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Rope

Rope

List Price: $19.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Another techincal and dramatic masterpiece by Hitchcock
Review: Rope is an amazing, amazing film. Don't miss it. It may seem a bit slow for some, but Hitchcock enthusiasts will love it. James Stewart is a bit miscast for Rupert Cadell (he looks a little young), but his performance is as memorable as always. John Dall does well as the psychotic murderer with theories of superiority, but his stutter becomes a bit frustrating. Philip (Farley Granger)does well as the slowly maddening co-murderer (if i may call it that) of David, becoming overridden by guilt during the course of the party. I've heard this film is loosely based on the Leoplad and Loeb murders and adapted from a play. THIS MOVIE MUST BE WATCHED SEVERAL TIMES TO NOTICE THE SUBTLE BLACK HUMOR BETWEEN THE GUESTS OF THE PARTY. HITCHCOCK'S TELLTALE SYMBOL CAN BE SEEN IN A NIGHT SCENE IN A NEON SIGN THROUGH THE WINDOW.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Was this Hitchcock??
Review: I kept waiting for this movie to get better. And it never did. The begining is interesting, but it drags, and the ending is a disapointment.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Nothing has ever held you like Alfred Hitchcock's ROPE!"
Review: ROPE is a very experimental-and highly underrated-Hitchcock film. The film (based on the play ROPE'S END and, although loosely, the Leopold-Loeb murder) begins when two young men (John Dall and Farley Granger) murder a college student for fun and because he is a "lesser" man. As a celebration they throw a party inviting the victim's parents, his girlfriend, her ex-boyfriend who Dall would like to put her with, and their old college teacher (James Stewart). ROPE is a highly entertaining and suspenseful film. The experimental angle comes as the film was shot entirely in eight ten-minute takes, (or was that ten eight-minute takes?) giving the impression that it was all one shot. The casting is great, with Dall perfect as the psychotic murderer, Sir Cedric Hardwicke memorable as the victim's father, and Stewart...well, you can't say too many good things about him, though it takes him a while to appear. While not as good as some of Hitchcock's earlier (THE 39 STEPS, REBECCA) or later (VERTIGO, NORTH BY NORTHWEST) masterpieces, ROPE is very well made film, perfect for fans of Hitchcock, Stewart, or suspense films in general.

ROPE's final rating: 9 out of 10

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A technical and dramatic triumph
Review: A highly successful technical experiment. This was Hitchcock's first color film, shot on one set in (almost) one unbroken shot. Pretty amazing when you consider that the cameras of that time were not nearly as portable as those of today. The set had to be constructed with walls that were movable to accomodate the movements of the camera, and those movements had to be accomplished silently because the production used actual real-time sound. Pay attention to the lighting as well; a panoramic cityscape was constructed for the set and the lighting technicians simulate a sunset as the action unfolds.

The performers are outstanding as well, particularly James Stewart and John Dall. Real tension is generated as the players confront and confound each other while Hitchcock's roving camera moves through the room, always alert for the telling detail. Classic.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The 11 year old below
Review: ROPE was an interesting watch. The innovative "long takes" was clever and entertaining to watch and Hitchcock really worked well with this unusual tecnique. Jimmy Stweart is wonderful and his monologue at the end was a truly honest and wise realization of his personality. It is a great "moral" that really breaks your heart. The script is an interesting work of black humor wit and intelligent ramblings. Farley Granger does well with his guilt-ridden murderer role. I liked the "murder weapon cleverly disposed of" theme with the rope around the books, a similar ironic and black comic twist used in "Lambs to the Slaughter", an episode from his famous TV show.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An experimental masterpiece
Review: Certainly, Rope is best known for two elements; the famous single shot takes and the fact that the basis for the movie was the Leopold-Loeb murders. But there is so much more to this brilliant film, my personal favorite of the Hitchcocks.

The passionate love triangle that consumes the three star players is fascinating. John Dall, the psychotic genius, desperate for the love and approval of his old house master. Farley Granger, who is rather stiff as an actor but is perfect as Philip, the pianist who would suppress his own artistic talents in order to please his wayward lover. And Jimmy Stewart, in a role that was turned down by Cary Grant presumably for the homosexual content, as the repressed Rupert who scoffs at a society that would scorn him.

Furthermore, the premise is utterly macabre, the suspense is terrifying and the cinematography is gorgeous. I get chills each time Brandon drops the rope into the drawer while the kitchen door swings open. I love this film, I recommend it highly.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: DEFINITELY AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT
Review: What makes this film rather unique is the well-known fact that Hitch took a gamble and experimented by filming this movie in 10 minute takes without cuts or interruptions to provide a seamless flow of movement rather like a filmed play. The result is not overwhelmingly successful yet it holds the viewer's interest nevertheless. Based upon the notorious Leopold and Loeb case of the twenties, Granger and especially Dall (he's a chilling psycho) do well in their roles; Jimmy DOES seem a tad uneasy in his part, yet he's terrific in his final scenes. The always welcome (what an eccentric pain) Constance Collier does well as an "amateur astrologer" and the gal who plays the boys' housekeeper expertly gets on the viewer's nerves! Hitchcock's first colour film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of HITCHCOCK's very original movies
Review: Interesting movie especially since the whole thing takes place on one set and in "real" time, as one long continuously shot scene. (Clever editing, i'm sure). Jimmy Stewart is perfectly cast. Alfred Hitchcock was a GENIUS! The story is very morbid and even more so since it is based on a real life case of two students who killed a fellow student for "kicks". The two lead characters are chilling in their performances.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: One scen, one movie
Review: A whole-night movie happening only inside one aapartment, and even looks lik a one, continuous scene. This has got tobe boring! Nope. When it's Hitchcock making it, it is actually very interesting, and also very exciting. When the partyguests -especially Jimmy Stewart's charecter - begin to doubt the innocence of the hosts, the movie turns into highly stimulating psycholotic thriller- entertainment. A definite movie for any Hitchcock fan.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A different kind of Hitchcock thriller
Review: This was one of the few Alfred Hitchcock films I hadn't seen - but I'm glad that I did. I'm not a student of cineamotography, but I appreciated the build-up of tension that was created in the filming of the movie. I found the movie unsettling and thought-provoking (which to me is the sign of a good show - if it keeps you thinking long after you've seen it, it's done it's job). The acting was wonderful - it was interesting, psychologically, to see the deterioration in Farley Granger's character as fear and guilt overtook him. The subject matter is appalling, especially when you consider the fact that the film is based on the Leopold and Loeb murder that is a very real and unfortunate part of America's legal history. A thought-provoking and chilling journey into the dark side of human nature.


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