Latest news with #AlfredHitchcock
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix is removing 48 movies next week — here are the 5 you need to watch right now
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The first of the month brings with it plenty of new movies on Netflix, but there's a price to pay for these new watchlist options. As the streaming service adds new content to its library, it also removes a sizeable chunk of titles to make some room. On Friday, Aug. 1, Netflix is set to remove almost 50 movies, and that includes some big hitters, including one of Christopher Nolan's very best efforts, and some of the most iconic features from the legendary Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. So, before you turn your attention to what's new on Netflix in August, be sure to check out these excellent movies before they wave goodbye to the big red streamer (at least for now, streaming platforms are always rotating content, so perhaps they will return a little way down the road). 'Dunkirk' (2017) Picking Christopher Nolan's best movie is a thankless task, but for me, 'Dunkirk' would most definitely be up there. This ultra-tense war movie boasts some of the director's most stunning camerawork, and the bombastic soundscape will have your entire living room vibrating. Plus, it's all set to a powerful score by the legendary Hans Zimmer. If there's one area where 'Dunkirk' has proved divisive, it's the core story. Its nonlinear structure won't work for everybody, and there's a lack of truly compelling characters. However, it does a fantastic job of capturing an atmosphere of fear and chaos. Set during World War II, it depicts the evacuation of Dunkirk beach from multiple perspectives and showcases a military operation that saved hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers. Watch "Dunkirk" on Netflix until August 1 'Everest' (2015) The frozen peak of Mount Everest is pretty much the perfect setting for a survival thriller, and so the creatively-titled 'Everest' proves to be. Starring Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Robin Wright, Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington and Jake Gyllenhaal, it's inspired by a real-life disaster in 1996, which saw eight climbers die when attempting to descend from the summit. 'Everest' packs plenty of sweeping vistas which showcase the beauty of the world's tallest mountain, but very quickly the picturesque setting becomes anything but pretty, as the destructive force of Mother Nature throws two groups of climbers into a desperate battle for survival. The movie's narrative chops aren't anything truly original, but the cast is packed with talent, and it's very easy to get invested in the climber's plight as you hope they can reach safety before it's too late. Watch "Everest" on Netflix until August 1 'Happy Gilmore' (1996) I'm more than a little surprised to see 'Happy Gilmore' playing its final round on Netflix this week. Netflix has just released the long-in-the-making sequel, so you'd have thought the streaming service would have been very eager to keep the original available so fans could marathon both. Of course, streaming rights are a thorny issue, so this is likely a decision out of Netflix's hands rather than anything the platform bosses have opted to do themselves. If you've never seen, or somehow never heard of, this Adam Sandler '90s comedy classic, it launched at the height of his popularity, and sees the goofball actor play the anonymous Happy Gilmore. Gilmore is an aspiring hockey player who can't quite make the grade due to his subpar skating skills and hotheaded temper. In need of money to prevent his grandma from losing her home, he puts his slapshot skills to use and tries to become a pro golfer. Watch "Happy Gilmore" on Netflix until August 1 'Rear Window' (1954) I'm pretty disheartened to see that Netflix is removing the majority of its collection of Hitchcock movies on August 1. This includes 'Psycho,' 'The Birds, 'The Man Who Knew Too Much,' and my personal favorite, 'Rear Window.' This classic thriller has been a must-watch for more than 70 years, and its influence on the mystery genre is still felt to this very day. The movie marked the second collaboration between James Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock, and sees Stewart play a photojournalist confined to his humid apartment after breaking his leg during an assignment. With little to do other than watch the world go by from his front window, he soon becomes convinced his neighbor has committed a terrible murder. The flick is a masterclass in slowly ratcheting tension, and it plays with perspective in some clever ways. After all, we only see what's happening from Jeff's limited vantage point. Watch "Rear Window" on Netflix until August 1 'The Lego Movie' (2014) 'The Lego Movie' was the brickbuster I always wanted as a kid. I spent my youth watching (and making my own) Lego stop-motion videos, so this 2014 animated movie evoked a whole heap of nostalgia the first time I saw it in theaters. But even if you don't have a deep connection with the Danish construction toy, it's still a hugely entertaining family flick that's bursting with zany humor, ridiculous characters and some of the best animation around. 'The Lego Movie' follows the adventures of an average mini-figure called Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt). He lives in the city of Bricksburg and lives an unadventurous life. But this world is shattered when he stumbles upon the mysterious 'Piece of Resistance' and becomes the only hope of saving the entire Lego universe from the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell). Teaming up with master builders Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), it's now up to the clueless Emmet to save the day without falling to pieces. Watch "The Lego Movie" on Netflix until August 1 More from Tom's Guide 7 top new movies and shows to stream this weekend The best streaming services to subscribe to right now 3 best mystery thriller movies on Netflix to stream
