Getting into Hitchcock...advice?? (1 Viewer)

[L. Anton Dencklau]

My recommendation: Go Chronological!
If you can find Blackmail it will amaze you by how good it is considering its age.
from there:
The Man Who Knew Too Much (The B&W one)
The 39 Steps
Rebecca
Shadow of a Doubt
Notorius
Strangers on a Train (My personal favorite)
Rear Window
Vertigo
North By Northwest
Psycho
The Birds
Marnie (very underrated)
Frenzy
and then go back and fill in the blanks.

After you're done with that for fun get Dressed to Kill, High Anxiety, and Throw Momma From The Train.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Regarding some of the older works mentioned before. The DVD's are often not so swell but if you can find them very cheap it might be worth it for now. The films are great if the quality isn't (which is why the Criterion 39 Steps and Lady Vanished are so great).

But Sabotage has a CLASSIC Hitch moment in it and one of the most brutal Hitch scenes ever.

Number 17 has an incredible Train/Bus chase that plays well despite being an obvious model. Hitch showed a flair for the spectacular sans the CGI.

I wouldn't start with them because their quality makes them less accessible, but they are solid Hitch films with all the elements you'll come to expect from him later. They are NOT films where he is still finding his way or something. He was fully on it by the 1930's.

Oh, and for the famous Statue of Liberty scene, check out Saboteur (different from Sabotage which takes place in London).

 

[David Dennison]

Rebecca is a personal favorite of mine and the Criterion transfer is beautiful. Then I have trouble picking a favorite between the big four (NbNW, Vertigo, Rear Window, Psycho). Next up would be The Lady Vanishes, Strangers on a Train, and The 39 Steps. Unfortunately I haven't seen Vertigo yet. The Birds is the only movie that I was not overly impressed with, but it was still pretty good. I know I have seen a few more of his movies, but I am drawing a blank right now.

 

[Patrick McCart]

If you can only get one DVD, get North By Northwest. Excellent video, audio, supplements, and even the menus are nifty.

Vertigo and Psycho are not anamorphic, but they are letterboxed in their correct aspect ratios (and look excellent for non-anamorphic.)

Also, Rear Window looks excellent on DVD.

 

[Randy_M]

A personal favorite of mine from the early period is "Young and Innocent" - a film with many of what would become 'Hitchcock touches', and a real charmer as well. The LaserLight version is perfectly serviceable, and inexpensive to boot.

I also think "Frenzy" is vastly underrated with its mix of comedy and suspense; and the acting is beautiful as well.

Cheers

 

[Quentin]

I like the way Seth's list is organized.

But, if you really want to delve into Hitchcock don't just watch the films. Go out and get Truffaut's book about Hitchcock. Interesting read, albeit a little too idolatrous.