Review of High Anxiety (1977) by Mark D — 19 Aug 2010

3: It starts out like gangbusters and it hits all the right notes, both aural and visual. The opening shots of the plane seemed like a cross between Psycho and North by Northwest. The title is reminiscent of Vertigo, as is the psychiatric setting/themes, although this could also work for Psycho, Notorious, Spellbound, etc.

So many of the shots seem directly lifted from Hitchcock films I couldn't help but love it; I suspect the same was true of Hitchcock himself. The seaside setting could work for North by Northwest, The Birds, or Vertigo.

The trick with the LA Symphony passing in a bus right on cue is great, as is the deadpan dialogue concerning foul play, etc; it's given completely straight, which is the only way it would work. In other words, no one seems to have any idea they're in a comedy here.

The picture is absolutely jam packed with specific shot-by-shot or scene recreations, as well as more general Hitchcockism's. The Mr. Macguffin, the shower scene, the poorly handled under the table camera (The Lodger I believe), the other unusual camera angles (basically every Hitchcock picture), the hotels, the train stations, the trains, the UN stand-in including the hilarious murder scene, the sexual innuendo, the beautiful blonde (although she is a bit off kilter here), the combination of sex and violence with the consumption of food, etc, etc.

It all works. I wouldn't mind watching this again soon. I'd say it's my second favorite Mel Brooks picture behind Robin Hood Men In Tights. It's great that Hitchcock loved it as well. I'm sure it was just his kind of film.