Thank you guys for watching something other than superhero movies, sci-fi CGI eye-candy and other click bait. This is why I am here. You two are becoming film aficionados. You're discovering the power and the beauty of a story well told. Thanks guys. (Edit: corrected my poor spelling)
Sir Alfred Hitchcock arranged to have Grace Kelly dressed in bright colors at the start of the film, and made them progressively darker to mirror her character's state of mind.
Glad someone else knew that. It’s subtle, but a detail Hitchcock would have liked. Not only progressively darker, but drab and conservative. The red gown she first wears is lacy and sexy. The last dress is high collared, long sleeves etc.
That can segue into an exploration of Billy Wilder, which includes noir, dark comedies and conventional comedies, like Double Indemnity, Sunset Blvd, Some Like it Hot, The Seven Year Itch, Witness for the Prosecution, and many more!
Another good Hitchcock mystery is "Strangers on a Train" (1951). the basic criminal scheme is used in a lot of police shows, and they often reference the movie when the TV detectives are figuring out the crime, as in "Have you ever seen the movie "Strangers on a Train?". The movie title itself has become a short-hand for the basic criminal scheme in pop culture
At around 17:50 in the Grace is found guilty montage, they show the judge and they placed the so-called Black Cap of Death on his wigged head, like they did in England for many many years until 1969.
Anthony Dawson, who played Swan in this, may be familiar as one of the first villains to be dispatched by Sean Connery in the first James Bond film, “Dr. No.” “Dial M” was the only film Hitchcock shot in 3-D. It was only released in 2-D, though. A 3-D Blu-Ray is available.
lol @ Daniel realizing he shouldn't be rooting for the murder planning husband 😂 This is kinda like Psycho when you guys were worried for Norman getting caught. Also, our expectant mother-to-be Sam looks glowing! Love ya two, keep up the great content on the channel!!
So, "before birth" - is this excuse for this film's existence?!! "It can't be MY fault!!" So'll insist poor Swan's death wasn't YOUR fault? That you had nothing to do with Grace's trauma?!! Uh huh... sure... I bet they all say that-! ha ha
Very surprised you guys picked this as your next Hitchcock film. Very underrated. I love the giant fake hand dialing the phone. I think for your next Hitchcock you should do Strangers On A Train. It's a masterpiece.
High Noon (one of the great westerns) and To Catch a Thief (another Hitchcock with Cary Grant). Those are two must-watch Grace Kelly films you haven't seen. Incredible that she's in 4 iconic films considering her career was only 5 years and 11 films!
Dial M was originally shot in 3D. The close-ups of the keys, the telephone and the attempted murder scene were staged to look especially impressive (e.g., Grace Kelly frantically reaching for the scissors). But the first audiences hated the way the film looked and traditional 2D prints were quickly produced and used instead. Special 3D screenings have occasionally been shown. Try some of the early British Hitchcock, The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes. Or his great early US films like Rebecca and Shadow of Doubt. All great.
I've always enjoyed this film more than most people seem to. One reason that some shots are "interesting" is that the film was originally shot in 3D. That comes to mind when there's a lamp in the foreground.
.. and, of course, during the scene where she is reaching out for the scissors ''towards you'' @ 11:28 (even though the picture has been blurred at that point) and when the key is held out towards the end of the film @ 23:21
G Paltrow, Michael Douglas, and V Mortenson were in a remake of this in the late 90s called The perfect Murder. Talking the name right from Grace Kelly when they are all on the couch. It was a pretty good remake. Of course, nothing comes close to the original Hitchcock. Would love a Rope reaction sometime. Love your reactions guys!!!
I'll be the odd one out and say I didn't care for it. Of course, when I saw it in the theatre, it was projected too low on the screen, and I could see the microphones above everyone's heads, so maybe I'd like it better on rewatch. An interesting thing is the combining of two characters, which changed things considerably. The police detective was played by David Suchet, who, of course, went on to play Hercule Poirot on the ITV series.
Will there be other film noir polls in the future featuring all of those other films? Because that was quite the list. Would absolutely love to see every single one of those get reacted to at some point lol. I would consider most of them to be amongst the best films ever made.
This movie is a great example of the "how-catchem" (as opposed to the "whodunnit") crime drama subgenre. If you'd like more in this vein, I can't recommend the _Columbo_ series enough.
You commented on the way it was filmed. i think what you noticed was that the near objects and people were shot in very sharp focus with the background being unusually blurry. I think the explanation for that is that the studio had demanded that the movie be shot in 3D, although it wasn't released in 3D.
Technically, Hitchcock is not “noir” - he is in a category of his own: Suspense/thriller/mystery/crime/detective, which is close to noir but Noir has a different and bleaker tone. There are lots of resources for Noir titles- the Film Noir Foundation is especially useful. Google and even IMDB don’t always provide the best info on film lists - they focus more on what is popular or well-known and is more recent. Nevertheless, Hitchcock is always rewarding to watch so this was a great choice.
Strangers on a Train would be a great one to do next, I believe it came in second in your poll, it has more of a noirish palette than this though Hitchcock never planned it as noir. His focus was more on setting the mood of the scenes, more than following a thematic idea, to have them blend into a harmonious whole. It also contains one of the best performances in any of Hitchcock's films from Robert Walker as Bruno Anthony.
This was a play so it did take place in the one set apartment . Hitchcock loves to make the villains so urbane, sophisticated and dare I say likable that you almost want him to get away with it. The actor who gets murdered you may remember seeing him in "Doctor No". He's the one who plants the spider in James Bond's bed and Bond later executes him.
Amazing choices for reaction, guys! As a Hitchcock fan, I hope you'll be able to watch, Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much and The Birds...eventually. I know you must have a very full plate.
So glad you're doing more classic films! Another Hitchcock film (that's often underrated) is "Shadow Of A Doubt". And for a Hitchcock-esque film that's not by him at all is "Charade". It's Cary Grant & Audrey Hepburn.
Even though it's not film noir it's still a must-see and I'm so happy u got to see it. And I'm definitely looking forward to more Hitchcock and Film Noir in the future. :)
This movie was a stage play at first by Frederick Knott. Another stage play by him that became a nail biting thriller on screen was Wait Until Dark, starring another lovely lady Audrey Hepburn. Hitchcock didn’t direct that one but it sure feels like he did!