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Free outdoor movie nights bring classic films to San Francisco's Union Square
Imagine watching the opening scene of Alfred Hitchcock's ' The Birds,' with star Tippi Hedren crossing in front of San Francisco's Union Square as the title creatures begin to amass, while actually seated on Union Square. That will happen, thanks to 'Cinema on the Square,' a free three-film Saturday night outdoor movie series that begins Aug. 16 with ' Mrs. Doubtfire,' Chris Columbus ' 1993 San Francisco-shot comedy classic starring Robin Williams. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a preshow that includes a Mrs. Doubtfire look-alike contest. Other screenings include ' Big Hero 6 ' (2014), an animated robotics and tech movie set in 'San Fransokyo,' on Sept. 20; and 'The Birds' (1963), which was filmed mostly in Bodega Bay, on Oct. 4. Each screening will be preceded by a preshow featuring movie trivia, prizes and entertainment. For more information, go to The series is presented by Mayor Daniel Lurie, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Alamo Drafthouse and Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corporation, a consulting firm tasked with programming and reimagining Union Square. 'Our administration is working every day to bring energy and vibrancy back to downtown, and events like Cinema on the Square are building on that momentum,' Lurie said in a statement. 'When downtown is dynamic, visitors come to our city and support our businesses and restaurants — that's how we support our economic recovery.' Cinema on the Square is billed as the latest in BRV's 200 days of programming in Union Square, part of Lurie's efforts to reinvigorate the beleaguered district, which the city says is visited by 10 million people a year and offers more than 4.8 million square feet of retail space. 'We want everyone to feel like there's something for them downtown. Whether you're a shopper, food-lover, or just enjoy people-watching — there's a lot of new energy in and around Union Square, and these free movie nights add another reason to make a day of it,' said OEWD Executive Director Anne Taupier in a statement. And watch out for those birds.
Digital Trends
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Stop what you're doing, and watch these 3 great movies leaving Netflix by August 1
Movies leave Netflix at the end of every month. However, something doesn't sit right with me about Happy Gilmore leaving the service days after the premiere of Happy Gilmore 2. That isn't right! Regardless, it's leaving Netflix by August 1, and there's nothing you can do about it. Happy Gilmore is one of many movies departing soon. The three movies below will depart Netflix with the Adam Sandler comedy. One of our picks might be the most influential horror ever. Find out more below. Recommended Videos We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on HBO Max, and the best movies on Disney+. Psycho (1960) Picking Alfred Hitchcock's best movie is an impossible task. Choosing his most popular picture is more doable. Thanks to a memorable shower scene and its impact on slashers, Hitchcock's most notable movie — to mainstream audiences — is Psycho, his adaptation of the Robert Bloch novel. After Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) steals $40,000 from her employer, she plans to run away with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin). While traveling from Phoenix, Arizona, to Fairvale, California, Marion stops at the secluded Bates Motel for protection from a heavy rainstorm. Inside, she meets the proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Bates), a peculiar man with a strained relationship with his mother. Psycho's influence on the horror genre is priceless. Every horror's roots post-1960 can be traced back to Psycho. Stream Psycho on Netflix. Field of Dreams (1989) 'If you build it, he will come.' When writing the history of iconic one-liners, those famous words uttered in Field of Dreams must be on the list. While tending to his Iowa cornfield, farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) hears the 'build it' line and envisions a baseball field. Believing in divine intervention, Ray builds his baseball field and hopes for the best. One night, the ghost of 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) appears on the field and asks Ray if he can play. Soon after, many of Jackson's teammates from the Black Sox arrive and take part in nightly games. For Ray, the baseball field was only the beginning of this journey, as he embarks on a mission of blind faith. For my money, it's the greatest baseball movie ever made. Stream Field of Dreams on Netflix. Matilda (1996) Sometimes, you need an enjoyable children's movie from your childhood as a palate cleanser. For me, that's Matilda, the story of a gifted child based on the Roald Dahl novel. Since birth, Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson) has been neglected by her father, Harry (Danny DeVito), and mother, Zinnia (Rhea Perlman). Seeking an escape, Matilda finds solace in education, particularly in reading. When it's time to go to school, Matilda's father enrolls her in Crunchem Hall Elementary School, run by the cruel Miss Agatha Trunchbull (Pam Ferris). The school's only saving grace is Matilda's teacher, the kindhearted Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz). One day, Matilda inherits telekinesis powers, and for the first time in her life, she starts to fight back. Matilda is a feel-good movie that brings out your inner child in the best way. Stream Matilda on Netflix.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix is removing 48 movies next week — here are the 5 you need to watch right now
