THE RISE OF THE RUDE AUDIENCE

I have been to a lot of live theatre and concerts over the years. The saying goes 'there's always one.' What has grown increasingly frustrating over recent years, is the 'one' has grown significantly and audiences are becoming ruder and more frustrating. 

 

So apologies before I continue, this is a cranky blog! Regular readers will know I try to keep things pleasant, upbeat and hopefully entertaining. But as I endure audiences to bring you most of my posts, sometimes things aren't pleasant and in the realms of disclosure, I am going to share honestly. So there may be language, there will be home truths and I have pulled on my cranky pants! 

 

Those that know me well, know this is a little (ok huge) bugbear of mine, so why now...well Easter Saturday was a great day, back to back movies and a double concert, but from these I was witness to some pretty shitty behaviour and whilst it did not completely ruin my experiences, they sure as hell would have been heightened without!

 

Let's start with the cinema, because audience behaviour there can be pretty awful too. Cut about 10mins to the end of Amour. A movie I might add that was quite incredibly sad, emotional and exhausting to sit through (though very good!). I noticed a couple climbing the stairs to where I was sitting with a friend. I thought it was odd I did not see them leave, but continued watching. No, they had never left, they were arriving for the NEXT film!?! The choose the row in front of us....there were 7 people in the cinema, all spread out! They shuffled along until they almost got to us, sat down, had a conversation and mucked about with their phones. My friend and I exchanged glances that pretty much equated to WTF!?! Well, mine certainly did! Then, they got up and shuffled to the very 2 seats directly in front of us. How I did not smash the backs of their head I have no idea...I really mean that. The credits rolled, I wiped away my tears (it was that kind of movie) and we stood up to move out, they apologised in case they had disturbed us. My friend told them they had ruined the end of the movie, they looked back with shock and as I stood gobsmacked at their utter rudeness, they looked at me with a bit of a how dare we comment. I gave them my very best fuck off and die look (if you know me, you know it is pretty awesome) and moved away. Had I opened my mouth, I would not have been as eloquent as my friend. As I walked away, In heard one say to the other, 'we said sorry, what is wrong with them.' Why would anyone behave like that, I have absolutely no idea, but it is becoming fairly normal and common behaviour from my observations!

 

Cut to an evening at Newcastle Entertainment Centre to see Rufus Wainwright and Paul Simon. First off, I have to disclose I am a fuckwit magnet at concerts, ask anyone who has been to a concert with me, without exception I always sit next to a complete twat! I've even experimented with friends either side, yeah that was REM where a douche spilled beer down my back from behind all night! So behind us at this concert were two loud women, who conducted a conversation rather loudly throughout the most of the concert. That was when they weren't singing very loudly off key or clapping out of time...give me strength!! I used my evil eye, my friend told them off on more than one occasion, they looked at us as if we were the idiots! At one point they told us to shut up! My friend said something about they are probably waiting outside for us, hmmm I wish! You don't piss me off at a concert! Of course these are the same people who when Rufus was doing a lovely introduction to his song about Jeff Buckley, said to each other, 'never heard of him'. WTF? As my friend A said, "philistines". Paul Simon covered Here comes the sun, the very same people were like that is a XXX song, thinking they were cool we didn't exactly get the band they were referring to, but it sure as hell wasn't The Beatles or George Harrison.

 

So here is my list of really uncool things to do at a live event, concert or audience based activity:

• Constantly walk in and out of the concert/show while the performer is performing, we are all adults, go to the toilet before hand, if you cannot go a few hours without alcohol, STAY HOME. Seeing people stream in and out is embarrassing, what a waste of money. And how must the performer feel, seeing someone walk out during Paul Simon singing Sounds of Silence is inexplicable!
• Don't be late, YES parking will be a bitch, leave time to find one, get to your seat before the performance starts, it's not brain science. Even better get there earlier, have your drink and conversation prior to the event, as opposed to during! 
• If you are going to stand to dance (and please do, we want to enjoy), think about those around you, some people cannot stand due to health reasons and you would be a complete arsehole if you stood up in front of them. Sometimes the polite and correct thing to do is jiggle about in your seat. If you cannot handle this, purchase tickets for GA or don't come.
• It is not cool to talk through any performance where you are in an audience of people you don't know, or even with those you do. By doing this you are pissing everyone off around you AND everyone can hear what you are saying...and (trust me) it's never anything that makes you look smart or interesting!
• If the venue (in my experiences a cinema) is quiet or almost empty, you don't have to sit on top of the only other person there. I mean, seriously, what is wrong with people that do that???
• If the phone rings, don't answer it and have a conversation. Surely by now you know how to silence or vibrate it. If you are waiting for an important phone call, possible an audience based activity it NOT where you should be.
• If you need to really do leave a live venue during the performance, then do so as discretely as possible
• if you are eating or drinking, try to do so as quietly as you can, especially in the movies.
• Denim Jeans at the theatre, or shudder the Sydney Opera House, are not cool...ever!
• Taking photos and videos are par for the course these days, but be mindful of those around you and check the venue's rules first...or be discreet!

Now, here are music gigs specifics. These are just wrong, on so many levels:

• if you are at a Stevie nicks concert, don't yell out for Christine McVie songs
• if you are at a Dave Stewart concert, don't ask where is Annie
• Don't wear the band t-shirt to the band, it's poor form. If you must, wear one you just purchase over regular clothes (you still look like a dick, just less of one)
• Fancy, shiny, stiletto type shoes at a rock concert are not cool unless you can move at ease up and down stairs in them...you still look like you might be 'with' the band, if you get my drift, but maybe we'll appreciate that...maybe, probably not, but you know, some people can't be told
• Women, you are going to a rock concert, not the Oscars, dress appropriately...to the venue and band
• if you are not into the support act, sit quietly and meditate or leave, cause some people might like them
• If you get all jiggity when you drink, don't hold full glasses of beer behind people
• if you are going to eat crappy, smelly food before attending a gig, please don't burp during the gig
• if you decide to be cool and dance down the front, don't do it in front of someone who is sitting down in the front row! Yes, they got the good tickets (maybe for the first time ever) and do not need some twit jigging up and down and ruining the moment.
• if you decide to be cool and dance down the front, be sure you actually can dance cool!
• if you are going to get up on stage with Australian rock and roll royalty, and you are over a certain age (in this case I think 60) please wear a bra, especially if you are wearing a strapless dress,
• (Sidebar: this rule is a basic fashion rule...one a LOT of people seem to be breaking lately, they may as well be running around naked!)
• if you are at a venue that is a bit classier and seated and people are more chilled, we don't need you downing 10 drinks to everyone else's 1 so that you run around the venue off your tit, showing your tits and being a twit!
• If you are going to buy 4 beers at once to drink just for you, please don't leave the on the floor, cause if you're drinking that many at once, chances are you are shitfaced and will kick them over, and I will be sitting next to you and it will look like I wet myself and also wreck my shoes...arsehole!
• don't wait till the quiet, sensitive moment in the concert to yell something out to the artist...it will always sound moronic!
• if someone is trying to move through the crowd, let them through
• if you are really tall or wearing a hat, check to ensure someone smaller is not behind you and you are not blocking their view

