Last night I stayed up until an unreasonable hour watching classic Hitchcock films. I watched “The Man Who Knew Too Much”, “Lifeboat”, and “Strangers on a Train”. I’ve seen a number of older films throughout my life and have always enjoyed classics from the 1940s and 50s, but something struck me while watching these particular movies. They are timeless. With the exception of a few minor period turns of phrase, they would all be perfectly functional films now with virtually no modification. Hitchcock was a classic storyteller and it is delightful to watch a film made over 60 years ago and connect with the characters and hold my breath with anticipation as the story unfolds.
I think what I enjoy most is the fact that the characters are isolated by the events in which they find themselves. They are alone or apart from the world and I find myself brought into the microcosm of their life within the larger story. The story comes down to the basic human drives and motivations which are always running underneath our lives and our choices. This isn’t a report for Humanities 1010, so I won’t get too carried away but, I’m pretty sure that these are the reasons I have always connected with Hitchcock’s filmmaking. It’s less about the effects, even though he did push the limits of the techniques available to him at the time, and more about the story, and the people and their drives. Perfect material for sulking and being moody on brisk autumn nights.
Looks like I’ve found a new hobby for the next little while.