Dir. Alfred Hitchcock (1958)
Vertigo is a thriller about a former police man who suffers from severe acrophobia and vertigo who follows a woman who is believed to be possessed. After recovering from almost falling to his death, Scottie retires from the police force due to his crippling phobia of heights. One of his former colleagues then asks him for his help in investigating his wife, Madeleine. He believes that his wife is possessed with a spirit, because she often drifts off in thought as if she has left her body, then returns and has no recollection of what happened. She drives 100 miles everyday, but has no memory of where she goes everyday. Scottie agrees to investigate and see what Madeleine is up to. The next day, Scottie follows her as she drives to get flowers, then drives miles away to visit the grave site of a woman named Carlotta Valdes at a church in San Francisco. She then goes to an art museum and peers at a painting of Carlotta wearing an extravagant diamond necklace. She then drives to underneath the Golden Gate Bridge and tries to jump into the water, an attempt at suicide. Scottie jumps in and rescues her. Gavin, Madeleine's husband, tells Scottie that Carlotta was Madeleine's great grandmother, who committed suicide early in her life. He believes this is the spirit who is possessing Madeleine and why she has no memory of where she goes and that she tries to kill herself. The next day, Scottie and Madeleine spend the day together. Scottie is slowly but surely falling in love with Madeleine. Madeleine tells Scottie about dreams that she is having, and she is retelling the actions that she does while she is in the trance. Scottie takes her to the church where Carlotta's grave is located, and before he can proclaim his love for her, she runs to the top of the bell tower and leaps off. Scottie can't get to the top fast enough to save her due to his vertigo. Madeleine is dead, and Scottie dos into a depressed and catatonic like state. He is in a mental institution for a while. One day, he sees a woman who looks exactly like Madeleine but with red hair. She introduces herself as Judy, and Scottie becomes obsessed with her. He makes her dye her hair and buys her clothes to look exactly like Madeleine. He then learns that Judy was part of a murder plot that involved Madeleine. She dressed as Gavin's wife and acted like she jumped from the tower and killed herself, when Gavin was actually waiting at the top with his actual wife, who he threw from the tower. Gavin wanted to kill Madeleine so he could pursue his affair with the woman who acted as Madeleine to fool Scottie. Scottie is enraged, and forces Judy to go back to the church to reenact what she did as an actress. They get to the top of the bell tower, Scottie conquering his fear, and all of a sudden a nun comes out of no where. Judy is so startled that she falls out of the bell tower and dies, after she told Scottie that she is in love with him. The nun sees what has happened and rings the bell tower. It took a while for me to decide on what my thoughts were on this movie. I loved the premise of it. I love the aspect in thriller movies of insanity or phobias, so in this way the movie reminded me of Psycho (the scariest Hitchcock movie I have watched). My favorite part of the movie was when Scottie had an episode where he felt like he was falling, and he saw Carlotta instead of Madeleine. His head was moving all over and his eyes had swirls in them. It was great. I loved the way Hitchcock did that scene, even though it looks dated now. This movie is probably in my top three for Hitchcock movies. The plot was a little slow moving at time, and the part I did not like as how much I hated Scottie by the end of the movie. I started out feeling bad for him, because he seemed like he was really going through a rough time with his vertigo. Then, he became just a little too obsessed with Madeleine. Even though Judy was part of a murder plot, he was getting really weird with making her look exactly like Madeleine. I felt bad for her, even though she was okay with Gavin killing his wife so they could be together. When she was actually in love with him and was begging him for forgiveness after he violently forced her up the tower against her will, I wanted to tell her to be an independent woman and leave him. I ended up hating Scottie by the end. Other than that, the movie was great. It does justice to the classic thriller movie. I would recommend it to anyone.
