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Below is some rambling on Alfred Hitchcock. It's part of an essay I started long, long ago and never finished... For whatever it's worth, enjoy! Alfred Hitchcock is widely considered one of the greatest film directors of all time, known for his mastery of suspense and psychological themes. Many of his movies feature recurring motifs and themes, such as the innocent man falsely accused, the "wrong man" trope, and the exploration of guilt and innocence.
One of the most prominent themes in Hitchcock's films is the idea of the "wrong man." This trope is seen in many of his movies, such as "The 39 Steps," "Saboteur," and "North by Northwest," where the protagonist is falsely accused of a crime and must clear their name. This theme plays on the audience's fear of being falsely accused and the idea of being caught up in a situation beyond one's control. Another recurring theme in Hitchcock's movies is the exploration of guilt and innocence. Many of his characters are struggling with their own guilt or the guilt of others, such as in "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Strangers on a Train." The concept of guilt and innocence is often intertwined with the idea of the "wrong man," as the protagonist may be innocent of the crime they are accused of, but guilty of other moral transgressions. Hitchcock's movies also often feature strong and complex female characters. Many of his leading ladies are independent and resourceful, such as Tippi Hedren's character in "The Birds" and "Marnie," and Grace Kelly's characters in "Rear Window" and "To Catch a Thief." These characters challenge traditional gender roles and add depth to the story. Another theme in Hitchcock's movies is the idea of voyeurism, or the act of watching others without their knowledge. This theme is seen in films such as "Rear Window," where the protagonist, played by James Stewart, becomes obsessed with observing his neighbors, and "Psycho," where the audience is given a voyeuristic glimpse into the mind of the film's antagonist. This theme plays on the audience's own voyeuristic tendencies and the idea of the audience as a silent witness to the unfolding events of the story. Finally, the theme of obsession is also prevalent in Hitchcock's films, where characters are consumed by a single idea or person. This theme can be seen in films like "Vertigo," where James Stewart's character becomes obsessed with a woman, and "Rebecca," where the protagonist becomes obsessed with the memory of her deceased husband's first wife. In conclusion, Alfred Hitchcock's films are known for their exploration of psychological themes such as guilt, voyeurism, and obsession. His films often feature the "wrong man" trope, where the protagonist is falsely accused of a crime and must clear their name, and strong and complex female characters. These themes, along with his masterful use of suspense, have cemented his place in history as one of the greatest film directors of all time. I have a new historical mystery--a first for me--called "Master Touch" in the new issue of Mystery Magazine! In our cover feature story, “Lupita” by Michael McGuire, a young woman, apparently on a voyage of self-discovery, discovers the guilty party.
“The Story Of Andre Venge” by Alan Orloff is full of Sugar Mamas, Black Widows, and dishes best served cold. “Hypnagogia” by Robert Lopresti: Kevin tells his dinner party guests about hypnogogia, a form of hallucination. One guest may be a little too interested … ‘Family Ties’ by Veronica Leigh: Sheriff Claire Williams is attending a funeral and is shocked when the coffin is accidentally dropped and pops open. There is a second body in with the deceased! She believes a crime was committed—possibly a murder—and sets out to prove it. “Master Touch” by Brandon Barrows: The murder of an artist is serious, but not calamitous—unless a relative of the new Doge is a suspect. “Raising Money” by R.T. Lawton: Danny and Jackson are trying out a new con scheme called Raising Money, which involves raising the denominations on existing currency. Ones turn into tens and tens turn into hundreds. All they need is a believer with extra cash. “The Conservatory” by Linda Watkins: What do revenge, murder, and horticulture all have in common? Former NIA agent, Simon Biggs, is about to find out when he enters The Conservatory. “No Nickel-And-Dime Theft,” a You-Solve-It by Bruce Harris: Can you help figure out the guilty party in this mystery of rare coins and twin suspects. Cover Art By Robin Grenville Evans This is the third year in a row I've entered the Mustang Awards. Both 2021 and 2022 saw me as a finalist, and this year I've been shortlisted...