The first of the month brings with it plenty of new movies on Netflix, but there's a price to pay for these new watchlist options. As the streaming service adds new content to its library, it also removes a sizeable chunk of titles to make some room. On Friday, Aug. 1, Netflix is set to remove almost 50 movies, and that includes some big hitters, including one of Christopher Nolan's very best efforts, and some of the most iconic features from the legendary Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. So, before you turn your attention to what's new on Netflix in August, be sure to check out these excellent movies before they wave goodbye to the big red streamer (at least for now, streaming platforms are always rotating content, so perhaps they will return a little way down the road). Picking Christopher Nolan's best movie is a thankless task, but for me, 'Dunkirk' would most definitely be up there. This ultra-tense war movie boasts some of the director's most stunning camerawork, and the bombastic soundscape will have your entire living room vibrating. Plus, it's all set to a powerful score by the legendary Hans Zimmer. If there's one area where 'Dunkirk' has proved divisive, it's the core story. Its nonlinear structure won't work for everybody, and there's a lack of truly compelling characters. However, it does a fantastic job of capturing an atmosphere of fear and chaos. Set during World War II, it depicts the evacuation of Dunkirk beach from multiple perspectives and showcases a military operation that saved hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers. Watch "Dunkirk" on Netflix until August 1 The frozen peak of Mount Everest is pretty much the perfect setting for a survival thriller, and so the creatively-titled 'Everest' proves to be. Starring Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Robin Wright, Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington and Jake Gyllenhaal, it's inspired by a real-life disaster in 1996, which saw eight climbers die when attempting to descend from the summit. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. 'Everest' packs plenty of sweeping vistas which showcase the beauty of the world's tallest mountain, but very quickly the picturesque setting becomes anything but pretty, as the destructive force of Mother Nature throws two groups of climbers into a desperate battle for survival. The movie's narrative chops aren't anything truly original, but the cast is packed with talent, and it's very easy to get invested in the climber's plight as you hope they can reach safety before it's too late. Watch "Everest" on Netflix until August 1 I'm more than a little surprised to see 'Happy Gilmore' playing its final round on Netflix this week. Netflix has just released the long-in-the-making sequel, so you'd have thought the streaming service would have been very eager to keep the original available so fans could marathon both. Of course, streaming rights are a thorny issue, so this is likely a decision out of Netflix's hands rather than anything the platform bosses have opted to do themselves. If you've never seen, or somehow never heard of, this Adam Sandler '90s comedy classic, it launched at the height of his popularity, and sees the goofball actor play the anonymous Happy Gilmore. Gilmore is an aspiring hockey player who can't quite make the grade due to his subpar skating skills and hotheaded temper. In need of money to prevent his grandma from losing her home, he puts his slapshot skills to use and tries to become a pro golfer. Watch "Happy Gilmore" on Netflix until August 1 I'm pretty disheartened to see that Netflix is removing the majority of its collection of Hitchcock movies on August 1. This includes 'Psycho,' 'The Birds, 'The Man Who Knew Too Much,' and my personal favorite, 'Rear Window.' This classic thriller has been a must-watch for more than 70 years, and its influence on the mystery genre is still felt to this very day. The movie marked the second collaboration between James Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock, and sees Stewart play a photojournalist confined to his humid apartment after breaking his leg during an assignment. With little to do other than watch the world go by from his front window, he soon becomes convinced his neighbor has committed a terrible murder. The flick is a masterclass in slowly ratcheting tension, and it plays with perspective in some clever ways. After all, we only see what's happening from Jeff's limited vantage point. Watch "Rear Window" on Netflix until August 1 'The Lego Movie' was the brickbuster I always wanted as a kid. I spent my youth watching (and making my own) Lego stop-motion videos, so this 2014 animated movie evoked a whole heap of nostalgia the first time I saw it in theaters. But even if you don't have a deep connection with the Danish construction toy, it's still a hugely entertaining family flick that's bursting with zany humor, ridiculous characters and some of the best animation around. 'The Lego Movie' follows the adventures of an average mini-figure called Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt). He lives in the city of Bricksburg and lives an unadventurous life. But this world is shattered when he stumbles upon the mysterious 'Piece of Resistance' and becomes the only hope of saving the entire Lego universe from the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell). Teaming up with master builders Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), it's now up to the clueless Emmet to save the day without falling to pieces. Watch "The Lego Movie" on Netflix until August 1
