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Post by cineclassics on Mar 3, 2023 12:19:15 GMT
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Post by cineclassics on Mar 3, 2023 12:40:16 GMT
Over the years, one Hitchcock film has risen to the cream of the crop, at least critically, and that is his 1958 psychological thriller, Vertigo. It features some of the director's most memorable cinematography, a haunting performance from both Stewart and Kim Novak, and is a postcard of mid-century San Francisco. Vertigo was the film that dethroned Citizen Kane's decades long reign from the top of the Sight and Sound film list in 2012.
While it's arguable to some what the best Astaire-Rogers film is, as the dancing-duo made 9 pictures together, Swing Time and Top Hat seem to have remained in the public consciousness moreso than the rest. While the former may contain more intricate dance sequences, the latter has the beautiful art deco production design, several Irvin Berlin classics, including Cheek to Cheek, and of course the infamous "feathers" dress. For my money, Top Hat is the definitive musical from Classic Hollywood not named Singin' in the Rain.
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Post by sagebrush on Mar 4, 2023 17:58:04 GMT
I guess my avatar will speak for itself for this poll! Some of the best dancing on film in the 1930's. The video below is from the prodution number "The Piccolino." Filmed in one continuous take, watch how Fred and Ginger leap up those long, flat stairs backward without even a glance downward to mark their footing and come to a complete stop when they sit down at the table.
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Post by BingFan on Mar 5, 2023 1:15:34 GMT
VERTIGO is unquestionably the more well-crafted of these two movies — it’s a great movie in every way.
But the zany story and characters, and wonderful songs and dancing, of TOP HAT are irresistible to me, so I’ll have to give it my vote. It’s also a “nostalgia” vote for me — I’ll never forget seeing TOP HAT for the first time on a Cleveland TV station during a summer when old movies saved me from the despair brought on by a necessary but unpleasant job in a meat-packing plant, where I was earning much-needed funds for college. VERTIGO, by contrast, was a movie that I didn’t like that much when I first saw it during its 80s re-release; it had to grow on me over several viewings, so I don’t feel quite the same level of loyalty toward it, compared to TOP HAT.
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Post by sepiatone on Mar 5, 2023 16:22:01 GMT
My vote went to TOP HAT too, since most from the TCM group here know that I was never impressed much by VERTIGO. But when I saw this pairing this morning I was reminded at how DESPERATELY this site needs a "rolleyes" emoticon. Jeeeeeeze........... I can hardly wait for the MARTY versus PSYCHO poll.  Sepiatone |
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