Reviews (82)

Fireworks!
What was the greatest kiss ever committed to the silver screen? For me it comes from the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, To Catch a Thief. Grace Kelly tempts Cary Grant, a reformed jewel thief by the name of John Robie, with her diamond necklace, to a backdrop of fireworks over the French Riviera. Finally, having had just about enough of her tomfoolery, he says, "You know as well as I do, this necklace is imitation." To which, the stunning Kelly responds, "Well I'm not..."

That is movie magic and so is this wonderful, light-hearted and thrilling romp across the south of France as everyone goes in search of the identity of a new jewel thief reeking havoc throughout hotels on the French Riviera.

Lush cinematography, beautiful costumes, breathtaking vistas, and delightful performances by Kelly, Grant, and Jessie Royce Landis make this an extremely enjoyable film outing.

Cat on a Hot French Roof
Suspense takes a back seat to romance as former cat burglar Grant turns detective to track down the culprit behind a recent string of jewel robberies, becoming involved with beautiful heiress Kelly during the course of his investigation. Proof that lesser Hitchcock is still far above average, with Grant at his most suave and debonair; Kelly at her most ravishing; an engaging comedic turn by Jessie Royce Landis as Kelly's down-to-earth mother; and some sparkling (and suggestive) dialogue by John Michael Hayes. Add in some truly beautiful costumes by Edith Head and breathtaking, Oscar-winning color cinematography by Robert Burks ... and what's not to like? Even though the mystery is a bit slight, you won't be bored!

The DVD offers a wonderful video transfer with crisp, clear sound and a brightly color-balanced, anamorphic widescreen picture. There are three unique mini-documentaries about the making of the movie, featuring Hitchcock's daughter and granddaughter; a documentary about costumer Edith Head (which is being included on many Paramount 2002 DVD releases which feature Head's work); the Original Theatrical Trailer; and a truly grand assortment of vintage production stills and posters from around the world. All in all a quite nice package that's definitely worth a look.

With Class and Grace
To Catch A Thief marks a departure for director Alfred Hitchcock. Here, he sheds the moniker as The Master Of Suspense, going more for romance and comedy--rather than any of his well known plot twists or thrills. The film may not be the best of his career, but thanks to a strong leading man and a radiant leading lady the movie still works.

John Robie, (Cary Grant) is a reformed cat burglar, out to prove himself innocent of a recent crime spree. As he tries to capture the thief who's terrifying the French Riviera, he attracts the attention of the lovely Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly), a wealthy and spoiled American traveling the Riviera with her widowed mother (Jessie Royce Landis). However, things do not begin on a romantic note. Robie is more interested in clearing his name than in pursuing the beautiful American, but the two will not go their separate ways so easily. When Mrs. Stevens has her jewels stolen, the snubbed Frances puts the police on Robie's trail. Now the dashing Robie will have to win the confidence and assistance of Frances if he is to ever set things right.

Grant and Kelly light up the screen together, with an entrancing chemistry that sparkles, especially in the impromptu ad-libbed dialogue of the picnic scene. A series of elaborate set pieces combined with the spectacularc Riviera scenery make the film an enduring piece of American cinema. Hitchcock lets his leads pick up for any of the film's lack of excitement, that traditionally peppers the director's films. I have always had a "crush" on the late Grace Kelly, and this film just helps to solidify those feelings.

The DVD contains three well produced making of featurettes. "Writing and Casting," "The Making of To Catch a Thief," and "Alfred Hitchcock and To Catch a Thief", will give you a well rounded look at the film. But things would have worked out even better if these were edited together as one larger whole. Long time Hitchcock collaborator, costumer Edith Head, is highlighted in a fourth featurette, that also tops off the disc's bonus material.

To Catch A Thief is recommended for any Hitchcock fan..

A Hitchcock romantic mystery
Cary Grant and Grace Kelly are funny and witty and they keep you involved in the story. Not what I expected from Alfred Hitchcock, but it was a great movie none the less.

So-so Hitchcock jewel caper
As a connoisseur of Hitchcock's work, To Catch a Thief was merely adequate. Lacking any real suspense, the movie was held together by the excellent cinematography offered by the picturesque French Rivera locale.

Cary Grant was at his suave and debonair best as John Robie, a retired cat burgular who is suspected when a rash of jewel thefts plagues the swanky Riviera. Realizing, he must apprehend the actual thief, whose m.o. parallels his own, he plots a scheme.

Grace Kelly, whose acting ability does not rival her beauty, plays a perfectly typecasted role for her. As a spoiled, bored, rich socialite Frances Stevens, she and her wealthy but earthy mother, played exceptionally well by Jessie Royce Landis are vacationing. The elder Mrs. Stevens has a valuable collection of jewelery that Grant theorizes would make excellent bait.

Hitchcocks creates a predictable plot, with the usual love affair. There is however, little in the way of mystery or tension or even chemistry between Kelly and Grant to make this flick anything more than mediocre. Edith Head provides a high point with her fantastic wardrobes created for the costume ball scene. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A mixed bag of Hitchcock classics and also rans
This second boxed set has a number of stunning works by Hitchcock; Vertigo and The Birds are stunning masterpieces from the Master of Suspense. The former film is his most personal while the latter his most expansive in scope and a radical departure from what had come before. These two films represent Hitchcock's brilliance at its best.

Torn Curtain isn't a complete disaster but is far from a perfect film. Marnie is downright embarrassing. I know a number of Hitchcock scholars consider it his last great work; I'd argue that this misogynistic Freudian work of mumbo jumbo is among Hitchcock's worst films. Sure, it has a couple of stunning set pieces but the film script has clearly traveled through too many hands (although it was based on Hitchcock's concept of the film and Evan Hunter is the only screenwriter credited, Ernest Lehman, Joseph Stefano and a couple of other writers tried their hand at adapting this meandering mess). It suffers from flaws that Hitchcock had worked through earlier in his career (with the flawed but interesting Spellbound).

The only other film that comes close to Vertigo and The Birds is the minor masterpiece Frenzy. Hitchcock was clearly energized by the competition of young upstarts following in his footsteps. Frenzy, again, demonstrates that Hitchcock could be at his best even this late in his long career.

The Trouble with Harry is a fine dark comedy from Hitchcock and, although it hasn't aged all that well, still features sparkling dialogue (courtesy of writer John Michael Hayes)and strong performances.

Saboteur is another minor masterpiece from Hitchcock that still manages to be engaging. The sequence set on the Statue of Liberty as Robert Cummings tries to save the foreign spy (played by Hitchcock regular Norman Lloyd)is still gripping and powerful today.

The real reason to own this set is the episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents included on the bonus DVD. Hitchcock directed all these himself. They vary in quality from good to exceptional. Since they aren't available indivdually, it's a must have for fans of the director's work.

If you want to purchase Hitchcock's best films, get them individually but if you need this bonus disc, this set is the expensive way to go.

GREAT COLLECTION OF THE MASTER'S WORK
I loved all the selections offered in this boxed set. I especially enjoyed the additional commentary offered by Pat Hitchcock (his daughter) - it provided a great perspective of Hitch's intentions for each of these films. I loved the bonus disc of 4 episodes from his TV show "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and wish more of these were made available in this format. I always enjoyed his television show especially his intros and summations at their beginnings and endings. Truly funny stuff!! My only dissatisfaction was with "Saboteur" - I have a Panasonic Portable DVD player and during playback there were times the picture broke up and pixilized - not always in the same place. That may be a problem with this particular player but since I didn't have another brand to test it on - I'm not sure. Anyway - a great collection!! A MUST HAVE FOR ALL HITCHCOCK FANS!

