Beginning Paragraph (Updated still needs tweeking!)

 

Practice essay on Hitchcock

The topic I have decided to focus on is “How Hitchcock portrays women as disposable” I have chosen this area because I personally love Alfred Hitchcock as a director and I think the genre he is known for is extremely exciting. My focus film is the controversially shocking “ Psycho 1960” I think this film really reinforces my hypothesis for example the leading lady Janet Leigh is brutally murdered with in the first 45 minutes of the classic horror. If this doesn’t scream disposable I don’t know what does. Also another scene that really caught my eye was the scene where Marion Crane and Sam loomis are discussing him leaving his wife for her I honestly believe this shows just how Hitchcock disposes women over and over again. It could be suggesting that Hitchcock believes it’s okay to have affairs and just dump women when they are no longer seen as his play toy. My supporting films are “the Birds” and “Frenzy I chose these films because I think they fit in nicely with “psycho” and really back up my topic. I think Frenzy will be vital to my research task because there is some very important scenes for example Brenda runs a matchmaking service which I thinks relates back to my hypothesis because I think this could suggest that Hitchcock sees women as objects and sources of fame and fortune.

Other sources of research that I will be exploring is autobiographies because I believe this will be reliable research and really show Hitchcock as a person and what he really thinks of women. I have also found interviews/articles with the leading ladies because I think it will give me an idea how Hitchcock treat them. I have found an article about Janet Leigh she clearly states “Whatever I put you in, the audience would immediately think of “psycho” it wouldn’t be fair to the picture or the character.” This is a direct quote from Hitchcock himself stating that he would never work with Janet Leigh again which I feel it reinforces the fact that Hitchcock sees women as replaceable. I also found an article from Tippi Hedren who quoted that she thought Hitchcock was a "sexual predator". I have found articles and news clippings against Hitchcock but also articles that prove him innocent such as story wrote about him telling that he was actually scared of women so you wouldn’t think the above statement is true

So I have come to the conclusion that some of my hypothesis could be true about Alfred Hitchcock but I have found several sources of research that defends Hitchcock and fights against the accusations of Hitchcock being a "sexual Predator". However the problems I have come across in finding my research are if the sources are actually true or a scam to earn money. Also I have found it difficult to find interviews with Janet Leigh and other actors who stared in the actual Hitchcock films this happened because I could only really locate interviews with Scarlett Johansson who portrays Janet Leigh in the new cinematic release of Hitchcock’s life.

My findings for The BFI

Title Hitchcock and homosexuality: his 50 year obsession with Jack the Ripper and the superbitch prostitute: a psychoanalytic view
MaterialBook
Author Theodore PRICE (Author)
Pagination416p.
Bibliographic notes Supplementary content: bibliog. index
Publication place Metuchen, NJ
Publisher Scarecrow
Press Publication date 1992

Title Alma Hitchcock: the woman behind the man
Material Book
Author Pat HITCHCOCK O'CONNELL (Author), Laurent BOUZEREAU (Author)
Paginationix, 289 p.
Bibliographic notes Supplementary content: illus. bibliog.
Publication place New York
Publisher Berkley Books
Publication date 2003ISBN0425190056

Title Roll over Hitchcock
Author William Wilson GOODSON Jr.
Source Cinefantastique (vol.25 no.2) Pagination 48-51
Publication date 1-4-1994
Material Article,
Interview, Review
Language English
Illustrations yes
Abstract Several articles on BIRDS II: LAND'S END; on its relation to Hitchcocks BIRDS and on the bird puppets; interview with bird trainer Garry Gero, makeup and visual effects and BIRDS star Tippi Hedren on BIRDS and ALfred Hitchcock

Title Inside the Head of Psycho
Author Simon BRAUND
SourceEmpire (no.110) Pagination 87-93
Publication date 1-8-1998
Material Article
Language English
Illustrations yes
Abstract Article looking back at PSYCHO, including extracts from original interview with Alfred Hitchcock, Janet Leigh and others      Keywords
Person Alfred Hitchcock ; Janet Leigh
Film / Television Psycho

Title Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho: a casebook
Series Casebooks in criticism
Material Book
Author Robert KOLKER (Author)
Paginationx, 261 p.
Bibliographic notes Supplementary content: illus. bibliog.
Publication place New York
Publisher Oxford University Press
Publication date 2004
ISBN 0195169204

