"Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
#1
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"Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
Frenzy (1972) Selected by pacaway |
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Spoiler:
IMDB ENTRY
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These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.
The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day.
You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.
Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day.
Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.
Spoiler tags aren't always used in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.
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#2
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
Frenzy is Hitchcock's last good film (Family Plot is sad), and in my opinion it's a late period masterpiece. In the permissive 70s, Hitch's depictions of sexual violence drew critical praise when only a decade earlier Peeping Tom destroyed Michael Powell's career. The tracking shot when Babs is murdered when the camera silently pulls down the hall, down the stairs, out the door and across the street where pedestrians have no idea a woman is being raped and strangled a floor above them is one of the most horrifying in cinema history.
For those familiar with London, the transformation of the dreary 70s Docklands to the buzzing urban hotspot of clubs and fashion of pre-pandemic 2020 is stunning,
For those familiar with London, the transformation of the dreary 70s Docklands to the buzzing urban hotspot of clubs and fashion of pre-pandemic 2020 is stunning,
Last edited by Gobear; 10-09-20 at 11:46 AM.
#3
Senior Member
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
One of my favorite Hitchcock films and one of the best films to capture the look and feel of working class London in the early 70's. Great acting. Only complaint is the film might be that the police procedural aspects could be cut down a bit.
8.5/10
8.5/10
#4
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
Pretty sure this was a first time viewing for me. Really enjoyed it and agree with Gobear that that tracking shot was powerfully moving.
#5
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
Frenzy's got a great pacing and characterization. The murders are surprisingly brutal/uncomfortable. The frame is complicated but never convoluted. Great tracking shot. I love the moral issue of the friend who knows he is not the murderer but will not speak up for fear of being arrested, there's got to be a lot of subtext with that.
Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-09-20 at 11:32 PM.
#6
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
I've always loved Frenzy and thought that it doesn't get the notice it deserves. I think it's probably because it's not from his classic period and doesn't have the usual star power. This movie showed that Hitchcock was still a vital filmmaker. It's a shame Family Plot was his swan song.
I'm not sure if anyone watched or has watched any of the extras. I've watched them before and think it adds some context. Hitchcock caught a screening of Blow Up and was blown away. He hadn't really kept up with new filmmakers as much and was amazed at what could now be shown. And he takes full advantage with pushing the nudity and sexual content more than previous films and showed some more graphic elements, like the grotesque strangled face. It's also more stripped down than his Hollywood movies.
I also love how dark the humor gets. The killer struggling with body parts while in the back of the truck is a particular highlight.
I really do see this one similar to Black Christmas. Both films get overshadowed by other films and are underseen as a result. I'm pleased both are included in the subset this year for those who haven't seen one of them.
I'm not sure if anyone watched or has watched any of the extras. I've watched them before and think it adds some context. Hitchcock caught a screening of Blow Up and was blown away. He hadn't really kept up with new filmmakers as much and was amazed at what could now be shown. And he takes full advantage with pushing the nudity and sexual content more than previous films and showed some more graphic elements, like the grotesque strangled face. It's also more stripped down than his Hollywood movies.
I also love how dark the humor gets. The killer struggling with body parts while in the back of the truck is a particular highlight.
I really do see this one similar to Black Christmas. Both films get overshadowed by other films and are underseen as a result. I'm pleased both are included in the subset this year for those who haven't seen one of them.
#7
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
This was excellent. I can’t believe it took me this long to watch it and I’ve owned it for well over a decade. I think I just foolishly wrote off his last batch. What a shame.
#8
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Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
Thanks for the context, clckworang. I was surprised at a few of the scenes here--so much more explicit than, say, Psycho. The one rape scene in the office, where the guy is saying "Lovely" over and over, was shocking and pretty disturbing. In a good way. Really, really enjoyed this. It's nice to see a Hitchcock that's "fresh", and that I haven't seen a dozen times. 5/5 stars.
#9
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
I'm glad you all liked it despite the real lack of horror elements. Despite being a huge Hitch fan and owning all his films in some format or another, this was a first time view for me too. Glad I finally forced myself to watch it. Even my wife enjoyed it (except for the rape scene). I agree with everything said so far.