Since Samantha likes Grace Kelly, you can submit to your patrons to vote on the 1952 movie "High Noon", one of the most iconic Western movies of all time. It won 4 Academy Awards (Best Actor, Editing, Score and Song) as well as 4 Golden Globe awards. It was selected by the Library of Congress as one of the first 25 films for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The theme of a single individual with no support against a gang of enemies is used in multiple genres besides Westerns.
Movies back then were all story teller driven. Not cgi, massive musical scores, unlimited budgets etc. You had to rely on just the best story telling with extremely limited means. That's why the best movies of all time lists were heavily from the 40s, 50s, &60s. And I wasn't even born til the 80s so I'm not biased. They just had to be really good at telling a good story.
That is certainly true for serious dramas, crime films and some comedies, but there were also many movies that today would be considered incredibly lightweight, with lots of singing and dancing, mixed with comedy and sentimentality, and not much of a story. If you watch some of the musicals of the 1930s or 1950s, that's really only about showy setpieces. Or the films of 1930s greatest child star Shirley Temple are all basically the same, with cute little Shirley singing and dancing a lot...
Because this was filmed in 3D, a lot of somewhat strange camera angles were used to make use of this. In one, for instance, a table lamp is between Swan and the husband, but also closer to the camera.
Great great Hitchcock movie! The older movies are much better as you said. You must pay attention to the dialogue. You are spot on with the statement that todays movies you can not pay attention as much and still know what's going on. Great writing and story line.
Brian De Palma made a loose remake of Dial M for Murder that big upped the stylized sex and violence angle in 1984, called Body Double, and it's over-the-top, fun, and just very good.
You guys should definitely take at look at 1948s Rope. Another Hitchcock film. The husband in this movie is played by Ray Milland. My favorite performance from him is in 1945s The Lost Weekend. That's another must-see film!
Since you like detective movies you should check out one of the greatest TV detectives ever, Columbo. His tv series were actually 90 minute movies that ran from 1971 to 1978. His mysteries are different from your typical mystery movies. Great characters and great stories. Most of it's easy to fall in love Columbo. He has that kind of charm. His first tv series episode was directed by Steven Spielberg, it's titled: "Murder By The Book".
I hope y'all watch "Strangers On A Train", "Rope", "To Catch A Thief", "The Birds", "Notorious" so many to get to. The ending is the best when Tony just gets a drink like "what the hell".
Well, this is a surprise. I was, just yesterday, literally yesterday, looking over my DVD collection and my eyes lit upon this title, and I thought to myself, "There's one film I'll never see a reaction to," and then today, well, there it was. Maybe tonight I should think, really hard, "there's no way I'll even inherit a million dollars from an anonymous relative."
Dial M is not brought as much as Psycho or Vertigo but it's a true gem. The script is absolutely airtight and that's exactly why Hitchcock is called: The master of suspense. You do have to follow closely and with attention but you're rewarded by a truly well done mystery. Another similar film where there's a whole web of intrigue and double crossings is the excellent Strangers on a Train from 1951. Btw, Hitchcock's favorite own movie is the superb and tense Shadow of a doubt from 1943. In the list of the most well known Hitchcock's films, worth seeing are his first film in color, Rope that is notable for being made of a few several long takes and being in real time (the length of the movie is the length of the action), and the closest with Psycho that he touched on horror, the classic The Birds. Apart from The Birds, he adapted another story by Daphne DuMaurier, the gothic Rebecca that came out in 1940 and won the Oscar for best film. Another color classic from the 50's is the 1956 remake of Hitchcock's own 1934 film: The Man who knew too much. Great movie and it directly influenced the creation of the Italian Giallo as Mario Bava first Giallo was named The Girl who knew too much. The giallo, so you guys know, is an Italian genre that started in the 60's and was at its peak in the early 70's. It's basically Hitchcock influenced murder mysteries but with graphic nudity and extreme bloody violence. The giallo itself is the direct ancestor of the American slasher genre of the late 70's and early 80's.
Another film you should check out, speaking of limited sets, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) starring Paul Newman and Liz Taylor, shot like a stage play, the WHOLE film is a series of long scenes of dialog between various characters in one location or another (if it were on a stage, the different scenes would be revealed throughout the play) so the entire film was shot in like five or six locations in the same house with long scenes shot in each one. And of course, the acting is top tier.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof IS actually a stage play by Tenessee Williams, though they tried to hide in the movie version that the wife supposes her husband has had a gay affair. This 'sanitizinv' makes the plot of the film barely unterstandable, but it's still a wonderful movie with Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman at their most powerful (and attractive).
If you liked this, I think you'd also love some of the episodes of Columbo. The pilot episode "Prescription: Murder" is movie length (94 mins); obviously I don't want to give anything away but it's a great detective story along similar lines.
My favorite show. Columbo is one of the most loveable detectives. You will see so many surprising guest stars in Columbo, and even directors (e.g., Steven Spielberg's episode in season 1), "Murder by the Book." Such an iconic mystery show and worth checking out, even if just a few episodes. It will hook you.
Dial M for Murder was remade in 1998 as "A Perfect Murder" with Michael Douglas and Gywneth Paltrow as the married couple. The remake is well done. Michael Douglas is good as the villain.
Consider another classic thriller with twists and surprises:WAIT UNTIL DARK (1967), considered one of the better films of the 60s. Im sure your list is long , so try to fit it in whenever you can. As always, your reactions and reviews are the best!
"Do they arrest men carrying purses?" Sadly ... yes. There's a great movie starring John Hurt called The Naked Civil Servant that goes over the draconian laws used against gays in that era (and anybody who just appears to be gay). It's about Quentin Crisp, a real person who pushed back at those laws and perceptions, and let me tell you, the police did a lot worse than just arrest men with purses. It's tough subject matter, what it's certainly worth a watch.
Thanks for reacting to this! One of my favorite Hitchcock films. This influenced the mystery genre by making the "howcatchem" popular ("howcatchem" vs "whodunit," where instead of trying to figure out who the killer is, you know who it is and it is more focused on evidence and how to catch him). If you like this, I would recommend checking out "Columbo," which was a movie length show that was part of a mystery block for years on TV in the 70's (each episode was basically a made for TV movie). One of the most popular detective shows of all time. A young Steven Spielberg even directed one of the episodes in the first season. I know you don't typically react to classic TV, but Columbo is timeless and an icon, so even if you don't react to it, I suggest watching it on your own time.
