Spellbound

Spellbound


Starring:Harry Altman, Angela Arenivar, Ted Brigham, April DeGideo, Neil Kadakia, Nupur Lala, Emily Stagg, Ashley White, Eric Enders, Dan Brigham, Alexander Mohapatra, Ned Andrews, Jacques Bailly, Alex Cameron (III), Geoff Hooper, Amee Tejani, Frank Neuhauser, William Dolan, Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, Shuojing Song
Director: Jeffrey Blitz
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Who would have thought that a documentary about spelling-bee contestants could be as suspenseful as a Hitchcock thriller? Spellbound, which follows eight kids from their early victories in regional spelling bees to the national competition in Washington, D.C., is an out-and-out nail-biter. Each of the kids--who range from a quietly driven African American girl from a run-down D.C. neighborhood, to a genial Connecticut girl who talks about bringing her au pair to a previous competition, to an almost zombie-like boy whose immigrant father has paid 1,000 people back in India to pray for the boy's success--gets captured so vividly that you can't help but get emotionally immersed in their brave, nerve-wracking struggle to spell slippery, treacherous words. Along the way, Spellbound contrasts the crazily different populations that make up the U.S. and shows how this facet of intelligence truly makes everyone equal on the podium. A riveting, wrenching, must-see movie. --Bret Fetzer
Description
Spellbound is the extraordinary documentary that follows eight teenagers on their quest to win the National Spelling Bee competition.
Spellbound
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Perfect title for this wonderful documentary
  • An Entertaining Gem
  • Great Film!
  • Congradulations, spelling chapms!
  • Casts a spell and keeps you enchanted!
Spellbound
Starring: Angela Arenivar , Nupur Lala , Meena Lala , Ted Brigham , and Dan Brigham
Director: Jeffrey Blitz
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000WN13Q
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Amazon.com

Who would have thought that a documentary about spelling-bee contestants could be as suspenseful as a Hitchcock thriller? Spellbound, which follows eight kids from their early victories in regional spelling bees to the national competition in Washington, D.C., is an out-and-out nail-biter. Each of the kids--who range from a quietly driven African American girl from a run-down D.C. neighborhood, to a genial Connecticut girl who talks about bringing her au pair to a previous competition, to an almost zombie-like boy whose immigrant father has paid 1,000 people back in India to pray for the boy's success--gets captured so vividly that you can't help but get emotionally immersed in their brave, nerve-wracking struggle to spell slippery, treacherous words. Along the way, Spellbound contrasts the crazily different populations that make up the U.S. and shows how this facet of intelligence truly makes everyone equal on the podium. A riveting, wrenching, must-see movie. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Spellbound is the extraordinary documentary that follows eight teenagers on their quest to win the National Spelling Bee competition.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Perfect title for this wonderful documentary.......2007-06-09

"Spellbound" is exactly how this film leaves you. I've rarely been so focused on a group of people we get to know early on as they prepare for the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. in 1999. Coming from all walks of life and from different economic classes, they have at least one thing in common...intensity.

The first half of "Spellbound" is dedicated to being introduced to the eight kids on which the film is based...their families, friends and teachers all provide a loving (and often nail biting) bond with these present and future competitors. But it is the second half where everything comes together. There's more drama here than in most action movies and it is a winner of a film on many different levels.

I highly recommend "Spellbound". It's a timeless wonder... warm, sometimes funny, occasionally heartbreaking but always satisfying. These kids and their families teach us a good deal about love, learning, and competition. You'll be spellbound.

4 out of 5 stars An Entertaining Gem.......2007-06-02

A documentary about spelling bees by no means sounds like something the average person would call entertaining. However, ignoring any initial hesitation one might have, this film is definitely worth seeing and is an unique, funny, and overall entertaining experience.

The subject matter is basic enough; the film chronicles eight hopefuls vying for a chance to win the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Each of these eight are truly unique characters, hailing from all over the country and with completely different traits; they represent a true cross-section of our nation. We are given an initial overview into of all of the children's lives, before we are led on to the national competition itself. From this instant we realize that we have some true characters on our hands and that the dedication and intelligence found in some of these children is remarkable. From here I was hooked; anyone who is a sucker for human interest stories will find this flick quite endearing.

Once we reach the national level of the competition, the film takes an entirely different turn. The filmmakers manage to capture the intensity of the competition- the pressure the spellers themselves face, standing in front of the crowd and television cameras, the anxiety that the parents feel, hanging on every letter, and the pure joy of getting a word correct. Never in my life had I imagined a spelling bee could be so exciting, yet here I was in front of my television screen, rooting on my favorites like I would my favorite sports star. For the most part, all the spellers and their parents are likeable, however a few of them can be irking at times.

Each person will have a speller that they can identify with, and this is what makes the film truly special. Speaking of this, one of the most interesting bonus features is the "Where Are They Now" portion. The rest of the bonus material is nothing to speak of, but this is not why one would by the DVD in the first place.

Spellbound won the 2002 Academy Award for best documentary, a well-deserved recognition. This film is truly something special, a treat for the entire family. No amazing visuals, nothing to straight out blow you away- just pure, innocent family entertainment; something that is needed terribly these days. Although it is not something one would typically grab for right away, the sheer entertainment value warrants it a viewing. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Great Film!.......2007-05-26

This is a great film that follows the young spelling champions to their ultimate goal of winning the national spelling bee competition. I loved every minute of this movie and I was surprised how much I was drawn into each of the story lines of these students. Watching the parents was interesting too as they talked about what winning this competition meant to their child as well as to them. How they helped - or didn't help - their children was interesting too.

Nothing objectionable in this film. Lots of fun. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars Congradulations, spelling chapms!.......2007-05-23

I participated in the Scripps-Howard Bee in 1977, although I was ousted at the city level (my word was "justification"; I left out one of the middle "I"s).

These eight participants (11 if you count the DVD extras) are a cross-section of America, and their "Where are they now" pieces reflect this, and yes, this does include Ashley White, the inner-city black girl who became a homeless single teenage mother. Only the Indian stage father, who coached his son 8 hours a day and promised to buy meals for 5,000 hungry Indians if his son won, was really an unappealing person, as was the apparently well-to-do divorced mother in the extra who clearly lived her life through her kids' accomplishments. The other parents appeared to be supportive of their children but not pushy. The teacher who said Indian kids "always" have a spectacular work ethic made me cringe a bit as well. My personal favorite was Allyson, the 10-year-old who papered the walls at home with neon Post-Its with various big words written on them. This child was dedicated!

After watching the live telecast of the finals last year, I imagined those kids going home and doing things like sitting upside down on the couch with their Ipods, or my co-worker whose 11-year-old son had awakened him and his wife a few days earlier at 4am to tell them he was going to throw up ("And why are you in here telling us this? Would you just go to the bathroom?), and stuff like that. Same thing with these kids.

If a 4 1/2 star review was possible, that's what I would give it because I would have liked to have seen a little more from past winners. I especially enjoyed the interview with the very first winner from 1925, who was about 90 years old and you could tell his mind was as sharp as it was on that day 70-plus years ago.

They will be showing the finals once again this year, and I plan to watch it again.

p.s. A group of benefactors, upon learning of Ms. White's plight, have made arrangements for her to attend Howard University, and she is an honor student while living in transitional housing and raising her daughter. I wonder what happened in her family that she couldn't live with her mom any more.

