Frenzy review by John
Alfred Hitchcock. A legend in the business.Shock, suspense, horror. These words are used to describe his work. And this movie was very much the same as his others. Perhaps this is the reason that i follow directors work more closely than other artists, because the story is for the most part irrelevant and the style of the presentation is more important, so you know what you are getting into. Hitchcock definitely falls into this category quite nicely and if you have seen two Hitchcock movies you know what is in store should you watch a third.
Richard Blaney has just lost his job for stealing. A former bartender and now down-on-his-luck wanderer he quickly finds his way to the streets in search of his friends and their pity. shrugging off any assistance that his friends offer and continually berating others you can see that carma has truely caught up to Blaney. So it comes, in this context at least, as little surprise when he is blamed for the brutal death of his ex-wife who actually died at the hands of Blaney's friend, the necktie killer.
Quickly Blaney finds that he is being sought out and, of course, immediately desides to flee and evade. Now where this makes little sense in the beginning after another girl is killed at the hands of the necktie killer it becomes a little more believable to continue to run. However the suspense of the chase comes to a head when Blaney's own friend, and actual killer, turns in Blaney to the police. At this point three women have died at the hands of the necktie killer since they suspected Blaney.
The trial is sped right along, as obviously public opinion has run its course and the need for the people to feel safe despite the lack of evidence out weighs logic. Blaney is convicted and sentenced to jail. Figuring out for himself who the actual killer is wasnt tough for Blaney, in essence it was how he was convicted. But this does give him the motivation to break away from his captors, and with the help of his fellow captors he successfully does this. His thoughts are now dominated with getting revenge on his friend who set him up to take the fall for the murders.
The wrinkle here is that the police chief has also pieced together the facts and determined that Blaney's friend and not Blaney is the actual necktie killer. This is finally where the movie gets interesting. Two hours later the movie ends with Blaney breaking into his friends apartment. He then beats a dead girl, who he thinks is his friend sleeping (but who really sleeps with the covers over their entire head -- seriously) with a tire iron. Once Blaney tears the covers off the bed to find that he is now holding what appears to be a murder weapon and is standing over a dead girl in the very room where he was arrested for murder he hears foot steps. Shell shocked he doesnt move. Enter the police chief. For some bizarre reason the police chief does not act on what appears to everyone to be irrefutable evidence. In another moment more steps are heard and Blaneys friend enters the room with a case large enough for a body and best of all wearing no tie(of course he always wears a suit w/ a tie so this does him in).
My feelings on this movie -- eh. Hitchcock bores me. So much build up and not enough pay off. I'm a child of the nineties damn it! I need an interlude with Bruce Willis blowing shit up in a movie like this. People like the Hitchcock (I think they do anyway) I just need a murder scene with out some chicks tongue wagging in the breeze is all. There are points in this movie where I just couldnt tell if i was supposed to be horrified. At these points I chuckled. Master of suspense, maybe. I can see suspense much more so than horror.
4 out of 10 Jackasses