1 Comment
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock (1954)
Rated PG Rear Window is a suspense film about a man trying to catch a murderer while confined to a wheelchair with a broken leg. L.B. Jeffries (James Stewart) spends everyday watching his neighbors and their daily lives through his window. He is in almost a full body cast, so it is impossible for him to walk or stand or do really anything for himself. His maid, Stella, has to come over everyday to help bathe and feed him. While he is recovering, he starts paying very close attention to his neighbors out of boredom. One is a struggling pianist, who is always writing pieces and getting drunk and then inviting large parties over to hear his new work. Another is a single woman who lives by herself, and she is obviously very lonely. She makes lovely dinners for two and pours two glasses of wine and acts like there is a man on the other side of the table. It's pretty sad. The neighbors he pays the closest attention to are the married couple that live right next to a blonde dancer (who he also enjoys watching). The wife is sick with something that keeps her confined to her bed, and the husband has to care for her. There is obviously some tension in the relationship, they're always seen bickering through their window. One night, Jeffries wakes up in the middle of the night at around 2 AM. He hears glass shatter and a woman screaming. He looks out the window and sees the husband walking out of the apartment with a suitcase. He drifts back asleep and wakes up again to see him entering and leaving his apartment again with the same suitcase. This happens three times. Jeffries automatically suspects that the husband has killed his wife. Over the next couple days, Jeffries watches the husband's movements with a very close eye. The wife is nowhere to be found, and the husband is packing things up in the bedroom and cleaning off a knife and a handsaw. Later, one of the neighbor's dog dies, and everyone comes out to see the commotion except the husband, who is seen lighting a cigar in his dark living room. Jeffries enlists the help of Stella and his girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) to investigate what happened. Jeffries writes a note to the husband, whose name is Thorwald, asking what he did with her (his wife). Jeffries then calls him anonymously and asks him to meet at a bar, while Stella and Lisa go dig up the garden in Thorwald's backyard to look for evidence of the dead dog or the wife. Lisa decides to break into the apartment, finding the wife's wedding ring. This reveals that something definitely happened to Thorwald's wife, because no woman leaves her wedding ring at home. Thorwald comes home and finds Lisa there, and attacks her. Just then, the police show up and arrest Lisa, which saves her from Thorwald. Before she leaves, she flashes the ring at Jeffries, who is watching from his window. Thorwald catches this and finds Jeffries spying on him. He calls Jeffries anonymously, and Jeffries unknowingly answers. Later, Thorwald's footsteps are heard outside of Jeffries' apartment. He comes in, asking Jeffries what he wants. Jeffries attempts to blind Thorwald by flashing his camera right in his face, but Thorwald gets to him and attempts to strangle him and push him out the window. The police show up and save Jeffries, though he now has two broken legs. Thorwald confesses to the police, and the murder is solved. The last scene is the neighborhood at peace with Jeffries sleeping in his wheelchair and Lisa reading a magazine. This was probably my favorite Hitchcock movie so far. There were so many aspects that made this movie incredibly creepy and suspenseful. The constant opera and piano music coming from one of the neighbors, the scene in the middle of the night when Thorwald murders his wife, Thorwald in his dark living room lighting a cigar after the dog has been found dead. All of these scenes were so perfect for a suspense movie. I think Hitchcock does an amazing job of filming the scenes where the most suspense happens, such as a murder, because it is always silent and the camera zooms in or pans right in on the murderer/the thing that is being done. Even though his movies are older, they're still the best thriller and suspense movies that I have seen. I think the older cameras and settings/sounds/lighting add to the aesthetic of the thriller movie.I liked this movie the best out of all the Hitchcock movies so far because of the way it was filmed. Watching the murderer from a distance and a different point of view through a window made it 10 times creepier. I also like how the murderer wasn't handsome or charismatic like they are in so many of Hitchcock's movies, he was kind of dorky and awkward and had a beer belly. I found the scene where Jeffries is flashing his camera in Thorwald's eyes pretty entertaining. The movie also had a super great ending, mostly because the lonely woman ends up with the musician (AW). So, yeah, I really loved this movie. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller, because this was probably one of my favorites. Dir. Michel Gondry (2006)