Cross your fingers that this is the year! A new volume of Murderous Ink's Crimeucopia anthology series is out, entitled "Strictly Off the Record" and it includes my crime story, "A Real Artist"! With 16 vibrant authors, a wraparound paperback cover, and pages full of crime fiction in some of its many guises, what’s not to like?
So if you enjoy tales spun by Anthony Diesso, Brandon Barrows, E. James Wilson, James Roth, Jesse Aaron, Jim Guigli, John M. Floyd, Kevin R. Tipple, Maddi Davidson, Michael Grimala, Robert Petyo, Shannon Hollinger, Tom Sheehan, Wil A. Emerson, Peter Trelay, and Philip Pak, then you'd better get Crimeucopia - Strictly Off The Record by the sound of it! I've sold a mystery novel, entitled The Devil Only Knows to Bloodhound Books! Here's the publisher's official announcement on their website, and below a little teaser I wrote about the book.
Money, murder, and maybe love - Holly Shaw found it all in a lonely house on the edge of the world. The book is currently scheduled for publication at the end of this year. More details to come! Issue eight of Guilty Crime Story Magazine is out now and includes a brand-new Sam Harrigan, PI, story, entitled "Too Late"! Guilty is a magazine of crime stories, of criminals, their motivations and their beginnings and ends.
In issue eight, the detective annual: "Too Late" by Brandon Barrows - She asked Sam Harrigan to protect her son, but the damage was already done. "Taking the Hit" by Joseph S. Walker - When justice doesn't win out, what comes next? "Jenga" by Robb T. White - Maggie disappeared, leaving nothing but pieces that didn't quite fit. "Magic Coffin" by Peter DiChellis - They all saw Viktor buried, so where was he now? "Queen of Spades" by Steve Liskow - Sometimes a a card-sharp can do what a detective can't. "Sausalito" by M.E. Proctor - The Hightower girl was gone, but was it kidnapping or something else? All brand-new material by top writers! Get yours on Kindle or in print! Check it out--a new horror anthology from Redwood Press, and it includes my horror story "Please Come Out"! Here's the full ToC:
My crime story "A Reasonable Motive" appears in the new issue of JOURN-E: The Journal of Imaginative Literature! Below is just a small selection of the ToC. There's over thirty different pieces in this issue, including both fiction and poetry!
Here's a movie I discovered at 4-something in the morning a few nights ago. It's a "reality-based noir," as the description I found it labeled under calls it, based on the same true-life events as the slightly-later and more famous film Call Northside 777. So, how does "Railroaded!" stack up? Well. It's a pretty basic plot: Steve Ryan, average Joe Citizen (whose van is being used for an illegal gambling operation without his knowledge) is tagged with a murder rap he didn't commit; honest, hard-working policeman dutifully gathers evidence and goes through his process, despite everyone being convinced they already know who the killer is, and in the process becomes convinced Ryan is innocent. There's really not much to it. It's pretty rote. You may notice on the poster, though, (which I hadn't seen until I wrote this) that noir-favorite bad-guy John Ireland is in this. Here, he plays one of the real killers: He's dark and ice-cool and he'd kill you as soon as look at you... and he douses his bullets in perfume, which is what he's doing here. Yes, he's giving himself an absolutely ridiculous calling card as a gunman that would instantly implicate him in any crimes he commits. It's that kind of movie and even a great villain character-actor couldn't save it.
Maybe it was my exhaustion at the time, but this movie didn't even not hold my attention, it opened the front door and made shooing motions, encouraging me to find something better to do. It's definitely forgotten for a reason. Watch Call Northside 777, it's a better film and truer to the real facts of the case. |
Brandon BarrowsI'm Brandon and I write comic books, prose and poetry. I own dozens of clever and interesting t-shirts. Archives
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