Frenzy Review

Review of Frenzy (1972) by screenqueeen: 👍 3.5/5

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A captivating set of UK sex murders Hitchcock presents, conservative as it is in its explicit nature. Despite its thinly veiled misogyny from the British auteur it creates an area of giallo (anglo-giallo here, I guess) after it's height of popularity that may have inspired elements to continue through in adjacent genres.

It is disappointing that the mystery aspect is rather flat and nearly nonexistent, and in following Blaney around while being familiar with his innocence it all does feel like we're riding on the coattails of NORTH BY NORTHWEST, REAR WINDOW and perhaps a little VERTIGO. But there's enough originality that I don't mind it.

I know André Bazin didn't live to see Hitchcock's later films closer to 1960 and beyond but I thought about his critique on ROPE, where he praises the director's technical mastery but not his grasp on storytelling or pacing. This displays traces of these issues, where it's mesmerizing to watch because it's manufactured that way, however there is little substance running underneath everything.

Even the feeling of hidden suspense is sadly absent; if you look under the table there is no ticking bomb being quibbled over while it ticks to zero. It's good Hitchcock, although it seems to adopt a feeling of importance higher than what it puts out. Part of this came about when I heard the Ron Goodwin score, which feels far more sweeping and grandiose for something so localized as a necktie strangler in London.