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Hitchcock –
another biopic, you might think. Decidedly and disappointingly dull,
you might
think. But if you think those things, I can almost guarantee you that
upon
seeing the film you’ll change your mind.
Hitchcock begins
and ends with a breaking of the fourth wall, as Alfred Hitchcock
(played by
Anthony Hopkins) directly addresses the audience and makes
self-reflexive
remarks. Hitchcock is introduced as a filmmaker at the height of his
success,
whilst also a vulnerable individual who frequently succumbs to his love
of food
and the drink. His spouse Alma (Helen Mirren) fully supports him in
every way,
through both personal and professional matters. As the nature of their
love
unfolds in the biopic, audiences realise that the bond that Alfred and
Alma share
is incredibly endearing – this bond becomes the emotional core of the
film. Of
course, a biopic about Hitchcock would be meaningless if it failed to
delve
into his cinematic artistry. The plot of Hitchcock
revolves around the supposed true events leading to the making of one
of his
most acclaimed films, Psycho (1960). Hitchcock
explores the financial
difficulties Hitchcock faced on the journey to making Psycho,
his continuing struggle with what his celebrity and
reputation meant during this period, his naturally voyeuristic
tendencies in
life that became manifest in his fictional films, and his peculiar
treatment of
actresses who worked for him.
Surprisingly, it
appears as though both fans of Hitchcock and cinema goers with no
inclination
towards the horror and thriller genres can enjoy this film. I can be
categorised as the latter, and yet I found the watching of this film to
be an
extremely rewarding experience. There is enough love and emotion
surrounding
Alfred and Alma’s relationship to drive the typical romcom fan to
tears. What
is particularly touching is the fact that despite both opportunity and
temptation, neither Alfred nor Alma act on their feelings of
infatuation for
others. Hopkins and Mirren also make for one of the most believable
film couples
I have ever witnessed, and watching them on-screen, you really do feel
as if
they have been married for decades. As for fans of Hitchcock, well,
apparently
Scarlett Johansson impersonated Janet Leigh’s look and mannerisms to a
tee.
Hopkins, after hours of make-up I presume, made a very formidable
Hitchcock. In
Hitchcock, Hopkins transforms into
this slow speaking man of considerable girth, and effortlessly does not
resemble himself in any way.
These last few
years, cinephiles have been graced with biopics that not only explore
the lives
of famous celebrities, but that explore them in inventive ways. In
particular,
I can’t help but compare Hitchcock to
My Week with Marilyn, which was
released just last year. Neither Hitchcock
nor My Week with Marilyn attempts to
explore a life the old-fashioned and arguably boring way, in
chronological
order from start to finish. Instead, these biopics both focus on one
aspect of
the celebrity’s life. In My Week with
Marilyn it was a period of time spent with a practical stranger; in
Hitchcock it is the obstacles that
Hitchcock overcame in order to create one of the definitive films of
his
career. In conclusion, Hitchcock
differs from the usual biopic in so many ways. Aside from that, the
cast is
painfully perfect, and there are definitely things to love, for both
fans of
Hitchcock and fans of romcoms alike.
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