A Fine Sampling Of The Master At Work!
The "A" films for me in this collection are "Marnie", "The Birds", "Frenzy" and "Vertigo", all of which I've seen multiple times. I never tire of seeing these Hitchcock classics. "Marnie" is a husband and wife story between Sean Connery and Tipi Hendren. Marnie, coerced into marrying Connery, has led a life of crime based on a past that Connery seeks to uncover. It took the public some years to warm up to this film but I loved it at once. "The Birds" is one of Hitchcock's instant hits where he literally has the birds in a coastal California community go on the attack against the populace. Just seeing the birds line up on the telephone wires, ready to attack the people, is chilling! "Frenzy" was made in the '70s, set in London, and involves two men, one who sets the other up to be the fall guy for the necktie stranglings that he himself is committing. There is a scene is a truckload of potatotes where the killer needs to get a piece of jewelry back from a corpse that is absolutely unforgettable. "Vertigo" showcases Jimmy Stewart, who is rendered powerless by heights by an earlier mishap, who falls in love with a mysterious woman, Kim Novak that he follows. She seems to be fatally drawn to the bell tower of a church on the California coast. The remaining films in the collection range from B- ("Torn Curtain") to B+ ("Saboteur"). I've viewed them all at least once, sometimes twice. Most movie directors would claim them as their "A" work but Hitchcock's "A" work was so fabulous that it is indeed his lesser work. In any event, once you've started watching Hitchcock's work, you've got to see all of it. It's as simple as that.

THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION
Vol. 2 is just as great as Vol. 1! It has all of Hitchcock's best classics which include, "Torn Curtain","Marnie" "The Birds", "Vertigo", "Frenzy", "Sabotuer",and "The Trouble with Harry". Plus as a special BONUS DISC, three episodes from the original HITCHCOCK TV SHOW!! This is a great collection to own and anybody who is a major Hitchcock fan like me, must own this collection! No Hitchcock Collection is complete without it! So don't miss out! Buy it today! You will not regret it!! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

film study in a box A+
This along with best of #2 is the greatest box set of all time. these movies span decades of great film making. every DVD came with wonderful extras and a documentary. most are widescreen and set up for the home theater experience. These movies are timeless and can be watched 10 years from now and still be enjoyed. great buy!

THE ULTIMATE HITCHCOCK COLLECTION!
This is one of the BEST collections of Alfred Hitchcock yet!! Featuring the #1 Hitchock film "Psycho"! Along with "Shadow of a Doubt", "Rope", "The Man Who knew Too Much","Topaz", "Family Plot" and the classic, "Rear Window".I have this collection and it is a great gift to own! Each disc comes with it's original trailer and behind the scenes documentary! Plus as a special BONUS DISC, you get three episodes from the ORIGINAL Hitchock TV SERIES!If you are a major HITCHCOCK fan like me, you will want to own this!No Hitchcock collection is complete without it! Plus get Vol 2! Which has more of Hithcock's best including, "The Birds" , "Vertigo" "Frenzy", "Sabotuer", "Torn Curtain" any many more! So don't miss out! Buy it today!!

Discover Why Today's Filmmakers Worship His Work
"Shadow of a Doubt", "Psycho" and "Rear Window" are the A+ movies in this boxed set. My absolute favorite is "Shadow of A Doubt," about Uncle Charlie who comes to stay with his sister and her family to hide out from being hunted as the serial Merry Widow killer. Joseph Cotton plays Uncle Charlie with all of the charm, grace and elegance which came naturally to him as a member of Virgina's upper class in real life. Yet the sinister undercurrent of his personality is quietly apparent throughout. "Psycho" is the film Hitchcock is now most identified with as was its star, Anthony Perkins, who played twisted Norman Bates. Janet Leigh is also best remembered as the larcenous woman who met her fate in the infamous Bates motel shower. Taking a shower was never the same after people first saw this film! I've reviewed "Rear Window" previously and that is Hitch at the top of his game as well. The other work is all roughly C+ to B+, with "Rope" being a too stagey, limp version of "Leopold and Loeb" and being the C+, the lowest, in the set. "The Man Who Knew Too Much," however, comes in at a strong B+ with Doris Day and Jimmy Stewart being the perfect Every Mr. and Mrs. America who find themselves up to their ears in an international intrigue situation, a role that they never expected or wanted in their perfect mainstream American lives. If there is a film student in your life, these Hitchcock boxed sets will make the perfect gift.

Great Movies - love the extras! Worth the $$$$$$$$$$
I totally disagree with the person who said this collection is expensive.

Each one of these movies comes with a documentary feature (not just a publicity film like most DVD's) that feature the stars of the picture (if possible), the writers, creative teams and even Pat Hitchcock (his daughter & sometimes actress). These documentaries are an hour long sometimes and very detailed. Some of them even talk at length about the film restoration process. They are worth having even without the movie and the movies are classics.

If you price out these movies individually it is a Deal buying this collection together. There is only one movie here not worth having (TOPAZ in my opinion) unlike the #2 collection which is mostly duds.

These are great movies with tons of extras - the documentataries, storyboards, deleted scenes, screen tests etc etc.

Buy this if you are a Hitchcock fan!

A Classic
There really is no point in reviewing this collection of Hitchcock's works. He is among the top 5 directors of the 20th Century. This collection can compare with a selection of ANY 7 other movies put together in a collection. ... Read more

Reviews (293)

art collides with television
Twin Peaks rates as one of the most singularly innovative additions to network telelvision. David Lynch's obsession with making the everyday middle-american world beautifully strange (the word "awe" with its horrific element intact is useful here) and Mark Frost 's (St Elsewhere) quirky writing meld seamlessly in this soap opera that exposes to much beneath its surface. The episodic nature of television often strains to create new episodes that maintain sturdy characters while repeatedly playing the same scenario over and over. In this case the characters are superficial, common and quirky. But rather than falling into the dull routine of love triangles and deceit (although TP has these in abundance) Lynch and Frost immediately disrupt quiet american life with a murder--a dead prom queen, Laura Palmer, floats up to Pete Marshall shattering his early morning fishing routine. The town is cast into chaos. FBI agent Dale Cooper, played perfectly by Kyle MacLachlan, enters the town wide-eyed and appreciative of its tranquil simplicity. Using holistic methods, Cooper unravels the black underbelly that provides the illusion of innocence. Playing between superficial soap opera moments and some of the most horrific and surreal moment ever shown on TV, Lynch and Frost use the weekly format to delve deeply into the dark forces and evils which exists within beauty. And the show is ultimately beautiful in its raw exploration that reveals fear is always obliterated by love--not justice or truth. The show's inteligence survived its first season by hiding behind the murder mysery of Laura Palmer. Lynch and Frost planned to leave this mystery unsolved indefinitely in order to explore all corners of Twin Peaks. Unfortunately, the network forced the team to rush towards a solution in the second season fearing that ratings were dropping because viewers needed closure (actually Twin Peaks was losing the soap opera element as they realized the world of Twin Peaks was more complex and real than most prime time viewers were prepared to patiently stomach). Without its central nexus and Lynch leaving to complete Wild at Heart, the show floundered until Lynch's return. However, the show snapped back into brilliance following Lynch's return. But it was too late. The show met the same fate of all brilliant American network shows that shined too brightly before its time--it was cancelled. The team put together a final TV movie that "ended" the show in the manner it began. Lynch followed it with a dreamlike prequel in the theaters called Fire Walk With Me (a creepy mantra pulled from Laura's phantom killer). All of this if assembled adds up to a work of visual art that was way ahead of its time and dismissed as quirky and silly--but its rough end was probably caused by people expecting to be entertained by quirkines, but kept safe from the show's more awesome yet brutal spectacles. Still the entire work (if one can find it all and watch it in order) stands as a challenge to network programming need for dumbed-down product. First time viewers and skeptical fans should bravely revisit this fragmented masterpiece.

The best presentation of Twin Peaks
I won't try to sell you on the series in this review. I just want to say that this is, flat out, the best that Twin Peaks has ever looked (unless of course you were David Lynch and had the original master copies.)

Before the series was released on DVD, we had two options: We could either watch the high quality VHS version of the first season, or we could watch the low quality VHS version of both seasons. The first season boxed set was pretty good--you even got to see the "previously on Twin Peaks" montage, but it only covered the first seven episodes of the show. The complete box set had quality issues as all of the episodes were crammed onto 6 tapes--gone were the "previously on Twin Peaks" montage and there were issues with the picture/sound quality. Boo!

