Tonight was the first time revisiting this in a number of years. My local cinema had it as part of a double feature with Hitchock's Psycho. Funnily enough, they're probably the director's most violent and/or sleazy movies, so they did make for a solid double feature, even if Psycho is definitely the better film. I counted four people leaving Frenzy before it was over, and there may have been more, given I was sitting closer to the front than the back.
But I think they were missing out, because this is still a pretty good film, and one that gets better in its second half, versus its first. It does take a really long time to get going, the tone's a bit all over the place at first, the main character is really unlikeable (which could be a turn-off to some), and most of the better scenes are saved for later on, when things really kick off. I think there's a lengthy scene near the end involving a truck carrying a bunch of potatoes that represents Hitchcock at his best, and also, the fact it gets really comedic (sometimes in a dark way) the more it goes on makes it stand out.
There are some big problems when it comes to pacing, some plot elements that feel a little questionable, and a really grimy setting and incredibly bleak humour that wouldn't work for all. I can't say it entirely works for me either, but Frenzy is still a movie I like quite a bit, and I think it's impressive he was still making movies like this into his 70s. It's certainly worth a watch for fans of his more well-known Hollywood movies.
But I think they were missing out, because this is still a pretty good film, and one that gets better in its second half, versus its first. It does take a really long time to get going, the tone's a bit all over the place at first, the main character is really unlikeable (which could be a turn-off to some), and most of the better scenes are saved for later on, when things really kick off. I think there's a lengthy scene near the end involving a truck carrying a bunch of potatoes that represents Hitchcock at his best, and also, the fact it gets really comedic (sometimes in a dark way) the more it goes on makes it stand out.
There are some big problems when it comes to pacing, some plot elements that feel a little questionable, and a really grimy setting and incredibly bleak humour that wouldn't work for all. I can't say it entirely works for me either, but Frenzy is still a movie I like quite a bit, and I think it's impressive he was still making movies like this into his 70s. It's certainly worth a watch for fans of his more well-known Hollywood movies.