Comments on: Strangers On a Train (1951) http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/ Film reviews and commentary tonight, before I forget tomorrow Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:21:30 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Joe Valdez http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-1797 Joe Valdez Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:44:51 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/#comment-1797 Adam: It’s interesting that while acting has become almost universally good in the last 20 years - I rarely spot Farley Granger acting in major movies anymore - the writing has steadily gotten worse and worse. Maybe laptops are the problem. Ehren Kruger would never be able to carry Czenzi Ormonde’s typewriter. Thanks for your comment! Damian: Jennifer Van Sijll’s recent book Cinematic Storytelling starts out citing this movie, how heroes almost always enter from the left side of the screen, villains enter from the right. It certainly made me appreciate directors, even Michael Bay, just a bit more. Jeff: In Asia, I'm sure the scholars would assume that Hitchcock was deliberately manipulating their cultural spatial orientation to subvert the audience. Pat: Hitchcock directed 53 films, so in order to produce a list of 31, I obviously had to make omissions. At the end of the month, I will more than welcome comments about which Hitchcock films I should be drawn and quartered for leaving out of this series. Adam: It’s interesting that while acting has become almost universally good in the last 20 years – I rarely spot Farley Granger acting in major movies anymore – the writing has steadily gotten worse and worse. Maybe laptops are the problem. Ehren Kruger would never be able to carry Czenzi Ormonde’s typewriter. Thanks for your comment!

Damian: Jennifer Van Sijll’s recent book Cinematic Storytelling starts out citing this movie, how heroes almost always enter from the left side of the screen, villains enter from the right. It certainly made me appreciate directors, even Michael Bay, just a bit more.

Jeff: In Asia, I’m sure the scholars would assume that Hitchcock was deliberately manipulating their cultural spatial orientation to subvert the audience.

Pat: Hitchcock directed 53 films, so in order to produce a list of 31, I obviously had to make omissions. At the end of the month, I will more than welcome comments about which Hitchcock films I should be drawn and quartered for leaving out of this series.

]]> By: Pat Evans http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-1796 Pat Evans Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:34:54 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/#comment-1796 I agree that Holden would have upped the ante, but this is still classic Hitchcock. I admire your stamina in watching the whole body of work -- I think I've seen the lot except for possibly one or two of the early silents. Are you planning to include these as well as the pre-Hollywood British movies like "Rich and Strange" or "Young and Innocent"? I agree that Holden would have upped the ante, but this is still classic Hitchcock. I admire your stamina in watching the whole body of work — I think I’ve seen the lot except for possibly one or two of the early silents. Are you planning to include these as well as the pre-Hollywood British movies like “Rich and Strange” or “Young and Innocent”?

]]> By: Jeff McM http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-1787 Jeff McM Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:02:53 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/#comment-1787 I wonder if that would also be true for cultures that don't read and write left-to-right? I wonder if that would also be true for cultures that don’t read and write left-to-right?

]]> By: Damian http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-1780 Damian Wed, 10 Oct 2007 23:04:22 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/#comment-1780 <i>Strangers on a Train</i> was actually one of the first films that I remember causing me to notice how a director can use visual imagery to communicate symbolic ideas to the audience if not on a concsious level than even on perhaps a sub-conscious one (especially the scene where Bruno tells Guy that he's killed his wife while standing behind a barred gate only to have Guy join him behind it as soon as the police arrive at his house). Great film. P.S. You are correct in that my internet is finally back up, Joe, and I am currently working on my <i>Jurassic Park</i> and <i>Schindler's List</i> pieces, Strangers on a Train was actually one of the first films that I remember causing me to notice how a director can use visual imagery to communicate symbolic ideas to the audience if not on a concsious level than even on perhaps a sub-conscious one (especially the scene where Bruno tells Guy that he’s killed his wife while standing behind a barred gate only to have Guy join him behind it as soon as the police arrive at his house). Great film.

P.S. You are correct in that my internet is finally back up, Joe, and I am currently working on my Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List pieces,

]]> By: Adam Ross http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-1753 Adam Ross Tue, 09 Oct 2007 03:32:52 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2007/10/08/strangers-on-a-train-1951/#comment-1753 Wow, Holden would have been gold in this. I've never liked Granger in anything, it's hard to understand how he got so many good parts. Walker made me howl as well, and the carnival scenes! Such a great movie. Wow, Holden would have been gold in this. I’ve never liked Granger in anything, it’s hard to understand how he got so many good parts. Walker made me howl as well, and the carnival scenes! Such a great movie.

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