New Year's Resolution Week Thirty Five: Rear Window

I couldn't wait for this week.  I love Hitchcock.  Truly Madly Deeply love Hitchcock.  I just took the TCM Hitchcock course and got an even better appreciation of him.  I can't say enough about his genius.  So I was really really really looking forward to watching this one.  I've seen in several times before, but I can always watch Hitch again.  I've said before, lately I've been in the mood for either happy movies or pretty movies.  This is a pretty movie.  So yay!

So dinner.  Well, I wasn't up for much tonight.  I was full and this film is just such a true cinematic experience, that I felt very very comfortable serving traditional movie fare!  POPCORN!  It really doesn't hurt that popcorn happens to be one of my favorite foods ever.  I love it so much that it doesn't even need butter.  Pop it in oil, add some salt, and it's just perfect.  Like Hitchcock.  ;-)

Really, is there anything more beautiful than a big old bowl of popcorn?

This movie really is all about Hitch.  The sets, the shots, the color, the framing.  I mean everything was perfect.  Each scene was a poem.  The most impressive set, of course, was the apartment complex.  Each apartment was complete.  It was a very elaborate set.  Hitch was never one to go half way.  I've really come to appreciate him as an artist.  The TCM class that I took really taught me so much about him and changed my perspective of him.  I've always loved Hitchcock.  You cannot be a film buff and not love Hitch.  It's a rule.  I think his genius lies in his ability to create a film that can be enjoyed on many levels.  You can enjoy it simply and just watch it as a movie, you can read deeper into it and see the innovation that Hitch used to pull out your emotions and make you think.  

See how he pulls you into this world?  Just like it pulls Jimmy Stewart.

Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly.  They do really good in their roles.  But were their performances exceptional?  Mmmm, no.  Do I think they could have been done by mediocre actors?  Yes.  Hitch could get what he needed out of anyone.  They were props to get his vision out.  Jimmy Stewart was there to move the story along.  And Grace Kelly?  Well, she was there to reflect the light.  So lovely, but the acting?  Not so much.  For me, all of the emotions and storytelling came from the direction and the shots.  

So lovely.  But I don't know that she served any other purpose.

Everything to Hitch is a prop.  From the actor to the camera.  Notice the reflection in the lens.  Everything is so deliberate.  You pull so much from Hitch's work if you want to.  

Raymond Burr was a great bad guy too.  That look is chilling! 

I really enjoyed this movie.  Like I said, it can be enjoyed on so many levels.  If you just want pretty, it can be that.  If you want to good story, it can be that.  If you're in the mood to analyze a film and read deeper into the techniques Hitch used to convey his story, you can do that too.  Notice the details.  That is the brilliance of Hitchcock.  I had a great night.  AND there was popcorn.  <3

Love,

Olive

New Year's Resolution Week Thirty Four: On The Waterfront

I saw this movie many many years ago when I took a summer creative writing course in high school.  Why did we watch this film?  Can't remember.  We also watched Jaws.  I remember the teacher talking a lot about the emotions the directors were creating in scenes.  That and him talking a lot about the blacklisting of Elia Kazan.  I also remember I kinda liked On The Waterfront.  I wasn't a great student(understatement).  I always did better in summer school.  I always had to take summer school to make up for all of the Fs I got during the regular school year too.  Why I did better in summer school? Dunno.  I did amazing in college, so go figure.  Anyway, this was one of the first classes that I actually did good in and felt accomplished.  So I have very very good memories of this movie, so I was looking forward to seeing it again.

I was out of town and the silent summer film festival was going on last weekend.  That's part of the reason I'm so behind, and I've been super busy all week, so I really had to squeeze in this movie.  I didn't make anything special to watch with this.  Just didn't have time.  I couldn't think of anything anyway.  Just no time.  So no food porn.  Sorry!

Maybe it was because I was so rushed, I just couldn't seem to enjoy this film.  However!  I could appreciate this film.  Was I struck by Kazan's directing?  Not really.  Mind you, I've just come off of a Hitchcock binge because of the TCM class.  No one compares to Hitch.  Try and disagree with me.  Try.  So that could have colored by opinion as well.  Right now it would take something really extraordinary and striking to draw my attention to a shot.  The direction just seemed to kind of blend and not distract.  Maybe that's what he meant to do though, because what really stood out in this movie was the acting.  You didn't need any big fancy scenes.  The acting was so powerful.

Brando.  My God.  What more can you say?  He overwhelms every scene.  I would hate to work next to this man.  He is just so good.  I know nothing that I can say about him will surprise anyone.  He is not overrated.  Personally, I would have found him obnoxious, but on the screen?  Genius.  I know that he put everyone through hell, but the performances that came out of him.... 

He made it look so easy.  It wasn't.  For anyone.

Next, Miss Eva Marie Saint.  I can't believe this was her first role.  You really couldn't tell she was acting.  I was very impressed.  I always saw her as a Hitchcock blonde.  Kind of a decorative ornament.  She is so much more than that.  Especially in this film.  I think Brando brought out the best in her.  She shines the most in scenes with him.  Even the simple ones.

Her first taste of alcohol.  So simple, yet played so perfect and delicate.  Just right.

  So like I said, I could appreciate this movie, I just didn't like it very much this time.  It was so dark and moody.  It was supposed to be, I know.  I know.  I just wasn't in the mood for it.  Lately, I just want happy or at least pretty.  This was neither.  It's a very very good movie if you are in the mood for massive seriousness.  I'll watch it again someday.  

I kind of like that I can appreciate something that I don't particularly like.  Makes me feel like a grown-up.  Naaaaaaaah!

This is what y'all wanted, isn't it??  MWAH!

Love,

Olive