5 out of 5 stars Casts a spell and keeps you enchanted!.......2007-05-13

I've seen this documentary twice now and was as captured by it the second time as the first. The filmmakers do a superb job of capturing the hopes and dreams of the eight spelling bee participants they choose to highlight. The economic, educational, and family backgrounds of these kids are all so varied and it is fascinating and movign to hear their thoughts and those of their parents, to watch how they prepare, and how they hold up in the competition. It also delves into the question of why the kids do it and what pressures might be on them to succeed, sort of the dark underbelly of spelling bees.

By the time the competition is on screen, you have a vested interest in nearly all of them (yes, I had my favorites) and yet you can't help but feel for them all. This movie was more suspenseful than most thrillers, and contained so much humanity! If you don't weep at least once, I'll be surprised!!

This documentary spawned other "competition" documentaries, one about a dance competition in a New York school district ("Mad Hot Ballroom") and one about a New York Times Crossword PUzzle competition ("Wordplay"). Both of these are excellent and worth watching, too, though neither comes up to the level of Spellbound.
Alfred Hitchcock - Spellbound
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Hitchcock pyscho-thriller at its best
  • Dreams of Morality Perversion and Exposed Evil
Alfred Hitchcock - Spellbound

Manufacturer: BoYing
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AREDKQ

Product Description

Editorial Reviews - Amazon Essential Video - Alfred Hitchcock takes on Sigmund Freud in this thriller in which psychologist Ingrid Bergman tries to solve a murder by unlocking the clues hidden in the mind of amnesiac suspect Gregory Peck. Among the highlights is a bizarre dream sequence seemingly designed by Salvador Dali--complete with huge eyeballs and pointy scissors. Although the film is in black and white, the original release contained one subliminal blood-red frame, appearing when a gun pointed directly at the camera goes off. Spellbound is one of Hitchcock's strangest and most atmospheric films, providing the director with plenty of opportunities to explore what he called "pure cinema"--i.e., the power of pure visual associations. Miklós Rózsa's haunting score (which features a creepy theremin) won an Oscar, and the movie was nominated for best picture, director, supporting actor (Michael Chekhov), cinematography, and special visual effects. --Jim Emerson--[This text refers to the VHS Tape edition.] ++++DVD FEATURES: This officially licensed release from China is All-Region NTSC Code 0 (playable worldwide) in Black & White, with 4:3 Full Screen Display and Dolby Digital Sound in ENGLISH with optional (removable) Chinese subtitles. Most of the writing on the package is in Chinese.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Hitchcock pyscho-thriller at its best.......2006-12-28

This is, in my opinion, one of Hitchcock's most interesting psychological thrillers. The dream-scapes with the help of Salvadore Dali are phenomenal and add the earie feel of being accompanied by a possible psychopath. Ingrid Bergman as the doting and believing woman standing by her misunderstood and hated man gives one of her best performances. Gregory Peck has never been better than as the neurotic self-loathing victim of his own guilt complex. A wonderful and enjoyable twist and turn of the plot making you wonder all along how we can ever discover the truth. Great filmaking as only Hitchcock could do it.

5 out of 5 stars Dreams of Morality Perversion and Exposed Evil.......2005-10-28

SPELLBOUND was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by David O. Selznick in 1945. As the story unravels it is essentially a murder plot interwoven around psychiatrists and psychoanalysis. It is actually Alfred Hitchcock's approach to the story and his collaborations with composer Miklos Rozsa and surrealist artist Salvador Dali that highlights this film. Gregory Peck plays John "J.B." Ballantine who poses as a psychiatrist while in a state of amnesia. Uncovered by Dr. Constance Peterson played by Ingrid Bergman, Ballantine must find out if he is responsible for the death of the missing psychiatrist that he posed as and simultaneously discover his own identity. Miklos Rozsa's score is both romantic yet eerie as Ballantine tries to remember what happened through analysis of his dreams. Alfred Hitchcock hired Salvador Dali to design illustrations and paintings in order to construct a crisp and vivid rendering of these dreams. Hitchcock did not want to use conventional techniques such as blurred camera shots to recreate the dreams. He wanted them to be as clear and even sharper than the rest of the film. He wanted Dali's style of using shadows, lines of convergence and the idea of infinite distance incorporated into the dream sequences. In the dream sequence we see a black stage highlighted with people at gambling tables with huge mysterious looking eyes peering over them. A man cuts away at the fabric of one eye with a giant scissors revealing another eye. In another part of the dream we see a man standing on a roof behind a chimney that has sprouted roots. The hooded man holds what looks like a deformed or eccentric wagon wheel in his hand. In the distance there is a formation of rocks and boulders, which look like they are sprouting into the shape of a man's head. Another part of the dream shows a man running down a pitched geometric plane as the shadow of a bird follows him. In the background there are geometric shapes and lines that go off into infinity. All these images must be interpreted into experiences from reality. Dali's images are unsettling and thought provoking. Eventually, the eccentric wagon wheel turns out to represent the chambers of a revolver pistol and reveals the true identity of the murderer. A surrealistic painting brings to the canvas an image from reality but puts it into a context of the unreal. I think Dali was successful in translating the realistic elements from the plot into a vision of incomprehensibility of the conscious human mind. Hitchcock and the scriptwriter Ben Hecht then had their characters translate Dali's images back into plausible reality. This is brilliant filmmaking years ahead of its time.
Spellbound - Criterion Collection
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Spellbound
  • Not my favorite Hitchflick by a long shot.
  • Spellbinding:
  • Lushly romantic with the haunting Academy Award Miklos Rozsa score...
  • Much-Maligned Hitchcock Classic Has Enough Cinematic Bravado to Satisfy Fans
Spellbound - Criterion Collection
Starring: Jean Acker , Art Baker , Ingrid Bergman , Leo G. Carroll , and Michael Chekhov
Manufacturer: Criterion
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ASIN: B00006FMDV
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Amazon.com essential video

Alfred Hitchcock takes on Sigmund Freud in this thriller in which psychologist Ingrid Bergman tries to solve a murder by unlocking the clues hidden in the mind of amnesiac suspect Gregory Peck. Among the highlights is a bizarre dream sequence seemingly designed by Salvador Dali--complete with huge eyeballs and pointy scissors. Although the film is in black and white, the original release contained one subliminal blood-red frame, appearing when a gun pointed directly at the camera goes off. Spellbound is one of Hitchcock's strangest and most atmospheric films, providing the director with plenty of opportunities to explore what he called "pure cinema"--i.e., the power of pure visual associations. Miklós Rózsa's haunting score (which features a creepy theremin) won an Oscar, and the movie was nominated for best picture, director, supporting actor (Michael Chekhov), cinematography, and special visual effects. --Jim Emerson

Description

Dr. Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman) is a psychiatrist with a firm understanding of human nature-or so she thinks. When the mysterious Dr. Anthony Edwardes (Gregory Peck) becomes the new chief of staff at her institution, the bookish and detached Constance plummets into a whirlwind of tangled identities and feverish psychoanalysis, where the greatest risk is to fall in love. A transcendent love story replete with taut excitement and startling imagery, Spellbound is classic Hitchcock, featuring stunning performances, an Academy Award(r)-winning score by Miklos Rozsa, and a captivating dream sequence by Surrealist icon Salvador Dali.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Spellbound.......2007-06-25

Intriguing and mystifying, this "manhunt story" (as the director described it) is pickled in a heady dose of psychoanalytic dialogue, thanks in part to producer David O. Selznick, an ardent Freudian. Aside from Hitchcock's peerless handling of both the suspense surrounding J.B.'s identity and the love tryst that develops between Peck and Bergman, "Spellbound" remains celebrated because of the unforgettable dream sequence designed by Surrealist artist Salvador Dali (and directed by William Cameron Menzies). For sheer thrills and hypnotic weirdness, all enhanced by Miklos Rozsa's unsettling, Oscar-winning theremin score, "Spellbound" is hard to beat.

