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Driven To The Brink: Tippi Hedren And Alfred Hitchock, Documented In The Girl


Alfred Hitchcock Tippi Hedren

“To be the object of someone’s obsession is horrible,” said Tippi Hedren, the actress who was very much the object of Alfred Hitchcock’s affections, for a large part of his career. Hedren’s tale of abuse and sexual harassment, whilst she was filming Hitchcock’s movies, such as The Birds and Marnie, is detailed in Donald Spoto’s biography of Hitchcock’s life and has now been committed to screen in The Girl, a BBC and HBO drama starring Sienna Miller as Tippi and Toby Jones in the role of the controlling movie director.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Hedren reveals that she told Miller to make sure that she was portrayed as a strong woman. “I wanted to make sure she understood where I was coming from,” she explained. “He was so insistent and obsessive, but I was an extremely strong young woman. There was no way he was going to get the better of me.”

Hedren also describes how she was conned into filming scenes in The Birds in which she was attacked by actual ravens, as opposed to the mechanical birds that were used elsewhere in the movie. After being pecked to within an inch of her life, the doctor ordered her to rest, much to Hitchcock’s chagrin. “She can’t rest for a week, we have nobody else to film,” came the unflinching director’s response. At the point that their relationship imploded, Hedren refused to speak to him, other than through intermediaries. He refused to call her by her name, referring to her only as The Girl.

Continue reading: Driven To The Brink: Tippi Hedren And Alfred Hitchock, Documented In The Girl

Is Sacha Gervasi's 'Hitchcock' Really Generating Oscars Buzz?


Anthony Hopkins Helen Mirren Sacha Gervasi Alfred Hitchcock Daniel Day Lewis Joaquin Phoenix Denzel Washington Jennifer Lawrence Sally Field

Read anything on Sacha Gervasi's new movie Hitchcock, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins as the legendary Hollywood director, and you'll probably come across the phrases "Oscars buzz" and "Oscar tipped." The movie has enjoyed decent reviews from critics, though the press seem to have it nailed on for a nomination. It may well not be that straight forward.

History suggests that Hitchcock is the type of the movie the Academy will reward and with Hopkins and Dame Helen Mirren in the lead roles, it certainly boasts an appealing cast. However, the concluding months of 2012 have thrown up several serious contenders for the golden statuettes and Hitchcock may well be the movie to make way. Hopkins - who won Best Actor for Silence of the Lambs - has already decided to stop playing "nauseating games" with the Academy in order to win an Oscar and told Entertainment Weekly that he was too busy making films to launch a serious awards' season campaign for Hitchcock. "People go out of their way to flatter the nominating body [the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences] and I think it's kind of disgusting. Having to be nice to people and to be charming and flirting with them. That's always been against my nature", he added.

So what do the bookmakers think of Hitchcock's chances?

Continue reading: Is Sacha Gervasi's 'Hitchcock' Really Generating Oscars Buzz?

Hitchcock: Hit Or Miss? Let's Take A Look At The Reviews


Alfred Hitchcock Helen Mirren Anthony Hopkins

Alfred Hitchcock, one of cinema's greatest icons, has an enormous portfolio of incredible hits. He can claim North by Northwest, Hitchcock's Half Hour (which became something of an institution), The 39 Steps, The Man Who Knew Too Much, To Catch a Thief and, of course, Psycho. Every single one of them a cinematic powerhouse. However, the Gervasi Sachi biopic aptly titled Hitchcock about Hitchcock's life and work while making Psycho, is leaning dangerously close to 'miss'. 

The New York Times review is truly scalding of the movie. "Hitchcock... is rather like Norman Bates, that nervous pretty boy with mommy issues and a bobbing Adam's apple, in that it too takes extravagant liberties with the dead." And adding, with a scathing flourish, "It's fluff. But while its dim fantasies about Hitchcock and the association of genius with psychosis can be written off as silly, they also smack of spiteful jealousy." 

Likewise, the LA Times was not impressed. Their biggest problem with the movie is that "Its protagonists turn out to be not especially interesting and the audience is not presented any convincing reason to care about what happens in their lives." Adding, "Alfred Hitchcock would definitely not approve." 

