I don't consider myself a particularly flighty person. But the other day, while walking along Baker Beach in SF, I found myself nervously raising my hands in a feign attempt to ward off sea gulls. Damn you, Hitchcock! Why couldn't I shake the image of Tippi Hedren running to a phone booth in Bodega Bay to escape those vicious birds? I'm glad Hitchcock wasn't able to end The Birds the way he originally wanted to: With The Golden Gate Bridge completely covered in birds.
What else have you done to me, you maniacal master of suspense? I don't fear showers, you Psycho, but I won't stop at a lonely motel on the side of the road for the night. When I drive down Highway 1 from SF to Carmel, my mind frequently wanders to that scene in Suspicion where Cary Grant drives dangerously around seaside cliffs. When I'm in New York City or any large city, I frequently wonder what people are really up to as I gaze through my Rear Window. And while I'm not afraid of heights, the thought of watching Vertigo, or climbing any tower just makes me dizzy. Hitchcock, you get me in the gut every time.
Are you a victim of horror/suspense films too? No? Really? Just remember the words of our master: “...the next scream you hear may be your own!”
Are you a victim of horror/suspense films too? No? Really? Just remember the words of our master: “...the next scream you hear may be your own!”
I think that Hitchcock's genius is that he takes the ordinary e.g. birds, showers, motels, neighbors and makes them incredibly menacing.
ReplyDeleteMenacing is a good word for Hitchcock!
ReplyDeleteIndeed! He is probably my all time favorite director. It's incredible how his films have scenes that resonate with you the rest of your life.
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