Dial M for Murder was originally done in 3D and according to Martin Scorcese Hitchcock did a masterful job using space to give the story extra depth and meaning with the film's single location.
The hired murderer whom you couldn’t place has a role in the first James Bond film, “Dr. No”. Anything more would be a spoiler for you, but I would recommend it and the other 400 James Bond films.
This film was based on a play, which seems obvious from its mostly one location. I assume the play just went from the wife being arrested to the next scene where she's been sentenced for execution, which is why the scenes of her trial and sentencing are filmed the way they are - they just wanted to summarize them for the audience instead of having one of the characters in the next scene say "Well, the trial is over, she was found guilty, and is going to be executed tomorrow."
Great reaction guys! So my soon-to-be wife recently moved in with me and we've been binge watching some old thrillers and dramas, including Hitchcock's (not Vertigo or Rear Window sadly absent on our streaming app). We both agreed that, while very entertaining, this movie wasn't up to Hitchcock's other masterpieces like North by Northwest or The Birds. My main issue with it was that the riddle is solved almost verbally rather than visually, like if it was a stage play. Anyways, I hope you get to watch Strangers on a Train because my SO and I both loved that one. Also I recommend Charade for another perfect mistery movie.
The actor who plays Swann is Anthony Dawson, who is best know for playing Professor Dent in the Bond film “Dr. No.” So if Daniel is a 007 fan that may be why he looks familiar.
Cool that you guys did this one. You might enjoy touch of evil by Orson Welles or a great film starring Cary grant called Arsenic and Old lace, which is a dark comedy of the time, based off of a play. It’s something I could see the Coen Brothers remaking if they hadn’t done a LadyKillers remake. That said, the Coens have a great Noir film called The Man who wasn’t there. Great film and beautifully shot.
It's what Judges put on their heads when sentencing someone in England - don't know if it's only for the death penalty or for even just sentencing someone to jail for 10 years.
The 22 minute scene when Tony meets Swan is nothing but two men talking and moving about in a room and it is MESMERIZING. Every shot, every movement is alive with intention. It is so perfectly performed by Ray Milland that he deserved an Oscar.
One fascinating Hitchcock movie that no one has ever reacted to is "Marnie." Sean Connery plays the owner of a company who catches a beautiful but deeply troubled female thief trying to rob his company safe and blackmails her into marrying him.
This type of story is called a "chamber play/piece", other examples are "Rope", "Who's afraid of Virginia Wolf", "12 angry men" and "Arsenic and old lace"!
If you want a simple set up and a single setting, go for Rope and Lifeboat, both Hitchcock movie! Rope is set in an apartment and only has 3 or 4 cuts! Lifeboat is set in a .....liefeboat! Both are classics!
Glad you enjoyed Dial M. Hopefully you will do Rope soon and Strangers on a train. Some of my favorite noir films are In a Lonely Place, Dark Passage, Key Largo, The Big Sleep, High Sierra, Double Indemnity, Woman in the Window and many others. Hopefully you can get to some of these films this is a great genre from the 40's and 50's. Keep up the great work.
Dial M for Murder was originally a theater play, so it is filmed in the same manner as the original play, mostly in one room. 12 Angry Men was also based on a one-room play for TV. In modern movies based on theater plays they normally re-imagine the plot so that the action is not constrained to one room.
This is based on the stage play of the same name by Fredrick Knott. Another classic thriller made from one of his plays is “Wait Until Dark” starring Audrey Hepburn as a blind woman who is terrorized by Alan Arkin and Richard Crenna.
Good choice. I believe this was originally a radio play so, now journeying through another medium to a whole new audience. There's surprisingly good stuff back there if you pick classics like this.
Dial M for Murder was filmed in 3-D. The fad died out, so it was released only in 2-D. They struck a few 3-D prints in the 80s so I got to see it on W8th Street in NYC.
Always loved how this one is kind of more like a play being filmed. That isolation and simplicity really add to the suspense. Sometimes limitations are helpful.
Thanks for commenting one of my two favourite Hitchcock’s (the other one is Shadow Of a Doubt), it’s amazing how easily Tony twists the reality … he really thinks fast ! I love chief inspector John Williams (he and Grace Kelly play in Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief - starring Cary Grant), especially his remark on Mark which you skipped : « They talk about flatfoot policemen, may the saints protect us from gifted amateurs » and also how he combs his moustache at the end of the movie, so British 😂 ! I was born six months after this movie was released, I can tell you it was very difficult to type in those days, unless one worked in an office, Tony could have typed his letters, not Margot. Greetings from France 🇫🇷
I always loved the fake finger going into the M hole in the phone dial (fake because they couldn't focus that close on a real finger and dial) and then the cut to the mechanism that actually clicks the numbers. Who else would think of that but Hitchcock? Definitely do Strangers on a Train. Great Hitchcock.
Dial M for Murder was remade in1998. The title was changed to The Perfect Murder staring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow. Some things were changed to keep the viewer guessing, but , unlike many remakes, it was an excellent movie. Another great Hitchcock movie is Notorious 1946 staring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains. Two other movies you should consider seeing are Gaslight 1946 and The Last of Shiela 1973. One hears the word Gaslighting on the news every day. You should see the movie from where the term comes. The Last of Shiela is a mystery which plays fair with the viewer.
The iconic one's you still need to watch: Rebecca (1940) -- His forgotten masterpiece. Shadow of A Doubt (1941) -- Hitchcock's personal favourite of his films. Notorious (1946) A very sexy movie, with a very smart and intricate story. Rope (1948) Great performances and notable for it's impressive long takes. Strangers On A Train (1950) -- A masterpiece. To Catch A Thief (1957) One of the most charming films ever made (Cary Grant!) and very underrated. Frenzy (1972) -- Hitch's last great movie, and his darkest one arguably. Probably best to save till last.