Seriously, I have seen all of this and more, I do not understand this behaviour, is it a Newcastle thing? Is it just how people are now? It has certainly shifted over then years.

I am not going to apologise to any who may take offense with this, it is written with tongue in cheek but meant with a fair dosing of reality, if you don't get it, nothing much must bother you and I wish I could be the same, but I'm not made that way! But honestly, the behaviour of a lot of the above is simply rude and is definitely disrespectful to the artists 'you' have (often) paid a lot of money to see.

Pretty sure I am preaching to the converted here, just venting and eager to hear your own stories of inappropriate audience behaviour???

 

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

 

See this iconic album cover, I stared at it for hours and hours, daydreaming about dancing in the dark with the singer, Bruce Springsteen...and you know, perving at that bottom!

 

I was 13.

 

Now almost 30 years later, I finally got to see him perform at Allphones Arena at Sydney Olympic Park.

 

Whenever you (I) go to a gig, there is anticipation, the bigger the gig, the more beloved the artist, the larger the anticipation. Then, there is expectations, will they play this song or that? And I, as for most things in life, have high expectations!

 

It is very easy to be disappointed. 

 

I was not only not disappointed, but the evening exceeded my expectations...quite significantly.

 

Our seats were in the nosebleed section, back row to the right of the stage, looking down to the stage. They were incredibly steep, and my Vertigo set in immediately. I could barely move, let alone dance, but in time it disappeared...phew!

 

He started at a little after 7.30 and finished at nearly 11pm. He was on stage the entire time, bar maybe 2 mins before the encore. That is 3hrs and about 15mins of sheer entertainment! Oh, and the man is 63!! No mean feat!

 

So the lights went down, the crowd got excited and out came Bruce...the crowd roared. Brooooooce...which kinda sounds like booing, but of course it wasn't. As he walked out he already had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He was solo, in black with a vest. He played an acoustic version of Devils and Dust as a tribute to 10 years since the Iraq War. It was powerful and haunting, and along with my overwhelming excitement I got a little bit emotional...ok, I blubbered.

 

Once the brilliant E-Street Band joined him, things started to rock. I don't think I have ever seen such energy on stage before, with the exception of Prince and possibly The Rolling Stones. And whilst the band were on fire, mostly it came from Bruce, he put every fibre of his heart and soul into the evening, and the crowd loved it. And the more the crowd loved it, the more he loved it, and the more he put into it. I've NEVER seen anything quite so outstanding before. 

 

 

A huge range of songs were played, 27 in total, and there was a perfect mix of new tracks, hits, and album tracks. Of course he can't play everything with a back catalogue such as his, but by god, he gave it a pretty good go! I really wanted him to play Badlands, Born to Run, The Ghost of Tom Joad, Atlantic City and Hungry Heart. I got the first three, but there were some surprises. I love Because the Night, I just never thought he would sing it - but he did and it was magnificent. A song written for Darkness on the Edge of Town, he was never satisfied with it, so excluded it, and then spent time with Patti Smith (another hero) and rewrote it with her, it became her song. I thought he would shy away from Born in the USA tracks, but we got 5 and then there was the fabulous Detroit Medley, a heady mix of covers from the 50s...awesome!!

 

 

Of course, there's also The E-Street Band, a great band, some who have been with him forever, some brand new. For me it was bittersweet, without the presence of Clarence Big Man Clemons, Steve Van Zandt and Miss Patti I was worried. I have no idea where Patti and SVZ were, and why they were not touring. Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, took over guitars. He is a great guitarist, and whilst no SVZ, he added a bit of an extra rock appeal to the evening, with a sublime nod to Hendrix with some teeth gnawing plays!!

 

Since the passing of Clemons I worried about his replacement, how would they find someone good enough (forget great) to do all those sax solos. Well, they have, in the name of Jake Clemons, Clarence's nephew, a hulking, funky, young dude, who more than easily pulled off those sections. It gave me chills, he obviously spent a lot of time with his uncle learning the ropes. In the last song, Tenth Avenue Freeze out, there was a lovely tribute on screen to Clarence and to Danny Federici. The love Bruce has for his band is equal to the love he has for his music and his audience.

 

And speaking of the audience, this show was really all about us! Some artists put on a great show, and sound fantastic but there is heart and soul missing, this was never going to happen here. However, I was completely unprepared for how gobsmackingly joyous he would be, and how much he interacted with us, the  audience, the crowd! He was genuinely loving every moment, the more the crowd went wild, the more he gave. He came out into the crowd early, 7 songs in at Out on the Street, along the side of the GA section, and to a slightly lifted corridor in the middle, singing, and hugging and shaking hands of his adoring fans. Then he turned his back on the GA, and flipped backwards into them to be crowdsurfed back to the stage, singing as he went...it was to be seen!

 

 

He took signs off the crowd, and played their song requests. One lady, had used an art flipchart to request her song with some other funny things written within, Bruce read it all out and promised her she could dance in the dark with him later...the crowd went wild! She, I imagine, almost fainted!! Later, towards the end of Dancing in the Dark, she was escorted onto the stage to dance with him. The Courteney Cox moment all us girls wish we could have. It was brilliant, he always does this, but presumably with younger, model types. She was lovely, but neither of those, a true fan and we all beamed for her experience!!

 

Then later in the evening, I think during Waitin' on a Sunny Day, the cameras panned to a young boy, about 12 I'd reckon, on the shoulders of his father, jigging and singing along. Bruce plucked him out of the audience and handed him the mic, he shyly sung some lines and Bruce encouraged him to dance along, he then took him up to the back of the stage and danced and chatted, then they went down to the front section again and ran along the stage to do a knee slide...so much fun, the kid was old enough to get it, but young enough not to be phased. Bruce was loving every minute of it.