But I have received the DVDs and just love them. The show looks outstanding. If you want to share Twin Peaks with someone this DVD set is the way to do it--just a spectacular looking picture with great sound and no picture issues. Overall, Artisan did a great job and I would highly recommend the set to anyone looking for a high quality copy of the first season.

The show that saved television for the nineties
Okay, after waiting the two extra weeks for the release, from what I understand it was due to high demand, I faithfully went out and bought the DVD set today(Dec 18th) and boy my import DVD of the pilot really looks shoddy now in comparison to the brilliant transfers of the original series and the DTS sound and the packaging of this box set is very sweet. It DOES look and sound better than when it origianlly aired 11 years ago and broke the ground for such shows as The X Files Northern Exposure and American Gothic. If you are a Twin Peaks fan do not deny yourself. Make it a Xmas present for yourself. The extras do leave a little to be desired, but it has been said the extras on subsequent releases (and the more the first season sells the sooner we get the second season which may be in two separate sets) the extras are going to be even phatter. I have only watched the first disc so far (eps 1 and 2)and the extras (on disc 4) and I was blown away. The deep textures and feel of the show is beautifully maintained and looks fantastic and Angelo's score really stands out revealing the genius he is in his own right. I would recommend buying the import DVD and there are many to be had on Ebay (mainly because it looks better than my 11 year old copy of the original airing or any previous VHS release) even if the sound quality is a bit distorted at times, just because we may never get the pilot on DVD. There are no deleted scenes but there are script notes in the chapter selections for each ep which describe with text altered dialogue and deleted scenes giving fans a real inside look at the development of the series. The commentary is intersting and I personally like that they added the "previously on Twin Peaks" intros to each show like when it aired on TV. The one bright spot of the extras is the "Twin Peaks Directory" that starts with Laura Palmer where fans can get lost in the different characters and their various relationships to each other including bios and filmographies and in some cases "Video Postcards" which are excerpts of interviews ranging from how they got involved with the show or glimpses of their home life etc. Like Richard Beymer's psychedelic trip down the Amazon and Al Strobel's poignant story of the accident(when he was 17) which cost him his arm. It is a true delight for fans. And the extra an "Introduction to David Lynch" gives an insightful journey through vatious interviews on what it's like to work with him and work on the show. I can't say enough about how good these shows look. I kept saying "This looks fantastic" and "There is no other show like this nor will there ever be again." It dared the television audience to use their minds and get lost in the characters and their intertwining relationships to the point where you didn't care who killed Laura Palmer because there was so much more to dive into besides the main arc of the series. Don't hesitate. Go buy it now, because I want the second season to come out ASAP. I would give five stars but I adamantly agree Artisan should have went the extra mile to get the pilot. And in closing, something I noticed. The Republic Pictures emblem is on this DVD set. Well, guess what? It's on the import DVD of the pilot as well, so what's the problem? I'm guessing it had something to do with the European release of the pilot with the alternate ending but who knows for sure I don't even thinks Artisan does. Dust off that recipe for cherry pie, put on some coffee and invite your friends over for a Twin Peaks party, especially those who haven't seen it before (costume optional).

Great set...where is season 2?
All Twin Peaks fans need to buy this set...Season 2 isn't available yet but maybe it will be if more copies of Season 1 are sold. This first set was really well done and actually has extras unlike a lot of other David Lynch discs. If you loved the series, you'll love this.

As others have stated, the pilot episode is available and the quality is very passable.

A slice of pie, coffee and murder
"Twin Peaks" didn't roar out of the gate when it first appeared. Lynch and Mark Frost quietly set up this twisted soap opera (which had an impact and influence on the style, look and texture of everything from "The X-Files" to "CSI"). My only complaint is that when I received this as a gift, my wife didn't know that the pilot episode wasn't included and that's where the murder occurs.

Here's what you do get--seven episodes in a nearly pristine high definition transfers of the original full screen series on four discs with extras on disc four. There's material from the fan website, a booklet (which should have had more material on the series), interviews, introductions by the Log Lady and audio commentary. I haven't accessed the latter two features yet and have only watched bits and pieces of each episode until I receive the 90 minute pilot episode.

The packaging is exceptional although it's in an accordian fold out case. Curiously (or not as Lynch isn't the most interested in doing audio commentaries from what I can tell), it looks as if Lynch doesn't do an audio commentary for the series. The set only gets four stars as it doesn't include the pilot and honestly this could have been put onto a two or three disc dual layered set without any loss of quality at a less expensive price. Still, all told it's always interesting to visit Twin Peaks. Aside from some damn fine coffee you're never quite sure what you'll get in Lynch and Frost's twisted tale of murder, money and dry humor. Get it before it goes away. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

A lesser known Hitchock that can surprise.......
I love "Rear Window" and "To Catch A Thief," which are two of the three movies that Grace Kelly and Alfred Hitchock collaborated on. But I had always heard "Dial M For Murder," the first of the three Grace starred in for the director, was a dissapointing film, so it took a long time for me to get around to watch it. I finally rented it a few months ago, and WOW! I find it's a great film, and I loved it! Grace was beautiful as always, and Ray Milland did an excellent job as the "villain" of the film. The plot was engrossing, and did I mention Grace Kelly was beautiful? But be warned, "Murder" is a psychological mystery, and a dialogue movie. It has little action, other than the murder attempt itself. So if you are looking for a typical twisty, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat Hitchock suspense film, its probably best that you look for "Vertigo," "Rear Window" or "North by Northwest" instead. But give "Dial M For Murder" a chance, and be ready to enjoy a great film, definitely deserving of a five star rating!

Superior Hitchcock with an enchanting Grace Kelly
This is a fine example of the kind of mystery that little old ladies from Pasadena (or Russell Square) adore. Perhaps Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) starring Cary Grant might be comparable in its genteel and bloodless ability to glue us to the screen.

This is certainly one of Hitchcock's best, but most of the credit must go to a devilishly clever play written by Frederick Knott from which he adapted the screenplay. (He also wrote the play upon which Wait Until Dark (1967) starring Audrey Hepburn was based.) Hitchcock does a good job in not tinkering unnecessarily with the material. He also has the exquisitely beautiful Grace Kelly to play the part of Margot Wendice.

Ray Milland plays, with a kind of high-toned Brit panache, her diabolical husband, Tony Wendice, a one-time tennis star who married mostly for security. John Williams is the prim and proper Chief Inspector Hubbard. He lends to the part a bit of Sherlock Holmesian flair. One especially liked his taking a moment to comb his mustache after the case is solved. Robert Cummings, unfortunately plays Margot's American boyfriend as inventively as a sawhorse. For those of you who might have blinked, Hitchcock makes his traditional appearance in the photo on the wall from Tony Wendice's undergraduate days.

The fulcrum of the plot is the latchkey. It is the clue that (literally) unlocks the mystery. There is a modernized redoing of this movie called A Perfect Murder (1998) starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow in which a similar business with latchkeys is employed. I am not very good with clues so it was only after seeing that movie and Dial M for Murder for the second time that I finally understood what happened. Follow the latchkey!

Of course I was too distracted by Grace Kelly to fully appreciate such intricacies. I found myself struck with the ironic notion that anyone, even a cuckolded husband, might want to kill Grace Kelly or that a jury might find her guilty of anything! She remains in my psyche America's fairytale princess who quit Hollywood at the height of her popularity after only five years and eleven movies to become a real princess by marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco. Something was lost there, and something was gained. She was in essence the original Jackie Kennedy Onassis. I think, however, that the old saw about the man who marries for money, earning it, might apply to American princesses as well.

At any rate, Grace Kelly's cool and sublime bearing was on fine display here. Hitchcock cloths her in discreet nightgowns and fitted (but certainly not clinging) dresses that show off her delicate figure and her exquisite arms and hint coyly at her subtle sexuality. She was 25-years-old, stunningly beautiful, and in full confidence of her ability as an actress. She had just finished starring opposite James Stewart in another splendid Hitchcock one-room mystery, Rear Window (1954), and was about to make The Country Girl (1954) with Bing Crosby for which she would win an Oscar for Best Actress.