I highly recommend: One False Move, directed by Carl Franklin, Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton star in this noir crime thriller. World War Z, action horror film, directed by Marc Forster, starring Brad Pitt fighting off zombies in order to seek a cure that can help mankind. Kandahar, action spy thriller film, starring Gerard Butler, directed by Ric Roman Waugh. The Long Goodbye, noir comedy mystery thriller film, directed by Robert Altman, starring Elliot Gould. Exorcist III: Legion, supernatural horror film, directed by William Peter Blatty, starring George C. Scott and Brad Dourif. Stephen King's Needful Things, supernatural Horror Thriller film, starring Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, and Max Von Sydow. Directed by Fraser C. Heston.
This move was based on a play and in the 90s they made sort of a remake that altered some parts starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and a bunch of other famous actors.
Movies at the time, from the early '30's to 1968, were under an incredibly strict censor code which affected all sorts of facets. For one thing, they could not show a lot of blood - Psycho a few years after this movie really broke the mold for excess blood, and even there, the movie was filmed in black-n-white so as to tone down the gore. And the audiences at the time were still shocked to their core.
The shots were done the way they were (with objects in the forefront) because it was a 3D movie! I saw the film in Paris in 3D many years ago and the shot with the key in the end really made the audience gasp!
I enjoy your reactions to the older movies. I would LOVE to see you two watch A Time to Kill. It's a great courtroom drama movie. It has some of your favorite actors that I know you will recognize.
Yes back then a man carrying a purse would have been arrested. Homosexuality was against the law in the UK back then. They would have been arrested for suspicion of homosexuality.
Another Grace Kelly/Hitchcock film is ‘To Catch a Thief’ a 1955 romantic light thriller. Another film she starred in that you should watch is the classic western ‘High Noon’ from 1952.
"Interesting shots". It was shot for 3D. Hitchcock saved the showy "coming at you" stuff for the murder scene. For the rest of the movie, he wanted you to feel like you were in the apartment, so he placed objects in the foreground like bottles on tables or the back of a chair to partially obscure the actors. Most movies clear out anything between the camera and the actors (and doing it on the fly if the camera moves) even if it's unrealistic if you stop to think about it. The effect Hitchcock achieved made people feel much closer to the action(as if they were in a chair by the fire). People in the theaters would tilt their heads trying to see around the foreground objects (even though that wouldn't work) much to the delight of Hitchcock.
Great Hitch movie. Re executions, these were legal in the UK at the time. Traditionally a judge would place a black cloth on his head when passing a sentence of death. Other notable Hitch films are Rope, Psycho, The Birds, 39 Steps, North by Northwest, Notorious.
*Is Alfred Hitchcock the character of Mark?* The beautiful blonde, being a mystery book writer, helping to catch a criminal... it sounds like a fantasy Hitchcock would dream for himself.
Big props to the Schmitt's for keeping the classics coming. The more Hitchcock the better!
Yeah. Also some Akira Kurosawa maybe. And Orson Wells. Citizen Kane (1941), The.Third.Man.1949 maybe.
Agree
I hope they watch *Torn Curtain* someday, it's my favorite Hitchcock film😍
Agree 1000%
I have forgotten that this was a Hitchcock movie. I’ll try to remember it the next time I’m recommending Hitchcock movies to other reactors.
Thank you guys for watching something other than superhero movies, sci-fi CGI eye-candy and other click bait. This is why I am here. You two are becoming film aficionados. You're discovering the power and the beauty of a story well told. Thanks guys. (Edit: corrected my poor spelling)
Even if they were reading the phonebook, they would have a good take on it. That's for old people who know what a phonebook is.
@@miller-joel😂
@@miller-joel Yes
@@miller-joel Phonebook? Obviously that's a digital book you can read on your phone. Right?
@@michaelg2529 No, it's a book with pictures of phones, dummy!
Sir Alfred Hitchcock arranged to have Grace Kelly dressed in bright colors at the start of the film, and made them progressively darker to mirror her character's state of mind.
Kind of like they did in First Blood
Glad someone else knew that. It’s subtle, but a detail Hitchcock would have liked. Not only progressively darker, but drab and conservative. The red gown she first wears is lacy and sexy. The last dress is high collared, long sleeves etc.
I highly recommend checking out Shadow Of A Doubt! It was Hitchcock's favorite film out of all the ones he directed!
Yes! I’m happy someone suggested it. One of my faves as well. Doesn’t get much love.
Thirded
Oh yes, that’s another good one!
Yes! Great film! ❤️
That dinner scene!
For more Grace Kelly and Hitchcock plus Cary Grant, I suggest To Catch a Thief.
Both having John Williams as an investigator 😊😊😊
I hate people with 2 first names.
@@azazello1784 so you also hate Gene Kelly, Jimmy Stewart, Randolph Scott, and John Wayne.
Ray Milland was a top billed actor. You need to see him in his Oscar winning performance in The Lost Weekend, which also won for best picture.
That can segue into an exploration of Billy Wilder, which includes noir, dark comedies and conventional comedies, like Double Indemnity, Sunset Blvd, Some Like it Hot, The Seven Year Itch, Witness for the Prosecution, and many more!
I was trying to remember his name, TYVM. He strikes me as a combination of Jimmy Stewart with Cary Grant.
@@Divamarja_CA - thought the Wilder film about alcoholism was called The Days of Wine and Roses, starring Jack Lennon and Lee Remick.
Another good Hitchcock mystery is "Strangers on a Train" (1951). the basic criminal scheme is used in a lot of police shows, and they often reference the movie when the TV detectives are figuring out the crime, as in "Have you ever seen the movie "Strangers on a Train?". The movie title itself has become a short-hand for the basic criminal scheme in pop culture
Inspector to Margot; "How did you know he was dead?"
TBR; "Because he stopped trying to kill me."
lol
At around 17:50 in the Grace is found guilty montage, they show the judge and they placed the so-called Black Cap of Death on his wigged head, like they did in England for many many years until 1969.
Anthony Dawson, who played Swan in this, may be familiar as one of the first villains to be dispatched by Sean Connery in the first James Bond film, “Dr. No.” “Dial M” was the only film Hitchcock shot in 3-D. It was only released in 2-D, though. A 3-D Blu-Ray is available.