 

This love and interaction, with the audience and band including using every part of the stage to address every part of the audience, was what really made the show. Such energy and spirit lifted everyone through the roof of the stadium. It was a natural high, one everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. I realised that night, he is called The Boss for a reason, a reason you don't wholly realise until you see him live. 

 

As he left the stage at the end of the final song, he was drenched in sweat and water, he looked like there was nothing left to give, although he looked happy, satisfied he had given it all. We all left on a high, with countless earworms going round in our heads, thankful and appreciating the experience.

 

 

Setlist, Wednesday, 20 March, 2013

1. Devils & Dust (solo acoustic) (Devils and Dust)
2. Last to Die (solo acoustic) (Magic)
3. The Ties That Bind (The River)
4. Darkness On The Edge of Town (Darkness on the Edge of Town)
5. Wrecking Ball (Wrecking Ball)
6. Death To My Hometown (Wrecking Ball)
7. Out In The Street (The River)
8. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street? (Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ)
9. The Promised Land (request) (Darkness on the Edge of Town)
10. Cover Me (request) (Born in the USA)
11. No Surrender (request) (Born in the USA)
12. I'm On Fire (request) (Born in the USA)
13. My City Of Ruins (The Rising)
14. High Hopes (Blood Brothers, cover - The Havalinas)
15. Because The Night (Co-written with Patti Smith)
16. Open All Night (Nebraska)
17. Shackled & Drawn (Wrecking Ball)
18. Waitin' On A Sunny Day (The Rising)
19. Lonesome Day (The Rising)
20. The Ghost of Tom Joad (The Ghost of Tom Joad)
21. Badlands (Darkness on the Edge of Town)
Encores:
22. Jungleland (Born to Run)
23. Born To Run (Born to Run)
24. Bobby Jean (Born in the USA)
25. Dancing In The Dark (Born in the USA)
26. Detroit Medley
27. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (Born to Run)

February Round Up

Well and truly into March and I'm just now writing my February Round Up!!

 

That's because February was huge.

 

First off, how am I going with my 42 things:

 

4. Walk more and explore my own surroundings

Before the weather went a bit mental, I was walking in Belmont at lot. There are some great walks around the Green Point area which I highly recommend. A beautiful part of the world, as you can see in this photo. The large tree by itself is my favourite tree ever. I've also been walking around Swansea at lunch and after work.

 

6. More Live Music

Yes!! T and I hit The Great Northern for a dance and to see King Tide. King Tide are an awesome Dub Step/Reggae band. A mix of old school reggae, ska and dub step and very cool. I have always loved reggae and ska, so this was a blast from the past for sure. Great Northern (and the now defunct East Room) part of my stomping ground as a teen in my 20s.

 

7. Go on a picnic

Yes, L and I got through a picnic and the film without being rained out (ok we got soaked leaving, but that was after it finished) atop of Nobbys mid month.

 

 

13. Write more, post on my blog more regularly

I have been enjoying writing more. I don't profess to a great writer, nor am I trained to be one. However, I get a lot of enjoyment out of it, and it is for me and me alone...but if others enjoy it, that makes me smile to. I have guest blogged for ABC and Anita Heiss over the past month, plus upped the ante on my own blog and been doing some other project writing. Good for the soul.

 

15. Spend more time outdoors

I've been trying, a nocturnal, indoors creature by nature, this goes against my being. I hate the heat and wind and not great with critters, but as you can see by 4 I have been trying! The wet weather hasn't helped!

 

17. Mini Breaks to my favourite places and try new ones

I like the mid north coast, plenty of places to get to relatively easy. I used to visit Port Macquarie a lot when staying with my grandparents, who lived in Wauchope, and have ducked into Port on my way up the coast. But, I have never stayed there. So I met L halfway for a girls weekend. This was the nasty weather weekend, where parts of Port were flooded and they had to evacuate! Luckily we stayed closer to the beach on the hill at The Observatory Hotel. Highly recommend The Observatory, we had an apartment, reasonably priced and spacious with a nice view of the beach...well, when it wasn't raining! Despite the weather, we still had a great time catching up, drinking, eating, shopping and relaxing. Poor L got stuck there some additional days, we will try and book our next trip around bad weather!!

 

 18. Pamper myself more

L and I treated ourselves to an afternoon at a day spa whilst in Port Macquarie. Long overdue and sublime. Starting with a foot massage (feet carry your body, so important to look after them), then a body massage, then a facial. 2 hours later we slipped out of there feeling a little zonked out...in the best possible way of course.

 

19. Eat and drink out more/20. Get through my list of local restaurants and cafes

Whilst in Port Macquarie, L and I ate very well, for breakfast, lunch and especially dinner. Amazing 3 course meals with fab wine, champagne and cocktails both nights. Also tried the Thai at Charlestown Square (outside) and had breakfast at Peg's Cafe, Whitebridge - highly recommend both. Went to a few cafes for hot chocolate (don't drink coffee) and cake, and thoroughly enjoyed champagne and Hors D'oeuvres at The Civic Subscription launch.

 

26. Go to the Farmers markets regularly

Only made it once as I was away at Port Macquarie for the second one. Got a range of goodies and treated myself to some Lillies.

 

 

30. Say no

Yes, a few times and yes, it still feels good!

 

31. Have fun and laugh more at work.

Been busy and there has been a few moments during February where you wonder why? However, the fun and good I do as a Librarian and watching my fabulous team evolve make it worthwhile and yes there has been fun and laughter.

 

33. Go to lots of fun social events

Well, that's a given. Aside from everything I have already mentioned, I was lucky to hear Graeme Simsion talk about his book, The Rosie Project, at Charlestown Library. The book is now No. 1 in Australia...wow! There was the Subscription Season Launch at The Civic Theatre which was held backstage. Family dinners, lots of movies, and The Oscars.

 

 

41. Have more fun

Ha ha, for sure!!

 

Secondly, here are some other things I squeezed in to an already packed month!

 

DVDs

I watched Decoy Bride (with David Tennant and Kelly McDonald, both of whom I love), Seeking a friend at the end of the world (with Keira Knightly, whom I really cannot stand and Steve Carell, whom I love) and Friends with kids (large cast), they were all ok, wouldn't rave though. Also Rock of Ages, which was even more crap than I thought I would be.