3 out of 5 stars Not my favorite Hitchflick by a long shot........2007-05-12

Spellbound (Alfred Hitchcock, 1945)

I often feel like an iconoclast when it comes to Alfred Hitchcock movies. While some of them are brilliant, I have found that the ones most loved by critics everywhere leave me not cold, exactly, but wondering what all the fuss is about. Spellbound joins these ranks. It's a good movie, to be certain, but one of the best ever made? I'm not even sure it's one of Hitchcock's five best.

The plot: Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman) is a young doctor at a mental institution whose head, Dr. Murchison (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s Leo G. Carroll), is retiring. Arriving to replace him is one Anthony Edwardes (Gregory Peck). Petersen is powerfully attracted to Edwardes, which causes her no amount of conflict when she finds out that Edwardes may not be who he says he is.

Yeah, it works. Of course it does, it's Alfred Hitchcock. However, it feels at times-- especially during the first hour-- that Hitchcock hadn't quite decided whether he wanted to make his usual thriller or wanted to simply delve into romance territory. And it's not the idea that it's Hitch doing a romance that doesn't work, it's the indecision of the thing, which leads at times to the movie having all the pace of a snail on quaaludes. Once it gets going, it's as fine as any piece of Hitchcockiana, but it does take a while to get going. ***

4 out of 5 stars Spellbinding:.......2007-04-05


*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Described by its creator as "just another manhunt story wrapped in a pseudo-psychoanalysis", "Spellbound" is spellbinding. One of the reasons I wanted to see it was, of course, the nightmare dream sequences designed by Salvador Dali but the movie offers so much more. Young and beautiful Ingrid Bergman plays the psychiatrist, Dr. Constance Petersen who fells in love with the new director of a mental institution she works for, Dr. Edwards (29 -years-old Gregory Peck in his early screen appearance was so handsome that I had difficulties following the plot twists watching him and Bergman on the screen together :)). Dr. Edwards soon turns to be an impostor, an amnesiac, and a suspect in the murder of a real Dr. Anthony Edwards. It is up to Dr. Peterson, the psychiatrist and the woman in love to discover the truth about 'J.B.', John Ballantine aka John Brown and his role in the Dr. Edwards' murder. Very dark, very moody, with Hitchcock's subtle touches of humor (provided by Michael Chekhov as Dr. Brulov), with dramatic and unsettling music score (Miklós Rózsa received Oscar for the Best Music), "Spellbound" is a classic and one of the Master's finest films.

4 out of 5 stars Lushly romantic with the haunting Academy Award Miklos Rozsa score..........2007-01-15

If Hitchcock dealt with psychological themes in 'Shadow of a Doubt' and 'Suspicion', with 'Spellbound' he was facing the affairs of the mind... Most of his film took place in a mental asylum, where the Swedish star was the best-looking doctor you have ever seen... Cool, seductive, and attractive in front of Hitchcock's eyes...

When Gregory Peck arrived as the new head doctor, she fell in love with him; but soon his staring eyes, his long pauses and the heavy shadows surrounding him led her, like us, to suspect that he was not 'Dr. Anthony Edwards' at all, but was really a mental case himself who had assumed the identity of the doctor... In that case, what had happened to the real doctor?

Gregory Peck could not say, because he was suffering from amnesia and could not remember his past... While we begin to wonder, he became convinced that he was a murderer and took fight, sought by the police...

Convinced of his innocence - but needing to persuade her patient to prove it - Ingrid Bergman caught up with Peck and took him for shelter to a psychoanalyst who tried to solve the truth in his dreams...

'Spellbound' is a harmless and suspenseful piece of cinema... Hitchcock touches were splendid, and the stars shined magically... The psychiatric window-dressing was impressive, and surrealist artist Salvador Dali was hired to paint the dream sequences... This was not, incidentally, Salvador Dali's introduction to the cinema: in 1929 he had collaborated in writing 'Un Chien Andalou' with the man whose cinematic imagination has always flowered in the gardens of the unconscious mind: Luis Buñuel.

Rhonda Fleming made her film debut here, and Norman Lloyd, last seen as he fell from the Statue of Liberty in 'Saboteur', made a brief appearance as a patient...

4 out of 5 stars Much-Maligned Hitchcock Classic Has Enough Cinematic Bravado to Satisfy Fans.......2006-09-28

There is one scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 1945 classic that epitomizes what's both cinematically unique and logically wrong about the whole venture. Late in the story, comely therapist Dr. Constance Petersen and her inadvertent patient John Brown (or is it Dr. Anthony Edwardes?) set off skiing on an empty, pristine slope in Gabriel Valley. The two attractive stars are obviously shot standing still against an aggressive wind machine in front of a moving screen matte of the Alpine scenery. It's really a concurrently thrilling and silly-looking shot designed to build suspense, and it's easy to dismiss its artifice until it all ends in a key revelation. The rest of the movie suffers from the same conflicting dilemma, i.e., isolated moments of cinematic bravado that interweave with a preposterous Baroque-level storyline.

Written by Ben Hecht and Angus MacPhail, the plot begins with the staff of a country asylum awaiting the arrival of Dr. Edwardes to replace the retiring Dr. Murchison. Enter a man who thinks he's Edwardes until it becomes clear that the real Edwardes has been murdered. In the meantime, the normally reserved Dr. Petersen has become drawn to the young Edwardes doppelganger, who becomes her patient and then her lover. When he is accused of the murder, the couple go on the lam in her desperate hope of finding the truth about his identity and who the murderer really is. Just like Hitchcock's first American picture, the 1940 classic "Rebecca", this film was produced by David O. Selznick in his trademark glossy manner, but this time, Selznick appears more confident about his director's abilities as Hitchcock's atmospheric touches are more abundant here. There is even a surreal dream sequence designed by Salvador Dali and one hilariously effective metaphor of doors opening when the lovers kiss. George Barnes' deep-focus cinematography, Miklos Rozsa's evocative music (though a bit too macabre at times) and James Basevi's art direction are all first-rate.

As Petersen, Ingrid Bergman is saddled with a role that has her explaining and probing ad nauseam, but somehow her natural luminescence comes through her professional exterior. Gregory Peck, on the other hand, is more problematic as the traumatized hero since he has to convince us that he could be a murderer when his young and naturally stalwart manner makes such dire emotions rather incredible. Smaller roles are filled expertly with layered work from Leo G. Carroll as Murchison and Michael Chekhof as Peterson's eccentric mentor. In the impressive Hitchcock canon, it is a highly stylized but ultimately middling effort. The double-sided Criterion Collection DVD, however, is an unequivocally superb package starting with a pristine print transfer. It contains an informative commentary track by film scholar Marian Keane, a multi-media feature ("A Nightmare Ordered by Telephone") on the Dali dream sequence, a 1973 audio interview with Rosza and a 1948 radio broadcast with Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli in the lead roles.
The Climb
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • How high can you climb
  • Poignant, Suspenseful and Perfectly Acted
  • Poignant, Suspenseful and Perfectly Acted
The Climb
Starring: John Hurt , Gregory Smith , David Strathairn , Stephen McHattie , and Seth Smith
Director: Bob Swaim
Manufacturer: Spellbound Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 1892649233
Release Date: 1999-02-14

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars How high can you climb.......2000-08-29

In "The Climb," a boy named Danny wants to climb a tower in order to prove to his father and the bullies that he's not a coward. He finds an old man that wants to commit suicide. Since Danny (Gregory Smith) won't get the gun for the old man, the man agrees to help him get to the top of the tower just as long as he thinks he can get back down. But there's one thing that goes wrong, Danny breaks his arm a few days before he plans to climb to the top of the tower.