Sanchit chanana is the king star bezubaan this video please
"Rope" is a must. Alfred Hitchcock and James Stewart, small cast confined to a single location, and played out in real time.
lol @ Daniel realizing he shouldn't be rooting for the murder planning husband 😂
This is kinda like Psycho when you guys were worried for Norman getting caught.
Also, our expectant mother-to-be Sam looks glowing! Love ya two, keep up the great content on the channel!!
Love seeing Daniel and Samantha watch Hitchcock classics. Recommendations of Hitchcock:Rope, Birds, To Cacth a Thief, and The Wrong Man.
Agree on Rope and Wrong Man.
The Wrong Man starring Jimmy Stewart.
@@charlieeckert4321The Wrong Man stars Henry Fonda, not Jimmy Stewart. You got the wrong man.
Yes, The Birds, please 🙏🏽 Samantha, you're even more gorgeous now😊
@kissdualipa Yes, love Marnie
❤ This movie was made 4 years before I was born and it was a staple on TV thru my younger years. Love it!!
This movie was made 4 years after I was born and I appreciate the fact that we were exposed to this caliber of movie making so early in life..
So, "before birth" - is this excuse for this film's existence?!! "It can't be MY fault!!" So'll insist poor Swan's death wasn't YOUR fault? That you had nothing to do with Grace's trauma?!! Uh huh... sure... I bet they all say that-! ha ha
@@emwa3600🤣🤣🤣 just brilliant!
I watched it and loved it!
One year for me. Christ, I'm...Bummer!
Very surprised you guys picked this as your next Hitchcock film. Very underrated. I love the giant fake hand dialing the phone. I think for your next Hitchcock you should do Strangers On A Train. It's a masterpiece.
Thanks for doing this one. Please put Notorious on your list, it's my favorite Hitchcock movie 🙏
High Noon (one of the great westerns) and To Catch a Thief (another Hitchcock with Cary Grant). Those are two must-watch Grace Kelly films you haven't seen. Incredible that she's in 4 iconic films considering her career was only 5 years and 11 films!
Also _Rear Window._
@@HuntingViolets Yes, but they've already seen it.
YES! High Noon!
@@melanie62954 True.
Dial M was originally shot in 3D. The close-ups of the keys, the telephone and the attempted murder scene were staged to look especially impressive (e.g., Grace Kelly frantically reaching for the scissors). But the first audiences hated the way the film looked and traditional 2D prints were quickly produced and used instead. Special 3D screenings have occasionally been shown.
Try some of the early British Hitchcock, The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes. Or his great early US films like Rebecca and Shadow of Doubt. All great.
I've always enjoyed this film more than most people seem to. One reason that some shots are "interesting" is that the film was originally shot in 3D. That comes to mind when there's a lamp in the foreground.
.. and, of course, during the scene where she is reaching out for the scissors ''towards you'' @ 11:28 (even though the picture has been blurred at that point) and when the key is held out towards the end of the film @ 23:21
It's the only 3d film I've ever seen
G Paltrow, Michael Douglas, and V Mortenson were in a remake of this in the late 90s called The perfect Murder. Talking the name right from Grace Kelly when they are all on the couch. It was a pretty good remake. Of course, nothing comes close to the original Hitchcock. Would love a Rope reaction sometime.
Love your reactions guys!!!
I disagree. I think the remake is more tightly plotted and better written.
I love that remake.
For that, I agree. It is a great movie. I give Hitchcock credit for the og factor. Thanks for the reminder of the greatness of the remake though!!
I'll be the odd one out and say I didn't care for it. Of course, when I saw it in the theatre, it was projected too low on the screen, and I could see the microphones above everyone's heads, so maybe I'd like it better on rewatch. An interesting thing is the combining of two characters, which changed things considerably. The police detective was played by David Suchet, who, of course, went on to play Hercule Poirot on the ITV series.
The remake is very well made and dare I say better acted. It feels more cinematic while the original is too much like a stage play.
Will there be other film noir polls in the future featuring all of those other films? Because that was quite the list. Would absolutely love to see every single one of those get reacted to at some point lol. I would consider most of them to be amongst the best films ever made.
Double Indemnity is my fave noir - I really hope they watch that one!
This movie is a great example of the "how-catchem" (as opposed to the "whodunnit") crime drama subgenre. If you'd like more in this vein, I can't recommend the _Columbo_ series enough.
Nice to see you doing classics 🙂
I hope you might do Mr Smith Goes To Washington, Grapes Of Wrath and/or Sullivan's Travels.
Sullivan's Travels is awesome.
@@auerstadt06 Preston Sturges' movies are so.......likable.
OMG -- any of those would be fabulous!!!👏
You commented on the way it was filmed. i think what you noticed was that the near objects and people were shot in very sharp focus with the background being unusually blurry. I think the explanation for that is that the studio had demanded that the movie be shot in 3D, although it wasn't released in 3D.
I guess couples therapy didn’t exist back then, the first thing he thought of was murder lol
Technically, Hitchcock is not “noir” - he is in a category of his own: Suspense/thriller/mystery/crime/detective, which is close to noir but Noir has a different and bleaker tone. There are lots of resources for Noir titles- the Film Noir Foundation is especially useful.
Google and even IMDB don’t always provide the best info on film lists - they focus more on what is popular or well-known and is more recent.
Nevertheless, Hitchcock is always rewarding to watch so this was a great choice.
Strangers on a Train would be a great one to do next, I believe it came in second in your poll, it has more of a noirish palette than this though Hitchcock never planned it as noir. His focus was more on setting the mood of the scenes, more than following a thematic idea, to have them blend into a harmonious whole. It also contains one of the best performances in any of Hitchcock's films from Robert Walker as Bruno Anthony.
Seconded
This was a play so it did take place in the one set apartment . Hitchcock loves to make the villains so urbane, sophisticated and dare I say likable that you almost want him to get away with it. The actor who gets murdered you may remember seeing him in "Doctor No". He's the one who plants the spider in James Bond's bed and Bond later executes him.
Amazing choices for reaction, guys! As a Hitchcock fan, I hope you'll be able to watch, Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much and The Birds...eventually. I know you must have a very full plate.
The 1956 version with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day, please.
Exactly.
The birds “ is another great Hitchcock movie, thanks for reacting to all these great classics! So much fun y’all!
That film has stayed with me. A true classic in my mind 💕😊
So glad you're doing more classic films!
