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| Release: Dec 14th, 2012 Rating: PG-13 Run time: 98 min Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren Director: Sacha Gervasi |
There are plenty of things I liked about the movie Hitchcock, but if I was to pick one thing, it would be that the movie made me want to immediately watch Psycho. With that said, the movie has it’s ups and downs, which I’ll get to shortly, but first…
Short nitty-gritty plot description from IMDb is as follows: A love story between influential filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and wife Alma Reville during the filming of Psycho in 1959.
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| Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) getting inspiration for his next movie, Psycho. |
The movie Hitchcock follows the man Alfred Hitchcock, as he grows tired of making the same ol’ same and wishes to broaden his horizons and make something unique. In walks the book Psycho, written by Robert Bloch, who based the character of Norman Bates on Ed Gein. Hitchcock desperately wants to make the movie and struggles to find the groove, as his wife is becoming enthralled with another man, which puts Hitchcock on edge. Will Hitchcock finish his movie and recover his relationship with his wife and gain back his money? Yeah, I think we know the answer to that.
I can’t tell you exactly how much of Hitchcock is fact and how much is fiction, but personally, whatever. It was fun to see Anthony Hopkins portray the Master of Suspense, in a role that required heavy makeup and an even heavier body type. He went to town with the role and I swear, there are times where you almost think it’s the man himself, although Hopkins still has trouble hiding that distinctive voice of his.
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| Oh, did I mention that there is a Scarlett Johansson shower scene? I haven’t yet, hmm, maybe cause we don’t see anything. Boo! |
It was also neat to see Scarlett Johansson play Janet Leigh, who played Marion Crane in Psycho. Here, Scarlett Johansson gets to reenact a pivotal scene, the infamous shower sequence in Psycho. (Personal note, she beats the hell out of Anne Heche in the remake). Janet Leigh is a beautiful woman and as we already know, Scarlett Johansson is just as beautiful. Next up we have Jessica Biel in a small role as Vera Miles, who played Marion Crane’s sister in Psycho, Lila Crane. James D’Arcy plays Anthony Perkins and I can’t tell you exactly how these people were in real life, but James D’Arcy seemed to really nail the Norman Bates side of Perkins perfectly.
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| James D’Arcy as Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates. |
Last but not least is Helen Mirren as Hitchcocks wife. I’m sure it can’t be easy living with an eccentric man such of Hitch, but she comes across as such a loving wife, even when times become tough, as a small side romance springs up between her and Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston).
Throughout the movie we get scenes where Ed Gein shows up, played by Michael Wincott, which seemed to be out of place a little. I know it’s supposed to represent Hitchcock becoming enthralled in his movie and seeing his sanity slipping a little, due to worrying about his wife cheating on him, but it did come off a little strange. The movie also slips a little come the middle, as the humour of Hitchcock takes a backseat and we focus on his relationship with his wife. Even the story of making Psycho is pushed aside, which disappointed be greatly, as it would’ve been more fun to see them making it. I got giddy seeing a few reproduced sets and I think even more of that would’ve been fantastic.
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| I had a dream that started exactly like this. |
Hitchcock for the most part is a fun movie, with some serious bits thrown in. Fans of the man, Hitchcock and the movie Psycho will probably get some real entertainment out of it. The performances are fantastic, the setting is wonderful and the glee you get seeing scenes from Psycho played out, is to die for. It’s only a shame we didn’t get more of that.
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