"The Climb" is a little slow getting started, so you probably won't get real interested in it until Danny and the old man actually go to the tower and start carrying out their plan. About the only thing that will keep you interested before then is the old man's performance, he does a great job and so does Danny.

If you like drama movies, I would recommend seeing "The Climb." It is interesting and toward the end of the movie when the climb is taking place, it has some good suspense.

5 out of 5 stars Poignant, Suspenseful and Perfectly Acted.......1999-12-05

Poignant, suspenseful and perfectly acted, The Climb is as rare as its unlikely central friendship -- and as full of humanity. - Sheila Benson, film critic.

A solidly crafted film from the director Bob Swaim, The Climb is an engaging tale of growing up in the 1950's. - David Rooney, VARIETY

In a world where marketplace spin and the one-line pitch meeting has diminished movie-making to deplorably predictable levels, it is a joy to see Bob Swaim's multi-leveled and richly-textured new film. Instead of Hollywood clichés and cardboard figures, he gives us believable characters and situations alive with all the nuance of real life. Defying all easy categorization, THE CLIMB is destined to become a classic. -William Hjortzberg author (Falling Angel, Legend, Angel Heart)

.. one of those sterling independent films that sometimes unfortunately slip through cracks. ...THE CLIMB is a little jewel well worth seeking out... - Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune Movie Critic.

The Climb' is a moving coming-of-age drama with a juicy performance by John Hurt as a cantankerous, chain-smoking, bourbon-slugging geezer. David Strathairn displays his typical understated brilliance playing a father who redefines heroism. -Annette Insdorf, Columbia University Film Department

Brilliant cast, insightful and sensitive direction. Without question some of John Hurt's finest work. Bob Swaim grew through his high school years in California, and it shows, for unlike most Europeans his vision of US life is honest to the core though clearly his years in French cinema give him an intuition most Americans desperately lack about their own culture. -David Franzoni screenwriter, Citizen Cohn, Amistad, Gladiator,Jumpin' Jack Flash

Funny, touching and thought-provoking. An island of reality and humanity in a sea of effects films. - Daniel Will-Harris, editor, eFuse.com

5 out of 5 stars Poignant, Suspenseful and Perfectly Acted.......1999-12-02

Poignant, suspenseful and perfectly acted, The Climb is as rare as its unlikely central friendship -- and as full of humanity. - Sheila Benson, film critic

A solidly crafted film from the director Bob Swaim, The Climb is an engaging tale of growing up in the 1950's. - David Rooney, VARIETY

In a world where marketplace spin and the one-line pitch meeting has diminished movie-making to deplorably predictable levels, it is a joy to see Bob Swaim's multi-leveled and richly-textured new film. Instead of Hollywood clichés and cardboard figures, he gives us believable characters and situations alive with all the nuance of real life. Defying all easy categorization, THE CLIMB is destined to become a classic. -William Hjortzberg author (Falling Angel, Legend, Angel Heart)

.. one of those sterling independent films that sometimes unfortunately slip through cracks. ...THE CLIMB is a little jewel well worth seeking out... - Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune Movie Critic.

The Climb' is a moving coming-of-age drama with a juicy performance by John Hurt as a cantankerous, chain-smoking, bourbon-slugging geezer. David Strathairn displays his typical understated brilliance playing a father who redefines heroism. -Annette Insdorf, Columbia University

Brilliant cast, insightful and sensitive direction. Without question some of John Hurt's finest work. Bob Swaim grew through his high school years in California, and it shows, for unlike most Europeans his vision of US life is honest to the core though clearly his years in French cinema give him an intuition most Americans desperately lack about their own culture. -David Franzoni screenwriter, Citizen Cohn, Amistad, Gladiator,Jumpin' Jack Flash

Funny, touching and thought-provoking. An island of reality and humanity in a sea of effects films. - Daniel Will-Harris, editor, eFuse.com
Spellbound
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Spellbound
  • Not my favorite Hitchflick by a long shot.
  • Spellbinding:
  • Lushly romantic with the haunting Academy Award Miklos Rozsa score...
  • Much-Maligned Hitchcock Classic Has Enough Cinematic Bravado to Satisfy Fans
Spellbound
Starring: Jean Acker , Art Baker , Ingrid Bergman , Leo G. Carroll , and Michael Chekhov
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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  1. Notorious - Criterion Collection
  2. Rebecca - Criterion Collection
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  4. The 39 Steps - Criterion Collection
  5. Suspicion

ASIN: B00000K0EH
Release Date: 1999-09-07

Amazon.com essential video

Alfred Hitchcock takes on Sigmund Freud in this thriller in which psychologist Ingrid Bergman tries to solve a murder by unlocking the clues hidden in the mind of amnesiac suspect Gregory Peck. Among the highlights is a bizarre dream sequence seemingly designed by Salvador Dali--complete with huge eyeballs and pointy scissors. Although the film is in black and white, the original release contained one subliminal blood-red frame, appearing when a gun pointed directly at the camera goes off. Spellbound is one of Hitchcock's strangest and most atmospheric films, providing the director with plenty of opportunities to explore what he called "pure cinema"--i.e., the power of pure visual associations. Miklós Rózsa's haunting score (which features a creepy theremin) won an Oscar, and the movie was nominated for best picture, director, supporting actor (Michael Chekhov), cinematography, and special visual effects. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Spellbound.......2007-06-25

Intriguing and mystifying, this "manhunt story" (as the director described it) is pickled in a heady dose of psychoanalytic dialogue, thanks in part to producer David O. Selznick, an ardent Freudian. Aside from Hitchcock's peerless handling of both the suspense surrounding J.B.'s identity and the love tryst that develops between Peck and Bergman, "Spellbound" remains celebrated because of the unforgettable dream sequence designed by Surrealist artist Salvador Dali (and directed by William Cameron Menzies). For sheer thrills and hypnotic weirdness, all enhanced by Miklos Rozsa's unsettling, Oscar-winning theremin score, "Spellbound" is hard to beat.

3 out of 5 stars Not my favorite Hitchflick by a long shot........2007-05-12

Spellbound (Alfred Hitchcock, 1945)

I often feel like an iconoclast when it comes to Alfred Hitchcock movies. While some of them are brilliant, I have found that the ones most loved by critics everywhere leave me not cold, exactly, but wondering what all the fuss is about. Spellbound joins these ranks. It's a good movie, to be certain, but one of the best ever made? I'm not even sure it's one of Hitchcock's five best.

The plot: Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman) is a young doctor at a mental institution whose head, Dr. Murchison (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s Leo G. Carroll), is retiring. Arriving to replace him is one Anthony Edwardes (Gregory Peck). Petersen is powerfully attracted to Edwardes, which causes her no amount of conflict when she finds out that Edwardes may not be who he says he is.