 

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, which starred Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor, both can do no wrong in my books, and it was delightful, definite recommend. And finally Beasts of the Southern Wild - WOW, just wow, it is a hard one to describe. It views like a documentary, but is not, set in Louisiana in 'the basin', it is about an African American Community post Katrina, their life and their struggles. The young actress who plays Hushpuppy was magnificent. She was nominated for Best Actress at The Academy Awards. I can't recommend this enough, it's a must see!!

 

TV

Loving Series 3 of Downton Abbey, yes it is a soap opera, but I am sucked in, why not!?! Finally caught the second half of Smash. It has gotten so so reviews, but I think it's great. Set behind the scenes of Broadway, about the staging of a musical about Marilyn Monroe. The songs are magnificent, the cast great, the bitchiness and backstage antics fascinating. Debra Messing is great, as is Angelica Huston - she should be in everything, such gravitas! And then there is Jack Davenport, a love since the brilliant This Life, he can do no wrong, especially when he is playing a bad boy. Looking forward to Season 2.

 

Movies

Being Oscar month, there was much to see.

 

I saw Les Miserables, and cried and sung my way through it. I was sitting isolated by myself! Hathaway was magnificent, Jackman was solid, but his pitchy singing let him down and I loved Crowe, he was perfect for the role as bad boy and his singing was spot on. Entire cast magnificent, but really with those songs and Hugo's story, you can't go wrong.

 

I loved Django Unchained, I adore Quentin and his offbeat world. The first half was as close to perfection as you could get, it got a little muddled and messy in the second half, but that is Quentin. Waltz stole the show, from the amazing cinematography and great soundtrack.

 

Again, I adored Silver Linings Playbook. (so many great films!) A little film, that had so much love, heart and honesty. Stellar acting and a great end. Plus Jennifer Lawrence acting De Niro (in a fine return to form) off the screen.

 

Finally Lincoln, with an outstanding performance from Daniel Day Lewis, he had the Oscar as soon as casting was announced. Fabulous supporting cast, great story, and while the first half was slow, the second half was indeed the pay off. Dare I say a killer ending!?!

 

The Giants was the film L and I saw at the Outdoor Cinema, a modern French film about 2 youngish boy who are essentially homeless. Filmed in the beautiful French countryside, which made the grittiness of their situation stand out even more. As the boys get themselves into more and more trouble, you become invested in their ending. Very bleak with a few uplifting moments, I thought this was a great film too.

 

Books

I only read one book in Feb, which is dreadful. But I was busy. However, it was a great book. Caitlin Moran's latest, Moranthology. I love Caitlin's sass, style and humour. She is a journalist and commentator, and Moranthology is a collection of articles she has written for various journals and newspapers over the years. She writes about music, film, politics, sociology, her family (especially her long suffering husband) and well, anything that amuses her. I loved her article on the greatest film of all time, according to her, Ghostbusters. She also loves Doctor Who and the Sherlock Holmes reboot, so there are a few articles dedicated to that. A hilarious one is where she asks if Rihanna owns a cardigan. but my two favourites were one on Paul McCartney and one on Libraries. She describes Libraries as cathedrals of our souls, a firm supporter of Libraries, this article is a love letter to the thing I love...so how can I not love her. She, like me (we do seem to have a lot in common!), also adores Paul McCartney, and hilariously gets to meet and interview him. It made me tear up and laugh. If you like things I like, you will love this ;)

 

Music

The new Nick Cave was the soundtrack for my road trip to Port Macquarie, it is excellent, but really, I expected no less.

 

Listened a lot to Rogers sings Rogerstein, the latest Tim Rogers. Had this for a while, but really got into it, I love his melancholy. More on Tim for the March Round Up!

 

And finally, a fabulous album by a 'new' group, Baby et Lulu. Baby et Lulu are Abby Dobson of Leonardo's Bride and Lara Goodridge from Fourplay. Both are bands I adore, and both have stunning voices. So to hear them sing a lot of my French faves is mind blowing. I have just about worn this one out already!

 

That's all folks...

OSCARS 2013 WRAP UP

What a wild ride the Oscars were this year...I really enjoyed the ceremony and the feast I prepared.

 

But be prepared for a bit of gushing and a bit of ranting as I have things I loved and things that irked me!

 

To me the Oscars are about 5 things: the host, the show, the awards, the fashion, and the commentary.

 

The Host

Seth MacFarlane did good...there I said it...but you know, I knew he would.

 

Yes, he is mostly known for his crossing the line gags...of which you will find plenty if you watch Family Guy. But if you take time to pay attention to Family Guy, this is a show that loves Hollywood and Popular Culture...and not just the modern stuff either. I see so many brilliant references to classic film in it and for that, I will always forgive him for the toilet humour. There are always great musical numbers in it too, of which he writes, scores and sings...he is the ultimate renaissance man. And this is why I was thrilled to hear he was hosting. I also had seen him sing the Bing Crosby part of Did You Evah a few years back and thought he was lip syncing to Bing...he was that good!

 

So he met my expectations to a certain degree, but to be honest I wanted more...

 

The cheaper gags - some of which went down well, some not so much (it's the toughest room ever) - I believe were placed ironically as that is what people expected. Either way I loved The Boob Song (and the hand puppets), cause it's freakin' true...mind you a Penis song featuring Fassbender and McGregor would have been equally as spectacular ;)

 

I think they used Shatner to reinforce the 'bad' gags...I don't think they needed to. Having said that, I adore Captain Kirk so why the hell not!?!

 

But the proper, classic song and dance numbers was where Seth shone. Charlize Theron, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe adding an unexpected gravitas to the numbers.

 

And the fun with Sally Field was great, especially the get away in the Smokey and the Bandit car!

 

There may have been a closing number...but given Channel 9 abruptly ended the ceremony, who knows! (more on that later in commentary) I managed to catch it last night and it was a song about the losers with Kristin Chenoweth and was ok.

 

Yes, there were some misses, but mostly hits. I hope they get him back and make more use of that song and dance talent.

 

The Show

I liked how they grouped three Best Picture nominees together.

 

I liked the ensemble presenting - The Avengers and Chicago casts.