So see this for Grace Kelly who makes Gwyneth Paltrow (whom I adore) look downright gawky, and for Ray Milland whose urbane scheming seems a layer or two of hell removed from Michael Douglas's evil manipulations.

By the way, the "original theatrical trailer" preceding these Warner Brothers Classic videos is what we used to call the "Coming Attractions"--that is, clips directly from the movie and a promo. You might want to fast forward to the movie itself.

At Last!!!
I have been one of the many people who have sent in, demanding that this DVD be released and now it is! This is a great Hitchcock thriller and most of his films are on DVD, so why not this one. At Last!!!

Hitchcock Timeout
According to the director himself and no less an authority than Grace Kelly, Alfred Hitchcock directed this filmed stage play purely to kill time while readying his next picture "Rear Window." He was completely disinterested in the plot - (and no wonder) - a stupid theatrical concoction about misplaced keys and a bungled murder scheme. He found time however to fall in love with Kelly and tried to wardrobize her, something he would put in the movie "Vertigo" five years later. "Dial M" is watchable primarily because of the suave performances of Ray Milland and John Williams.

Interesting movie!
This is a great Alfred Hitchcock movie. It's one that is even better the second time you see it.

Now, about the DVD, does anyone know what the difference is between this one, and the other "Dial M for Murder" DVD that isn't released yet?? I was confused by that...

Please respond if you can help! ... Read more

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More than a few critics hailed Spider-Man 2 as "the best superhero movie ever," and there's no compelling reason to argue--thanks to a bigger budget, better special effects, and a dynamic, character-driven plot, it's a notch above Spider-Man in terms of emotional depth and rich comic-book sensibility. Ordinary People Oscar®-winner Alvin Sargent received screenplay credit, and celebrated author and comic-book expert Michael Chabon worked on the story, but it's director Sam Raimi's affinity for the material that brings Spidey 2 to vivid life. When a fusion experiment goes terribly wrong, a brilliant physicist (Alfred Molina) is turned into Spidey's newest nemesis, the deranged, mechanically tentacled "Doctor Octopus," obsessed with completing his experiment and killing Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) in the process. Even more compelling is Peter Parker's urgent dilemma: continue his burdensome, lonely life of crime-fighting as Spider-Man, or pursue love and happiness with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst)? Molina's outstanding as a tragic villain controlled by his own invention, and the action sequences are nothing less than breathtaking, but the real success of Spider-Man 2 is its sense of priorities. With all of Hollywood's biggest and best toys at his disposal, Raimi and his writers stay true to the Marvel mythology, honoring Spider-Man creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and setting the bar impressively high for the challenge of Spider-Man 3. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (251)

Setting the Bar Even Higher
This couldn't possibly have been a better movie than it is. The original Spider-man was an astounding achievement in adapting a comic book super-hero to the screen in a way that could reach both fans and non-fans alike. Spider-man 2 continues that tradition.

Two years after the events of the first movie, Peter Parker is still saving the day as Spider-man, while at the same time shirking his other responsibilities and trying to maintain and ordinary life. As he tries harder and harder, he comes to realize that for Spider-man, there is no ordinary life. He's failing college classes, losing his job, and not keeping up with his friends and family.

Things get rougher when Harry Osborn's new ticket to progress has an accident. Professor Otto Octavius demonstrates the ability of his fusion device that will generate new, reusable power when something goes wrong. His additional limbs that were used to manipulate the fusion environment have been fused to his own spine.

While the ads focus heavily on Doc Oc, the real plot here is Peter Parker's dilemna. Doc Oc might have seemed like an after-thought had not the writers kept Harry closely involved with Peter, reminding him again and again how he wants to kill Spider-man for what he did to his father.

I don't blame the critics who dislike the movie. For most of it, Peter is in misery, as his life spirals down the toilet due to the conflicting sides of Spider-man and Peter Parker. There's humor dispersed evenly throughout to make the experience a little lighter. It's a hard movie to watch because of this, as Peter has to decide between what he wants and the responsibility he has, and even I was a little uncomfortable as his suffering continued.

But Sam Raimi's never been one to leave the audience without a pay-off, either. His love for the material continues to show as it did in the first movie, making Spider-man 2 even more visually dynamic and dramatically endearing than its predecessor. Bruce Campbell also makes a cameo, but people probably guessed that months before it was announced, and that was still months before the movie was released.

The musical score is as spectacular as before, and Danny Elfman wisely maintains the theme he composed for the first movie. Rather than simply supporting the movie or carrying it, the music works with it, something rarely accomplished in film.

I honestly can't think of something negative to say about this movie. I don't think I could have been more pleased. The goal set after Spider-man was a hit was to make the second one even better, and the film-makers succeeded. I can only wonder if they will be able to do the same for the third after such an excellent film as this.

"Isn't it about time someone saved your life?"
I knew it was going to be good, but I had no idea it was going to be THIS good. "Spider-Man 2" is everything a sequel of it's caliber should add up too: better special effects, breath-taking action sequences and a deeper story-line. "Spider-Man 2" succeeds at respecting and building off of the story established in the first movie. Two years later, and Peter Parker is struggling to keep his head above water. His obligations to his alter-ego, Spider-Man, keep him from holding a steady job, making ends meet, keeping in touch with family and friends, and most importantly: being with the love of his life, Mary Jane Watson. As Peter starts to doubt himself, his abilities start waning away, and he finds himself conflicted and forced to make the choice of saving the world, or living a happy life. To make matters worse, a new super-villian is on a the loose by the name of Dr. Octopus, a respected scientist controlled by his own invention. The stakes in this movie are raised really high and the result is a more powerful and gripping film than the first one. So, yes, "Spider-Man 2" is better than the original, which is quite an accomplishment considering the standards it set. Sam Raimi's vision and passion for the material oozes through with each scene. Raimi is easily the most underrated director of the moment. Each scene is played to perfection, and all of the actors have grown into their characters a bit more, especially Rosemary Harris (Aunt May) and James Franco (Harry), both of whom give much more dimension to seemingly peripherral characters. Tobey Maguire shines through in this one, with an improved performance (looking and acting less and less like Keanu Reeves kid-brother) and Kirsten Dunst is fantastic as always. Considering this is a monstrous Hollywood block-buster of the grandest sorts and will no doubt break records throughout the summer, "Spider-Man 2" is intelligent and fun at the same time. Everyone who has interest in it will walk away happy, fully satisfied -- and most importantly -- salivating for what the inevitable "Spider-Man 3" will bring us.

a 13-year-old review
I love this movie i will buy it and i hope you buy it too Tobey Maguire Returns in this awsome action movie. All the same stars return with a new star who is Alfred Molina a great person to do the part in this movie a great action movie that all generations most likely will love i saw it in theaters 2 times and a third time tommarrow so i again this is a great movie just like the first one even better. I think this is an awsome experiance for you i recomened it to anyone!

Spider-Man 2 Pretty Cool Sequel despite it's flaws
Tobey McGuire returns in this special effects loaded sequel however, I unlike some fans was disappointed with this sequel.

Toby McGuire once again stars as Peter Parker/Spiderman, now confronting a new enemy Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina).

The special effects were awesome, no doubt about that, however unlike the first one, the second half is pure nonsense and I was left unsatisfied.

Alfred Molina as Dr. Octopus is tremendous, just like Willem Dafoe's characters as "Green Goblin" we see his rise to power.

(Spoilers) Yet Raimi's dumb writers in the second half of the film have him playing as a patsy.

Spiderman clashes with Dr. Octopus several times and actually the fights are fair, however Dr. Octopus eventually gets Mary Jane (Dunst, who really doesn't do much as far as acting) and uses that to his advantage while creating a new weapon.

Tobey as Spiderman again like the first film is not a strong presence, yet I know some nerds are trying to hype him up to be like Christopher Reeve but please give me a break. He will never have the same charisma as him.

Alfred Molina is great as Dr. Octopus, but the story seems to go nowhere and we get the same crap from the same movie, like Parker, still being the nerd recluse who is unable to go after what he wants, though this is hilarious in retrospect, but then becomes tiring.

