Spellbound | | Cast : | Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck | | Director : | Alfred Hitchcock | | Studio : | Criterion Collection | | Format : | Black & White | | Released Date : | December 28, 1945 | | DVD Released Date : | September 24, 2002 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), English (Original Language), English (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | NR (Not Rated) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 20, 2005 | | Summary | One of the master's best! | Content
 | Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck are suitable 'cattle' for Hitchcock's great pschoanalytical thriller "Spellbound". The magnificence of the film is not only the psycology of it, however, but the brilliant cinematography and Hitchcock's groundbreaking inventive mis en scene. For example, the brilliant tracking shot towards the library and the room of Peck's character - when the theme music starts building up - this immediately communicates the whole film - the desire to know a person. I do not think, in fact, that the murder is what really interests Hitchcock. The master of suspense spends , surprisingly, little time on the outline of the murder - and more time on the question of - who is this man? This is what makes the film so unique and so great. It is like in 'Vertigo' when Scottie is perplexed by a similar question - he is drawn towards a woman for some unexplicable, and yet entirely understandable reason. We feel, essentially, the same desires as Hitchcock's characters - we want to know what this strange mystery is all about. For a director to capture an audience, as such, is truly a magnificent achievement. Hitchcock really did understand the nature of human desire and passion. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 27, 2005 | | Summary | I stayed up way too late watching this video... | Content
| But Hitchcock certainly knows how to hold your attention. This movie was of interest to me because of how a professional woman was portrayed at a time when women were largely restricted from entering the professions (other than nurse or teacher). Ingrid Bergman's psychoanalyst character is the only woman physician at the mental hospital she works at. In some ways, her role fits in the stereotypes of women (turning to mush when they fall in love) but on the whole, Bergman's character is quite gutsy -- particularly at the suspenseful end. She manages to hold her own in what was surely a difficult environment for women -- but then you'd need to be a tough woman to compete in that environment.
The plot involves a new director at the mental hospital, supposedly a famous psychoanalyst. Bergman quickly figures out he's an imposter, but not before she's fallen in love (in one day! I told you, the part about the irrationality of women in love is something of a male fantasy). Her colleagues are not far behind her in figuring out this man is an imposter, but the real Dr. Edwards has vanished and the imposter could be the killer.
So what does Bergman do? She tries to cure the patient, made more difficult because they end up on the run. Sounds a bit silly in the telling, but honestly, it's a very compelling movie that reminded me of North by Northwest, probably because both movies involve a pursuit.
If you haven't seen this movie, you definitely need to see it -- this is classic Hitchcock and ages very well.
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| Rating | | | Date | January 02, 2005 | | Summary | "YOU CAN REMEBER , YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER!" | Content
| Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck star in this dazzaling Hitchcock thriller. Bergman plays a doctor at an home for the insane or the troubled minded. The institution is soon visited by a strange Dr.Edwards{Peck, Or so we think}. Bergman soon finds out that Peck is an imposter, An imposter who believes he murdered the real doctor. To unlock the doors of his mind Bergman and Peck set out to find if Peck really did kill the missing doctor. Which leads to many nights filled with horrible dreams of murder and betrayal. Hitchcock couldn't have done a finer job with this mystery, It's gaurenteed to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Starring Gregory Peck, Ingrid Bergman With Michael Checkhov, Leo G. Carrol, Rhonda Flemming, John Emery and Norman Llyod. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, 111 Minutes. |
| Rating | | | Date | September 08, 2004 | | Summary | One of my favorite Hitchcock films | Content
| This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
Spellbound is one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films for two reasons.
1. The use of a theremin in the soundtrack is among one of the first times it was used in a movie score but did not gain major recognition until it's use in "The Day the Earth Stood Still"
2. The dream sequence devised by Salvador Dalà is very impressive and is a great example of surrealism ans dadaism in cinema.
The film is about a woman who works at a mental institution who assists her new boss with some problems he has, but things are not as they seem. It is very difficult to reveal any more about the plot without a spoiler so I will stop here.
The film's soundtrack by Miklos Rozsa won an Academy Award® for bst original score and is superb, especially with the use of a theremin. The acting by Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant are very impressive and among their greatest performances. Salvador DalÃ's dream sequence in the film is very famous and very well choreographed.
The DVD's special features are also very well done and comprehensive.
There is of course the near-obligatory theatrical trailer and hundreds of photos from publicity stils production stills and lobby cards.
Hitchcock scholar Marian Keane does a great audio commentary and as it is a psychological thriller, she makes many analyses of scenes from a Freudian perspective.
There is also the Lux Radio Theatre adaptation bordcast in 1948
There is also a large presentation about the Ddream sequence with storyboards and script excerpts of delected scenes. There are also two essays by other Hitchcock Scholars which are quite good.
Finally two special features about the soundtrack which are an audio interview with the composer, Miklos Rozsa, and an NPR broadcast about the theremin, which is the signature musical instrument used in the soundtrack.
This DVD went out of print in January of 2004 and as with all OOP Criterion DVD's the price goes up a lot over time.
Best to buy soon while it is still cheap! |
| Rating | | | Date | August 20, 2004 | | Summary | Criterion's spellbound DVD is great. But it has a glitch! | Content
| Criterion's release of Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound has a slight flaw. 74 minutes into the film we get a shot of J.B. (Gregory Peck) holding a razor blade, whilst hearing Brulov's (Michael Checkov's) line off screen 'Is that you Mr Brown?'
We then cut to Brulov for his next line 'Oh I thought it was you.' Simple, no? Well, the Criterion DVD cuts away from the razor blade too soon, and then
has the footage of Brulov mouthing his 2nd line, whilst overdubbing his !st! Then we get the 2nd line properly. In other words, the footage of Brulov's line
'Oh I thought it was you' is spliced together twice!!
So far I don't know if the Criterion disc is the only version affected.
If you don't mind the glitch, then Criterion's version of Spellbound is the version to collect (great extras and picture quality). And if you can still find it somewhere (since it's now Out of Print)don't hesitate to buy it, it's still a very good disc and those extras really make this DVD into a true collector's item. Just don't throw away that old VHS tape! |
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