Yeah, it works. Of course it does, it's Alfred Hitchcock. However, it feels at times-- especially during the first hour-- that Hitchcock hadn't quite decided whether he wanted to make his usual thriller or wanted to simply delve into romance territory. And it's not the idea that it's Hitch doing a romance that doesn't work, it's the indecision of the thing, which leads at times to the movie having all the pace of a snail on quaaludes. Once it gets going, it's as fine as any piece of Hitchcockiana, but it does take a while to get going. ***

4 out of 5 stars Spellbinding:.......2007-04-05


*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Described by its creator as "just another manhunt story wrapped in a pseudo-psychoanalysis", "Spellbound" is spellbinding. One of the reasons I wanted to see it was, of course, the nightmare dream sequences designed by Salvador Dali but the movie offers so much more. Young and beautiful Ingrid Bergman plays the psychiatrist, Dr. Constance Petersen who fells in love with the new director of a mental institution she works for, Dr. Edwards (29 -years-old Gregory Peck in his early screen appearance was so handsome that I had difficulties following the plot twists watching him and Bergman on the screen together :)). Dr. Edwards soon turns to be an impostor, an amnesiac, and a suspect in the murder of a real Dr. Anthony Edwards. It is up to Dr. Peterson, the psychiatrist and the woman in love to discover the truth about 'J.B.', John Ballantine aka John Brown and his role in the Dr. Edwards' murder. Very dark, very moody, with Hitchcock's subtle touches of humor (provided by Michael Chekhov as Dr. Brulov), with dramatic and unsettling music score (Miklós Rózsa received Oscar for the Best Music), "Spellbound" is a classic and one of the Master's finest films.

4 out of 5 stars Lushly romantic with the haunting Academy Award Miklos Rozsa score..........2007-01-15

If Hitchcock dealt with psychological themes in 'Shadow of a Doubt' and 'Suspicion', with 'Spellbound' he was facing the affairs of the mind... Most of his film took place in a mental asylum, where the Swedish star was the best-looking doctor you have ever seen... Cool, seductive, and attractive in front of Hitchcock's eyes...

When Gregory Peck arrived as the new head doctor, she fell in love with him; but soon his staring eyes, his long pauses and the heavy shadows surrounding him led her, like us, to suspect that he was not 'Dr. Anthony Edwards' at all, but was really a mental case himself who had assumed the identity of the doctor... In that case, what had happened to the real doctor?

Gregory Peck could not say, because he was suffering from amnesia and could not remember his past... While we begin to wonder, he became convinced that he was a murderer and took fight, sought by the police...

Convinced of his innocence - but needing to persuade her patient to prove it - Ingrid Bergman caught up with Peck and took him for shelter to a psychoanalyst who tried to solve the truth in his dreams...

'Spellbound' is a harmless and suspenseful piece of cinema... Hitchcock touches were splendid, and the stars shined magically... The psychiatric window-dressing was impressive, and surrealist artist Salvador Dali was hired to paint the dream sequences... This was not, incidentally, Salvador Dali's introduction to the cinema: in 1929 he had collaborated in writing 'Un Chien Andalou' with the man whose cinematic imagination has always flowered in the gardens of the unconscious mind: Luis Buñuel.

Rhonda Fleming made her film debut here, and Norman Lloyd, last seen as he fell from the Statue of Liberty in 'Saboteur', made a brief appearance as a patient...

4 out of 5 stars Much-Maligned Hitchcock Classic Has Enough Cinematic Bravado to Satisfy Fans.......2006-09-28

There is one scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 1945 classic that epitomizes what's both cinematically unique and logically wrong about the whole venture. Late in the story, comely therapist Dr. Constance Petersen and her inadvertent patient John Brown (or is it Dr. Anthony Edwardes?) set off skiing on an empty, pristine slope in Gabriel Valley. The two attractive stars are obviously shot standing still against an aggressive wind machine in front of a moving screen matte of the Alpine scenery. It's really a concurrently thrilling and silly-looking shot designed to build suspense, and it's easy to dismiss its artifice until it all ends in a key revelation. The rest of the movie suffers from the same conflicting dilemma, i.e., isolated moments of cinematic bravado that interweave with a preposterous Baroque-level storyline.

Written by Ben Hecht and Angus MacPhail, the plot begins with the staff of a country asylum awaiting the arrival of Dr. Edwardes to replace the retiring Dr. Murchison. Enter a man who thinks he's Edwardes until it becomes clear that the real Edwardes has been murdered. In the meantime, the normally reserved Dr. Petersen has become drawn to the young Edwardes doppelganger, who becomes her patient and then her lover. When he is accused of the murder, the couple go on the lam in her desperate hope of finding the truth about his identity and who the murderer really is. Just like Hitchcock's first American picture, the 1940 classic "Rebecca", this film was produced by David O. Selznick in his trademark glossy manner, but this time, Selznick appears more confident about his director's abilities as Hitchcock's atmospheric touches are more abundant here. There is even a surreal dream sequence designed by Salvador Dali and one hilariously effective metaphor of doors opening when the lovers kiss. George Barnes' deep-focus cinematography, Miklos Rozsa's evocative music (though a bit too macabre at times) and James Basevi's art direction are all first-rate.

As Petersen, Ingrid Bergman is saddled with a role that has her explaining and probing ad nauseam, but somehow her natural luminescence comes through her professional exterior. Gregory Peck, on the other hand, is more problematic as the traumatized hero since he has to convince us that he could be a murderer when his young and naturally stalwart manner makes such dire emotions rather incredible. Smaller roles are filled expertly with layered work from Leo G. Carroll as Murchison and Michael Chekhof as Peterson's eccentric mentor. In the impressive Hitchcock canon, it is a highly stylized but ultimately middling effort. The double-sided Criterion Collection DVD, however, is an unequivocally superb package starting with a pristine print transfer. It contains an informative commentary track by film scholar Marian Keane, a multi-media feature ("A Nightmare Ordered by Telephone") on the Dali dream sequence, a 1973 audio interview with Rosza and a 1948 radio broadcast with Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli in the lead roles.
Spellbound (1945) [Import]
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • PURE HITCHCOCK !!!!
  • Dreams of Morality Perversion and Exposed Evil
Spellbound (1945) [Import]
Starring: Gregory Peck
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AW076U

Product Description

Won Oscar (1946). Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars PURE HITCHCOCK !!!!.......2007-06-02

I didnt know what to expect from this film , after all it was made in the 40's and how good could it be? WOW! This movie is so great it simply amazed me! Twist and turns and plots and sub=plots and suspense and....I have to say "I Loved It!" This is what you expect but dont always get from Hitchcock.

5 out of 5 stars Dreams of Morality Perversion and Exposed Evil.......2007-01-12

SPELLBOUND was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by David O. Selznick in 1945. As the story unravels it is essentially a murder plot interwoven around psychiatrists and psychoanalysis. It is actually Alfred Hitchcock's approach to the story and his collaborations with composer Miklos Rozsa and surrealist artist Salvador Dali that highlights this film. Gregory Peck plays John "J.B." Ballantine who poses as a psychiatrist while in a state of amnesia. Uncovered by Dr. Constance Peterson played by Ingrid Bergman, Ballantine must find out if he is responsible for the death of the missing psychiatrist that he posed as and simultaneously discover his own identity. Miklos Rozsa's score is both romantic yet eerie as Ballantine tries to remember what happened through analysis of his dreams. Alfred Hitchcock hired Salvador Dali to design illustrations and paintings in order to construct a crisp and vivid rendering of these dreams. Hitchcock did not want to use conventional techniques such as blurred camera shots to recreate the dreams. He wanted them to be as clear and even sharper than the rest of the film. He wanted Dali's style of using shadows, lines of convergence and the idea of infinite distance incorporated into the dream sequences. In the dream sequence we see a black stage highlighted with people at gambling tables with huge mysterious looking eyes peering over them. A man cuts away at the fabric of one eye with a giant scissors revealing another eye. In another part of the dream we see a man standing on a roof behind a chimney that has sprouted roots. The hooded man holds what looks like a deformed or eccentric wagon wheel in his hand. In the distance there is a formation of rocks and boulders, which look like they are sprouting into the shape of a man's head. Another part of the dream shows a man running down a pitched geometric plane as the shadow of a bird follows him. In the background there are geometric shapes and lines that go off into infinity. All these images must be interpreted into experiences from reality. Dali's images are unsettling and thought provoking. Eventually, the eccentric wagon wheel turns out to represent the chambers of a revolver pistol and reveals the true identity of the murderer. A surrealistic painting brings to the canvas an image from reality but puts it into a context of the unreal. I think Dali was successful in translating the realistic elements from the plot into a vision of incomprehensibility of the conscious human mind. Hitchcock and the scriptwriter Ben Hecht then had their characters translate Dali's images back into plausible reality. This is brilliant filmmaking years ahead of its time.

