Introduction
There's definitely something about Hitchcock films made in the early 1940s that appeals to me. Although not as glossy and eye-catching as some of his later films and despite the old-fashioned style of the acting (particularly the female characters), there's something about this ... Read review
When Uncle Charlie comes to visit his relatives in the sleepy town of Santa Rosa, the ... more
foundation is laid for one of his most engaging and suspenseful excursions. Joseph Cotton stars as the charming Uncle Charlie, a beguiling killer who travels from Phi...
When Uncle Charlie comes to visit his relatives in the sleepy town of Santa Rosa the ... more
foundation is laid for one of his most engaging and suspenseful excursions. Joseph Cotton stars as the charming Uncle Charlie a beguiling killer who travels from Phi...
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Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: K.C. Bascombe - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jesse James, Rachel Skarsten, Charles Powell, Linda Purl, Kevin Zegars
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Advantages: Good, creepy suspense film Disadvantages: The usual naivety of the female lead in films of this period
Introduction
There's definitely something about Hitchcock films made in the early 1940s that appeals to me. Although not as glossy and eye-catching as some of his later films and despite the old-fashioned style of the acting (particularly the female characters), there's something about this period of his films that I find more psychologically disturbing. This film, made in 1942, was apparently one of Hitchcock's favourites, although it is ... ...Northwest.
The director
Alfred Hitchcock was born in the East End of London and began his film-making career in London in 1919. His first well-known film 'The Lodger', was made in 1926, and starred Ivor Novello. 'The Man Who Knew Too Much', made in 1934, established the pattern of psychological thrillers that were to make him famous, often focussing on close relationships and the impact that certain people or happenings had ... more
Introduction There's definitely something about Hitchcock films made in the early 1940s that appeals to me. Although not as glossy and eye-catching as some of his later films and despite the old-fashioned style of the acting (particularly the female characters), there's something about this period of his films that I find more psychologically disturbing. This film, made in 1942, was apparently one of Hitchcock's favourites, although it is less well-known than the more action-packed Psycho and North by Northwest.
The director Alfred Hitchcock was born in the East End of London and began his film-making career in London in 1919. His first well-known film 'The Lodger', was made in 1926, and starred Ivor Novello. 'The Man Who Knew Too Much', made in 1934, established the pattern of psychological thrillers that were to make him famous, often focussing on close relationships and the impact that certain people or happenings had on them.
The plot Charlie is delighted when her Uncle Charlie comes to stay, thinking that he will relieve her boring existence. Named after her uncle, she takes the opportunity to parade him around the town, much to the admiration of her friends and acquaintances. When Uncle Charlie tears a page out of a newspaper and refuses to tell Charlie what it is about, she begins to become suspicious and is horrified when she visits her local library and finds out that her uncle is suspected of a terrible crime.
She later realises that the family house is being watched by two police officers in the guise of journalists reporting on small town life and begins to form an attachment with one of them. She begins to fear for her own life and tries to insist that her uncle leaves the family home. However, her mother, who knows nothing of Uncle Charlie's dodgy past, is reluctant for him to go. Can Charlie live with her uncle and her fear that he may hurt her or a member of her family?
The actors/characters Joseph Cotten, as the good-looking Uncle Charlie, is excellent. We see him at the beginning of the film trying to evade two men and realise that he is probably not all he should be, but exactly what he has been doing is not clear until later in the film. Like Robert Walker as Bruno in 'Strangers on a Train', he is just the right amount of charm and eeriness.
Teresa Wright as Charlie is less impressive than Cotten, coming over as mindlessly naïve and in need of a good shake. However, bearing in mind that the film was made in 1942 and that women were more naïve then because society made them so, that is probably not a fair comment. Certainly her mother, Charlie's sister, is just as hopeless as Charlie at spotting that her brother is not quite a good egg. Taking that into consideration, I think it is fair to say that Teresa Wright does a more than adequate job in the role.
Technical bits Classification PG. As to be expected from the time, the film is in black and white. I watched the film version and so cannot comment on the DVD extras.
Conclusion One of the things I think Alfred Hitchcock does best is take ordinary people, in this case, a family in a small Californian town, and studying how they react to extreme circumstances. There are moments of action, particularly at the climatic end, but on the whole, this is not an action-packed film. However, I do not think that that affects the quality of the film or acting in any way at all; in fact, it adds to it if anything. The suspense builds up beautifully and I was on the edge of my seat from about half way through.
On the negative side, apart from the old-fashioned acting, the romantic sub-plot between Charlie and one of the police officers is rather silly and unnecessary. And the fact that everyone falls for Uncle Charlie's charm is a little hard to believe at times - no-one seems in the slightest bit interested about what he does for a job. However, on the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and highly recommend it to anyone, whether familiar with this genre of film or not.
