ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S 'FRENZY' WITH JON FINCH & BARRY FOSTER

Opening credit sequence for FRENZY Year: 1972

After a dry-spell with melodramas and big budget espionage films, Alfred Hitchock had an artistic comeback with FRENZY: Also serving as a grand return to England where Piccadilly Circus feels like its own busy character while the main protagonist, an antagonistic former RAF hero, gets embroiled in what Hitchcock perfected early on...

The Wrong Man theme, and it's an avalanche here, bordering on satire and with some of the coldest dark-humor sprinkled in. Yet FRENZY is no laughing matter, being perhaps the darkest and definitely most modern Hitchcock vehicle: and not just because people use swear words, or the nudity in one of the rape/murder sequences: The most shocking and in-your-face involves Barbara Leigh-Hunt followed by Anna Massey's off-screen demise, in which one of Hitchcock's greatest shots makes for that key signature moment (the shower in PSYCHO; the umbrellas in FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, etc.) that all his films rely on and/or are best remembered for.

Barry Foster peaking out into FRENZY Rates: *****

Jon Finch is perfect in the leading role, ironically unlikeable compared to Barry Foster's mother-loving secret psychopath: Both stories play out side by side, and as the grouchy Finch is understandably blamed for each murder (including that of his successful ex wife), Foster jovially engages on his spree — and at one point even takes a suspenseful, pivotal, paper trail covering road trip because of it: making you root for the sicko, for the time being...

Meanwhile, Alec McCowen as an affable police chief (whose wife is a horrible cook yet she's a keen investigator deep down) adds a different kind of levity in what's Hitchcock's most underrated film.  Unlike the VistaVision epics of the 1950's, there aren't any noticeably phony superimposed "real projection" backdrops that make it seem as if the actors and actresses were walking in front of someone else's motion picture. FRENZY doesn't rely on big movie stars but instead belongs to the auteur and his characters, and audience: Only this time it seems there's a more dedicated one in mind.

Jon Finch, Billie Whitelaw and Anna Massey in FRENZY

Barry Foster as Bob Rusk in Alfred Hitchcock's FRENZY

Jon Finch smokes in Alfred Hitchcock's FRENZY

The famous Barbara Leigh-Hunt tongue shot from Alfred Hitchcock's FRENZY

Jon Finch goes bird-watching in Alfred Hitchcock's FRENZY

Alfred Hitchcock beautiful establishing shot in FRENZY

Anna Massey with a still-smoking Jon Finch in FRENZY (the only superimposed backdrop used)

Vivien Merchant as the bad-cooking wife of Alec McCowen in Alfred Hitchcock's FRENZY

The Alfred Hitchcock director cameo in FRENZY right after his director credit

The Master's is welcomed back into England in what should have been his Swan Song FRENZY