The special effects and action are what saves "Spiderman2" from being a disappointment as far acting and plot go, and that wasn't a surprise was it.

Still though I was left wanting more, and the cheap ending and the way Dr. Octopus out of the thin blue sky has a change of hear for not killing "Spiderman" was pathetic though, that wouldn't have happened really, still I know there will be many nerds seeing the movie 10 times and saying it was the greatest movie ever, but they aint kidding anybody.

"Spiderman 2" is what it is a great special effects bonanza with some great action scenes, but not great character development and predictable plot lines.

Caught in a web of indecision...
It's really hard to say that I did or didn't like this movie; I mean, on the one hand, it surpasses the original in effects, storyline, character development, everything. But as they say, too much of a good thing is bad, and that's part of my feeling about this film.

The story, unlike the original, instead focuses on the negatives of being Spider-Man; Peter Parker is struggling to balance a life of his own, but Spidey always gets in the way. He even forgets his own birthday! And it also shows the effects it has on his family and friends, especially Mary Jane. And to top it all off, Doctor Otto Octavius, a brilliant scientist, is turned into Doctor Octopus, complete with four mechanical arms attached to his body, thanks to a failed fusion experiment.

The battles between Spidey and his foe were terrific, unsurpassed by most action films to date. But I found myself wanting more of these scenes...in the end, you really sympathize with Peter, but I just wish we could've seen our favorite webslinger in action more. But at least the ending was good (left WIDE open for Spider-Man 3.) ... Read more

Reviews (897)

"No hay banda! There is no band. It is all an illusion."
David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive" is a whole lot of nothing. People have attached various meanings to the images, dialogue, and events in it, but this has been a waste of a tremendous amount of time. "Mulholland Drive" is nothing more than a failed-television pilot that was edited together with some newly-shot material so that all the previously-shot footage would not go to waste. To think that some people believe that the end product is a momentous creative accomplishment is mind-boggling because "Mulholland Drive" is all smoke and absolutely no fire.

Wide-eyed Betty Elms (Naomi Watts) arrives in Los Angeles hoping to become a major star in the entertainment industry. Rita (Laura Elena Harring) has been targeted for death but has her life spared when an accident enables her to escape her fate. The lives of the two women become strangely intertwined when Betty finds the amnesiac Rita taking a shower in her aunt's apartment. In the course of trying to find out who Rita really is, the two women come across a movie director named Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux) who might hold some of the answers the women are seeking. Before all is said and done, a decomposing body is discovered which proves to be the key to unraveling the mystery behind Rita's identity and the strange relationship she has with Betty.

So what did Lynch intend to accomplish with "Mulholland Drive"? Did he want to create a surrealist work that would redefine the film narrative? Did he want to create a post-modern film noir that was so stylish and complex that it would belong to a category all its own? Did he want to prove that a film could effectively tell a story using only symbols and metaphors? Did he want to create the cinematic version of the cosmic joke? The more you think about it, it seems the "cosmic joke" choice might be the correct answer - and boy, did Lynch pull a fast one by tricking Universal into releasing this film and tricking us into watching it. Truth be told, "Mulholland Drive" is not the crowning achievement of his career - it is instead incontrovertible proof that Lynch has crossed over from being a director who makes "unique" films to being a director who makes "incomprehensible" films. The fine performances by Watts, Harring, and Theroux are wasted here as is the beautiful production design and cinematography. It is too bad that all of these separate elements did not find a home in a better production. "Mulholland Drive" is simply the equivalent of an abstract painting in which people see whatever they believe they see when looking at it. If you believe that pointless ambiguity is a desired goal of the creative process then this film is for you. Look elsewhere if you're not entertained by staring at nothingness.

a beautiful masterwork
This film has a haunting beauty that is akin to experiencing Klee upon the first time. The mystery and sensuality wrecks havoc of all your senses. I relished the experience.

Midgets!
This film is David Lynch doing what he does best: screwing with people's heads until they want to smash their VCRs. There's everything you expect from Lynch; bizarre, dreamlike situations, whacked-out characters with no clearly defined purpose, an inexplicably foreboding atmosphere. Oh, and of course, the entire cast shifting identities in the last half hour. While I loved it, there was one particular moment which was a bit too unsettling, even for Lynch. You see, there's this elderly couple who appear at the beginning. They're kind of strange, and have smiles plastered on their faces. They disappear for the next two hours, which is nothing new. Near the end, they show up again - as...hyperactive two-inch tall midgets. Even Eraserhead's singing worm creature didn't disturb me as much. I mean, midgets are kind of disturbing, and old people who can't keep smiling are also kind of disturbing, and when you combine the two...

25354. IRS97, stick to reviewing Charlton Heston movies
... Because apparently that's all you know.
Your recent attacks on 'Age' for her response to your original aggresively offensive review attacking anyone who has a taste for Lynch's art are as 'ignorant' as your original review was.
Age, as most people who admire Lynch's art, has a passion for the art of film and music.
Dirge9 (whom I do not know!) recently wrote a superb review of Mulholland and what it truly is.
A lot of reviewers (besides myself and my group of 7 artists)
have responded to your 'movies are just movies mentality'.
And, your conservatism shows IT'S age.
Comparing the art of Lynch to the 'art' of someone like Charlton Heston is excrutiatingly laughable.
I can see why, as an American conservative, you 'get' Heston, the most arrogant Hollywood actor of all time. There's even an 'in joke' in Mulholland with the casting of Chad Everett (who brilliantly parodies his own Hollywood image) that is comparable to the like and mentality of Heston, the once president of the Hollywood Actors Union who blatantly attacked Ed Asner for his political stances and had enough Hollywood clout to see to it that 'Lou Grant' was taken off the air.
Mulholland is so anti-Hollywood in every frame. It mocks Hollwood's 'The story must be clear, cohesive and literal' mentality.
This film pulls the rug out from under the Hollywood type viewer's feet in every sense imaginable.
Hollywood is a facade and Mulholland mocks that facade. Nothing is as it seems, hence the two halves of the film. First, we have the facade, then the ugly truth comes out and does so in such a way that it brilliantly leaves the viewer scratching his head.
'What the hell just happened?' is the typical response.
Admittedly, this film is not at all friendly to the Hollywood type viewer (aka yourself).
it's amusing too that in looking now at all of your reviews that you liked 'The Shining' (another anti-Hollywood film), anD detested both 'Twister' and 'Zardoz'.
'Age', in the college we attended, wrote reviews very similar to your views on those three films.
And yet,even though you, like her, pointed out the downright ignorance of 'Twister', and the Hollywood hyper pretentiousness of Zardoz, and praised the brillance of that horror epic, 'The Shining' you did not 'get' the similar sentiments of Lynch's 'Mulholland and 'Lost Highway'.
There are movies and there are films and Mulholland fits squarely into the latter.
Film is as much a visual 'art form' as painting is, while 'movies' are valid forms of entertainment, usually created by Hollywood business men.
Europe is far more advanced in it's thinking regarding film as an art form and Lynch has a very European artist's frame of thinking.
Another reviewer recently wrote of 'elitistic taste' and wrote that this is something to strive for.
Mulholland is a perfect example of a film being for 'eltistic taste' and like Dirge9 I agree that the fact that this film gets the passionate reviews that it does, is refreshing because it proves that Lynch's art is indeed challenging and every negative review you give it further proves this point.

