Comments on Alfred Hitchcock Geek: Why Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" Matters

Wow - Fascinating overview and ideas there! Still...

2009-08-27T11:39:12.112-07:00

Wow - Fascinating overview and ideas there! Still, it seems you can't pop a video into your machine anymore without seeing Hitchcock references like easter eggs - from TV's Dexter and Monk to the Simpsons and beyond....

Off the top of my head I reckon its a bit of both....

2009-08-27T05:30:23.240-07:00

Off the top of my head I reckon its a bit of both. With James Bond films, the reason they have spawned a long-running franchise and been as successful as they are is because they use the current trend in spy/action/whatever-genre-is-the-craze and, effectively, adapt it to suit James Bond. So 'From Russia...' inspired by Hitchcock, 'Moonraker' (1979) (note that in Flemings novel he doesnt go to space) was inspired by the space-craze post-Star-Wars of '77 and then the new films, Casino Royale/Quantum of Solace is digging into the the character moreso akin to the Bourne films. I wouldn't be suprised if you could go through each and every Bond film and choose what films of the same period inspired it. Its what keeps bond up-to-date and keeps the franchise moving.

Hey Knowingviews - Absolutely! One of the debate...

2009-08-26T11:51:39.402-07:00

Hey Knowingviews -

Absolutely! One of the debates in the Hitchcock studies world is whether "From Russia With Love" is an homage or a ripoff! SO many Hitch references in that flick. What do you think?

Yeah, I had always heard that the style of film th...

2009-08-26T06:57:55.625-07:00

Yeah, I had always heard that the style of film that North by Northwest was what influenced Terence Young and the first few 007 movies - especially the helicopter swooping in From Russia with Love - clearly inspired by the plane in North by Northwest, in turn, inspired by The 39 Steps. Strange that Fleming himself was inspired by Buchan's novel - the criss-crossing of film and literature always fascinates me.