Alfred Hitchcock is yet again the subject of new filmmaking with The Making of Psycho: a film about the making of a film.
Anthony Hopkins is Alfred Hitchcock, Helen Mirren is wife Alma, Scarlett Johansson is Janet Leigh, and James D'Arcy is Anthony Perkins.
John McLaughlin wrote the script (he also wrote Black Swan, good sign) from the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello.
First of all: Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh? I'm not sure that sits right. Leigh was sharp-eyed, intense, and possessed of a quickness only small, cunning foxes have. Johansson, on the other hand, is slow, languid, bleary-eyed, like some kind of drugged turtle. Rachel McAdams wouldn't have been a bad choice; not sure why they're going with the too-young (Leigh was 30 at the time of the film, Johansson stopped aging at 11) Scarlett except that they're trying to make shittons of money off of having her famous name in the film.
Okay, this is Janet Leigh. Notice the depth and focus in the eyes; the newly-found sensuous maturity in the contours of the face, and the cool, collected angles of her bone structure.
"I'm stoned!"
It's too bad they didn't follow the casting lead of My Week With Marilyn, which saw Michelle Williams brilliantly protraying Marilyn Monroe during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl in 1958. They could have put someone really horrible in the film who fantasizes that she's Marilyn Monroe, like Lindsay Lohan or, oh, say, Scarlett Johansson, but they went with talent instead and it paid off.
Psycho was an amazing masterpiece of terror and suspense and I'm hoping that The Making of Psycho has that sort of wonderful feeling you get from watching a biopic about filmy people like Ed Wood. I want to see the inner workings of Hitchcock on this film. I'm interested.
This is actually some pretty brilliant casting right here: James D'Arcy (yes, ladies and fans of Pride and Prejudice) as Tony Perkins.
Tony
And hey! Finally, Hopkins cast in something for which he might actually be suited? That hasn't happened since Audrey Rose!
Watch this trailer for the documentary The Psycho Legacy, directed by fellow horror nerd/writer Rob Galluzo, which sums up why horror fans adore Hitchcock and the Psycho film (and it's subsequent tawdry sequels):
I think ScarJo will be okay. I'd rather see this than the remake of any of Hitch's flicks. Those don't need to be remade. This might be interesting.
And Paltrow as Grace Kelly would totally work. I was thinking about her today, having seen her on a cooking show. She's really frustrating. I think she's talented, but all her personal stuff (like the cooking show, Goop and the whole "Hi, I'm Gwyneth Paltrow and I have famous friends and stuff!" stuff) make me want to forget that.
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A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open.
I think ScarJo will be okay. I'd rather see this than the remake of any of Hitch's flicks. Those don't need to be remade. This might be interesting.
And Paltrow as Grace Kelly would totally work. I was thinking about her today, having seen her on a cooking show. She's really frustrating. I think she's talented, but all her personal stuff (like the cooking show, Goop and the whole "Hi, I'm Gwyneth Paltrow and I have famous friends and stuff!" stuff) make me want to forget that.
I agree this could be more interesting than a remake, but I'm not sure about Paltrow playing Grace Kelly. Hmmm I wouldn't know who I would of cast though. But I agree with your comments concerning Gwen I think she is a entertaining actress I really did love her in "Shakespeare in love" and I thought she played a decent supporting role in "Seven". But I agree her persona can be somewhat annoying.
I remember back in high-school kind of liking Gus Van Sant's remake of "Pyscho", but at the same time being incredibly annoyed with some of it especially the scene with Norman watching Marion through the peep-hole. I felt that was more of execution in salaciousness. Hitchcock would of rolled in his grave if he saw that, I have seen interviews with him saying that he doesn't like the idea of nudity being used in a exploitative manner and that he views it as "vulgar" and 'in bad taste." I am a huge fan of his movie "Frenzy" which well obviously showed the need for it. Other than that I don't think Hitchcock would of like that scene in there or maybe not liked that remake at all. I think it had some interesting visual aspects about it, but it wasn't that inventive and I hated how Julianne Moore played her sister "Lila" I just felt that character was too forced being a "bad ass". I think Van Sant wanted I guess a more modern strong type of character with her, but I just felt like it came off completely unnatural. I think Vera Miles did a excellent job although reserved you could tell the urgency to get answers and even putting herself in harm's way to get them. Although I guess people could say she is still "weak" type of character in that time period, but she seems more forthright in her quest and it come off more natural.
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"I hurt" - Karen Cooper "Night Of The Living Dead"
...I'm not sure about Paltrow playing Grace Kelly. Hmmm I wouldn't know who I would of cast though.