and another thing, part two
I notice my previous review is getting only "unhelpful" votes. So let me try to explain myself yet again. David Lynch is interested in making preposterous movies. David Lynch is perniciously interested in making movies that are basically terrible, yet terrible in a dissociative way. The essence of a David Lynch movie is that it is a load of horse puckey, to quote the apartment manager in Mulholland drive. What's that? You want examples? Well, lets take another of Lynch's movies, Lost Highway. Bill Pullman's character is established as morosely mellow and more or less inert. Cut to: a scene of him playing his saxophone in a club, "wailing on it" as they say. This is in total contradiction to what we have just seen - contradiction being the main form of literary humor - but more importantly, Pullman is a very, very bad saxophone player. His playing is preposterous. One cannot take him seriously as a musician. Another example, from the same movie, is Richard Pryor as the garage manager on the phone to a potential customer. He says, "We got eight guys here. I'll let you talk to five of them; and if you can get that price from ONE of them, I'll let you ask the other three." Any questions? Is this not self-evidently complete and utter nonsense? And what about the fact that halfway through the movie Bill Pullman turns into a totally different guy and so is let out of jail. After all, since he is not the same guy they put in there, they gotta let him out. That follows, don't it? Am I making myself clear?
No? Okay, what about David Bowie in Fire Walk With Me? He plays a Texan. I am sure he was cast as a Texan precisely because David Lynch figured on Bowie being unable to do a convincing accent. He says to his casting director, "Let's have Bowie play the Texan. He'll do a terrible job and it'll sound like sh*t." Am I getting through to you people now? David Lynch intentionally makes very bad movies. What?!?!? Another example?!?!? Well, how's about Laura Palmer saying to her boyfriend, "I'm long gone, like a turkey in the corn." "Don't say that. A turkey's one of the dumbest birds there is." (tears falling down her cheek)"Gobble...gobble...gobble..." Can't you see what I'm saying to you?!?!?
DO YOU BEGIN TO SEE THERE IS NO BOY THERE IN THE DARK ROOM?!??! ... Read more

Description

Cary Grant teams with director Alfred Hitchcock for the fourth and final time in this superlative espionage caper judged on of the American Film Institute's Top-100 American Films and spruced up with a new digital transfer and remixed Dolby Digital Stereo.He plays a Manhattan advertising executive plunged into a realm of spy (James Mason) and counterspy (Eva Marie Saint) and variously abducted, framed for murder, chased and in another signature set piece, crop-dusted.He also holds on for dear life from the facial features of the Presidents on Mount Rushmore (backlot sets were used).But don't expect the Master of Suspense to leave star or audience hanging. ... Read more

Reviews (224)

Hitchcock and Grant: An Unbeatable Combination
"North by Northwest" (1959) was the fourth and final collaboration between director Alfred Hitchcock and actor Cary Grant -- and it's easily the best. Both men were at their artistic zenith when they made this superb comic thriller, which screenwriter Ernest Lehman promised would be "the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures." Lehman's script incorporates some brilliant setpieces that the Master of Suspense was unable to work into his previous films, such as the famous crop-dusting chase and the surreal Mount Rushmore climax. However, the highlight remains the Chicago auction sequence. Grant's screwball humor and dark charm make him the ideal Hitchcock leading man -- complemented by excellent performances from Eva Marie Saint, James Mason and Martin Landau. "North by Northwest" was Hitchcock's sole effort for MGM and he makes the most of the studio gloss. It's a top-notch production in terms of set design and matte work. In fact, author Ian Fleming considered "North by Northwest" to be the stylistic prototype for the James Bond series and wanted Hitchcock to direct the first 007 production (he turned down the offer). To fully appreciate this classic film, it should be seen in the letterbox format that Hitchcock intended. One of the all-time greats.

I'M AN ADVERTISING MAN, NOT A RED HERRING...
I won't bore you with the summary as I'm sure who ever is on this page has seen other reviews with the synopsis of North by Northwest. In my opinion, this and Psycho represent Alfred Hithcock at his apex and definitely NBNW is one of the greatest films of all time (it's in the AFI Top 100 Movies of all time). Sure maybe there are errors in it but no movie is perfect, nonetheless it comes close to perfection. It moves along, solid storyline, legendary actors and actresses (the always debonair Cary Grant; the beautiful Eva Marie Saint; the cool, calm, evil that James Mason exudes and the dark, sinister presence of Martin Landau) performing their parts to perfection. Hitchcock didn't need to use special effects, loud explosions or graphic violence to keep the viewers entertained. The characters and the storyline keep the viewers glued to the screen and the underlying espionage story was appropriate given the era of the Cold War. This was the template for future action/adventure/spy thrillers and I am even tempted to say that this could be a 1959 version of The Fugitive, ordinary man accused of a crime he didn't commit and has to exonerate himself! You forget this movie is over 2 hours long the way it moves briskly along. A perfect melange of comedy, action and suspense. See it if you haven't and buy it if you can, you WILL NOT regret it. A timeless classic!

HIS BEST CHASER...
It seems 2 me that Hitchcock sort of stole many elements from his pre-chaser-films and said: "Good-eeeeevening..... You think you have seen my best efforts, but I must unfortunately dissappoint you.....!"

Indeed this is a neurotic and clastraphobic chaser and suspenser - maybe the BEST EVER - thanks 2 the talents of Ernest Lehman, Hitchcock himself, his crew and the entire cast. There are numerous highlights from this film; I prefer NOT 2 single out any of them in favour of others. This film belongs IN EVERY HOME:-)

I LOVE this movie!
This movie is not only Hitchcock's best (just a tad behind 'Vertigo', in my opinion), but is one of the best movies ever made. Movies rarely have it all (story, acting, visuals, music, wit, action, suspense, 'hipness', and sexiness), but this movie has it all in spades.

Some of my favorite things about this movie:

1. Eva Marie Saint - Stunning...absolutely stunning. Everybody always thinks about Grace Kelly or Kim Novak in association with Hitchcock, but, for my money, Eva Marie Saint is the most drop-dead gorgeous of any leading lady.

2. The settings - The United Nations interior scenes are mouth wateringly rich. It really makes you want to go back in time to when everything 'modern' was new and exciting. We take so much for granted these days. The Cropduster scene is exciting and vastly more inventive than action movies being made today. Van Damm's House is the epitome of the promise that modern organic architecture once held. The scenes at Van Damm's house are even more amazing when you consider that the exterior settings are entirely fabricated, in a pre-CGI effects sort of way. They are more convincing than CGI scenes of today. Amazing.

This is one movie I never get tired of. Buy it and you won't be sorry.

One of the Greatest Thrillers of All Time
This is arguably Cary Grants best film. Couple that with a terrific cast, dynamite story, immortal one-liners, some great scenes in actual locations, and classic Hitchcock editing and you have a shoe-in on any "best of all time list". This movie was made in 1958 and although it was current in it's day, it now is just as current as a period film set in 1958, keeping in mind of the political climate and cold war attitudes of the time. The costumes are very natural, having been bought in actual New York stores, and the set designs are beautifully designed. The set decoration is also first rate.

This DVD is a superb transfer. The color looks perfectly natural, the sound is full, low noise stereo and the widescreen is anamorphic. There is hardly any flaw in the print. Amazing. The menu is also animated to match the Saul Bass opening title and is wonderful. The "making of" film (30 minutes long) is superb and hosted by beautiful leading lady "Eve Marie Saint".

Finally, the score by Bernard Hermann adds to the high tension of the action. The orchestration and performance on this film is one of the very best of all time. I can't recommend this film enough for action, solid story and terrific action besides just being completely entertaining. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When you consider its unfortunate production history, Cursed turned out surprisingly well as a werewolf thriller that horror buffs will appreciate. It's hardly the disaster critics made it out to be, but extensive rewriting, reshooting, recasting, and lengthy delays in production and release (including the elimination of R-rated gore to earn a PG-13 rating) clearly took their toll. The result is a fun but flawed monster-show that begins when a young talk-show producer (Christina Ricci) and her teenaged brother (Jesse Eisenberg) are bitten by a werewolf, setting the stage for a horror-in-Hollywood scenario that reunites director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson, creators of the Scream franchise. What could have been a classic horror comedy is instead a fairly solid, if unremarkable, exercise in Los Angeles lycanthropy, featuring werewolf makeup by Rick Baker (combined with CGI transformation effects, of course) and some of Williamson's snappy dialogue and trademark pop-culture references. The title of Cursed doubles as a description of this movie's ultimate fate, but in a market filled with straight-to-video horror fodder, it's anything but a lost cause. The supporting cast includes Shannon Elizabeth, Portia de Rossi and Joshua Jackson, so genre aficionados should definitely check it out. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (216)

Go girl! Hitch's feminist fable.
Although Hitchcock listed this as one of his 2 favorite films, I had once viewed it as "closet drama" because of the limited set, conventional bad guy, passive good guy. The voyeuristic angle was interesting, even provocative to a point, but insufficient to save the movie from its sense of claustrophobic one-dimensionality.