Another Hitchcock film (that's often underrated) is "Shadow Of A Doubt".
And for a Hitchcock-esque film that's not by him at all is "Charade". It's Cary Grant & Audrey Hepburn.
Both are great recommendations!
Charade has been called the best Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock didn't make.
Even though it's not film noir it's still a must-see and I'm so happy u got to see it.
And I'm definitely looking forward to more Hitchcock and Film Noir in the future. :)
This movie was a stage play at first by Frederick Knott. Another stage play by him that became a nail biting thriller on screen was Wait Until Dark, starring another lovely lady Audrey Hepburn.
Hitchcock didn’t direct that one but it sure feels like he did!
Wait Until Dark is the best hitchcock movie, hitchcock never made.
Since Samantha likes Grace Kelly, you can submit to your patrons to vote on the 1952 movie "High Noon", one of the most iconic Western movies of all time. It won 4 Academy Awards (Best Actor, Editing, Score and Song) as well as 4 Golden Globe awards. It was selected by the Library of Congress as one of the first 25 films for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The theme of a single individual with no support against a gang of enemies is used in multiple genres besides Westerns.
I would also add her Oscar winning film, Country Girl, as well as High Society.
Fun watching you guys react to a movie just like I did 50 years ago ... think the creators of "Columbo" must have been fans of this one too.
Movies back then were all story teller driven. Not cgi, massive musical scores, unlimited budgets etc. You had to rely on just the best story telling with extremely limited means. That's why the best movies of all time lists were heavily from the 40s, 50s, &60s. And I wasn't even born til the 80s so I'm not biased. They just had to be really good at telling a good story.
That is certainly true for serious dramas, crime films and some comedies, but there were also many movies that today would be considered incredibly lightweight, with lots of singing and dancing, mixed with comedy and sentimentality, and not much of a story. If you watch some of the musicals of the 1930s or 1950s, that's really only about showy setpieces. Or the films of 1930s greatest child star Shirley Temple are all basically the same, with cute little Shirley singing and dancing a lot...
Because this was filmed in 3D, a lot of somewhat strange camera angles were used to make use of this. In one, for instance, a table lamp is between Swan and the husband, but also closer to the camera.
Great great Hitchcock movie! The older movies are much better as you said. You must pay attention to the dialogue. You are spot on with the statement that todays movies you can not pay attention as much and still know what's going on. Great writing and story line.
Brian De Palma made a loose remake of Dial M for Murder that big upped the stylized sex and violence angle in 1984, called Body Double, and it's over-the-top, fun, and just very good.
Liked and seconded! That is a great film, albeit I enjoyed his Dressed to Kill more.
You guys should definitely take at look at 1948s Rope. Another Hitchcock film. The husband in this movie is played by Ray Milland. My favorite performance from him is in 1945s The Lost Weekend. That's another must-see film!
Since you like detective movies you should check out one of the greatest TV detectives ever, Columbo. His tv series were actually 90 minute movies that ran from 1971 to 1978. His mysteries are different from your typical mystery movies. Great characters and great stories. Most of it's easy to fall in love Columbo. He has that kind of charm. His first tv series episode was directed by Steven Spielberg, it's titled: "Murder By The Book".
Great reaction and analysis as usual. I especially enjoyed your comments about the focus required by older movies! ❤
I hope y'all watch "Strangers On A Train", "Rope", "To Catch A Thief", "The Birds", "Notorious" so many to get to. The ending is the best when Tony just gets a drink like "what the hell".
Well, this is a surprise. I was, just yesterday, literally yesterday, looking over my DVD collection and my eyes lit upon this title, and I thought to myself, "There's one film I'll never see a reaction to," and then today, well, there it was. Maybe tonight I should think, really hard, "there's no way I'll even inherit a million dollars from an anonymous relative."
Great reaction! You have to watch Double Indemnity its even better than this one
True film noir….
Dial M is not brought as much as Psycho or Vertigo but it's a true gem.
The script is absolutely airtight and that's exactly why Hitchcock is called: The master of suspense.
You do have to follow closely and with attention but you're rewarded by a truly well done mystery.
Another similar film where there's a whole web of intrigue and double crossings is the excellent Strangers on a Train from 1951.
Btw, Hitchcock's favorite own movie is the superb and tense Shadow of a doubt from 1943.
In the list of the most well known Hitchcock's films, worth seeing are his first film in color, Rope that is notable for being made of a few several long takes and being in real time (the length of the movie is the length of the action), and the closest with Psycho that he touched on horror, the classic The Birds.
Apart from The Birds, he adapted another story by Daphne DuMaurier, the gothic Rebecca that came out in 1940 and won the Oscar for best film.
Another color classic from the 50's is the 1956 remake of Hitchcock's own 1934 film: The Man who knew too much.
Great movie and it directly influenced the creation of the Italian Giallo as Mario Bava first Giallo was named The Girl who knew too much.
The giallo, so you guys know, is an Italian genre that started in the 60's and was at its peak in the early 70's.
It's basically Hitchcock influenced murder mysteries but with graphic nudity and extreme bloody violence.
The giallo itself is the direct ancestor of the American slasher genre of the late 70's and early 80's.
It is very close to the play, so I'd have to give Frederick Knott credit for the tight script.
I just love the transatlantic accent that dominates this movie.
Another film you should check out, speaking of limited sets, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) starring Paul Newman and Liz Taylor, shot like a stage play, the WHOLE film is a series of long scenes of dialog between various characters in one location or another (if it were on a stage, the different scenes would be revealed throughout the play) so the entire film was shot in like five or six locations in the same house with long scenes shot in each one. And of course, the acting is top tier.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof IS actually a stage play by Tenessee Williams, though they tried to hide in the movie version that the wife supposes her husband has had a gay affair. This 'sanitizinv' makes the plot of the film barely unterstandable, but it's still a wonderful movie with Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman at their most powerful (and attractive).
If you liked this, I think you'd also love some of the episodes of Columbo. The pilot episode "Prescription: Murder" is movie length (94 mins); obviously I don't want to give anything away but it's a great detective story along similar lines.
Seconded
The beauty of Columbo is they can jump in at any episode pretty much, having said that, I'd love to see my personal favourite Any old port in a storm.