 

The presenting was hit and miss, odd coupling and bad writing, which is fairly normal, but seemed moreso this year...where is Ben Stiller when you need him!?!

 

I loved seeing a cut away to Jack in the front row...it ain't The Oscars without him.

 

Not a huge fan of Aniston, but loved how relaxed she was, very carefree, and a wink at someone - George? - in the audience.

 

Then, of course, there was Kristin Stewart - I forgive her FU attitude, after having to work in such bad movies like that Twilight shite, do you blame her attitude...I don't! People are having a field day with her limp, bruise, undone hair and unimpressed facial expressions...give the kid a break!

 

Loved the Jaws theme as playoff music, made me laugh very loudly.

 

There was a 50 years of Bond clip presented by an ageless Halle Berry, but totally overshadowed by Shirley Bassey knocking it out of the park with Goldfinger - First WOW of the night! She was awe inspiring and sounded great.

 

John Travolta was rolled out to present a tribute to musicals section. I say rolled out as he looked so plastic and corpselike I was concerned. This was a great section but I think a tribute to film musicals should have had a homage to the real musicals from the 30s and 40s...but, you know, that's me. Catherine Zeta Jones was great reenacting All That Jazz (one of my fave songs) from Chicago. No mean feat to pull that off. (An aside: "I'm no ones wife, I love my life and All That Jazz" - best lyric ever!!!!!) Then Jennifer Hudson killed us...again...with a glass shattering retell of I'm telling you that I'm not going. And then the entire (yes, entire) cast of Les Miserables made me tear up again with a melody of songs from the film - extraordinary!

 

I noticed as they cut away to the ads, young candy girls in peppermint satin outfits including hats, going round to the audience with treats - so cute!

 

And then there was Adele...goddamn she is good!!

 

I am still upset they have moved the special awards to another ceremony you don't get to see. These are important and excluding them is disrespectful to real film lovers and the honorees themselves. The premise behind this exclusion is people don't like it and it doesn't appeal to younger viewers!?!?! I think this is bs, and if you fit into this category, you don't 'get' The Oscars and can bugger off anyway! I could write a whole blog about this, but I won't!

 

Always love seeing Clooney, especially as he is rocking a cool haircut and beard at present. The In Memoriam seemed somewhat short. However the arrival of Barbra smoothed everything over. I adore her but felt her voice was not in the best of form. She still sounded great and I lurve The Way We Were (film and song, it's a favourite), always makes me smile and cry...I did both.

 

Also lovely to see Norah Jones looking great, and singing the song from Ted.

 

Oh and yeah, Jack comes out to present Best Picture, does his schtick and boom, down comes a screen with Michelle Obama on it, looking fine I might add...wow!!

 

So all up, the in between bits were excellent, you couldn't fault any of it.

 

The Awards

I stuck to my average of 16. I messed up Director and Supporting Actor - but very happy with the results. Also animated feature, doco short, make up and hair, production, sound editing, and live action short - all ones that are hard to predict.

 

There were a lot of dudes with long white hair winning the minor awards...go The Gandalf! Rather bizarre and amusing. The dude from Life of Pi gave an excellent, surreal, spaced out speech for Best Cinematography. And a tie for sound editing, luckily I got it wrong anyway...quite the surprise!

 

The Chicago cast presented the music awards, can't believe it's been ten years. But what is going on with Renee Zellweger? I hope she is ok, not heard of her in ages or seen her in a movie and whilst her eyes have always been a little different, she seemed to be having trouble seeing. And Catherine Zeta Jones's face doesn't look like her...sad!

 

I loved the odd pairing of Hoffman and Theron...so did Hoffman! I think the writing categories are the most important and was thinking exactly that when Quentin said it was a writer's year! Yes, I have QT living in my head! Love that he won too, cause he is awesome. I loved his passion for his writing and characters. He must be wonderful to work with.

 

Then there are the big 6. Waltz got his Supporting Actor nod early on. I loved that he won, I was torn between him and Dr Niro, he carried Django and was mesmerising for every second he was on screen. No surprises that Hathaway won Supporting Actress...though loved the cheers for Jackie Weaver.

 

So thrilled for Jennifer Lawrence, winning on her second nomination. She was gracious and honest, even after tripping up the stairs on the way to the stage...poor sweetie. Then Daniel Day Lewis gave a fabulously funny (who knew??) acceptance speech in the easiest no brainer of the night. All four winners gave extraordinary performances in an extraordinary year for acting (and writing).

 

Shock of the night was Ang Lee's Best Director nod. I was thrilled, I had my money on Spielberg (who I am not a fan of) cause I really thought he would win. He is the academy's demographic. But so pleased Ang Lee was rewarded for the impossible - making a stunning film of a stunning - but unfilmable - book. It's easily my favourite film this year. And Ang Lee's career has been so diverse. I loved Wedding Banquet so much.

 

And finally, no surprises with Best Picture Argo. Great speeches from the producer's including snubbed director Affleck. He was humble and honest...and you gotta love that!

 

The Commentary

Fasten your seatbelts...this is where it gets ranty! Firstly the commentary on MacFarlane...Theron looked cranky...it was a shot taken from elsewhere and spliced in, ditto for Watts. Really!?! Are people that stupid??? Yes, he fell over with some gags, but by god I've seen and heard worse. The commentary leading up to it had me more gobsmacked...do these people not research their subjects before they slag them off. If they knew the capabilites of the performer they would understand immediately why he was a good choice...and he was.

Since I posted this there has been a huge backlash about the misogyny of MacFarlane. Remember the Oscars have a huge team of writers, some of which would be his regular writers, some are Academy chosen. There were jokes he seemed uncomfortable telling. I can see why some people would think that way. I still see the irony in it. And it's kinda true, this is what happens, is mentioning it worse or shining a light on something that still needs some equality. I was not offended by any of the comments last night. I saw the irony and the intent as harmless. I would hardly think anyone would deliberately mean to go on a telecast like that to be a complete arse. And I might add that if these same people are going to pick on such things, they might like to add in the almost overshadowing of the actual telecast with the red carpet and the overwhelming attention to women's looks which could also be considered misogynistic...if you wanted to look at it that way!

 

The commentary on who will win based on The Golden Globes...I've said it before and I'll say it again...The Golden Globes have absolutely no bearing on who will win an Oscar...different people voting for different awards!