Rated R The Science of Sleep is about a man named Stephane and his dreams. He has just begun a new job as a calendar designer, but his vivid dreams and imagination start interfering with his job and his relationships. This movie was... interesting. I didn't dislike it. I thought it was interesting but also confusing. However, my mom watched it with me, who said "this is the worst movie I have ever seen" right as the credits began. I guess it's a love it or hate it movie. The parts of the movie I liked the best were Stephane's dreams, filled with animation and his little talk show that he always ran. Before the movie got into that part, it was a little uncomfy at parts. Stephane's new boss is super icky. I was about to turn the movie off until the dream sequences started showing. It got a lot better after that. When Stephane meets his neighbor, Stephanie, he begins to form a crush and they become friends. Stephanie is also creative and loves art, and they get along really well. Eventually, Stephane thinks they are close enough that he wants to show her his dreams and what goes on inside his head. They also begin to work on an animated movie together. It is an adorable relationship. As the movie progresses, Stephane's dreams and actual reality start to intertwine. It's hard to keep track of when he is dreaming and when he is awake, because animation and dream-like scenarios become pretty frequent. Either he has a really active imagination during the day, or he just sleeps a TON. He begins to show Stephanie the creations he has made, like his time machine. He starts missing work so he can hang out with her and make her new things to impress her. Things are going really well for the two until Stephane's art is going to be on the cover of a calendar and he finally gains some success. At a party to celebrate, Stephane catches Stephanie dancing with another guy and he gets really depressed. He tells Stephanie that he doesn't want to be friends anymore, and that he is going to move back to Mexico. Right before he leaves, he shows up at Stephanie's door and starts yelling at her. She gets really upset, and then Stephane ends up falling asleep in her bed. In his dreams, him and Stephanie are riding a golden horse and then riding off on a sailboat that they were going to use in their animated film. The ending is really sad. It's pretty obvious that Stephane still loves Stephanie, but he is still going to move away and he consistently hurts her feelings with the things he says. Stephane probably doesn't deserve Stephanie, but I was still really bummed that they weren't together at the end (in real life). Overall, I liked this movie a lot and there were a lot of really adorable parts. I also really enjoyed the realist film style when Stephane wasn't in a dream or when he was in his fantasy talk show. This movie is definitely a toss up as to whether you will like it or hate it, but I think it is worth a watch to find out. Dir. Cameron Crowe (2000)
Rated R Almost Famous is a movie about a boy named William who falls in love with rock and roll and becomes a groupie/journalist for the band Stillwater. He ditches school and leaves his strict mom when he is 15 years old and starts touring with the band to get interviews for a local journalist, and then eventually The Rolling Stone. Along the way, he meets Penny Lane, who calls herself a Band Aid. She travels with a group of girls and tour with Stillwater, solely because they love the music. Penny changes William's life and he falls in love with her while touring. He also becomes friends with all of the bandmates, the number one rule that his editor told him to follow while touring with them. He was warned that the stars would just take advantage of William, but William feels like he has actually found friends in them and feels included and loved. While on tour, he learns a lot of life lessons. There are ups and downs, and at times, real danger. He is exposed to all of the crazy, illegal things that are included on a rock band's tour (earning the movie of its R rating), and William goes against everything his mom has taught him growing up by going with the band. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I loved it. It had a great soundtrack (Simon and Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, etc.) and a great storyline. Throughout the movie, Penny refers to life outside the tour as the 'real world', and while they are with the band it feels like a fantasy. There are no worries, just music and fun. She talks to William about how they are going to go to Morocco when they are done touring and be completely new people with new names. I definitely got the dreamy vibe that was coming off, but there are also a ton of real moments in the movie that happen while they are on tour. Penny is in love with one of the band members, Russell, but she knows they can never be together and her heartbreak is a very raw aspect. It shows real human emotions in the midst of a rock band touring, where people are devoid of all responsibilities and care for anything. SPOILERS: the ending is bittersweet; William leaves the tour and goes back home (after getting published to The Rolling Stone) and Penny leaves with a broken heart. Russell is in love with Penny, but she moves on and her last scene is in an airport buying one window seat ticket to Morocco. William finally gets his interview with Russell after he shows up at his house, and then Russell and the band are off on their new adventure. William and his mom and sister are finally reunited. It is a happy ending but isn't at the same time. This movie was amazing. It is funny, sad, romantic and real. I would highly recommend. Dir. Joe Wright (2005)