My favorite show. Columbo is one of the most loveable detectives. You will see so many surprising guest stars in Columbo, and even directors (e.g., Steven Spielberg's episode in season 1), "Murder by the Book." Such an iconic mystery show and worth checking out, even if just a few episodes. It will hook you.
@@andyrooiam That's also one of my favorites. Donald Pleasence is amazing in it.
Dial M for Murder was remade in 1998 as "A Perfect Murder" with Michael Douglas and Gywneth Paltrow as the married couple. The remake is well done. Michael Douglas is good as the villain.
If you want a (sorta) villain to root for, I highly suggest Miller's Crossing. It's a great period piece with an amazing cast and plot/story
Consider another classic thriller with twists and surprises:WAIT UNTIL DARK (1967), considered one of the better films of the 60s.
Im sure your list is long , so try to fit it in whenever you can.
As always, your reactions and reviews are the best!
Yes. Such a good movie
Great film. Written by Frederick Knott, who also wrote Dial M for Murder.
@@johnmoreland6089 Oh, I didn't know that! Thanks for the info.
"Do they arrest men carrying purses?"
Sadly ... yes. There's a great movie starring John Hurt called The Naked Civil Servant that goes over the draconian laws used against gays in that era (and anybody who just appears to be gay). It's about Quentin Crisp, a real person who pushed back at those laws and perceptions, and let me tell you, the police did a lot worse than just arrest men with purses. It's tough subject matter, what it's certainly worth a watch.
Rebecca 1940
Birds 1963
And VERY underrated Marnie 1964!
You two are the most fun. This was a blast. Thank you.
Thanks for reacting to this! One of my favorite Hitchcock films. This influenced the mystery genre by making the "howcatchem" popular ("howcatchem" vs "whodunit," where instead of trying to figure out who the killer is, you know who it is and it is more focused on evidence and how to catch him). If you like this, I would recommend checking out "Columbo," which was a movie length show that was part of a mystery block for years on TV in the 70's (each episode was basically a made for TV movie). One of the most popular detective shows of all time. A young Steven Spielberg even directed one of the episodes in the first season. I know you don't typically react to classic TV, but Columbo is timeless and an icon, so even if you don't react to it, I suggest watching it on your own time.
Dial M for Murder was originally done in 3D and according to Martin Scorcese Hitchcock did a masterful job using space to give the story extra depth and meaning with the film's single location.
The hired murderer whom you couldn’t place has a role in the first James Bond film, “Dr. No”. Anything more would be a spoiler for you, but I would recommend it and the other 400 James Bond films.
This film was based on a play, which seems obvious from its mostly one location. I assume the play just went from the wife being arrested to the next scene where she's been sentenced for execution, which is why the scenes of her trial and sentencing are filmed the way they are - they just wanted to summarize them for the audience instead of having one of the characters in the next scene say "Well, the trial is over, she was found guilty, and is going to be executed tomorrow."
Great reaction guys! So my soon-to-be wife recently moved in with me and we've been binge watching some old thrillers and dramas, including Hitchcock's (not Vertigo or Rear Window sadly absent on our streaming app). We both agreed that, while very entertaining, this movie wasn't up to Hitchcock's other masterpieces like North by Northwest or The Birds. My main issue with it was that the riddle is solved almost verbally rather than visually, like if it was a stage play. Anyways, I hope you get to watch Strangers on a Train because my SO and I both loved that one. Also I recommend Charade for another perfect mistery movie.
When a movie stays put in one set, that's a sure giveaway that it was originally a stage play.
The actor who plays Swann is Anthony Dawson, who is best know for playing Professor Dent in the Bond film “Dr. No.” So if Daniel is a 007 fan that may be why he looks familiar.
doesn't that contradict itself though? if he's a 007 fan you'd think he'd know who that is....... but he didn't.
@@chrismeulen8108 in his defense, Dawson didn’t have a mustache in Dr. No. This is all theoretical anyway.
@@chrismeulen8108It's quite normal to forget where one has seen a face before. Happens even IRL, and much easier with actors in films.
Great movie. The reason for the shots of things in the foreground like the lamp is because it was originally shot for 3D showing 👍😎
Cool that you guys did this one. You might enjoy touch of evil by Orson Welles or a great film starring Cary grant called Arsenic and Old lace, which is a dark comedy of the time, based off of a play. It’s something I could see the Coen Brothers remaking if they hadn’t done a LadyKillers remake. That said, the Coens have a great Noir film called The Man who wasn’t there. Great film and beautifully shot.
It's what Judges put on their heads when sentencing someone in England - don't know if it's only for the death penalty or for even just sentencing someone to jail for 10 years.
The 22 minute scene when Tony meets Swan is nothing but two men talking and moving about in a room and it is MESMERIZING. Every shot, every movement is alive with intention. It is so perfectly performed by Ray Milland that he deserved an Oscar.
One fascinating Hitchcock movie that no one has ever reacted to is "Marnie." Sean Connery plays the owner of a company who catches a beautiful but deeply troubled female thief trying to rob his company safe and blackmails her into marrying him.
This type of story is called a "chamber play/piece", other examples are "Rope", "Who's afraid of Virginia Wolf", "12 angry men" and "Arsenic and old lace"!
The guy he is framing was in Dr. No. Died to Sean Connery's beautiful line. 'Walther pistol. And you've had your 6'
That list of film noir movies is missing "Laura," one of the best film noirs of all time.
If you like this setting you might like Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944), which literally takes place in a lifeboat.
Yes. Great movie
If you want another classic Hitchcock murder mystery in a room then it has to be Rope (1948).
When I was little in the 60s we used to watch reruns of “The Bob Cummings Show” In the summer, good fun wholesome entertainment
If you want a simple set up and a single setting, go for Rope and Lifeboat, both Hitchcock movie! Rope is set in an apartment and only has 3 or 4 cuts! Lifeboat is set in a .....liefeboat! Both are classics!
Glad you enjoyed Dial M. Hopefully you will do Rope soon and Strangers on a train. Some of my favorite noir films are In a Lonely Place, Dark Passage, Key Largo, The Big Sleep, High Sierra, Double Indemnity, Woman in the Window and many others. Hopefully you can get to some of these films this is a great genre from the 40's and 50's. Keep up the great work.