 

The commentary on how badly Australian Actors were done by. Naomi Watts was never ever going to win in the field she was in. No one stood a chance against Daniel Day Lewis from the moment it was leaked he was cast as Lincoln, it was a done deal. Shame for Jackman, but it was never going to happen, he had to know that. Ditto for Jackie, against Sally Field and Anne Hathaway, the other ladies also didn't stand a chance, Weaver said this herself on the red carpet. What happened to it's an honour to be nominated...sigh...

 

And then there was the commentary afterwards...ahhh Channel Nine, you've done it again!!! (Mind you, it could never top the year, I tuned in to watch and they put a short news break on prior to the ceremony AND said who the big winners were...seriously!!!)

 

So, there was mention of a closing number...but we'll never know as Channel Nine in their usual stupidity shut it down and put on the 'news'. I don't watch a lot of free to air and never watch free to air news, so this was a new thing to me. Oh good god, give me strength, there were three dipsy women talking about the show and giving their very ill informed opinions, getting names, winners and all sorts of information totally wrong!!!!! Then they cross to their correspondant in LA, who was even more inept. So Channel 9 shows these pieces not once, but three f**king times (excuse my French, but I was shocked at how incredibly more incompetent this very incompetent station could be..and truth be told, didn't think I could think any lower of them...but there you go). You know, basically taking up enough time to have actually showed the entire ending of the show!!! Give me strength!!!!

 

If you are going to commentate the Oscars, you really need to know your stuff...not just this year (but geez, that would be a start) but past years, understand The Academy, how it works, have an appreciation for the Golden Years that shaped Hollywood and the need to get it right on the night. Otherwise please don't...

 

The Fashion

Yes it's frivolous and a little bit vacuous, but it adds glamour to the event and hopefully takes the viewer back to a day in the past where glamour and Hollywood were synonymous.

 

I still ache for the years when someone stands out - for good or for bad.

 

But this year, as in the past few years, sleek, red, blue and neutral ruled.

 

Here are my favourites:

 

 

Reese Witherspoon

 

 

Jennifer Garner

 

  

 

Jennifer Lawrence

 

 

Anne Hathaway

 

Runners Up:

 

 

Sally Field

 

 

Jennifer Aniston

 







Amanda Seyfreid

 

Catherine Zeta Jones

 

And a couple I am still unsure about:

 

  

 

Besties, Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman

 

And then there is always Helena and HushPuppy ;)

 

 

 

(PS, I am aware of the bad formatting of the photos, but Blogger and photos almost always don't like to play together and tonight is no exception...I'm tired and it's either fix it and loose my remaining sanity or leave it as is...I'm taking the later!)

Anything in italics I added in this morning.

OSCARS 2013 (2012)

 

I love my movies and I adore Oscar day, as I have said previously (tongue firmly planted in cheek...maybe!) it is my religion.

 

And so the time is near, tomorrow in fact and as always I will try and predict who will win along with who I would prefer to win.

 

I said last year was the hardest to predict in some time, and this year it ranges from easy lock ins to seriously hard to decide categories.

 

Please see previous posts on this subject if you are new to my musings on The Golden Boy:

 

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/oscars-2012-2011.html 

 

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/oscars-2011.html 

 

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2010/03/oscars-2010-2009.html

 

The last link was my first post on the subject and a good background to my love of movies and Oscar.

 

So let's get down to the business at hand.

 

Best Picture: Argo

 

I have seen 6 of the 9 featured films this year and loved ALL of them. I have not seen Zero Dark Thirty, Amour or Argo.

 

However I really like Affeck's style of film making, it's the favourite and people love an underdog...he was not nominated for director.

 

Quite frankly, all are deserving, but if I am proven wrong I would love to see Life of Pi win or even Silver Linings Playbook - best films I've seen all year. But then Django is fabulous too, especially the first half of it which I deem masterpiece worthy.

 

While I am here, I will give a shout out to the astonishing Beasts of the Southern Wild...I only saw it this afternoon...a very unusual and wonderful little film, deserving to be on this list, but the honour for it will be in it's nomination.

 

Best Director: Steven Spielberg

 

Oh my, I am so divided here. It's between Ang Lee and Spielberg, from all I have read. People LOVE Spielberg...I don't but Lee directed an unfilmable book. My money is on Steven, but I bloody hope I am wrong!!!

 

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis

 

This is a lock in from casting and the first still we saw of him. Nothing more to say.

 

No one else stands a chance, despite fine performances.

 

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence

 

Despite strong competition from Jessica Chastain and Emmanuelle Riva. Jennifer killed this role, punching above her weight as the grieving widow in Silver Linings Playbook. She stole each scene from her fellow actors, including De Niro...now that ain't easy. I want her to win and I suspect she will win.

 

Best Supporting Actor: Robert De Niro

 

I really think Christoph Waltz should win, he carried Django and was outstanding, but De Niro was the best I have seen him in forever. He wants it, people love him and quite frankly he is deserving. Anyone in this category could win, they've all won before...it may well be the upset category, there is always one. But De Niro killed me in this...actually if i had my way it would be a tie, Waltz/De Niro...but the 'money' is on Bobby D.

 

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway

 

Again, this is a lock in, she will win and I want her to win. I am not ashamed to reveal my love of Anne Hathaway, great actress, amazing singer and I've never seen a dud performance from her. Plus she seems so very lovely. And she killed me in this, her single cut performance of I've Dreamed a Dream locked her in. Not even 30mins in she had me crying, and in a very small role, you never forgot Fantine throughout the entirety of Les Miserables. Outstanding.

 

Best Animated Feature Film: Wreck-it Ralph

 

I personally want to see Frankenweenie win, love Burton, but there is no buzz for it. The pundits are predicting Wreck-it Ralph and Brave, I've seen neither, but Wreck-it Ralph sounds good, so I'm picking it!

 

Best Foreign Film: Amour

 

Easiest bet of the night, nominated for best film, by the outstanding Michael Haneke, of whom I'm a fan. Go "Love".

 

Best Original Screenplay: Django Unchained

 

This is hard, I actually love the screenplay for Moonrise Kingdom more, but it and Flight have hardly been mentioned. The love is going to Amour, Quentin and Zero Dark Thirty. I'll go with Quentin...honestly have no idea who will win.

 

Best Adapted Screenplay: Argo

 

Usually goes with the Best Picture, and everyone is loving Argo, however don't count out Silver Linings Playbook or Life of Pi, I'd be happy to be proven wrong with either!

