According to the IMDB, this wasn't one of Hitchcock's favorite movies, and is considered by many (perhaps even himself) to be an `experiment that failed.' I must disagree. I think I liked this better than any other Hitchcock movie I've seen.
Where should I start? I guess the thing I loved the most was the long takes, but hey, I'm a sucker for long takes if they're done well. The thing I liked most about the recent film Snake Eyes was the opening shot that follows Nicholas Cage all over the place for the first 8-10 minutes or so. I love the beginning of The Player because it shows the busyness and interconnectedness of life at a Hollywood studio. I love the long takes here because they are largely responsible for the pervasive creepy tension and atmosphere of the film. We, the audience, are stuck in the apartment with the two murderers and the body for the entire movie. Since the location never changes, we learn the layout of the apartment, and come to know where everything is at all times, including the body. No matter where the shot takes us, we're always thinking about that body. We wonder whether someone will find it or not, who it will be, and even if the body is actually dead (perhaps I've seen too many horror flicks, but at times I wondered if the body would suddenly wake up and pop his head out of the chest/coffin).
We also wonder where Philip is and what he is doing. Is he acting normally like Brandon, or is he still having a conscience attack and making everyone uncomfortable (including us!)? The whole effect is very claustrophobic, and it really forces the audience to identify with the characters and many of the emotions they are feeling. Our obsession with the body is surely shared by the anxious Philip, who is terrified of getting caught. Our concerns about Philip's behavior are shared by Brandon, who is surely worried that Philip will do something stupid enough that someone figures out what happened.
A few parts really stand out in terms of effect. One is the part in which the maid is clearing off the chest after dinner. The camera shows her and the chest, but offscreen to the right the men are talking-either about David or something else, I can't remember. I think it's David. The tension created by this scene is incredible, for we know that once she finishes with the table, she might put the books back in and find the body. Another particularly effective part (I guess I can't say `scene,' can I?) is the very end. Hitchcock doesn't try to `enrich' it with dialogue; he simply lets the images and sounds speak for themselves.
I will admit that some of the cuts were quite contrived, but I guess that's unavoidable. In a movie with 7 cuts connecting 8 extremely long takes, the cuts are bound to be relatively noticeable simply because of their rarity and the fact that we are looking for them. OK, maybe some people aren't actively looking for them, but I was. Anyway, we're so used to films with dozens or even hundreds of cuts that a movie like this really stands out. I don't know if there is any way for Hitch to make the cuts any smoother (i.e. without zooming in on Brandon's back or the chest), but for me the cuts were a bit of a distraction. One of the only things I don't like about the film.
I wish more video stores carried Rope, because it is truly a fascinating movie that deserves study. 9/10
Where should I start? I guess the thing I loved the most was the long takes, but hey, I'm a sucker for long takes if they're done well. The thing I liked most about the recent film Snake Eyes was the opening shot that follows Nicholas Cage all over the place for the first 8-10 minutes or so. I love the beginning of The Player because it shows the busyness and interconnectedness of life at a Hollywood studio. I love the long takes here because they are largely responsible for the pervasive creepy tension and atmosphere of the film. We, the audience, are stuck in the apartment with the two murderers and the body for the entire movie. Since the location never changes, we learn the layout of the apartment, and come to know where everything is at all times, including the body. No matter where the shot takes us, we're always thinking about that body. We wonder whether someone will find it or not, who it will be, and even if the body is actually dead (perhaps I've seen too many horror flicks, but at times I wondered if the body would suddenly wake up and pop his head out of the chest/coffin).
We also wonder where Philip is and what he is doing. Is he acting normally like Brandon, or is he still having a conscience attack and making everyone uncomfortable (including us!)? The whole effect is very claustrophobic, and it really forces the audience to identify with the characters and many of the emotions they are feeling. Our obsession with the body is surely shared by the anxious Philip, who is terrified of getting caught. Our concerns about Philip's behavior are shared by Brandon, who is surely worried that Philip will do something stupid enough that someone figures out what happened.
A few parts really stand out in terms of effect. One is the part in which the maid is clearing off the chest after dinner. The camera shows her and the chest, but offscreen to the right the men are talking-either about David or something else, I can't remember. I think it's David. The tension created by this scene is incredible, for we know that once she finishes with the table, she might put the books back in and find the body. Another particularly effective part (I guess I can't say `scene,' can I?) is the very end. Hitchcock doesn't try to `enrich' it with dialogue; he simply lets the images and sounds speak for themselves.
I will admit that some of the cuts were quite contrived, but I guess that's unavoidable. In a movie with 7 cuts connecting 8 extremely long takes, the cuts are bound to be relatively noticeable simply because of their rarity and the fact that we are looking for them. OK, maybe some people aren't actively looking for them, but I was. Anyway, we're so used to films with dozens or even hundreds of cuts that a movie like this really stands out. I don't know if there is any way for Hitch to make the cuts any smoother (i.e. without zooming in on Brandon's back or the chest), but for me the cuts were a bit of a distraction. One of the only things I don't like about the film.
I wish more video stores carried Rope, because it is truly a fascinating movie that deserves study. 9/10