tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219214733140697041.post2596474090623361132..comments2023-05-30T05:51:00.400-07:00Comments on Alfred Hitchcock Geek: Hitchcock's Films Among Top 50 Special EffectsJoel Gunzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02597499250122165168noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219214733140697041.post-68248940288503839682015-07-19T07:33:09.861-07:002015-07-19T07:33:09.861-07:00I find myself amazed at Googling Alfred Hitchcock ...I find myself amazed at Googling Alfred Hitchcock and finding him having been praised for special effects. This causes me to question whether there were different levels and types of special effects, some that were exceptional and that I do not remember, and a second group that stand out in my mind as having been major distractions from my being engrossed in the movie because they were, to use a term from those experiences in the '50's and 60's, "hoakie," or jarringly unrealistic . James Stewart falling and flailing and waving his arms in Vertigo, if I'm recalling correctly. The pursuer (Martin Landau I think) in North by Northwest when he falls from the face of Mount Rushmore. (No play on words intended.) And, for me, so many of the "special effects" scenes in The Birds destroyed any "suspension of disbelief.<br /><br />There is a One Day University presentation on Genius that includes a lecture on Alfred Hitchcock, and that prompted me to make a threshold search. I hope to attend. But "Reality" in most special effects would seem to me to be absolutely essential. I'm not talking about the concept of The Birds, but of the presentation on film.<br />Joe BurkettJoe Burkettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219214733140697041.post-50805448896556936812009-01-17T21:18:00.000-08:002009-01-17T21:18:00.000-08:00One of the delightful things about Hitchcock's use...One of the delightful things about Hitchcock's use of special effects was that they always <B><I>enhanced</I></B> the story line and didn't attempt to become the story. Modern movie makers have a great deal to learn from that.<BR/><BR/>One modern movie that seems to get it in this area is <I>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button</I>.<BR/><BR/>Joel, you have an excellent site here!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com