The Climb
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The Climb
    Starring: John Hurt; David Strathairn; Gregory Smith; Marla Sokoloff; Sarah Buxton; Matthew Ness; Stephen McHattie; Seth Smith; Tina Regtien; Oliver Hodges; Michael Saccente; Michael Galvin; Nigel Godfrey; Dave Perrett; Peter Rowley; Richard Cox
    Director: Bob Swaim
    Manufacturer: Spellbound Pictures
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    ASIN: B000SQVGNQ
    Release Date: 2007-07-10

    Product Description

    John Langer (John Hurt), a crusty old civic engineer, has an arsenal full of memories. With irreverent wit, he rattles on in his irascible humor burning his spicy stories into the imagination of a young neighbor kid, Danny Himes (Gregory Smith). Danny is a gifted, spirited athlete with something to prove. Worldly, old man Langer has turned his back on proving anything at all. Old man Langer and Danny seem an unlikely pair. Their relationship turns from young caregiver/caretaker to student/mentor to comrades on a quest to free themselves individually and together from life's inequities and inevitabilities. It's post WWII. Danny's father, Earl (David Strathairn), did not serve in the military and is considered a coward. Danny excels to overcome his father's reputation while Earl is actually more a man than the town knows. "You don't smoke, you don't drink, and you don't screw. What kind of man are you anyway?" Langer asks Danny. The more appropriate question is: "What kind of men were they?" That is the Story of The Climb.
    Batman Beyond - School Dayz/Spellbound (Animated Double Feature)
    Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    • DON'T BUY THIS DVD!!!
    • Disappointing duplication of 3 episodes
    • only half satisfied
    • BUYER BEWARE OF WB MARKETING GENIUSES!
    • 6 episodes - a good deal for the price
    Batman Beyond - School Dayz/Spellbound (Animated Double Feature)
    Starring: Yvette Lowenthal , Jane Alan , and Rachael Leigh Cook
    Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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    5. Batman - Mask of the Phantasm (Keepcase)

    ASIN: B00016XOBA
    Release Date: 2004-03-02

    Description

    2 great titles on 1 DVD for the first time! 1st title: Batman Beyond: Spellbound contains 3 parts: 1) Spellbound: An Elusive villain called Spellbinder hypnotizes ordinary citizens into committing crimes for him. Batman must uncover Spellbinder's identity before more innocent victims fall under his spell. 2) A Touch of Curare: When a scimitar-wielding assassin named Curare is hired to kill Commissioner Barbara Gordon's husband, Batman feels compelled to help, even though Barbara insists that he stay out of police business. 3) Hooked Up: Batman has to come to Max's rescue when she becomes addicted to a virtual reality world that is controlled by Spellbinder. 2nd title: Batman Beyond: School Dayz contains 3 parts: As Terry takes up the mantle of the Dark Knight he finds the pressures of high school are to be just as demanding. 1) Golem: Imagine the kid who was always the butt of the joke having control of a machine 4 stories tall that can lift 27 tons. Then imagine him being cybernetically linked to that machine...2) The Winning Edge: The legacy of Bane comes back as the 'Super Venom' become popular with Hill High's star athletes. Can even the new Batman match a team of enhanced jocks? 3) Dead Man's Hand: The burden of having a dual identity wears heavily on Terry until he meets a girl named Melanie who seems to understand him. Unfortunately, she also has a hidden secret.

    Customer Reviews:

    1 out of 5 stars DON'T BUY THIS DVD!!!.......2005-03-11

    It's an understatement that many of us feel ripped off by WB's attempt to unfairly empty our wallets. If we refuse to buy these horribly priced episode dvds and at the same time purchase the available box sets that are of value then we can make some headway. They are in the business of making $$$. Slowing their cash flow will force them to give us consumers' products we demand or risk losing our disposable income. Die-hard fans of this series and other series must convince every parent to withhold from purchasing these dvds until full seasons are made available.

    1 out of 5 stars Disappointing duplication of 3 episodes.......2004-04-17

    Why Warner Bros. chose to link SPELLBOUND with SCHOOL DAYZ is a mystery, since all 3 episodes of SCHOOL DAYZ are on the BATMAN BEYOND MOVIE DVD. It would have made more sense to have linked SPELLBOUND with CRUSH, since that VHS volume has still yet to make its DVD debut, now that DISAPPEARING INQUE and TECH WARS have been paired up for DVD. Since most people who buy this will have probably purchased the BATMAN BEYOND MOVIE, they already own half of this DVD. While it's nice to get 6 episodes on the DVD (unlike the usual 3 or 4 of JLA or animated BATMAN), there are no extras. The only explanation as to why we are getting SCHOOL DAYZ on DVD yet again instead of CRUSH seems to be that Warner Bros. are unfamiliar with their own product.

    2 out of 5 stars only half satisfied.......2004-03-28

    I think its wonderful that Warner Bros has decided to release on DVD School Dayz/Spellbound and Tech Wars/Disappearing Inque to each contain 6 episodes and priced with a reasonable price. However, I am extremely disapointed at the fact that the first 3 episodes of School Dayz/Spellbound HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED as the "bonus episodes" in the Batman Beyond Movie DVD. This is irritating the heck out of me. I was so looking forward to 6 wonderful episodes I do not yet own, only to get 3 new episodes.

    5 out of 5 stars BUYER BEWARE OF WB MARKETING GENIUSES!.......2004-03-07

    I loved this series, and was always disappointed when they were pre-empted by "Pokemon". "Batman Beyond" is for adults, and perhaps that is why the WB is marketing "Justice League" differently.

    For some reason, the geniuses in the WB marketing department think that consumers will be more inclined to buy "features" instead of episodic cartoons. PLEASE NOTE that there are 6 episodes of the cartoon on this dvd, not two features, and that several of these episodes were previously released on the "Batman Beyond: The Movie" dvd..

    Darwyn Cooke is GAWD. Check out "dc: the new frontier".

    4 out of 5 stars 6 episodes - a good deal for the price.......2004-03-05

    For the sake of clarification, the two "titles" on this DVD (School Daze and Spellbound) were previously released separately on video, and are combined together on one DVD. Each video contained 3 episodes of the original Batman Beyond show. As such, this DVD contains 6 episodes : SPELLBOUND / HOOKED UP / A TOUCH OF CURARE / GOLEM / THE WINNING EDGE / DEAD MAN'S HAND.

    I think this DVD is aimed at two audiences - as a low priced DVD for the kids, as well as for adults who enjoyed the show. I personally would prefer a box set containing every episode, but how many parents would buy that for their kids? Putting the episodes out this way gets both audiences to buy the DVD.

