Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Pluskylang Great Film overall

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

zkonedog Sometimes, a movie is made that focuses on the wrong things for its type. "Frenzy" is exactly that type of movie.For a basic plot summary, "Frenzy" is set in England where a mysterious "Necktie Murderer" continues to claim victim after victim (strangling them with a necktie). Minor Spoiler: Very quickly into the movie, we learn that one man is truly the vicious murderer, while another is being wrongly pursued for the killings. This sets up the drama as the rest of the movie unfolds.The trouble with "Frenzy" is that it seems like the film was Hitch's way of entering "the modern era" of filmmaking. After being criticized for his mostly boring Cold War "thrillers" like "Topaz" & "Torn Curtain", Hitch sets "Frenzy" in "today" and ups the ante in the violence department (this is also the only Hitchcock film in which nudity is present).Sadly, while making that jarring transition, Hitch seemed to have left behind some of the terrific suspense and storytelling in his earlier film. For "Frenzy" to work, it needed to be a taut, tense, psychological treatise on the mind of a serial killer. Instead, Hitch turns it into a rather procedural piece that sometimes even borders on predictability. The only real character insights given are done so in Hitch's trademark comedic tongue-in-cheek way.Thus, while decent enough to hold one's interest, "Frenzy" falls under the "disappointment" category for this viewer. Worth a watch from Hitch nuts, but otherwise can easily be skipped in favor of other fare.

eagandersongil "Frenzy" There's all the mood we've seen in hundreds of Hitchcock movies, a murder, a mystery, an investigation, and so on. Not that this is bad, because Hitchcock knows how to create a tense and manipulate the signs like nobody, and this is certainly not his best film of the genre, but it is a mature film, and that has its charm. We have here the story of Richard Ian Blaney (Jon Finch), a former military man who has serious financial and temperament problems, and when he realizes he is the main suspect in a wave of murders taking place in London. The script is based on a book, and there is nothing new or revolutionary about it, with many loose ends and continuation problems, yet it catches the viewer, does not charm, but distracts and amuses. With a beautiful photograph, beautiful soundtrack, and great camera angles, including some beautiful sequential plans and spectacular aerial footage for the time, technically the film is incredible, although some cuts are visible in scenes that give some continuation problem. All on-screen performances are very good, and here we have a Hitchcock already on his way to the end of his career without losing the good level of his work. "Frenesi" has a good comedic relief, great direction and a script that only pleases, with some problems already mentioned, "Frenesi" will not be among the best films of Hitchcock, but still, and a good movie.

brchthethird This. This is more like it. After the last few Hitchcock films left me wanting a little, FRENZY returns to the type of film that he did so well. The plot is one that he frequently used: an innocent man wrongly accused, but he didn't just rehash old material. He upped his game and brought his filmmaking style into a more modern sensibility, all while maintaining the suspense and black humor that had become his trademarks. While I've yet to see any of the films from his British period, I am aware that FRENZY hearkens back to his first real success, which was THE LODGER. And in terms of what I've actually seen, I noticed a lot of DNA from earlier efforts like SABOTEUR, REAR WINDOW, and PSYCHO. The film grabs you and sucks you in from the opening notes of its title sequence, a fanfare which triumphantly announces that he's back: back in his native England, and back in top form. And it wastes no time in thrusting you into this familiar, yet slightly changed world. One thing that benefits the film a lot is the screenplay by Anthony Shaffer, which is filled with great dialogue and biting wit. There was also a sinister, Victorian elegance to the score. And, as with all of his other films, there are a few sequences which stand out. The best of these is probably a long, continuous shot which pulls back from the scene of a crime as Hitchcock leaves it (and its aftermath) to the audience's imagination. Still, perhaps in concession to the changing times, this film does contain some nude scenes and somewhat more vicious-minded, if not particularly graphic, violence. It reminds us that the gory details are often best left to the imagination; they're the icing on the cake, and not the cake itself. Another audacious thing Hitchcock does is make the protagonist rather unlikeable and have us sympathize (at least in one protracted scene) with the villain. Overall, I thought that he was in top form here, adeptly mixing suspense and comedy, all while exploring his favorite themes of sex, death, and food. In regards to food, the Chief Inspector's wife has perhaps a couple of the funniest scenes in the whole film. For me, FRENZY was a welcome return to form after the last few misfires, and it's great that Hitch seems to be going out on top.

Adam Peters (69%) One of Alfred the greats final films is a real sleazy treat for fans of his more exploitative side. Anyone wanting to know exactly why the likes of Dario Argento is often compared to old Hitch then this needs to be seen. What's best about this little gem is the fact that you can tell the old guy was having a bit of fun with it, he knows it isn't going to be his best or even close, so he fills this with nice touches of black humour, tonnes of bad language, and plenty of suspense. This is very much a middle of the pile addition, but the cast is good, it's very well structured, and it never allows itself to be taken seriously. Overall a good sit that is never boring to watch.