Title Overexposures: the crisis in American filmmaking Material Book
Author David THOMSON (Author)
Abstract Parts of this book originally appeared elsewhere.
PSYCHO pp. 202-214 Alfred HITCHCOCK pp.188-201
Bibliographic notes Supplementary content: index
Publication place New York
Publisher William Morrow
Publication date 1981

Presentation Script
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I have recently been focusing my research on Alfred Hitchcock and how he portrays women as being disposable.  I have choose 3 main films the first psycho the second the birds and finally frenzy. The chosen films will contribute to my research

My second source of research is mainly newspaper articles from NY Times. I have found an article about Janet Leigh she clearly states “Whatever I put you in, the audience would immediately think of “psycho” it wouldn’t be fair to the picture or the character.” This is a direct quote from Hitchcock himself stating that he would never work with Janet Leigh again which I feel it reinforces the fact Hitchcock sees women as replaceable.

I also found an article from the daily mail from an interview with Tippi Hedren which she states that Hitchcock turned in to a sexual predator that tried to ruin her career which if this is true shows how Hitchcock saw women only as objects and that they can easily be disposed. 

The problems I have come across with my research is unreliable sources because I have found articles and news clippings against Hitchcock but also articles that prove him innocent such as story wrote about him telling that he was actually scared of women so you wouldn’t think he was a sexual predator with this statement. Also other problems i have come across is that i can not find recent information on Hitchcock because of all the recent films and tv series made about psycho and the birds because it isnt always reliable and i havent been able to find many articles or interviews with Janet Leigh.

I will also be part taking in a trip to The BFI (British Film Industry) where I will find more reliable research such as sections from Hitchcock’s daughter discussing her father and mothers relationship off the set Alma Hitchcock: The Woman Behind the Man - By Pat Hitchcock O'Connell and Laurent Bouzereau I will also find the book Hitchcock Studies: The Alfred Hitchcock Story / The Complete Alfred Hitchcock by Ken Mogg / Paul Condon, Jim Sangster i have also found several articles that i will be able to get at The BFI which i think will be really useful to my task.  

http://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/simple

website used to do research

research catalogue page 2

Internet Resources 

Source Four  - http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/05/movies/05leigh.html?_r=0

I chose this interview because there is a certain statement where Janet Leigh refers to the fact that Hitchcock explains to her they can never work together again this enforces that Hitchcock just assumes that women are disposable and easily replaced.

 http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/bfi-news/features/will-real-mrs-hitchcock-please-stand-up

article about Hitchcock and his wife one paragraph seems significant. 

 source five - http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CE0QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhale.to%2Fb%2Ftippi_hedren1.html&ei=CdNCUvDhFpD70gXSw4GIDg&usg=AFQjCNHcsRd2fs0x7ZG5r1ABfdboKa0_mQ&sig2=-zb2L-Y_HeBWs-sVPL2Geg

source six - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2251425/Tippi-Hedren-tells-Alfred-Hitchcock-turned-sexual-predator-tried-destroy-her.html

Need to check these websites and articles because it explores an interview with Tippi Hedren she mentions Hitchcock ruined her career and also made several sexual advances on her.

source seven - http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-story-behind-alfred-hitchcock

interesting fact the article mentions Hitchcock's fears surprising one is women. Also compares women to suspense and is names the "Master of Suspense" 

research catalogue page 1

Films 

Source One – Psycho (1960 Alfred Hitchcock ) 

I have used this film as my main research because I will be looking at how Hitchcock portrays women as disposable. I feel there is lots of interesting things to work with for example that Hitchcock kills his main leading lady off in the first 30 mintues of the film 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/psycho_(1960_film)

Source Two – Frenzy (1972 Alfred Hitchcock) 

 I have chose Frenzy as my second source because I feel the use of his characters is crucial to my point the main fact is that all the victims are women. Also the fact that the main character Richard Blaney portrayed by Barry Foster leaves his wife  for a new woman this is reinforcing that women are disposable. 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/frenzy

Source Three – The Birds (1963) 

I used this film because of mainly same reasons as frenzy the fact women are disposed with when the men are no longer excited by their relation ship and company. Also Hitchcock always makes it that the women are attacked like Melanie endrures in the birds. 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/the_birds_(film)

How Hitchcock uses a typical female stereotype in his films?

