the off-putting sexualized violence lovingly gloated over by Hitch - who is showing signs of senile degeneration.
One of the reasons I wanted to examine it.
You sound like a film critic from the 50s with that ignorant statement, who’s also showing signs of senility.
Not disagreeing. Hitch was "off-leash" at this point, which argues to the benefits of being "on-leash" earlier in his career. Not speaking to the "senile degeneration" situation, the signs were there throughout his tenure ://
@@AAZEDLARC The carefully choreographed strangulations are quite grotesque - the close-up of Barbara Leigh-Hunt dead, tongue sticking out etc. And one can see from the documentary bits how focused on them Hitch was, how gloating. Interesting that at the time Frenzy was greeted by critics as ‘return to form’.
..." brash, embarrassingly unsubtle and vulgar"
Kind of like a murderous rapist, don't ya think?
Nice tonalities in this post . Luv it when life is corny in England 70s bit of class stability . Still amazed they actually show that strangulation scene on TV or used to..... Can Hitch go up against the big ones of his time? Check those Imdb factors for the winner fun list of your choice. Circa 1970 throw in Twisted Nerve . Antonnioni? No flies on Hitch.
Y eah it's all of that but if you're actually like that a 70s misogynist luv how corny that is now nostalgia - then the glass is half full. No problem. But it ain't Chabrol's The Butcher 1975 the banality of the mise en scene was paradoxically more shocking more alienating. More paradoxically Voyeuristic than Peeping Tom? Less is more. Chabrol was often compared to Hitch. Is Hitch over rated underrated ect old question lingering....when the votes are counted.