    This disc contains no extras, but there is a "play all" feature.
    Picture looks great, but no subtitles, and only one audio choice. Still, I give it 4 stars as I feel 6 episodes for the low price is fair.
    Wrong Men & Notorious Women - Five Hitchcock Thrillers 1935-1946 (The 39 Steps / The Lady Vanishes / Rebecca / Spellbound / Notorious) - Criterion Collection
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Great Collection, but don't pay these outrageous prices...
    • Fabulous Noir...Classic Films...One Short Of Perfect
    • Early Hitchcock classics
    • Correction
    • IMMACULATE(AND STILL AVAILABLE)
    Wrong Men & Notorious Women - Five Hitchcock Thrillers 1935-1946 (The 39 Steps / The Lady Vanishes / Rebecca / Spellbound / Notorious) - Criterion Collection
    Starring: Alfred Hitchcock
    Manufacturer: Criterion
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    Similar Items:
    1. The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection (Strangers on a Train Two-Disc Edition / North by Northwest / Dial M for Murder / Foreign Correspondent / Suspicion / The Wrong Man / Stage Fright / I Confess / Mr. and Mrs. Smith)
    2. Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / Vertigo / Rear Window / The Birds / Shadow of a Doubt / Family Plot / Frenzy / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Marnie / Rope / Saboteur / Topaz / Torn Curtain / The Trouble with Harry)
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    ASIN: B00008OM70
    Release Date: 2003-05-13

    Amazon.com

    Wrong Men & Notorious Women is an irresistible set: five early Alfred Hitchcock thrillers--The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Rebecca, Spellbound, and Notorious--in sumptuous Criterion Collection editions that offer pristine transfers, commentary tracks by film scholars, and other bonus features such as screen tests, essays, rare photos, and radio broadcasts.

    The 39 Steps (1935) is a prime example of the MacGuffin principle in action. Robert Donat is Richard Hannay, an affable Canadian tourist in London who becomes embroiled in a deadly conspiracy when a mysterious spy winds up murdered in Hannay's rented flat--and both the police and a secret organization wind up hot on his trail. It's classic Hitchcock all the way, a seemingly effortless balance of romance and adventure set against a picturesque landscape populated by eccentrics and social-register smoothies, none of whom is what he or she appears to be.

    The Lady Vanishes (1938) begins innocently enough, as a contingent of eccentric tourists spend the night in a picture-postcard village inn nestled in the Swiss Alps before setting off on the train the next morning. Attractive young Iris (Margaret Lockwood) clashes with brash music student Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) when his nocturnal concerts give her no peace. True love is inevitable, but not before they are both plunged into an international conspiracy. Hitchcock effortlessly navigates this vivid thriller from light comedy to high tension and back again, creating one of his most enchanting and entertaining mysteries.

    Rebecca (1940) is an ageless, timeless adult movie about a woman who marries a widower but fears she lives in the shadow of her predecessor. This was Hitchcock's first American feature, and it garnered the Best Picture statuette at the 1941 Academy Awards. In today's films, most twists and surprises are ridiculous or just gratuitous, so it's sobering to look back on this film where every revelation not only shocks, but makes organic sense with the story line. Laurence Olivier is dashing and weak, fierce and cowed. Joan Fontaine is strong yet submissive, defiant yet accommodating. Brilliant stuff.

    Hitchcock takes on Sigmund Freud in Spellbound (1945), in which psychologist Ingrid Bergman tries to solve a murder by unlocking the clues hidden in the mind of amnesiac suspect Gregory Peck. Among the highlights is a bizarre dream sequence seemingly designed by Salvador Dali--complete with huge eyeballs and pointy scissors. Spellbound is one of Hitchcock's strangest and most atmospheric films, providing the director with plenty of opportunities to explore what he called "pure cinema"--i.e., the power of pure visual associations.

    Notorious (1946) features a cast to kill for: Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, and Claude Rains. Bergman plays the daughter of a disgraced father who is recruited by American agents to infiltrate a post-World War II spy ring in Brazil. Her control agent is Grant, who treats her with disdain while developing a deep romantic bond with her. Her assignment: to marry the suspected head of the ring (Rains) and get the goods on everyone involved. Danger, deceit, betrayal--and, yes, romance--all come together in a nearly perfect blend as the film builds to a terrific (and surprising) climax. Grant and Bergman rarely have been better.

    Description

    A supreme technician and innovative stylist, Alfred Hitchcock always left his indelible stamp on his productions. From the wit, romance, and fast-paced action of 1935's British-made The 39 Steps to the bittersweet blend of lush romance and spy- thriller in the 1946 Hollywood production Notorious, Hitchcock continually flaunted a peerless formal mastery as he capitalized on a wide variety of genres. In the 1940 Academy Award™ -winning Rebecca and 1945 psychoanalytic thriller Spellbound, Hitchcock also proved himself a keen surveyor of the human mind, incisively exploring the psychology of fear and sexual repression within the context of films that both entertained audiences of the day and ensured that his career would be one of the most illustrious in the history of cinema.

    Starring Robert Donat, Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Claude Rains, and Cary Grant, these five acclaimed films bridge Hitchcock's early British masterworks with his triumphant American collaborations with producer David O. Selznick, and present the legendary director at his unparalleled best, creating films that are exemplars of suspense and cinematic virtuosity.



    Oscar™ , Academy Award™ , and Academy Awards™ are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Great Collection, but don't pay these outrageous prices..........2007-03-09

    MGM dvd is set to to release these same titles later sometime this year (2007). So be on the look out. I already own this Chriterion collection and it is great, but it lacks any documentaries on the films. I'm sure the new MGM dvd releases will more than likely put this on them and hopefully more features too, like Warner dvd did with the rights they own of Hitchcock now.

    4 out of 5 stars Fabulous Noir...Classic Films...One Short Of Perfect.......2006-05-13

    Hitch, Cary, Ingrid, Olivier, Whitty, Du Maurier,Fontaine. The list goes on. All these great talents combined to make a great package for Hitch fans.A selection of fabulous noir, that is definitive of all things Hitch. The suspense, the shadows and light, the camera angles, the sly humor, his trademark sequences, all here, for one great Hitch film-fest. A mix of his vintage British films, and the great classics of Hollywood.
    Here are the "wrong men" and "notorious women" that make up this great collection.

    "The 39 Steps"
    One of Hitch's masterpieces! From 1935.. "The Thirty Nine Steps" has Hitch's trademark style all through it. An innocent man gets involved with spies and counter spies. He is at the music hall, watching a "Memory Act"(which is quite a scene in itself),there's a gun shot, panic erupts and everyone runs out. A mysterious woman attaches herself to him and comes home with him. She reveals she is a spy and others are after her. She mentions the mysterious "Thirty Nine Steps", and the next morning he finds her dead. He goes on the run for fear he will be implicated in the murder and in order to prove his innocence he must uncover this spy ring on his own. His path is fraught with danger, suspense and of course a beautiful woman. It stars Robert Donat,Madeline Carroll(you know how Hitch loved those beautiful cool blondes!), and Lucie Mannheim(as Annabela the spy).Also look for his trademark staircase scene.

    Looking for Hitch: Less than 10 minutes in, you'll spy him. What a litter bug!

    "The Lady Vanishes"
    Of all Hitch's early British made film's(mostly made during the late 1920's and 1930's), "The Lady Vanishes" is by far the most captivating one for me.
    A train trip is the setting for this mystery. A woman's traveling companion has disappeared. Where could she be? The train is only so big. She tries desperately to find her friend, but is alone in her quest. No one seems to believe that she even had a companion to start with.All seem to have their own mysterious reasons for denying her any help.
    Finally one man is convinced to help, and together they try to solve this possible crime. There are lots of tense sequences to keep you in suspense, and your heart pounding. Hitch mixes up the thrills with his marvelous sense of humor and his wonderful trademark style.Wonderful performances by the likes of Dame Mae Whitty, Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave add to the enjoyment of this one.