Continue reading: Hitchcock: Hit Or Miss? Let's Take A Look At The Reviews

Hot Tickets! This Weekend’s US Movie Releases


Anthony Hopkins Alfred Hitchcock Helen Mirren Alma Reville Janet Leigh Scarlett Johansson Marion Cotillard Sarah Burns Ken Burns

It’s slim pickings this week, in terms of big budget movies, as the industry winds down a little over the festive period (though prepare yourselves for the usual onslaught of Christmassy slush hitting the big screen in the coming weeks).

However, the new release that everybody’s chatting about right now is Hitchcock. Starring Antony Hopkins (as the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock) and Helen Mirren (as his wife, Alma Reville), there has already been discussion of the possibility of Oscar nominations coming the way of this biopic, which focuses on the era when Hitchcock was filming Psycho – widely considered to be the pinnacle of his career. The star of Psycho, Janet Leigh, is played by the ever-popular Scarlett Johansson.

Reviews for the movie have been mixed; it seems as though most reviewers are praising the performances, but not the film as a whole, which lacks clarity. The movie is only getting a limited release this week, so don’t expect it to be riding too high with box office takings but do expect some of its cast to be riding high when it comes to awards season.

Continue reading: Hot Tickets! This Weekend’s US Movie Releases

'Hitchcock' And His 'Psycho', The Film That Keeps On Giving


Alfred Hitchcock Helen Mirren Anthony Hopkins

Over 50 years on since Psycho was unleashed upon the world, and the influence of the film can still be seen in thrillers and horrors across the planet, such was the impact that legendary movie maker Alfred Hitchcock had upon the world of film. 'Hitchcock' is a film that pays homage to the man himself, and his most iconic movie. 

Psycho defied a lot of expectations and traditions, it was entirely self funded and shot in black and white, despite colour film being in predominant use by 1960. Celebrating both the film and its maker, 'Hitchcock' follows the story of how Psycho was made and focuses itself on the relationship between Alfred and his wife, Alma.

"I saw [Psycho] in a movie theater in September 1960 on a dark Sunday afternoon in Manchester," Anthony Hopkins, who's starring as Hitchcock in the new movie, said to MTV. "The scene in the shower was the most frightening thing I've ever seen. And the whole audience was under the seat, myself included, because we didn't know what to expect... The shock was that he killed [the leading lady]. His leading actress. Great, brilliant idea that came from Alma." Clearly, Psycho would never have been a success without the influence of Hitchcock's wife. Helen Mirren, is playing Alma, and once met Hitchcock early in her career, but told the Huffington Post: "I didn't really like him, and I know he didn't like me very much." Luckily, she got over that to give a warm and authentic performance as his wife. 

Continue reading: 'Hitchcock' And His 'Psycho', The Film That Keeps On Giving

Retro Glamour: Scarlett Johansson Looking Stunning As Janet Leigh In 'Hitchcock'


Scarlett Johansson Alfred Hitchcock Janet Leigh Anthony Hopkins Tippi Hedren Alma Reville Helen Mirren

Scarlett Johansson is the focus of a new string of photos to be released from Hitchcock – the new movie based on Alfred Hitchcock’s relationship with his wife. The movie centres on the period of time around the filming of Hitchcock’s classic thriller, Psycho, of which Janet Leigh (played by Scarlett) became the undoubted star.

In the photos (courtesy of Deadbolt), we see Scarlett in all her retro glory, wearing pastel coloured, 1950s cats-eye sun-shades and driving a vintage car. Elsewhere, she can be seen wearing a cream coloured cardigan and pencil skirt, being measured by a wardrobe assistant, whilst Hitchcock (played by Anthony Hopkins) looks on, framing her with his hands.

Another recent Hitchcock biopic, The Girl, examined Hitchock’s dubious and allegedly abusive relationship with another of his leading ladies, Tippi Hedren (The Birds) but Hitchcock is more interested with the relationship between the director and his wife, Alma Reville. Of course, Scarlett Johansson’s on-screen glamour plays a large part in the movie and even in the trailer, tension can be detected between the wife and the leading lady, as Reville (played by Helen Mirren) tells her husband “don’t wait until half way through the movie (to kill off the leading actress) – do it after half an hour.”

Continue reading: Retro Glamour: Scarlett Johansson Looking Stunning As Janet Leigh In 'Hitchcock'

Scarlett Johansson Tattoo - Ribcage Ink Reads 'Lucky You' But What Does It Mean?


