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Cry of the Werewolf 1944 ★½
Off screen kills, little or no special effects, lots of theatrical and seemingly aimless yapping.
It's not good when one the more interesting scenes just remind you of Harry Dean Stanton in Alien.
Guess they can't all be zingers.
Vertigo 1958 ★★★★★
Thanks to the local art house theater for putting this gem on their classics program.
We got an introduction during which a person told us a few bits and bobs about the techniques used during the shooting and how they proved to be revolutionery. Like what later became as The Vertigo Zoom or the dizzying effect when Scotty suffers a vertigo episode. Cinematic brilliance.
And yes, I love this movie and my appreciation has only gone up from the previous viewing. A masterpiece of storytelling with excellent acting from both James Stewart and Kim Novak. During Madelleine's descent into madness and afterwards during the later twists. Though, in my opinion, Midge was the most likable character in the film. Makes me wonder how much the perception of the female characters in Vertigo shifted over the years.
At this point, I am a bit on the fence about the ending. From the introduction, I understand James Stewart's criticised the film for being too perverse and too somber; and yes, the ending is somewhat dark, with the main antagonist escaping scotfree. Then again, I would imagine that happy endings were so par for the course that you could also consider it as daring to go against the grain.
Sadly missed the shot where Hitch inserted himself into the movie. So a rewatch is due sooner or later. As if it would not be anyway.
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