Maybe January Jones? She's got the whole Ice Queen vibe happenin'.
"Would have" excuse me for the typo. You know does anyone like her a lot? I mean acting wise? My friend can't stand her and I don't really watch her on Mad Men so I don't have a real opinion on her. I thought she did a decent job as Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class, but again like always not that much development went into the character besides the basic outline I think. But I thought she was decent enough I suppose.
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"I hurt" - Karen Cooper "Night Of The Living Dead"
You know does anyone like her a lot? I mean acting wise? My friend can't stand her and I don't really watch her on Mad Men so I don't have a real opinion on her. I thought she did a decent job as Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class, but again like always not that much development went into the character besides the basic outline I think. But I thought she was decent enough I suppose.
She's taking a lot of crap, huh? She was kinda stiff in X-Men, I suppose. She's rather tranquilized on Mad Men, but that fits the character. The first time I became aware of her was in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, and I thought she was really good. So, for me, the jury is still out.
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A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open.
January Jones actually captures the total package of Grace Kelley more than Gwenyth Paltrow, to me.
Jones seems subdued, a bit limited, and definitely boring. Just like Grace Kelley. God bless her, for all her incredible beauty, Kelley had almost no sex appeal and was totally dull as an actress. I never understood Hitchcock's fascination with her (other than that he wanted to do her).
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"Another great thing about being 70,000 light years away from the nearest Starfleet vessel is that once we finally get back to Earth, we can makeup bullshit stories. Off the top of my head: 'We met Amelia Earhart,' 'We singlehandedly eliminated most of the Borg fleet' or 'Paris and I turned into giant pink lizards and mated.'"
January Jones sucks life out of films the moment she enters the screen. She was terrible in every performance I have seen. Her cleavage is the most memorable thing about her... She was the one aspect of X-Men: First Class that hurt the film the most. If a script doesn't bring much, she is incapable of doing anything to make up for it. Seriously, she makes Megan Fox look like a classically trained actress.
[January] Jones seems subdued, a bit limited, and definitely boring. Just like Grace Kelley. God bless her, for all her incredible beauty, Kelley had almost no sex appeal and was totally dull as an actress. I never understood Hitchcock's fascination with her (other than that he wanted to do her).
I think Hitch liked to think of his blondes as little dolls he played with. It was a way to work through his intimidation, I believe.
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A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open.
I definitely see that in Tippi Hedren and Kim Novak, too. Janet Leigh seems to be the only one with a personality or any talent.
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"Another great thing about being 70,000 light years away from the nearest Starfleet vessel is that once we finally get back to Earth, we can makeup bullshit stories. Off the top of my head: 'We met Amelia Earhart,' 'We singlehandedly eliminated most of the Borg fleet' or 'Paris and I turned into giant pink lizards and mated.'"
I definitely see that in Tippi Hedren and Kim Novak, too. Janet Leigh seems to be the only one with a personality or any talent.
Yeah, Hedren especially leaves no lasting impression. I can watch her in a movie, then almost completely forget I just watched her for 2 hrs. And Kim Novak is frustrating — she's so gorgeous and technically able, but it's like there's a wall surrounding her at all time.
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A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open.
And Kim Novak is frustrating — she's so gorgeous and technically able, but it's like there's a wall surrounding her at all time.
Dude, totes!
Novak looked so gorgeous, but there was something dead behind her eyes. She should have just stuck to being a model. Cameron Diaz, too.
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"Another great thing about being 70,000 light years away from the nearest Starfleet vessel is that once we finally get back to Earth, we can makeup bullshit stories. Off the top of my head: 'We met Amelia Earhart,' 'We singlehandedly eliminated most of the Borg fleet' or 'Paris and I turned into giant pink lizards and mated.'"
Loosk like Jessica Biel will play Vera Miles and Helen Mirren will play Hitch's wife, Alma.
But WHO is going to play Kim Novak?
Kate Bosworth, probably?
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"Another great thing about being 70,000 light years away from the nearest Starfleet vessel is that once we finally get back to Earth, we can makeup bullshit stories. Off the top of my head: 'We met Amelia Earhart,' 'We singlehandedly eliminated most of the Borg fleet' or 'Paris and I turned into giant pink lizards and mated.'"
I think ScarJo will be okay. I'd rather see this than the remake of any of Hitch's flicks. Those don't need to be remade. This might be interesting.
And Paltrow as Grace Kelly would totally work. I was thinking about her today, having seen her on a cooking show. She's really frustrating. I think she's talented, but all her personal stuff (like the cooking show, Goop and the whole "Hi, I'm Gwyneth Paltrow and I have famous friends and stuff!" stuff) make me want to forget that.
A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open.