Higgins’ live commentary on TO CATCH A THIEF

Higgins

Time for the continuation of our Covid-groupwatchings

This time, it‘s

TO CATCH A THIEF



London Summertime: 20:00
Paris Summertime: 21:00
New York local time 15:00
LA local time 12:00


PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE ALL STARTING 10 MINUTES LATER !

The 19:00 deadline is set so that everybody has enough time to find their DVDs/Blu Rays, boot their players and get ready for playing the movie
WE ARE STARTING PRECISELY AT 19:10

- Please make sure that everybody has their BluRay/DVD/VCR ready and start the player latest 19:00 GMT to get done with all the dodgy menus.
- PAUSE YOUR PLAYER
- HIT PLAY PRECISELY AT 19:10.
I‘ll post some timecodes during the thread just in case that somebody has messed it up

Higgins

If someone finds a working YT link, please post and I‘ll put it in the OP.

Barbel

As I said in another thread, I can't guarantee my participation since I have family staying and will probably be reading the grandkids stories at that point. Bride Of Bärbel has forbidden me to read them "Risico" or perhaps "The Hildebrand Rarity" so it'll probably be "The Gruffalo" again.

Number24

As a Scandinavian social democrat I'm all for compromise, so why not try Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? :007)

Barbel

Good idea! )

Number24

Children are strange. They love to read/being read their favourite books and watch their favourite movies even though they know every line by heart. We, as adults, would never do such a silly thing )

Barbel

That would never do. (DN)
It would not be kulturny. (FRWL)
I think you've made your point. (GF)
Oh, heaven forbid. (YOLT)
The thought never crossed my mind. (TSWLM)

Number24

We never live twice

Number24

I may have some problems finding my DVD copy of To Catch a Thief .....

Charmed & Dangerous

Barbel wrote:

That would never do. (DN)
It would not be kulturny. (FRWL)
I think you've made your point. (GF)
Oh, heaven forbid. (YOLT)
The thought never crossed my mind. (TSWLM)

)
Oh, jolly good idea. (OHMSS)
That always sounds good. (GE)
That bit was alright. (Skyfall) -{

Barbel

Hope Monday works better for you.

The Spy Who Never Dies

Number24 wrote:

Children are strange. They love to read/being read their favourite books and watch their favourite movies even though they know every line by heart. We, as adults, would never do such a silly thing )

And they know and complain if you miss out parts. Us adults wouldn't do that either!

I won't be joining tonight. Thought I had To Catch a Thief recorded but seems I annoyingly deleted it some time ago.

Higgins

Time reference:
https://greenwichmeantime.com/

29 minutes till loading up
39 minutes till watching

Higgins

So, who will be joining us tonight?

Higgins

Time reference:
https://greenwichmeantime.com/

15 minutes till loading up
25 minutes till watching

Higgins

Please load your players now.

We start in 10 minutes

Higgins

I have the feeling that I am alone tonight?

Higgins

There is a Paramount Logo and then a Vistavision Logo.

We start playing right after both logos

Higgins

Go!

Higgins

Love those old travel posters!

Higgins

Guys, as I am the only one here, I‘ll enjoy the movie without looking further into this thread

Number24

Sorry, Higgins.
I would have joined if I could find my DVD copy.

Barbel

Hi guys, what's happening? Guys...? Ah...

Higgins

Hello Barbel,

Can you please unstickie this?
Thanks!

Barbel

Done.

emtiem

The bit where they discuss quiche as a rare delicacy is great.

Otherwise it’s a bit dull and the identity of the thief is pretty obvious because there’s only really one character it could be. Also, a car chase done entirely with back projection... no.

Higgins

Well, I've obviously seen a different movie then.

Dull? I've seen a vibrant colourful and phantastic movie!
Admittedly not a Classic Hitchcock, but a love story added with suspense.

The actors are top notch, the costume department did overtime, locations are beautiful and the car chase was not a chase but more a ride. Rear projection they did back then on moving cars, there was no way to strap those huge cameras on cars (and eliminate the shattering).

Grant was phantastic and well looking - Grace Kelly was the one and only goddess - no more words needed!

emtiem

Higgins wrote:

Well, I've obviously seen a different movie then.

It's more likely you just have a different opinion on it.

It's not massively unusual to regard it as not being great.

Higgins wrote:

locations are beautiful

When they're not just back projection, indeed. A lot of disappointing back projection though.

Higgins wrote:

and the car chase was not a chase but more a ride. Rear projection they did back then on moving cars, there was no way to strap those huge cameras on cars (and eliminate the shattering).

Not sure what you mean really: they're being followed and attempt to evade their followers at speed. I'd say that's almost the dictionary definition of a chase. As for there being no way to mount a camera on a car: the guys following them are being filmed on location with a camera mounted on their bonnet!! Not to mention all of the shots from the bonnet of their car looking forward! )

My issue with it is that every beat of it is done with back projection rather than seeing the car. Maybe that's fine as Hitchcock was more about the performances, but it doesn't work for me. The drunken car ride in North By Northwest is obviously all done that way but it works for that, not so much here for my money.

Higgins

Well shooting from the bonnet facing to the passengers creates not much shatter, filming ahead does.
I thought that you'd know this.....

As for everything else - it seems that you are desperately seeking for arguments for argument's sake and I'll further continue to ignore your comments.

emtiem

Higgins wrote:

Well shooting from the bonnet facing to the passengers creates not much shatter, filming ahead does.
I thought that you'd know this.....

That's why I mentioned that they shoot the occupants of the following car, facing to the passengers and filming ahead from Grace's car.
Which of the two are you saying they couldn't do?

What I thought you would know is that they use back projection for the shots of Grant and Kelly because they're doing quite a bit of acting and AH is getting all sorts of different angles on them: not because of some sort of made-up reason about 'camera shatter', which you say would only affect the shots facing in the opposite direction anyway! )

Higgins wrote:

As for everything else - it seems that you are desperately seeking for arguments for argument's sake and I'll further continue to ignore your comments.

Good grief, Markus. I said at every point it's just my opinion and what works for me. If you're not looking for arguments why did you argue with my proposition that I find it a bit dull or say weird illogical stuff about camera mountings?
You are, as per usual, very hard to talk to.

Number24

I love the new title of the thread )

I hope no-one is considering giving up AJB live commentaries because of this, We only need to check beforehand how many will take part.