Scarlett Johansson Alfred Hitchcock Anthony Hopkins Helen Mirren Alma Reville Janet Leigh

What’s this? A new Scarlett Johansson tattoo?

It looks as though the Hitchcock actress has decided to add to her collection of body art with a rudimentary horseshoe, with the words ‘Lucky You’ inscribed above it. The new ink, which is located on her ribcage, was done by the French tattooist and graffiti artist Fuzi Uvtpk and The Daily Mail have pictured Scarlett and Fuzi together in his studio.

Apparently, Scarlett decided she wanted Fuzi to be the next tattoo artist to tattoo her, after she visited his exhibition in Paris. The new artwork joins her collection; she has two circles with the letter A on her ankle, a colourful sunrise scene in a circle, on her forearm and a bracelet on her wrist, which bears the words “I Love NY.” Scarlett is notoriously secretive when it comes to revealing the details of the meaning of her tattoos and we’re none the wiser when it comes to her new tattoo. Though frankly, if you’re close enough to Scarlett Johansson’s bare ribcage to read the tattoo, then lucky you, indeed!

Continue reading: Scarlett Johansson Tattoo - Ribcage Ink Reads 'Lucky You' But What Does It Mean?

Sienna Miller Applauded For Standout Performance As Tippi Hedren In 'The Girl'


Sienna Miller Alfred Hitchcock

Sienna Miller has received mass praise for her role as 60's screen siren Tippi Hedren in the HBO special 'The Girl'.

'The Girl' will air on HBO this coming Saturday (Oct 20) and will follow the off-screen terrors that often plagued Hedren during her time working under Alfred Hitchchock. As well as Miller, the mini-movie also stars Toby Jones as the acclaimed directed Hitchcock and Imelda Staunton as his wife Alma Hitchcock.

The show has already been given the thumbs up by a handful of critics that have been given a first look at the new project, commending the impressive performances of the cast and the detailed portrayal of the difficult relationship that Hedren had to endure with Hitchcock.


Continue reading: Sienna Miller Applauded For Standout Performance As Tippi Hedren In 'The Girl'

Sienna Miller Talks Hitchcock Ahead Of 'The Girl'


Sienna Miller Alfred Hitchcock

Sienna Miller plays Tippi Hedren in 'The Girl' - a film that delves into the intricacies of the actress's relationship with Alfred Hitchcock. In an interview with Reuters, Sienna talks candidly about the subject matter of the film.

The film, which premieres this Saturday, October, 20 on U.S. cable channel HBO, tells the tale of how Hitchcock, played by Toby Jones, both launched and ceased Hedren's career, from her point of view. Asked whether Hitchcock did in fact ruin Hedren's acting career, Miller gives a brutally honest answer: "Well, she absolutely does feel that, because he did. She is at the same time very complimentary about him, and as a director no one is disputing the fact that he was incredible at what he does," she explained, whilst adding, "And also he taught her how to act and she is very indebted to him for that - to learn from the master. But yes, he was really responsible for damaging her career and of course there is resentment that comes with that." The 30-year-old Sienna boasts a strong acting CV, with appearances in gangster classics like Layer Cake, and action flick, G.I Joe, but this will be one of her biggest 'art-house' projects.

"I think his films will remain some of the greatest films ever made and he will always be heralded as one of the greatest directors of all time," said continued in the interview. "But often with geniuses, there is a kind of dark side and that is nothing new. I don't think it will have any profound effect on his legacy as a director or a filmmaker."


Hitchcock Trailer Explores Psycho; The Movie Nobody Wanted Alfred To Make


Alfred Hitchcock Anthony Hopkins Helen Mirren Scarlett Johansson Janet Leigh

The trailer for 'Hitchcock' - director Sacha Gervasi's upcoming biopic of suspense director Alfred Hitchcock's relationship with his wife during the filming of his tour-de-force 'Psycho' - has hit the web. The actual movie is scheduled for limited release in November and stars Sir Anthony Hopkins as the acclaimed filmmaker and Helen Mirren as his wife Alma.