BBC News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'It's a reference whenever you want to build tension': How Psycho's terrifying music changed film forever
Alfred Hitchcock's grisly horror, which turns 65 this month, might not have become known as an-all time classic without the crucial addition of Bernard Herrmann's disturbing score. Screaming violas that sound like they're coming out of an abattoir. Thumping bass notes, which slowly decrease in speed and seem to imitate a victim's faltering heartbeat. Take away composer Bernard Herrmann's score for director Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, which turns 65 this month, and it's fair to say this 1960 horror film wouldn't have the same nerve-shredding impact. Particularly key is the knives-edge music that plays when blonde bombshell Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), not long after checking in to the Bates Motel, is attacked through a shower curtain by a shadowy killer, who later turns out to be the motel's owner, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), dressed up as his dead mother. "That music is everything," says Rachel Zeffira, a film composer and one half of art-folk duo Cat's Eyes. "It's the birds, it's the bees, and it's the voices in the back of your head." The project had seemed ill-starred from the start, with executives at Paramount (who had produced Hitchcock's previous five films) showing little interest, not allowing him to film it on their lot, and only distributing it rather than producing it themselves. But despite a paltry budget, Hitchcock proved everybody wrong, and for that he could partly thank Herrmann and his knack for crafting compositions that lifted scenes to new heights. "Psycho was certainly not a bad film before it was scored, but it lacked tension," explains Steve C Smith, the author of a new book, Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores that Changed Cinema. Herrmann proceeded to give the film a much-needed jolt by writing music for an all-string 50-person orchestra that marked a "return to pure ice water", as the composer described it to Sight and Sound. In the case of the most famous scene, this resulted in a chorus of psychologically jarring, high-pitched squeals that meant terrified audiences no longer saw the shower as a safe space. "Before the shower scene many of the musical cues have a depressive quality and they're not really that loud," Smith says. "But suddenly with the shower scene, the mutes are off the strings, and they screech animalistically. This creates a clever link with Norman Bates, the taxidermist of birds." Herrmann forced an initially dismissive Hitchcock to watch the shower sequence both with and without his jump-scare music. "Oh yes, we must use it!" Hitchcock concurred. "But I thought you didn't want my music here?" Herrmann sarcastically replied, before the director scoffed: "My boy, improper suggestion." It's an anecdote that reflects the pair's fiery partnership. Their creative union consistently resulted in film scores that make the viewer feel like they are caught up in a character's murky inner dialogue, privy to both their most romantic dreams and most hopeless nightmares (see Vertigo). Zeffira describes the music that plays whenever Norman Bates is on screen as being "dejected and anxious", which she says "makes you feel sorrow for a killer. I know before writing film music, Hermann would always read the novel a movie was based on and study the literature, so his score was more empathetic. Every note Herrmann played had meaning". The origins of Herrmann's genius An avid childhood reader, Herrmann (or Benny as he was called by friends) spent most of his downtime passionately debating whether literature or music was the greatest art form. Music ultimately won out, and Herrmann was winning classical competitions by the age of 13. Having studied at New York University under the legendary composer Percy Grainger, one of Herrmann's first professional roles as a studio musician was for CBS Radio. At CBS he worked with Orson Welles, winning his trust with 1938's radio adaptation of War of the Worlds, which was so realistic that some listeners believed it signalled a real unfolding alien invasion. He then became the obvious choice for scoring Welles' 1941 masterpiece, Citizen Kane. Working on hundreds of radio plays taught Herrmann how to create compositions that conjured up imagery, and also taught him the power of long pauses: he used silence as another instrument to build suspense. Professionally, Herrmann was known for having a fiery temper and, as his daughter Dorothy told the New York Times, he "didn't suffer fools gladly". Yet Smith is keen to stress that the musician was less moody than his reputation suggests, and tended