That was before I viewed the film through the eyes of Grace Kelly. In one respect, the critical, pivotal moment in the movie is not when Kelly puts herself at risk in Raymond Burr's apartment, nor is it the film's climax with James Stewart fending off the murderer with his camera's flash bulbs. Rather, it's the moment when Hitchcock's camera (not Stewart's) shows Kelly's eyes suddenly open wide and come alive when she, too, becomes interested in the scenes being played out on the other side of the court yard.

At this point, within the first half of the film, Kelley drops her high society, fashion-model airs and her constant mothering of Stewart. She now spectates with greater curiosity and imagination than Stewart, and even though she questions these "rear window ethics" and characterizes her behavior as "ghoulish," it's clear she has become a major player, fully participating in the game of voyeurism, scopophilia, and fetishism that is normally assigned only to men who fail to emerge from an obsessively narcissistic and hedonistic childhood.

For the past 20 years feminist academics have been applying "male gaze theory" to just about every film in sight, and invariably to the discredit of the male. He is the subject; she's the object; he's the one who sees; she's the one who is seen; he owns the gaze in all of his power, pleasure, and guilt; she can only helplessly follow the gaze, experiencing a kind of masochistic pleasure at best.

In "Rear Window" Hitchcock, frequently depicted by feminist critics as a mother-obsessed misogynist, turns gaze theory on its head. Grace Kelly demonstrates that a woman can get as much pleasure from looking as do men--an irony of collossal proportions when we consider that as a high fashion model her role, if not job, is to be looked at and photographed.

But Hitchcock's film manages to liberate its central heroine's vision while preserving the "institutions" of marriage, motherhood, and femininity. What is the object of Kelly's pursuit while playing the game at its most intense moment? A wedding ring, which she flashes before the probing telescopic lens of Stewart. And at the end of the film, the camera makes clear that, pending his recovery from double castration (both legs are now broken), he will no longer go off on adventures without Kelly at his side. But then, of course, Hitch has his final little joke when, once Stewart goes to sleep, Kelly (now wearing pants) puts away her mountain-climbing magazine and replaces it with a high fashion title. Still, a radical film for Hitchcock and, for that matter, most other filmmakers.

The DVD makes it all the more possible to read the visual dynamics of the film, permitting razor sharp stills of the principals' faces and eyes, disclosing the act of seeing to a degree never before possible.

Checking Out a Murder with Hitchcock
A daredevil confined to a wheelchair is the concept of Alfred Hitchcock's comedy-mystery "Rear Window", a man of action so bored with his confinement that he begins spying on the neighbors he can see across his Greenwich Village courtyard: the frustrated composer,the "interpretative dancer", the newlyweds, the desperately lonely spinster ... and the bickering couple. The wife suddenly disappears. Has she been murdered? L.B. Jeffries thinks so, and he convinces his fiancée Lisa (Grace Kelly) and the insurance company nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) who visits him every day. (Jeffries, a professional photographer, has been temporarily disabled in an accident.) This set-up is perfect for Hitchcock, who loved tense situations in close quarters ("Life Boat", "Rope"), and who was in top form when he directed this masterpiece of entertainment in 1954. (There was a made-for-TV remake a few years back; according to... reviewers, it's pretty awful.) James Stewart was one of Hollywood's most popular personalities, but he was often mis-cast. He was pushing fifty when he played the 25-year old Lindbergh in"The Spirit of St Louis". Similarly, in "Rear Window" he's too mature for the lead. The part just weeps for William Holden. Stewart even takes his shirt off in a couple of scenes, revealing a pale, thin physique. The idea that Grace Kelly would travel all the way down from the East Sixties to Greenwich Village to spend the evening with him is a little ... well,unbelievable. Miss Kelly is almost as seductive here as she was in her next Hitchcock "To Catch a Thief".The Master was obviously infatuated -- but, then, who wasn't? She also had a droll sense of humor: the way she pronounces "weird" is priceless. Thelma Ritter and Wendell Corey give witty support. Raymond Burr, just a couple of years away from playing the most famous of fictional lawyers, is quite creepy as the killer Thorwald. The sound track is a mixed marvel of car traffic, distant voices, and snatches of music; it sounds great with stereophonic ear phones. About the only real complaint in John Michael Hayes' screenplay that the pragmatic might bring up: Doesn't Jeffries ever LOCK his door?

Trapped in a Sound Stage
I don't think this is Hitch's best film. It is highly ranked by film rating services, sometimes higher than Vertigo, but I can't agree. There's something claustrophobic about what is essentially a movie set. We are stuck in that lofty room with the big glass windows. Jimmy Stewart peers across a courtyard and observes New Yorkers in their habitat. When I was in elementary school we used to have projects called diorama's where we would take a shoebox and decorate it like a stage. Each apartment in Hitch's diorama showcases a mostly silent vignette, the gorgeous dancer and her boyfriends, the lonely-heart middle-age lady, the sex crazed newlyweds, and the guy who kills his wife. Stewart can watch all the fun, but with a broken leg, he can't leave the apartment to do anything about it. Hence, the suspense centers on Stewarts inability to maneuver when his girlfriend, fashion gal, Grace Kelly breaks into the killers apartment to find clues. We see the killer coming down the hall and Jimmy can't warn her from his perch. Stewart and Kelly are interesting as a couple with opposite interests. She's high fashion-society chick and he's a rough-it, world-traveling photographer. These differences never really resolve and Stewart appears maybe 15-20 years older than young marriage-scheming Grace. This is really a stage play with stage play lighting and a who-dun-it plot. Great suspense, yes, but not as good as Vertigo by a mile.

The Perfect Alfred Hitchcock Movie
North By Northwest and Vertigo are spectacular cinematic achievements but, for me, Rear Window is the one Hitchcock movie everyone must see. It is as perfect as a Hitchcock movie can be. One of the greatest American movies ever made. Not one false note. It is the movie I would show to someone who hasn't seen a Hitchcock movie but wonders what they're all about and why he's so revered. The tremendous psychological drama and cat and mouse suspense are perfectly tuned. Stewart turns in a brillantly nuanced performance as a morally dubious peeping tom. The film is about him, of course. Not about an unseen murder or a pieced together amateur murder investigation. Listen to the dialogue and observe the interactions between Stewart and his guests. Subtext and more subtext. Just perfect.

If you prefer souffle over meat or casserolle
5 stars as a piece of cinematic craft. 1 star as substance. another hitchcock exercise of excellent pacing, subtle humor and
droll commentary on the folly of human behavior, heavy on dramatic artifice, as are most of hitchcok's films. ... Read more

Description

In Notorious, a brilliant allegeory of love and betrayal, Hitchcock fuses two of his favorite elements: suspense and romance.A beautiful woman with a tainted past (Ingrid Bergman) is enlisted by American agent Devlin (Cary Grant) to spy on a ring of Nazis in post-war Rio.Her espionage work becomes life-threatening after she marries the most debonair of the Nazi ring, Alex (Claude Rains).Only Devlin can rescue her, but to do so he must face his role in her desperate situation and acknowledge that he's loved her all along.Stunning performances, Ben Hecht's excellent script, and Hitchcock's direction at its best make Notorious a perfect film. ... Read more

Reviews (103)

beautifully restored film with lots of dvd bonus features
It doesn't get much better than this -- a Hitchcock film starring Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant and Claude Raines! What a treat it is to see all of this talent -- behind, and in front of, the camera. The story of a star-crossed romance set against the backdrop of post-WWII Miami and Rio, the film has a great script and terrific acting. The direction is awesome; Hitchcock did some wonderful camera work here -- innovative tracking and crane shots that are a delight to see.