The trailer begins with one of Hitchcock's famous lines, "All of us harbour dark recesses of violence and horror. I'm just a man hiding in the corner, watching," before making it quite clear that neither Paramount, nor the director's advisers, were keen on his intention to make Psycho, an adaptation of Robert Bloch's 1959 suspense novel. After The Man Who Knew Too Much, Spellbound, Strangers on a Train and Rear Window, movie bosses were perhaps understandably cautious for Hitchcock to adapt the novel that included a passage in which the protagonist is beheaded in the shower. In the new trailer, Hopkins' Hitchcock declares, "This book Psycho is fiendishly entertaining" though one movie executive hits back "No one respects the name Hitchcock more than Paramount, but even a talented man sometimes bats the wrong horse!"

Of course, the movie went ahead as planned and was instantly considered the director's most seminal work. Watch out for Scarlett Johansson as actress Janet Leigh in the latest clip!


Dame Helen Mirren Receives European Film Award


Helen Mirren Alfred Hitchcock

Dame Helen Mirren is in quite possibly what some people could call the Regal phase of her career - apt given that she's played Queen Elizabeth II in the past. By this we mean that she's an actress now consistently putting on some of the best performances of her career and being recognised for them by critics and the public at large. Having won an Academy Best Actress Award in 2007, Mirren was once again nominated in 2010 and is expected another nod in 2013 for playing Sir Alfred Hitchcock's wife in the biopic Hitchcock.

Before that, though, it's been announced that the British actress will be getting a special award for her achievements in world cinema by the European Film Academy. As a result, Mirren will be a guest at the European Film Awards on December 1st in Malta where she will receive award. The BBC reports that she reacted to the news by saying "It was discovering the immense diversity of European film-making that gave me an enduring love and respect for the artform." Continuing she added "This award is... a meaningful honour. I would be proud to be counted as an actor in the European tradition."

Mirren will be revisiting her role as The Queen on the stage next year, in Peter Morgan's play The Audience.


Rear Window Review


Essential
Not only is Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window one of his best pictures, it's one of the best films ever made altogether.

The master craftsmanship on display (placing virtually the entire film within the confines of the apartment of hobbled photographer L.B. Jeffries -- the inimitable James Stewart -- referred to as "J.B. Jeffries" on the back of the DVD case) has few parallels in modern cinema. The story by John Michael Hayes is one of Hitch's simplest yet most gripping: Jeffries spies the cleanup of a supposed murder across the way from his Manhattan apartment -- a sinister Raymond Burr cleaning knives and whatnot. He tells his girlfriend (Grace Kelly) and she laughs. His nurse (the unforgettable Thelma Ritter) mocks him also, urging him to marry instead of peeping out the window at strangers. But slowly, the truth is revealed, and even his most ardent naysayers join in the plot to uncover the reality of what happened in the apartment across the way. By the end of the picture, Kelly is prepared to break into Burr's apartment via fire escape because she's certain of what has happened inside.

Continue reading: Rear Window Review

Vertigo Review


Essential
Awesome and brilliant, Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo was recently restored, and its power is immense. Jimmy Stewart never did finer work, and Hitchcock's masterpiece, though its meaning may be lost on many, reveals a man at his most obsessed -- an apt metaphor for Hitch himself. The restored Vertigo features vibrant colors and a crystal clear soundtrack, but it's the tale of Stewart's heights-fearing detective who gets caught up with the woman he's investigating that makes Vertigo such a treat. Old San Francisco has never looked more devious, and Hitchcock has never been better.

Continue reading: Vertigo Review

Psycho (1960) Review


Essential
Thou shalt not take the term "genre-defining" in vain. How many movies, after all, really define a genre? That is, besides Psycho?

Alfred Hitchcock's first real horror movie not only set off a raging controversy and alarming threats of censorship, but it also ruined the morning shower for a generation of Americans. The shower scene, now one of the most famous and replayed moments in movie history, was just the knife's edge of this masterpiece of fear-dredging, Freudian obsession, and sadistic humor.

Continue reading: Psycho (1960) Review

Alfred Hitchcock

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Alfred Hitchcock

Date of birth

13th August, 1899

Date of death

29th April, 1980

Occupation

Filmmaker

Sex

Male

Height

1.70


Alfred Hitchcock Movies

Rope Movie Review

Rope Movie Review

Along with The Birds and Psycho, Rope was one of the very first Hitchcock films...

Rear Window Movie Review

Rear Window Movie Review

Not only is Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window one of his best pictures, it's one of...

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