 

Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina

 

Anna Karenina looked the most beautiful. Whilst the costumes in Les Mis and Lincoln were authentic but I think Russian ball gowns will be winners.

 

Best Original Song: Skyfall from Skyfall

 

Don't bet against Adele, a lock in!

 

Best Original Score: Life of Pi

 

Stunning music that matched the stunning film, want it to win, believe it will win.

 

Best Documentary: Searching for Sugar Man

 

The only two that feature in my reading are Sugar Man and How to survive a plague, but I love the story of Sugar Man, so going with it.

 

Best Documentary (Short): Open Heart

 

About cardiac surgery for needy Rwandans...sounds likely!

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Hobbit

 

Pretty much locked in I would think!?!

 

Best Production Design: Les Miserables

 

Formerly Art Direction, this is a hard one this year, each film has outstanding set design and I have absolutely no idea. They are all worthy. I think it will come down to the Hobbit or Les MIs, going with the one the academy has favoured more. But it could go to Life of Pi...

 

Best Film Editing: Argo

 

Almost always goes with Best Picture, so Argo it is.

 

Best Cinematography: Life of Pi

 

Can't go past the most stunningly filmed, Life of Pi.

 

Best Sound Editing: Argo, and Best Sound Mixing: Les Miserables

 

These usually go hand in hand unless a musical is involved and then the mixing always goes to the musical, so Les Mis it is. Will give the sound editing to Argo.

 

Best Visual Effect: Life of Pi

 

Locked in, if you haven't seen it, go and see it, you almost forget most of it is effects!!

 

Best Short Film (animated): Paperman

 

They all sound fabulous, Paperman is getting the buzz.

 

Best Short Film (Live Action): Henry

 

Again, they all sound great, the buzz is split between Henry, about dementia and Curfew, about suicide...going with Henry.

 

 

My best ever year was 20 predictions out of the 24 categories in 2009, although last year I hit 18, my second best result. I usually average around 15/16...so I wonder how I will go this year. Stay tuned for a follow up post later on in the week with fashion highlights, general loves and a bit of history.

 

Oh and while I am here, I am excited about Seth MacFarlane hosting...yes, he does potty humour and whilst I am sure there will be something contentious topics, he is also - maybe not as well -known as a Hollywood enthusiast, and is a great impersonator, especially in 30s/40s tunes. So I think (I hope) this will add more class than ummm ass (arse) this year...but I guess we will just have to wait and see...either way, he had better give us a classy song and dance number!!

 

So, who would you pick?

What films did you like this year?

What films do you think were forgotten?

 

Don't forget to pop some bubbles and enjoy The Oscars!!!

 

Alfred Hitchcock, Part 2

 

Welcome to Alfred Hitchcock, Part 2...you can read Part 1 here: http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/alfred-hitchcock-part-1.html

The Fifties

The 50s has Hitchcock making his finest and most well known films. Starting with the solid Stage Fright, Strangers on a train and I Confess, he moves from strength to strength with Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry, The Man who Knew too Much, The Wrong Man, Vertigo and my personal favourite North by Northwest. It was also in the mid 50s he began his television series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He was at the top of his game and an output many would find hard to match in a career let alone one decade.

 

I have a soft spot for Strangers on a Train. It's very clever and very edgy. Two strangers meet on a train, hence the title. They both want to be rid of someone in their lives, one suggests they murder the person they want rid of for each other. Crisscross Crisscross. The theory being, no one knows they know each other and it would be the perfect murder. The strangers are Robert Walker as the creepy Bruno and Farley Granger as the everyman Guy. Guy is amused but takes it all as a joke, until Bruno goes ahead with his side of the 'bargain'. Completely unhinged Bruno then begins to blackmail Guy, a tennis player, into his side of the 'bargain'. Hugely suspenseful, with a great scene at a tennis match, and sublimely shot. The murder as seen through a pair of sunglasses is subtle yet very clever and the huge climax at the carousel is incredible.

 

Dial M for Murder is another one people forget about. Grace Kelly is less glamorous, though still stunning, in this edgier role. She has been having an affair for about a year and doesn't realise her husband knows and is plotting her murder! I just realised her husband was a tennis player, so now can't remember if the aforementioned tennis scene is in Strangers on a Train or this one!?! Most of the action in Dial M for Murder takes place in an apartment, which gives an enclosed claustrophobic feeling. The thing I most remember about this film is one shot when Kelly is being attacked and she looked exactly like her daughter, Caroline, looked at the time I saw it. Was uncanny.

 

Hitchcock gets to expand on the feeling of claustrophobia with Rear Window. This is a simple story but shot in such detail and with such precision it requires careful and multiple viewing. Every time you see or find something else. Everyone knows this film (surely!?!), Jeff played by James Stewart is stuck in his apartment with a broken leg. He is bored and begins 'spying' on his neighbours in the apartment block opposite and believes he has witnessed a murder. Aided by his good girlfriend, Grace Kelly as the model Lisa, they begin to investigate what is going on. So incredibly layered with multiple storylines following many inhabitants of the apartment block; romance, humour, sadness and suspense are witnessed. There is also the story of the relationship between Lisa and Jeff which appears stuck, and of course, the supposed murder itself. Also great supporting performances by the fabulous Thelma Ritter as Jeff's nurse and Raymond Burr as the suspected murderer.

 

 

To Catch a Thief is less thriller and more romance and beauty. Filmed in the French Riviera and starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly it is the prettiest of Hitchcock's films. Lots of beautiful homes, fancy cars, amazing costumes (by Edith Head), stunning jewels and ballroom scenes. Grant is a retired cat burglar, trying to work out who is doing some copycat burgling of the rich and famous. Must watch scene, besides every costume change for Kelly, is where she is driving Grant very fast through the winding roads of the Riviera, especially given that is pretty much how she dies in real life years later.

 

The Trouble with Harry troubles a lot of Hitchcock fans as it seems out of place. To be honest I've only seen it once, cannot remember much except I did like it. A body is found in a small town and everyone suspects they could be involved. I believe it was meant to be intentionally funny, ironic even, but people didn't get that. It was not the usual subtle humour one expected from The Master. I do remember Shirley MacLaine being young and beautiful in it, her first film role, and the gorgeous young John Forsythe being...gorgeous! I must watch it again.

