Frenzy Reviews

still first class

Hitch may have been getting on a bit, but that has not stopped him from putting out a movie which can stand alongside his best works. Absolutely superb performances from all involved and Hitchcocks London looks as good on film as it ever did.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Hitchcock gets tough in his old age

Penultimate Alfred Hitchcock thriller filmed before his death in 1980. It features his key theme of the wrong man suffering from mistaken identity, most notable in his masterpiece North By Northwest.

Made after the dull and plotty Topaz, Hitchcock was out to shock. He certainly does shock and gets an 18 certificate from the BBFC for his troubles. The adult only certificate was applied to the film most notably for the rape and murder scene, with its short jumpy French New Wave inspired cuts and rhythmic shouting and groaning from the killer. In 1972 this would have really shocked, but by 21st century standards it seems a little tame and stagey.

To ease the viewer into the never before seen full frontal nudity and murder in a Hitchcock film, he juxtaposes these horrific criminal acts with his usual blend of dark macabre comedy. Added to this are the London locations of Tower Bridge, The Strand and Covent Garden with interiors shot in the legendary Pine Wood studios.

Maybe Hitchcock was on his last legs and thought this was his last film? This would explain why he returned to his roots in native London and his use of stage actors, rather than glamorous Hollywood stars.

The old master - past his prime but worth watching

Filmed in the early 70's, this late Hitch seems to have dated more than his earlier work. However, the familiar Hitch touches are all here..the wrongly accused man, a series of gruesome murders, and two or three set pieces. It's well acted and decidely grotesque in places. I expected not to enjoy this - it's decidely out of vogue with most critics. But if you're a Hitch fan and up for an old fashioned thriller this is well worth a view.

Hitchcock - back to his roots

For his penultimate film Hitchcock returned to his London roots to make this violent sleazy tale of a sexual psychopath on the loose in Covent Garden.

It has the usual Hitchcock theme of an innocent man trying to clear his name in the face of overwhelming circumstantial evidence. There are no big Hollywood stars here, instead we get a solid cast of British actors and a top class script from Anthony Shaffer.

This is one of the most violent pictures Hitch ever directed although strong doses of black humour help to lighten the tone a little. There are some wonderful set pieces - the killer wrestling with a corpse in the back of a potato truck, a fantastic backwards tracking shot from the killer's door down a staircase and into the market streets, a policemen battling with his wife's gourmet cooking.

A disturbing but at times very funny picture, I am sure that directors such as Dario Argento and Brian DePalma would have been influenced by this.

hitch in london

I love this Hitch film thats set in the east end of london.Pitch black comedy.

You're not wearing your tie...

An atmospheric and sustained thriller written by Anthony 'The Wicker Man' Shaffer.

Mystery and horror

The only mystery about Frenzy is how a group of such talented individulas could make such a mediocre fim - the horror is that they did!

A number of nice Hitchcock touches , particularly the use of cutting the sound at particular moments; some effective touches of humour around 70s pretentiousness in cuisine and a vintage visual tribute to Covent Garden fruit and veg market, but at the end of the day it doesn't stir the blood. Pity. I do wonder to what extent the use of colour rather than atmospheric black and white didn't suit Hitchcock.

One of Hitch's best

I wasn't expecting much from this film, but after the first half hour I was on the edge of my seat. The opening sequence sees a naked female corpse wash up on the banks of the Thames. She has been strangled with a tie, but who is the necktie murderer and when will he strike again....?

A True Great British Film

This is a true Great British Film from the master of suspence....just keeps you riveted and doesn't bore for a moment!

The Neck-Tie strangler is on the loose, murdering women. The prime suspect is sought, arrested and charged for the murders however he is innocent - can he clear his name?

Frenzy

Another one of Hitchcock's classic, I loved it.