This Criterion Collection DVD edition is more expensive but I think it's worth it -- a lot of time and effort have been taken to restore the film and the soundtrack, and it really looks and sounds great. Also, the many bonus features are excellent: excerpts from 'The Song of the Dragon', a two-part Saturday Evening Post short story on which the film was based; fascinating production correspondence by David O. Selznick, Ingrid Bergman, J. Edgar Hoover and the head of the Production Code Administration (censors); rear projection and production stills, including wonderful shots of the scaffolding used to get that breathtaking crane shot from a stairtop balcony right down to the key in Bergman's hand; script excerpts from deleted scenes and alternative endings; a music and sound effects only track; trailers; the complete 1948 Lux radio Theatre version of the story, starring Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten; terrific voiceover narration with film scholar Marian Keene discussing artistic choices and film historian Rudy Behlmer discussing technique; and a touching story about the fate of the Unica key -- the one used in the film. Language and subtitles are English only.

This is a wonderful package for one of Hitchcock's best films. Highly recommended.

Beautifully Restored Film Classic
This review refers to the Criterion Collection DVD of Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious".....

The master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, gives us another edge of your seat thriller. He combines, mystery,romance, and the evil's of Nazism in this chilling story.It takes place shortly after WWII. Alicia(Ingrid Bergman) is a woman with a past. Her father has just been convicted of spying. American agent Devlin(Cary Grant), enlists Alicia to infiltrate a Nazi spy ring.After her father's conviction, Alicia can prove her own patriotism by cooperating in this manner. She finds herself right in the thick of things and her own life in danger after she goes as far as to marry Alex(Claude Rains), one of the very powerful, rich and dangerous ring leaders of the group. Alex is on to her and tries to methodically get rid of his beautiful wife.Can the handsome "Dev" rescue the woman he has come to love so much before tragedy strikes.?

You'll delight to find Hitch's trademarks all through the film. The camera angles are definitive,the trademark staircase scene, the passion between Grant and Bergman electrifying,Claude Rains is terrifying, and the story a rollercoaster of suspense filled moments. There isn't a more perfect film I can think of.

Looking for Hitch: A little over an hour in you can have a little drink with him.(Not too much though, the Champagne needs to last the night at this party).

I am always happy to report on a great restoration of a classic film. This one made in 1946 is a beautiful, crisp, clean transfer to this DVD. The Black and White images are sharp and you will notice the attention that was made to every detail during the filming. The tears streaming down Ingrid's face look like drops of crystal. It's amazing. The sound is in Dolby Dig Mono and is very good. There are lots of "extras" on this edition. Among them is some great commentary from Marian Keane(she is a film scholar and talks alot about camera angles and other pertinent facts to the film) which you can listen to during the film if you choose, You can isolate that wonderful soundtrack,there is correspondce between Selznick and others connected to the film,TWO booklets, one about Hitch's Notorious and other films and another listing Criterions releases. And there is much more(see tech info for complete list).There are also subtitles which may be helpful to hearing impaired viewers.

You do get your money's worth on this one. However, if you are not as interested in the extras and are just looking to view this fabulous classic, there is another edition by Anchor Bay which costs much less. Although I have not viewed this particular Anchor Bay Release I do have many others by them and have always been more than happy with their treatment of the transfer.

Kick back with Cary, Ingrid and Hitch for a day of suspense and romance..........Laurie

Criterion Disappoints.
This is the first Criterion DVD that I've ever owned. I must say, I was pretty surprised by the price, but promises of extra treatment over standard editions of this movie convinced me to go the extra mile and pay twice as much. Notorious is, perhaps, my favorite movie with Cary Grant. Bergman's performance is excellent, to say the least (I think I'm in love with her now). The way that she passionately kisses Mr. Grant excites like no movies can. The look in her eyes makes her seem as though she is truly in love with him; which is exceptional for "acting". Grant's response seem almost insensitive, rejecting her for her "ways". It's very convincing work. The connection between the two characters amazes me, and the movie seems way ahead of its time. Claude Raines plays an overlooked (but perhaps the most important) performance that amazes me as well. Its definately a movie for all fans of classics to own. There's no doubt, in my mind, that this is deserving of 5 stars. It's probably one of my favorite classic films.

I have no regrets with buying this movie, but I feel very let-down by Criterion. Their attempts do not justify the jacked-up cost. The extras, at best, are pretty disappointing. The RKO radio broadcast (which is the best inclusion) is fairly sub-par in comparison to the film, especially since it was cut short to fit into 60 minutes. The "deleted scenes" and extras are merely text descriptions in most cases. All of this is material that has been in the Internet fan sites for years. As for the quality of the film; I'm neither impressed nor disappointed. The crispness of the film is certainly excpetional, but it almost feels a bit unnatural for such an old film. The "graininess" that many complain of is visable on a high-res TV or monitor (I watched on my standard TV and my PC as well), but it seems to be inherent in the film master itself. Dust particles and artifacts are pretty typical on older movies. Not bad, but not breathtaking. I'm happy with the video and audio quality.

Overall, it's a 5-star movie, but Criterion's effort is a 3 or 4 star attempt for the severe price-inflation. Unless you really must have this version, I can't see why the Anchor Bay release wouldn't be a suitable alternative. The picture quality is different, but each is nice in its own way. I will probably own both (in addition to possible future releases).

Neglected Classic
When I say neglected, I mean in comparison to other Hitchcock films. When people talk about Hitchcock, rarely does this film get mentioned. I think it stands alongside Sir Alfred's best work. Right up there w/ Rear Window, Vertigo and North By Northwest. Spectacular performances by Grant (a CIA g-man doing his job), Bergman ( a woman trapped by her past), Rains (a craven, cowardly, weak mama's boy) and Konstantin (an Austrian actress in her final film role playing the evil and sceming mother). Very realistic, conflicted and not particularly sympthetic characters. Hitchcock displays a perfect knack for creeping dread and a perfect final touch.

Shows How Much Love Hurts
I've always liked Notorious, but, until recently, it hasn't been one of my absolute favorite Hitchcock films. However, recently I've gained an appreciation for Alfred Hitchcock's more personal films. Lighter, more humorous films like The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, North By Northwest, Psycho (Hitch called this a black comedy), The Birds and Frenzy, to name a few, are masterpieces and rank among my favorite films of all time. But the films I have gained much more appreciation for in the past few years are those like Shadow of a Doubt, Vertigo and Notorious. Shadow of a Doubt showed that monsters can live among us, even in the most innocuous of settings and may even be someone we care about. Vertigo showed obsessive love taken to the extreme with deadly consequences. And Notorious shows just how hard it can be for someone to express love for another.

Like in many of Hitchcock's films, the central point of the story is masked by a plotline of suspense and intrigue. In this case, Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) must marry Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), an ex-Nazi in exile in Brazil, in order to infiltrate his organization. With the help of U.S. agent Devlin (Cary Grant), she finds out that Sebastian is stockpiling uranium (the MacGuffin). On the surface, it's a straightforward espionage tale.

However, the film, at its very core, is a tale of frustrated love. Specifically, Devlin can't bring himself to express what he feels for Alicia and must watch helplessly while she marries Sebastian. Devlin knows that he would jeopardize the entire mission if he tells Alicia he loves her and this repression begins to eat him up inside. Even at the beginning of the film when Alicia has fallen deeply in love with Devlin and tell him so, he can't bring himself to return that love, even though he feels just as she does. Cary Grant, usually charming, plays one of his darkest roles brilliantly. He shows his longing for Alicia in every expression on his face. Ingrid Bergman, likewise, shows the frustration of having to marry a man she despises while pining for the affections of the man she truly loves -- a man she thinks doesn't love her. The emotions onscreen are sometimes so raw its almost painful to watch. When Devlin finally tells Alicia how he really feels about her at the climax of the film, the scene ranks as one of the most emotional in screen history.

The movies often make it seem so easy to find true love. In Notorious, however, Alfred Hitchcock shows how painful and just how difficult it is to just say, "I love you" to someone you care about. Everyone has had situations where they were too afraid to tell someone they cared about that they loved him/her and have wondered what would have happened had they done so. It's agonizing to think that you may have missed your chance for happiness with someone who loves you as much as you love them. Alfred Hitchcock brilliantly recognizes those feelings in Notorious -- that's what makes this one of his best. ... Read more

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