Dial M for Murder was originally a theater play, so it is filmed in the same manner as the original play, mostly in one room. 12 Angry Men was also based on a one-room play for TV.
In modern movies based on theater plays they normally re-imagine the plot so that the action is not constrained to one room.
Mel Brooks movie "High Anxiety" is an homage to Alfred Hitchcock. Very funny movie.
This is based on the stage play of the same name by Fredrick Knott. Another classic thriller made from one of his plays is “Wait Until Dark” starring Audrey Hepburn as a blind woman who is terrorized by Alan Arkin and Richard Crenna.
Good choice. I believe this was originally a radio play so, now journeying through another medium to a whole new audience. There's surprisingly good stuff back there if you pick classics like this.
Dial M for Murder was filmed in 3-D. The fad died out, so it was released only in 2-D. They struck a few 3-D prints in the 80s so I got to see it on W8th Street in NYC.
Always loved how this one is kind of more like a play being filmed. That isolation and simplicity really add to the suspense. Sometimes limitations are helpful.
Strangers on a Train, Shadow of a Doubt, The Birds and Rope are also top tier Hitchcock
You guys do such a great job with the classics--and there are so many great ones! Please keep reacting to them!
Ray Milland starred in a ton of great movies but my favorite role of his is in THE THING WITH TWO HEADS.
...and don't forget "Frogs" with a young Sam Elliott and Joan Van Ark.
Thanks for commenting one of my two favourite Hitchcock’s (the other one is Shadow Of a Doubt), it’s amazing how easily Tony twists the reality … he really thinks fast !
I love chief inspector John Williams (he and Grace Kelly play in Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief - starring Cary Grant), especially his remark on Mark which you skipped : « They talk about flatfoot policemen, may the saints protect us from gifted amateurs » and also how he combs his moustache at the end of the movie, so British 😂 !
I was born six months after this movie was released, I can tell you it was very difficult to type in those days, unless one worked in an office, Tony could have typed his letters, not Margot.
Greetings from France 🇫🇷
I always loved the fake finger going into the M hole in the phone dial (fake because they couldn't focus that close on a real finger and dial) and then the cut to the mechanism that actually clicks the numbers. Who else would think of that but Hitchcock?
Definitely do Strangers on a Train. Great Hitchcock.
Dial M for Murder was remade in1998. The title was changed to The Perfect Murder staring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow. Some things were changed to keep the viewer guessing, but , unlike many remakes, it was an excellent movie. Another great Hitchcock movie is Notorious 1946 staring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains. Two other movies you should consider seeing are Gaslight 1946 and The Last of Shiela 1973. One hears the word Gaslighting on the news every day. You should see the movie from where the term comes. The Last of Shiela is a mystery which plays fair with the viewer.
The iconic one's you still need to watch:
Rebecca (1940) --
His forgotten masterpiece.
Shadow of A Doubt (1941) --
Hitchcock's personal favourite of his films.
Notorious (1946)
A very sexy movie, with a very smart and intricate story.
Rope (1948)
Great performances and notable for it's impressive long takes.
Strangers On A Train (1950) --
A masterpiece.
To Catch A Thief (1957)
One of the most charming films ever made (Cary Grant!) and very underrated.
Frenzy (1972) --
Hitch's last great movie, and his darkest one arguably. Probably best to save till last.
Frenzy is another great Hitchcock movie.
The Birds is a classic Hitchcock movie.
I highly recommend:
One False Move, directed by Carl Franklin, Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton star in this noir crime thriller.
World War Z, action horror film, directed by Marc Forster, starring Brad Pitt fighting off zombies in order to seek a cure that can help mankind.
Kandahar, action spy thriller film, starring Gerard Butler, directed by Ric Roman Waugh.
The Long Goodbye, noir comedy mystery thriller film, directed by Robert Altman, starring Elliot Gould.
Exorcist III: Legion, supernatural horror film, directed by William Peter Blatty, starring George C. Scott and Brad Dourif.
Stephen King's Needful Things, supernatural Horror Thriller film, starring Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, and Max Von Sydow. Directed by Fraser C. Heston.
This move was based on a play and in the 90s they made sort of a remake that altered some parts starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and a bunch of other famous actors.
Love it when you react to the clessics.
Movies at the time, from the early '30's to 1968, were under an incredibly strict censor code which affected all sorts of facets. For one thing, they could not show a lot of blood - Psycho a few years after this movie really broke the mold for excess blood, and even there, the movie was filmed in black-n-white so as to tone down the gore. And the audiences at the time were still shocked to their core.
The shots were done the way they were (with objects in the forefront) because it was a 3D movie! I saw the film in Paris in 3D many years ago and the shot with the key in the end really made the audience gasp!
I enjoy your reactions to the older movies. I would LOVE to see you two watch A Time to Kill. It's a great courtroom drama movie. It has some of your favorite actors that I know you will recognize.
Yes back then a man carrying a purse would have been arrested. Homosexuality was against the law in the UK back then. They would have been arrested for suspicion of homosexuality.
Another Grace Kelly/Hitchcock film is ‘To Catch a Thief’ a 1955 romantic light thriller. Another film she starred in that you should watch is the classic western ‘High Noon’ from 1952.
"Interesting shots". It was shot for 3D. Hitchcock saved the showy "coming at you" stuff for the murder scene. For the rest of the movie, he wanted you to feel like you were in the apartment, so he placed objects in the foreground like bottles on tables or the back of a chair to partially obscure the actors. Most movies clear out anything between the camera and the actors (and doing it on the fly if the camera moves) even if it's unrealistic if you stop to think about it. The effect Hitchcock achieved made people feel much closer to the action(as if they were in a chair by the fire). People in the theaters would tilt their heads trying to see around the foreground objects (even though that wouldn't work) much to the delight of Hitchcock.
Great Hitch movie. Re executions, these were legal in the UK at the time. Traditionally a judge would place a black cloth on his head when passing a sentence of death. Other notable Hitch films are Rope, Psycho, The Birds, 39 Steps, North by Northwest, Notorious.
*Is Alfred Hitchcock the character of Mark?* The beautiful blonde, being a mystery book writer, helping to catch a criminal... it sounds like a fantasy Hitchcock would dream for himself.