Rated PG Based off the novel by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice follows a girl named Elizabeth Bennett (Kiera Knightly) and the story of how she falls in love with a man she never thought she would, Mr. Darcy (Matthew McFadyen). I watched this after reading the book in AP lit, and it was no doubt satisfying and amazing. I loved the book, so I was incredibly excited to see the movie, but also nervous. You are always taking a risk when watching a movie based off a book you love, because the movie could go either way. Thankfully, I was very pleased with this movie. It followed the book almost exactly, down to the exact dialogue used when the characters were talking. The only parts of the movie that I thought were disappointing was the lack of character development compared to the book. In the novel, Elizabeth is a very complex character and the reader gets to know her lively personality well. Knightly does a good job of portraying this, but I wish there would have been more wit to her character (especially during the scene where Mr. Collins proposes). Mr. Darcy is not that well developed either. He definitely comes off as a brooding and angsty man, but his softer side is not revealed until the very end of the movie. As for the technical aspects, there was actually some good cinematography. The setting was beautiful (somewhere in England), and there were a lot of shots that were pleasing to the eye and gave the movie a sort of aesthetic. If you have read the book, then you know how it ends, and the movie definitely does it justice. I think anyone who loves the book will be very happy with this movie. It follows the plot almost to a tee, and the acting is very well done. I had a hard time seeing faults in this movie, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves the novel. Dir. Fritz Lang, 1927
There's nothing bad in this movie that kids can't watch, but I can definitely see how it could give some younger crowds nightmares. Metropolis is a whirlwind of a movie and to be honest, I am not entirely sure what happened for two hours while I was watching. It is set in a utopian future-like world, with tons of skyscrapers and cable cars. From the very first scenes, it is clear that the main theme of this movie is to show the divide between the working class and the rich. This movie takes it to the extreme, with the workers living a sad and miserable life below the city (called "the depths). They are completely isolated from society. The people in the city live a lush and extravagant lifestyle, completely unaware of the depths or the workers living there. Only a few people are aware: the creator of the city, Joh Frederson, and his colleagues and assistants. His son, Freder Frederson (creative!), is really living the life up above the depths. He's playing hide and seek with his pals when this mysterious, beautiful woman appears from behind doors with a ton of little kids. They look poor and pretty ragged, and Freder is really taken aback by all of this. He asks what is going on, and the woman (we later learn her name is Maria) says that the little kids are his brothers and sisters. They disappear, and he runs off through the doors to look for her, because he is instantly in love with her. The doors lead to the depths, and this is the first time Freder discovers the workers and how they live. He decides that he wants to join the workers and try to make their lives better. This really makes his dad mad, because he wants to conceal the depths and sure as heck doesn't want his son to be one of the workers. Freder goes down there and sees Maria again, who is like a weird preacher who says that the 'mediator' is coming soon. The mediator is what Maria and the workers believe what will solve the divide between the workers and the rich people in the society, saying that 'without the heart, there can be no understanding between the head and the hands'. Things go awry when Freder's dad finds out where he is, and he enlists the help of his creepy mechanic friend Rotwang to kill Freder and stop the workers from uprising. He had created a machine man (pictured above), and his plan was to kidnap Maria and kill her and give the machine her face. This way, Freder would do whatever the fake Maria said. A lot of the things that happened afterwards that I didn't really catch, but the fake Maria basically led the workers to a riot and they began to destroy the machines, and the depths flooded. The fake Maria was burned at stake because the workers believed that their children were all killed during the riot and that she was responsible, but the fire revealed that it was actually a robot. Above ground, Freder's dad and Rotwag were fighting to the death, because Frederson discovered that Rotwag was planning to betray him, and Rotwag fell to his death off a building. Maria (the real one) and Freder were watching the whole time, and the movie ends with Maria and Frederson shaking hands, the divide between the two societies finally diminished. So, happy ending? I liked this movie and the theme behind it. It is a little alarming that Germany's idea of the future at the time was a completely dividing society and a secret underground of mistreated workers. I thought it was a little confusing, probably because the only dialogue that you could actually understand was title cards. It got boring towards the end, but for a German expressionist film, it was not bad. |
AuthorCasey Land Archives
January 2018
Categories |