I watched the film version, but the DVD is available from Amazon for £9.99.
Shadow of Doubt
Melanie Griffith plays a successful defence lawyer with a past who is give ahefty fee to defend an up and coming pop star with a dubious record of murder. With some high tech help and power from Huey Lewis - without the news.
She defends this man against her ex husband who is the prosecuting attorney with a hidden agenda.
The plot is brought to Clinton-like proportions when a democratic senator is involved - together with his mummy who tries to be Mrs fix it..
The film is easy watching, an insight into the added dangers women face with a nice mild twist at the end. ...
Advantages: Great acting, script and direction. A mountain of extras. Disadvantages: Twenty five notes is a little bit steep.
Fight Club is without a shadow of a doubt the best DVD I have ever purchased in the twelve months that I have used the system. It is the yardstick that all future DVD purchases I make will have to live up to and let me tell you, it's a near impossible act to follow with a truly great film and a second disk positively bursting with extras. I'll start with the film first.
This whole film is laced with wit. It starts out with the stunning opening credits sequence as we begin a speedy journey through the synapses of the brain of the narrator (Edward Norton). Upon exiting his brain through his eyes, we end up looking at him through the crosshairs of a gun as he chews on the muzzle. Pulling back further, it's revealed that the gun is being held by Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). And now begins the start of the first of many plot twists in this ...
robbroome 20.08.2001 (03.10.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Fight Club (DVD)
Paul Edgecomb is a prison guard on death row in the 1930's. His outlook on life has been eroded by watching men live and die. One day something comes into his life. Something really big. John Coffey (like the drink but not spelled the same) is eight feet tall and has hands as big as most people's heads. He's stands accused of the murder of two children but he's afraid to sleep in his cell with the lights off.
Over the course of the film Edgecomb and the other prison guards realise what they have in their cell and what they have to do might send them to hell.
The Green Mile is a wonderful adaptation from Stephen King's set of books, and is truly moving. It is quite long (about 3 hours), but it is worth watching without a shadow of a doubt.
Tom Hanks puts in a wonderful performance as does Michael Clarke Duncan.
Go rent it out ...
A favourite of Alfred Hitchcock himself, with an exceptional script by the playwright Thornton Wilder, 'Shadow Of A Doubt' anticipates such family menace dramas as 'Cape Fear'. Young Charlie Newton (Teresa Wright) lies on her bed in Santa Rosa, California, bored with her small-town life and family. Meanwhile, her namesake, Uncle Charlie, lies on another bed thousands of miles away in Philadelphia surrounded by discarded bills, deep in secret thoughts. The two are linked - psychic twins - and when Charlie goes to send for her uncle, she finds a telegram announcing his visit already waiting for her. Uncle Charlie brings happiness into the Newton home and a special pleasure to Mother. Yet Charlie feels a tension, as if her double - played with razor-thin menace by the mild-mannered Joseph Cotten - has brought violence into her home as well. Subtle clues add weight to Charlie's vague doubts, and this growing knowledge shocks her out of the warm sense of safety that she has held in her small world. However, her intuitive understanding is a long way from allowing the young niece to challenge her uncle, and the tense cat-and-mouse play between the two is powerfully dramatized, showing Hitchcock in his best form.
Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Swedish
Hearing Impaired Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Beyond Doubt The Making Of Hitchcocks Favourite Film, Production Drawings, Art Gallery, Theatrical Trailer
Aspect Ratio
1.33 Full Screen
Sound
Mono
Dubbing Sound
Mono English German
DVD Description
A favourite of Alfred Hitchcock himself, with an exceptional script by the playwright Thornton Wilder, 'Shadow Of A Doubt' anticipates such family menace dramas as 'Cape Fear'. Young Charlie Newton (Teresa Wright) lies on her bed in Santa Rosa, California, bored with her small-town life and family. Meanwhile, her namesake, Uncle Charlie, lies on another bed thousands of miles away in Philadelphia surrounded by discarded bills, deep in secret thoughts. The two are linked - psychic twins - and when Charlie goes to send for her uncle, she finds a telegram announcing his visit already waiting for her. Uncle Charlie brings happiness into the Newton home and a special pleasure to Mother. Yet Charlie feels a tension, as if her double - played with razor-thin menace by the mild-mannered Joseph Cotten - has brought violence into her home as well. Subtle clues add weight to Charlie's vague doubts, and this growing knowledge shocks her out of the warm sense of safety that she has held in her small world. However, her intuitive understanding is a long way from allowing the young niece to challenge her uncle, and the tense cat-and-mouse play between the two is powerfully dramatized, showing Hitchcock in his best form.
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