#10
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
It was great to revisit this one again. It's a strong molding of Hitchcock's wrong-man-accused theme, the styles of the time, and the permissiveness of film in the 1970's. Strong performances, but I agree that the police procedurals bog down the energy in parts.
#11
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Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
This is the only Hitchcock that I have not seen. For a movie almost 2 hours long, it moved briskly. I love reading the comments here as they help flesh out some of the background. I found myself laughing during the macabre retrieval of the tie pin, and that tracking shot sure is compelling. We also get plenty of comic relief from the inspector’s wife who is taking a cooking class, but serving up one revolting meal after the other.
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pacaway (10-11-20)
#12
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
Hitchcock's wrong men were usually likable which along with the gritty nature of the film may be why I didn't like Frenzy at first. Subsequent viewings have changed my mind and I enjoy Hitch's dark humor like retrieving the pin in the potato truck. The Chief Inspector and his wife -- whose culinary pursuits were questionable yet her deductions on the case were spot-on -- provided an interesting take on the police procedural with some added humor. I think I counted three 'right bastards!' in the film.
#13
DVD Talk Legend
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
Alfred Hitchcock's rape scene made me very uncomfortable. I miss the innocent days where he was throwing birds at his actors.
#14
DVD Talk Legend
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
This film really has it all.
Snappy dialogue, slapstick with a dead body, very unsettling scenes of rape and violence, nail-biting suspense, laugh out loud moments, horror, and even light romance.
I always feel like no one can direct a film like Hitchcock can. He can make you uncomfortable without even showing anything and then make you even more uncomfortable when he does. His choices at times seem odd at first but then make perfect sense when a scene ends.
I really enjoy this one. I like the lead actor a lot and he reminds me of a modern day actor that I can't quite put my finger on. I know a lot of people complained about the police procedural scenes but they are done so elegantly and with such humor that I would miss them if they weren't there. If they were just standard scenes of the police standing around talking, I would get the complaints. But with them all built around the hilarious back non-story of the policeman's wife making him awful "gourmet" dishes, I find them delightful. They are an especially nice contrast to the ghastly rape/death scenes that you see onscreen or in your head.
And who else could pull off a slapstick scene with a corpse that is just as horrifying and tension-filled as it is humorous? Other directors either couldn't do it at all or it would just come across as a joke for the entire scene. And you have an completely horrible rape/death scene but ending with a cartoonish face of death. You don't know whether to laugh or cry.
I also really enjoyed the score. This one is just great all around, especially when you look at how thin the plot and story really is.
Snappy dialogue, slapstick with a dead body, very unsettling scenes of rape and violence, nail-biting suspense, laugh out loud moments, horror, and even light romance.
I always feel like no one can direct a film like Hitchcock can. He can make you uncomfortable without even showing anything and then make you even more uncomfortable when he does. His choices at times seem odd at first but then make perfect sense when a scene ends.
I really enjoy this one. I like the lead actor a lot and he reminds me of a modern day actor that I can't quite put my finger on. I know a lot of people complained about the police procedural scenes but they are done so elegantly and with such humor that I would miss them if they weren't there. If they were just standard scenes of the police standing around talking, I would get the complaints. But with them all built around the hilarious back non-story of the policeman's wife making him awful "gourmet" dishes, I find them delightful. They are an especially nice contrast to the ghastly rape/death scenes that you see onscreen or in your head.
And who else could pull off a slapstick scene with a corpse that is just as horrifying and tension-filled as it is humorous? Other directors either couldn't do it at all or it would just come across as a joke for the entire scene. And you have an completely horrible rape/death scene but ending with a cartoonish face of death. You don't know whether to laugh or cry.
I also really enjoyed the score. This one is just great all around, especially when you look at how thin the plot and story really is.
#15
DVD Talk Legend
Re: "Frenzy" Reviews/Discussion - 2020 Horror Challenge
Speaking of the movie's score, here is a very quick article about Henry Mancini's original score for Frenzy being rejected. You can just see it on the faces in the pictures. Ouch!
https://the.hitchcock.zone/onlyamovi...ni-and-frenzy/
Spoiler:
https://the.hitchcock.zone/onlyamovi...ni-and-frenzy/
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WillieMLF (10-13-20)