to go out of his way to recommended younger composers for jobs. "He was misunderstood," Smith says. "Given his reputation for irascibility, I think people would be surprised at how gentle Bernard could be, especially with animals. He was suspicious of arrogant humans, but he gave unconditional love to his cats." Brandon Brown is a South Carolina-based film-maker who is working on an untitled documentary on Herrmann's life. One thing Brown believes often gets left out the story is the horrors of the era in which Herrmann came of age. Although he was born in New York City in 1911, Herrmann's family had been Russian-Jews who fled Eastern Europe for a better life. They would almost certainly have abruptly left friends behind in Ukraine, who would later either be displaced or massacred by invading Nazi armies. More like this:• Alfred Hitchcock on his film-making secrets• The inside story of the wildest shoot ever• How Brokeback Mountain challenged Hollywood "You can hear in Herrmann's radio and film work, especially the stuff created through WW2, that he was deeply affected by what's happening," says Brown, citing the music he produced for 1947's supernatural drama, The Ghost and Mrs Muir. For the film's The Spring Sea arrangement, there's a blossoming flute harmony, representing revitalising morning bird song. However, the sunny tones are tinged with sadness due to pensive, descending strings that sound more like a mother's cries. "Herrmann considered The Ghost and Mrs Muir his best work," says Brown. "It's easy to see why. It's so gorgeous and melancholic at the same time. It captures how the world felt in the 1940s, a time where even a sunny day was haunted by ghosts. This was a downcast tone he'd hang onto for Psycho." By 1960, Herrmann was a giant in the film business; what's more, he and Hitchcock had already made five landmark films together (The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Wrong Man, Vertigo, and North By Northwest) and developed a seamless chemistry. Still, Smith believes Psycho was a production where Herrmann re-energised a weary director. "Hitch feared that he had made a mistake filming such gruesome material – something many advised him not to do," explains Smith. "But Herrmann made Hitchcock fall in love with the project once again. Herrmann later said he wrote Psycho's score for an all-strings orchestra to create 'a black-and-white sound' to complement the black-and-white photography." Aside from helping turn Psycho into a massive hit for Hitchcock (grossing $32m against a budget of $800k), Herrmann saw his score create ripples throughout popular culture in many other unexpected ways. Producer George Martin based his wounded 1966 string arrangement for The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby on Herrmann's Psycho music. "George wanted to bring some of that drama into the arrangement," Paul McCartney once explained to the BBC. The score's varied legacy The film's central theme would also go on to be sampled by dozens of other artists. Perhaps the most exhilarating example is rapper Busta Rhymes' 1998 single Gimme Some More. According to the hip hop producer and contemporary classical composer Michael Vincent Waller, Herrmann's Psycho score is beloved by rap artists. "Herrmann knew how to loop these little nihilistic fragments and become this master of repetition. In many ways, the way he was conducting film music was a lot like how rap producers chop up beats." Waller says that Psycho didn't just change horror, but wider cinematic storytelling: "The Psycho music is a reference whenever you want to build tension and it's clear John Williams was inspired by Psycho for his stalker-ish bass notes for Jaws. Whenever you hear creepy violins in a horror movie, or feel like a film score has become its own character, then that can all be traced back to Psycho." The creative relationship between Hitchcock and Herrmann ended on 1966's Torn Curtain. The former was incensed that the latter stubbornly refused his orders to make a stripped back pop score, insisting instead on using 12 flutes, 16 horns, nine trombones, two tubas, eight cellos, eight basses and two sets of timpani. Herrmann was fired, but it didn't derail his career, and right until his death from a heart attack in 1975 the composer remained an innovative force. In particular, a late collaboration with a young Martin Scorsese on 1976's Taxi Driver secured Herrmann's musical legacy. Working prominently with a saxophonist (musician Ronnie Lang), he composed smoky, airborne jazz notes which are so vivid you can picture pollution smog rising through the cracks of Manhattan's sewers. Scorsese's film also offers a truly full-circle moment with Psycho: at the very end of Taxi Driver, Herrmann quotes the earlier film's three-note theme The Madhouse. "He told his wife Norma that he did it because he wanted to say to the audience that Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle is going to commit violence again," explains Smith. Among Hermann's exceptional work, the Psycho score and its clawing, scraped-out violin arrangements remain an obvious highlight. It's one of the only scores Herrmann re-recorded, a clear sign of pride, and it remains a perfect example of how music can elevate a film. Or, as a sharp-tongued Herrmann put it himself in one of his final interviews: "A composer writes a score for a picture, and he gives it life. Like a fellow goes to a doctor, says, 'I'm dying,' and the doctor cures him." -- For more Culture stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