    Looking for Hitch:....You must be patient. Check Victoria Station almost at the end of the film.

    "Rebecca"
    What do you get when you have a great work of literature by Daphne Du Maurier, combined with the cinematic skill of Director Alfred Hitchcock,combined with the extraordinary acting talents of Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders and Judith Anderson? You get pure perfection on film. Movie heaven!

    The story begins in the South of France where a young, introverted woman(Joan Fontaine) meets wealthy widower Maxim de Winter(Olivier) His wife,Rebecca, had recently died in a drowning accident and often he seems to be pensive and far off. They fall in love, marry, and go back to his home, an estate called Manderly. She is overwhelmed by the palacial grandeur, the huge staff of servants but mainly by the very prim but chilling head housekeeper Mrs. Danvers(Judith Andersson). The first Mrs. De Winter still seems to have a presence in the household that Mrs. Danvers keeps alive.
    To say anymore will be giving away too much of this hauntingly chilling love story/mystery.

    Looking for Hitch: Nice day for a stroll...check the phone booth scene towards the end.

    "Spellbound"
    Here's a little of this riveting story.....
    The beautiful Ingrid Bergman plays the distant psychiatrist Dr. Constance Petersen. She treats a number of troubled patients at the Green Manors Mental Asylum, but her toughest case is yet to come. With Dr. Murchison(Leo G Carroll) being forced into retirement a new chief of staff will be arriving. It is the esteemed Dr Edwards(Gregory Peck)who takes over. It is not long before Edwards and Constance find themselves attracted to one another, and it is not long before Constance figures out that Edwards is not really who he says he is. He displays signs of paranoia and amnesia and it is possible that he murdered the real Dr. Edwards.They are on the run to try to solve the case but as the original theatrical poster says,"Will he Kiss me or Kill me?"

    You'll be awed Hitch's definitive style of camera angles, shadow and lights, romance and a unique dream sequence designed by Salavdor Dali. Not to mention all the wonderful talent that graces this film. Bergman and Peck make screen magic together, Carroll is a legend and this film shows us why.Also starring is Rhonda Flemming,Michael Chekhov, and Wallace Ford. The music by Miklos Rozsa also adds greatly to the building tension, and romantic scenes in the story.
    So don't worry about trying to over anaylze this one....As Hitch himself said "It's just a movie." But a GREAT one!

    Looking for Hitch: About :40 minutes in, you may see him if you're quick!

    "Notorious"
    The master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, gives us another edge of your seat thriller. He combines, mystery,romance, and the evil's of Nazism in this chilling story.It takes place shortly after WWII. Alicia(Ingrid Bergman) is a woman with a past. Her father has just been convicted of spying. American agent Devlin(Cary Grant), enlists Alicia to infiltrate a Nazi spy ring.After her father's conviction, Alicia can prove her own patriotism by cooperating in this manner. She finds herself right in the thick of things and her own life in danger after she goes as far as to marry Alex(Claude Rains), one of the very powerful, rich and dangerous ring leaders of the group. Alex is on to her and tries to methodically get rid of his beautiful wife.Can the handsome "Dev" rescue the woman he has come to love so much before tragedy strikes.?

    You'll delight to find Hitch's trademarks all through the film. The camera angles are definitive,the trademark staircase scene, the passion between Grant and Bergman electrifying,Claude Rains is terrifying, and the story a rollercoaster of suspense filled moments. There isn't a more perfect film I can think of.

    Looking for Hitch: A little over an hour in you can have a little drink with him.(Not too much though, the Champagne needs to last the night at this party).

    Hitch was "notorious" for stories where the "wrong" guy was accused of the crime. There are others that could fit into this collection. But I truly think there is one glaring omission.Shouldn't "The Wrong Man" with Henry Fonda, be included in "Wrong Men and Notorious Women"?.It's a dark wonderful piece of filmmaking, based on a true story of a man who happened to look like the criminal.

    One other note. I notice that Amazon is out of stock. The outside sellers seem to be taking advantage of that fact, and have raised the cost sky high. If this set is the absolute way you want to go, put it in your cart or wish list, and keep an eye out for a reasonably listed price. In the meantime, you may want to surf around and see what it would cost to buy these films separately. A couple of them are on the expensive side, but others are averaging the usual cost of a DVD. One more route, would be to go to you local video store, they may have it, or may even be able to order it for you at the suggested retail price.

    Five 5 star films, but missing one to make the package perfect.
    Enjoy....Laurie


    5 out of 5 stars Early Hitchcock classics.......2005-06-28

    This impressive DVD box set showcases some of Alfred Hitchcock's earliest work in the 1930s and 40s, where the young director was not only breathing new life into Hollywood, but also displaying his enthusiasm for macabre tales of murder and mystery. By 1935 Hitch already had 19 films under his belt, however for the most part, his earlier work (The 1920s films THE LODGER, THE RING, BLACKMAIL and MURDER in 1930) was more experimentation that art, but THE 39 STEPS was the landmark film that put Hitch on the map. Watching it on TV late one night, I was enthralled at how expertly-crafted this little thriller was, and its great to see this classic on DVD. Boasting powerhouse performances form Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll and some fantastic cinematography, 39 STEPS says: "I respect you and here's a great movie worthy of your time". Made when movie studios like RKO, 20th Century Fox and Universal had uncertain futures, this was one of the movies that assured cinema-goers that this was not only worth money, but showcased some fantastic thrills, chills, and wonderful escapism. THE LADY VANISHES (1938) is not the directors' best film however, with a slow-paced first 20 minutes and the writing isn't as strongly composed as 39 STEPS. Some impressive action at the finale and a strident score almost make up for it's casual style.

    Derived from Daphne Du Maurier's excellent novel by Philip MacDonald, REBECCA (1940) is possibly one of the most expertly crafted films ever made in the history of cinema, a rare perfect film that deserves 6 stars for its incredible style, music, and some gripping acting from veteran Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. SPELLBOUND and NOTORIOUS are equal in style and achievement, and the DVD extras are fantastic, including The Art of Film: Vintage Hitchcock, a Janus Films documentary, rare deleted scenes, restored image and sound, and some amazing screen, hair, makeup and costume tests with Vivien Leigh, Anne Baxter, Loretta Young and Joan Fontaine. Commentaries by film scholar Leonard J. Leff, author of Hitchcock and Selznick, Hitchcock on Rebecca, excerpts from his conversations with Francois Truffaut, phone interviews with Joan Fontaine and Judith Anderson from 1986 and exclusive behind the scenes footage of the making of these classic masterpieces. If you don't have this already, buy it now and be thrilled by the master of suspense!

    5 out of 5 stars Correction.......2004-06-15

    Amazon lists this as a five-disc set. Actually it includes six discs since Rebecca comes on two.

    5 out of 5 stars IMMACULATE(AND STILL AVAILABLE).......2004-04-28

    When I read the reviews and saw that Amazon no longer carried this, I was disappointed. Only disappointed until I purchased this item new from a different vendor. I don't know why Amazon does not carry it.

    In any event, when you get your opportunity pounce! The quality of these movies is amazing, the extras extraordinary and the price a steal. These movies are a feast for the eyes and ears. The images are beyond crisp and the sound is beyond clear. What more can be said. This set is a must have.
    Spellbound (National Spelling bee)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Spellbound (National Spelling bee)

      ProductGroup: DVD
      Binding: DVD

      GenresGenres | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
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      ASIN: B000M7KDDU

      Product Description

      Spellbound follows the lives of eight young Americans who share one goal; to win the National Spelling Bee.

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