Presenter: The three films I will be focusing on are The Bird, Frenzy and Psycho. My focus film is Psycho I choose this film because I feel that Janet Leigh portrays one of the biggest female stereotypes in the history of black and white films.

 

 

 

 

 
 

Projector (image of Psycho)

Presenter: Marion Crane portrayed Janet Leigh is a typical sexual object and gullible women who believes her lover will actually leave his wife for her this shows she is also stereotyped the home wrecker and scarlet women. She also extremely trusts which this foolish behaviour leads to her death. She is a typical blonde and very attractive which isn’t completely shocking because Hitchcock was notorious for picking actresses that are particularly known for being eye candy. There is a particular scene that caught my eye Marion is a receptionist at a bank but what I noticed is that there is two receptionists but only Marion is paid attention Caroline the other receptionist is a sort of plain Jane character with lank brown hair and no features that really stand out.

 

 

 

Projector (Image of Caroline)

 

Presenter: I also thought that the character Mrs Chambers portrays the stereotype of the doting wife which I feel connects to Mrs Oxford the doting wife that is featured in Frenzy. Mrs Chambers is very homely and attentive

 

 

 

 

 

 

Projector (Mrs Oxford (Frenzy)                                       Projector (Mrs Chambers (Psycho)

 Presenter: Lila Crane is completely opposite to Marion her sister. Lila is more sensible and responsible not jumping in to things but thinking about situations all way through instead of rash decisions. She seems more of a homemaker and wife material unlike her sister. 

 

 

 

 

Projector (Lila Crane)                                                                                      Projector (Marion Crane)

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Hitchcock uses a typical female stereotype in his films?

Presenter: The three films I will be focusing on are The Bird, Frenzy and Psycho. My focus film is Psycho I choose this film because I feel that Janet Leigh portrays one of the biggest female stereotypes in the history of black and white films.

 

 

 

 

 

Projector (image of Psycho)

Presenter: Marion Crane portrayed Janet Leigh is a typical sexual object and gullible women who believes her lover will actually leave his wife for her this shows she is also stereotyped the home wrecker and scarlet women. She also extremely trusts which this foolish behaviour leads to her death. She is a typical blonde and very attractive which isn’t completely shocking because Hitchcock was notorious for picking actresses that are particularly known for being eye candy. There is a particular scene that caught my eye Marion is a receptionist at a bank but what I noticed is that there is two receptionists but only Marion is paid attention Caroline the other receptionist is a sort of plain Jane character with lank brown hair and no features that really stand out.

 

 

 

Projector (Image of Caroline)

 

Presenter: I also thought that the character Mrs Chambers portrays the stereotype of the doting wife which I feel connects to Mrs Oxford the doting wife that is featured in Frenzy. Mrs Chambers is very homely and attentive

 

 

 

 

 

 

Projector (Mrs Oxford (Frenzy)                                       Projector (Mrs Chambers (Psycho)

 Presenter: Lila Crane is completely opposite to Marion her sister. Lila is more sensible and responsible not jumping in to things but thinking about situations all way through instead of rash decisions. She seems more of a homemaker and wife material unlike her sister. 

 

 

 

 

Projector (Lila Crane)                                                                                      Projector (Marion Crane)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wes Anderson Research wrote up just need to do Alfred Hitchcock. (need to discuss catalogues because I'm not sure I understand it)

Wes Anderson’s portrayal on characters that seem lost and isolated.

 

Presenter: Wes Anderson had quite a normal up bringing except for being abandoned by his father as a young child. In interviews Anderson states this “The most crucial event of my brothers and my growing up” this statement is referring to his parent’s divorce. I believe this is a big aspect to how he creates his characters because I feel he would have been experiencing isolation and defiantly feeling extremely lost. Firstly I have chosen to focus on the character Max Fischer who is an eccentric 15 year old.

