Hitchcock Review

Hitchcock Review

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, James D'Arcy, Jessica Biel, Michael Stuhlbarg, Toni Collette, Michael Wincott, Kurtwood Smith, Richard Portnow, Danny Huston
Director: Sacha Gervasi
Genre: Biography, Drama
Rated: M
Running Time: 99 minutes

Synopsis: Hitchcock is a love story about one of the most influential filmmakers of the last century, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife and partner Alma Reville. The film takes place during the making of Hitchcock's seminal movie Psycho.

Verdict: 'Brother has been killing brother since Kane and Able and even I didn't see that coming!'

Here is a biopic that is unabashed and unafraid; a quirky but honest look at the man behind the lens, the master of suspense cinematic legend, Sir Alfred Hitchcock.

Anthony Hopkins audacious portrayal of Alfred Hitchcock wholly embodies the effervescent director who is both robust in size and nature. His peculiar obsessions (mortality, murder and of course blondes) and illusions saturate the screen, from the opening scene we are cajoled into his perfectly twisted world 'all of us harbor dark recess' of violence and horror.

Hitchcock's gusto and ballsy approach to film making is brought to life by English director Sacha Gervasi emulating his distinctive directorial tone, complete with delicious suspense and offbeat humour.

The film explores Alfred's direction of his most notable cinematic success 1960's 'Psycho' and his fight to ensure the film came to fruition despite his initial struggle to fund it. The narrative swiftly becomes a film within film; the infamous shower scene is soon played out before our eyes with Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh. It also reveals the woman beyond the man; his love, wife Alma Reville played by Helen Mirren.

Everyone wants to know 'what it's like to be married to a man obsessed with murder?' If you are Alma you would not be so surprised to be woken up in the dark of the night with your erratic husband hovering over you, dressed in a full suit insisting you read the murder of his leading lady in his latest fixation 'Psycho'. She does so with interest and wit '…kill her off after thirty minutes!' she quips.

Alma is the vertebra to not only Alfred but to the film itself. Watch for the absolutely epic speech that renders the audience stunned, Helen Mirren hits the precise nerve she intends with realism, feeling and truth.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the director Alfred Hitchcock versus the man, whilst carefully woven throughout where all of his well-known idiosyncrasies.

Hitchcock found the humour in life and death. He lived for film and the cinematic experience: 'my camera will tell you the truth'. He distinguished himself as the original master of suspense. He could be ominous and brooding like the murderous minds he delves into, but they could never mirror the mischievous that oozes from within him very soul.
Katya Hone

Release Date: January 10th, 2013


Sacha Gervasi Hitchcock - www.femail.com.au/hitchcock.htm
Hitchcock Characters - www.femail.com.au/hitchcock-characters.htm