 

The Man who Knew too Much is the remake of his earlier film. Much more polished, you can see the changes and growth of Hitchcock. I like the grittiness of the earlier film, where this one seems a bit too polished. James Stewart and Doris Day star as parents holidaying in Morocco when their boy is kidnapped. They are both great, though Day is an odd choice. Blonde, yes, but possibly not the best choice. Though, playing a singer, we get the opportunity to hear her sing Que Sera Sera - which is gorgeous. Also in a small role, look out for the gorgeous Carolyn Jones (Mortica Addams).

 

Hitchcock rounds out the decade with the one, two punch of Vertigo and North by Northwest. Vertigo, now considered the greatest film ever made, requires multiple viewings. It is a complex plot and difficult to explain properly. In short, Scottie, played by James Stewart, is a retired detective asked to follow a friend's wife as he fears she may commit suicide. Many twists and psychological turns happen and Scottie falls in love with Madeleine, played beautifully by Kim Novak. But Madeleine dies, was it suicide, murder or indeed is she dead at all? Suspenseful, haunting and stunningly filmed using tricky shots and photography to encapsulate the drama. Whilst it's not my favourite film, it is definitely his masterpiece. And watch out for a beautiful, young Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing) as Scottie's friend Midge.

 

North by Northwest is my favourite. It has Cary Grant at his best, on the run, after a mistaken identity, which turns into being framed for murder. But really, none of that part of the plot is that important, they are merely catalysts for the humour, adventure, romance and action that ensues. It is a romp, a huge amount of fun and extremely suspenseful. There are so many iconic scenes in this film, as Grants' Roger O Thornhill - the O stands for nothing - crisscrosses across America, I have no idea where to start. There is the famous crop dusting scene, with Grant running away from the crop duster, the scene at the UN where Grant is framed for murder...you know the innocent man pulls the knife out of the dead man's back and people think he did it trick. Then there are scenes shot in a replica Frank Lloyd Wright house and the famous finale shot at Mount Rushmore. James Mason and Martina Landau are the 'baddies' and Eve Marie Saint is perfect as the mysterious woman Grant meets on a train. If you haven't seen this, you are truly missing out on a superb piece of entertainment.

 

 

The Sixties and Seventies

The sixties begin with Psycho, followed by The Birds two years later...moving more into the horror thriller style of film. They are followed by the underrated Marnie, and Torn Curtain. Then Topaz, followed by Frenzy and Family Plot, both in the 70s.

 

Films were starting to change and Hitch was looking for something new, he found the novel by Robert Bloch and started to make Psycho. The film was groundbreaking for many reasons and is now his most recognised and well known film. It's story was a secret, it was more horror than suspense, the lead actress was killed very early on, and the techniques used were outstanding and new. He famously advertised the film as one you were not allowed in to after it had started and to keep the plot a secret so as to surprise people who came to see it. Of course the shower scene is what it is famous for, the quick cuts, Marion's scream (played wonderfully by Janet Leigh), the eye, the shower plug hole and of course Bernstein's fabulous score.

 

 

I saw this when I was in my late teens, I did not like anything too scary, but started to watch it late one night. The shower scene, whilst atmospheric and shocking, did not scare me. I kept waiting, and got about halfway through, I was the only one up and it was dark and my imagination got the better of me, I put a tape in and recorded it. I watched the remainder the following day, and whilst the revelation at the end creeped me out, it was not the scary film I thought it was going to be...a little bit of a let down. I recently did a review of the film, Hitchcock, which is about the making of Psycho and led to these musings.

 

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/hitchcock-film.html

 

The Birds however, was always going to be scary for me! I was savagely attacked by a magpie when I was young, and have had quite the fear of birds ever since. The Birds is a great premise; Melanie (Tippi Hedren) follows a man, Mitch played by Rod Taylor, she met in San Francisco to Bodega Bay but then all these birds start to appear and attack people for no reason. The first time you see all these birds sitting on the electrical wires it is frightening, and then covering the plyground even worse. Hitch lets the tension build slowly, the scarier scenes are when nothing happens but you just know something is around the corner. Some of the visuals are quite brutal which adds to the horror and suspense. Look out for Jessica Tandy as the mother of Mitch.

 

 

Marnie is another underrated film. It's a psychological thriller and very layered. Tippi Hedren is outstanding as the deeply troubled Marnie, a seemingly bad girl intent on ruining her life. That is, until she meets and marries Mark, played by a young Sean Connery. On their honeymoon, she refuses Mark's advances and he realises there is something very wrong with her and hires a private investigator to find out about her past...of which she has been very shady about. I really like this and consider it his last great film.

 

I've only seen the final four films once each and early on in my Hitchcock experience but I remember being disappointed by them all. I must re-watch someday and see if that still holds true. They didn't seem like Hitchcock films, they were too modern, a little bit sleazy and had no glamour. Torn Curtain is the best of the bunch and a cold war film starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews who, while great, didn't seem right in a Hitchcock film. Topaz is based on the Leon Uris novel about the Cuban Missile Crisis and is set in Cuba and France. It is a good movie, but not a great Hitchcock movie. Frenzy is dark, about a serial killer in London, featuring a brutal rape scene. I didn't care for it and thought Hitch was grasping a straws to come up with a hit and he did not succeed. Family Plot has interweaving stories of crime involving kidnapping, theft, blackmail and fortune telling. It's a bit messy and sad that this was his final film.

 

The thing about the great Hitchcock films is they all hold up today. The plots, characters and suspense are being rediscovered over and over again and this is wonderful.

 

I've had two interesting Hitchcock experiences outside of his films. The first was in Sydney some years back when an exhibition of his memorabilia was at the MCA. There was some set pieces, books, writings, and films showing. It was a small exhibition but fabulous to be close to bits and pieces belonging to the great man. The second was touring Universal Studios in Orlando, seeing the replica Psycho house and touring an exhibit of memorabilia and seeing a 3D film on some of his scenes. There was also a section where miniature sets showed how he filmed scenes, the apartment in Rear Window, the carousel in Strangers on a Train and some of his camera 'tricks'.

 

I know these films will stay with me forever and I will continue to watch and rewatch them. Great Art is a wonderful thing, good for the soul and the brain. If you haven't had the opportunity to watch any Alfred Hitchcock I highly recommend you do and hope my ramblings here will help you choose a good one to start with.