Projector: (image of Max Fischer Portrayed by Jason Schwartzman)

Presenter: Max Fischer is very enthusiastic about his after school curriculum but cares very little about his grades and targets in his school subjects I think this makes very isolated from his class mates who are focused on their futures and lessons seen as they attend a very highly ranked prep school. However because of Max’s actions he is later expelled from Rushmore.

Projector: (Image of Rushmore)

Presenter: Max is then moved to his first ever public school “Grover Cleveland High” Max also becomes involved in an argument with Herman Blume portrayed by Bill Murray. I feel this will make Max feel even more lost and isolated because Herman was the closest thing to friend for him and now they are no longer talking he will feel so lost and alone.

Projector: (Image of Herman Blume portrayed by Bill Murray)

Presenter: I will now discuss how I feel the character Herman Blume is lost and isolated. Herman is the type of character that sees through rose tinted glasses he is extremely delusional. Herman is also lost because he feels very disappointed with his family and wife. Because his marriage is failing he feels isolated because he doesn’t have his wife for support.

Presenter: The next film I will talk about is Bottle Rocket (1996) this was the first film Wes Anderson had real success with. Bottle Rocket was premiered at Sundance Film Festival. Anderson’s good friend Owen Wilson featured in this short film. The first character I will be focusing on is Antony

Projector: (image of Antony portrayed by Luke Wilson)

Presenter: Antony is rescued right at the start of the film from a psychiatric ward I feel is would make him feel very lost due to mental health issues plus he would feel isolated because he wouldn’t have friends and his family with him in the hospital because of the strict visiting hours. Also Antony’s friend who rescues him betrays him by stealing some earrings he bought for his mother. This would make him feel isolated because his friend Dignan is supposed to be his friend and I feel he would be lost too on how to react against his friend and the whole situation. Antony also falls in love with a maid at the hotel he is staying he leaves her an envelope with quite a lot of money in it but he does not tell Dignan that the money is in fact there’s from the heists so I guess he would feel lost because he would want to be loyal to Dignan but his feelings of love clouds his judgement

Projector: (image of Dignan portrayed by Owen Wilson)

Presenter: Dignan is an inexperienced criminal who is planning several heists over 75 years I feel he must feel isolated to feel he needs to spend all his time doing illegal activities instead of being with loved ones. I also think he will be lost too to confide in someone who suffers with mental illness. He also struggles to describe the plan in full detail. Dignan finally finds out that they no longer have any money left because of Antony it is too late because their car as broke down and they have no way of repairing it so they go their separate ways. Which I personally think that Dignan will feel isolated no matter how stubborn he is because he has lost his only friend over his life of crime and Antony would defiantly feel lost and isolated because he is a very fragile character compared to Dignan because now Antony as lost Inés who he was in love with but his best friend.

Presenter: So I feel that Wes Anderson portrays his characters as lost and isolated because he in fact is lost and isolated because of dramatic events in his childhood and the shock of becoming so famous and never knowing if people generally want to be his friend or just want to know him because of the fame.

Started writing my presentation on Wes Anderson half way there. Also started watching the films by Alfred Hitchcock so far watched psycho which i feel i have plenty to work with on gender.

Research Catalogue (long awaited because of stupid google account and the apple mac's hatred towards me!)

Finally got back on to my blog after a day of trying thank god! Heres my research catalogue for Wes Anderson still loads more to add!

Research Catalogue

 

Films

Rushmore (1998)

the film Rushmore was actually inspired by Anderson life at St Johns private prep school I chose this film because while the mean character is doing well in extracurricular activities he isnt doing so well in his actual studies which i feel links to the portrayal of characters who are isolated and lost

 

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

This film is significant because it is about an estranged family which includes the father leaving the family which could make them feel lost and isolated later he returns to make things right. i feel this movie is ironic because as a young child Anderson's father also walked out on his and brothers up bringing i believe he is channelling his hopes in to this film because he himself felt lost with out his father in his childhood.

 

Bottle Rocket (1996)

i chose this film because the plot revolves a round a trio of friends looking for success in a simple robbery however the main character "Anthony Adams" as just been released from a mental hospital which pretty much screams lost and isolated also i feel if three friends are willing to risk their freedom for a cheap frill from the robbery they must all feel lost and isolated to just go to those extremes

 

Internet Sources

IMDB

www.imdb.com/name/nm0027572/biotrivia