Hitchcock Times Two

Hollywood is full of people with great ideas. Where else could someone come up with not one, but three, live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks movies? And for some reason, everyone seems to get the same great idea at the same time. 1998 was a banner year of the same great idea. We got two computer animated films about ants (the aptly named, Antz, and Pixar's A Bug's Life) and two films about a meteor hurtling towards earth to destroy life as we know it (Michael Bay's Armageddon and the slightly more realistic, Deep Impact). Next year will bring us a double dose of Snow White. And now comes word that two films about Alfred Hitchcock are in development. Luckily, the movies only share Hitchcock and his wife as characters and are about different times in the director's life.

 

     It was reported today by The Hollywood Reporter that Helen Mirren is in talks to join Anthony Hopkins as Hitchcock's wife in Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho. (I wonder what that's about?) Sacha Gervasi, who directed the documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil!, is attached to direct the film which has been in development for four years and based on a book by Stephen Rebello. I always love films about filmmaking especially when famous actors get to play other famous people. I wonder who will be cast as actress (and Jamie Leigh Curtis's mom), Janet Leigh. This sounds like it could be interesting. I've only seen Psycho once back in high school but it seems like they have their work cut out for them. That film has some iconic images that are pretty ingrained in people's memories. 

      The other is an hour and a half BBC film called The Girl that focuses on Hitchcock's relationship with actress (and Melanie Griffith's mom), Tippi Hedren. The film is based on the book, "Spellbound By Beauty: Alfred Hitchcock and His Leading Ladies" by Donald Spoto.  Hedren has apparantly given her blessing. She has even cooperated with the filmmaker's and met with actress Sienna Miller, who has been cast as Hedren. Hitchcock will be played by British actor, Toby Jones (who starred as Truman Capote in the other movie about his life. You know, the one that didn't win Philip Seymour Hoffman an Oscar. See, more movies about the same thing!). I'm more excited about this one. I wasn't familiar with Hedren and Hitchcock's relationship until I was aware of this project and it sounds intriguing. Apparently, Hitch became obsessed with her and tried to make her over a la Vertigo. He also tried to destroy her career when she refused his sexual advantages. Juicy stuff. I'm also glad to see that Sienna is acting again. I feel like most people only know her as a tabloid staple and Jude Law's on-again, off-again fiancée. But, I think she's talented. I think she was great as Edie Sedgewick in Factory Girl and I thought she really had magnetic star quality on Broadway in After Miss Julie. 

      So, what do you think of the double feature of Hitchcock? Have you seen Psycho and/or The Birds? Do you think Anthony Hopkins will give a fully realized performance and stop phoning it in like he has the past couple years? Are you as excited as I am to see Sienna play another real-life blonde? Share your thoughts!

So, what I'm saying is...sleep with me or you're fired.