So far my favorite is Rope but I will definately have to see Vertigo after so many people listing it as their favorite. I’ve actually rented it at least twice before and neither time got around to watching it.
North By Northwest did absolutely nothing for me. It wasn’t a bad movie but I was dissapointed that so many people listed it as the best.
Rope - mostly for John Dall.
Followed closely by Rear Window and The Birds - that playground scene…shudder. Till today, I will NEVER sit with my back to a playground. Ever.
I saw The Birds in the sixth grade, shown to us by our peculiarly loveable-and-terrifying teacher. I think he realized belatedly that it was inappropriate for an elementary school teacher to show it to his class, so I only saw the first half of it.
I’ve seen Notorious, Topaz, and Vertigo, none of which did too much for me. I watched North by Northwest with Burundi right after she had her wisdom-teeth removed, and was therefore a wee bit distracted. She, of course, is still unsure what was movie and what was hallucination.
My favorite Hitchcock, though, is Dial M for Murder. It has more than enough plot in it for three movies, yet it ties everything together so skillfully that it works. It’s like watching a brilliant chess game.
Daniel
“Hitchcock is suppose to have a cameo in all of his movies”
I forget the exact figure, but Hitch only had walk-ons in around 75% of his movies. And he always got them in early, at least after his move to the USA, because he didn’t want people to spend the whole movie looking out for him.
“Blackmail” is another favourite and one of his great milestones. It was the first British talkie.
My personal faves would have to be Shadow of a Doubt (Hume Cronyn is effing hilarious in this) and Strangers on a Train.
Here’s a listing of Hitchcock’s cameos: http://users.netreach.net/treyl/hitchcock/cameos.htm
favorites: Rear Window and North by Northwest
Also rans: Trouble with Harry and Rebecca
Dislikes: Vertigo
The 39 Steps and The Lodger are also near the top for me.
Favorites: Rear Window, Notorious, and Shadow of a Doubt
Most fun: The “on the run” movies–39 steps, Sabotage, Foreign Correspondent, North by Northwest, etc.
Most overrated: Vertigo. Not that it’s not a great movie. However, there are at least six other Hitchcocks that are better. There’s waaay too much driving around SF set to ominous music at the start, and ending the movie on the climax (instead of having a proper conclusion) was just a bad idea. (Frankly, I think Hitchcock did it that way because he simply couldn’t figure out what Scotty would do next.)
Worst: Topaz. Painful to watch.
Vertigo, narrowly beating out Psycho. Both subtle, multi-layered studies cunningly disguised as pulp crap.
My least favorite is The Man Who Knew Too Much, only because of Doris Day. I see her and I think of “Please Don’t Eat The Daisies,” not international intrigue.
Ahh, how could I forget Rebecca ?? That certainly comes in as a close second to The Birds for me …
I have to agree with plnnr about The Man Who Knew Too Much. I don’t think Doris Day was the best choice for that movie, but then, I guess he was running out of blondes…lol.
Vertigo
Honorable Mentions: Strangers on a Train, North by Northwest, Rear Window, Notorious, Psycho (which is not to say that there aren’t many more that are excellent)
I’m gonna have to pile on and say ** Rear Window ** was his best. Grace Kelly–goddamn! She may have been the most beautiful movie actress ever, and she’s just great in that movie. She wasn’t just a pretty face, she was a talented actress, too. I think that’s why I like Nichole Kidman so much–because she’s beautiful in that Kelly sort of way AND she’s got the chops to back it up.
But there are so many more that I love. ** Strangers on a Train , Rope, Sabotage, Notorious, North by Northwest, ** and the 1934 version of ** The Man Who Knew Too Much **, which is far superior to the remake. (although I thought it was infinitely cool when I saw the 1956 version and found out that the sickly sweet “Que Sera Sera” was used ironically!)
I used to love ** Vertigo ** above all others, but recently I’ve soured on it. I don’t know if it’s because I’m burned out on it or if I’ve seen it so much that I can see the rivets holding it together or what, but I tried to watch it the other day and it just fell flat. Maybe it’s those Groucho Marx moustaches that Kim Novak is using for eyebrows.
The DVD release has an “alternate ending” where Scotty goes back to Midge’s apartment and they hear a report on the radio about Gavin’s death. Still not much of an ending though.
Mine: A tossup between The Birds or Dial M for Murder, depending on how I feel at the time. North by Northwest comes in very close behind both.
The Birds and Psycho are my faves!
Rebecca. Amazing photography.
It’s hard to pick just one, so I won’t:
Rear Window
Vertigo
Strangers on a Train (read the book!!!)
North by Northwest
The Birds
No one likes Suspicion? I just caught that last night on my TiVo and was somewhat enchanted by it. (There are a few good belly laughs tossed in amid the suspense.) It does sorta crap out with a “convenient” ending though.
I couldn’t possibly pick one favorite, but I will say I was surprised to find Notorious so boring when I finally saw it.
To Catch a Thief also has it’s moments (I love when Cary Grant drops the gambling marker into the woman’s cleavage!) but for the most part it’s really really cheesy.
Favourites: North by Northwest, Vertigo, Rear Window.
I couldn’t possibly choose between them. However, one of my most enduring movie memories is of one time around 6 years ago when I was recovering from surgery. I was laid up on my couch doped up on Demerol trying to watch movies but I kept zoning in and out of unconsciousness. One time, I came to at precisely the same moment as Jimmy Stewart wakes up in Rear Window and, for a brief, wondrous moment, that luminous, slow-motion close-up of Grace Kelly was kissing me awake. Alas, that glorious vision soon faded as reality reared its ugly head. Boy, did I have to take a leak.
Close Runners-Up: Notorious, Strangers on a Train, The 39 Steps, Psycho, Rope.
Most Under-rated: Torn Curtain.
I don’t know why this movie is never mentioned when Hitchcock movies are discussed. It’s definitely not his best work but it still has many strengths. The lack of soundtrack was an innovative idea and made certain scenes all the more intense (yes, I know a soundtrack was written and recorded for the movie but never used).
Most Over-rated: The Birds
Not that I think it’s bad, per se, but it just didn’t give me the creeps for which Hitchcock was so obviously striving. Of course, I had the great misfortune of reading excerpts from Camille Paglia’s book on the movie so I may have been unduly influenced.