Do You Like Hitchcock? (2005 TV Movie) User Reviews

A lighthearted and cheerful homage to Hitchcock .

[Semen_Monster · 7/10 · 7 September 2007]

I think this is a pretty good movie. There is not much gore in it, and sometimes the humor gets a bit too silly, but I still enjoyed it. There's more to Argento than just gory murder scenes. It's actually slightly more suspenseful as a whole than most Argento flicks, in a lighthearted and cheerful kind of way, and it's still has some pretty nice visuals. For being a made for TV movie, it's got a lot of style, with some nice camera work, and like the old Hitchcock movies, it has a lot of humor in it, and a lot of references to a lot of Hitchcock's films. After all, the movie is a homage to the old master of suspense, Sir Alfred Hitchcock. The movie is more like an old fashioned thriller with some of Argentos own unusual style. It was shot on 35 mm film. Sometimes it has the look of a TV movie, but with a lot of cinematic flair still there, and I was surprised of how much of the old Argnto trademarks that was still left in. Surprisingly, the picture's got a lot of mild nudity. The plot resembles a lot of Hitchcock's Rear Window and is about a film student who is a Peeping Tom who cant restrain himself from spying on his sexy neighbor and he gets in a lot of trouble for it.

I thought it was a nice change to this time see Argento experiment with a different kind of a movie, and the script moves forward in a much more straightforward manner than any film he's done before.

If you can live without the excessive gore, and are up for an unusually lighthearted Argento movie, mixed with some of his old visual style, then it's definitely worth a watch.

Don't we LOVE Argento?!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 20 March 2005]

One thing concerning this film should be made clear immediately, otherwise several Dario Argento fans will risk being disappointed: "Do you like Hitchcock" is a TV-movie and therefore not as outrageous and/or shocking as we expect Argento films to be! Don't prepare yourself to see another "Opera" or "Tenebre" in which repulsive gore will burst from the screen or demented giallo plot-twists stun you constantly! This is a decent, but overall ethically correct thriller, in which the master's touch is only detected in details and style aspects. This is by no means a bad film and please don't see this warning as sign not to watch it, but I only want to prevent that people will start making comments like "Dario Argento continues to lose his touch" etc... As stated above, "Do you like Hitchcock" is the first in a series of eight films produced by the Italian TV-station Rai Uno that are meant to bring the ultimate tribute to Alfred "Master of Suspense" Hitchcock. His classic titles will serve as pivot elements in newly written thrillers, of which only the pilot film is directed by Dario Argento. This general idea is terrific for a homage, I think, and admirers of classic cinema will certainly enjoy the blend of all these Hichcock highlights in modern settings.

Argento's film largely focuses on two Hitckcock milestones, namely "Strangers on a Train" and "Read Window". Giulio is a young film-student who occasionally watches his gorgeous neighbor girl across the street with binoculars. He witnesses how she and her mother regularly argue and when the mother is found murdered one morning, Giulio becomes obsessed by figuring out who did it. He discovers that the daughter recently made acquaintance with someone at the local videostore. Giulio begins to suspect that the two persons agreed to commit a murder for each other, just as it was the case in Hitchcocks's "Strangers on a Train". It's really nice to see how Argento blends all Hichcock references into one giant tribute. Aside from the two obvious titles, there are multiple other, smaller references towards Hitchock's oeuvre and, at times, you really do need to be a specialist to discover them all. The story is compelling enough to keep you interested and some really tense moments point out that Argento is still – and will always be – a powerful director. For example, there's a sequence in which the hero desperately tries to flee from the scene of a crime on a scooter, but secondary influences, like the rainy weather or technical difficulties, prevent him from getting away. Do not, repeat DO NOT, watch this film in case you're searching for nasty gore! The few murder scenes are, however, rather unsettling (and typically Argento!) but they surely can't live up to most of the director's previous work. "Do you like Hitchcock" is a worthwhile thriller and I personally rated it higher than Dario's last film, "the Card Player".

Fun little movie!

[chrichtonsworld · 7/10 · 25 August 2010]

"Do you like Hitchcock" should be seen as tribute and parody of Argento's own work and Hitchcock classics. It is fun to watch and recognize the references. I am not going to mention them all since there are quite a lot. But the first one sets the tone and gives us a glimpse of what to come. In the introduction we see two older women in black acting strange. This curious boy (the lead character in his younger years) follows them where he sees them sacrificing a chicken in a very bloody manner. The boy cries and gets chased by these women. Luckily the boy can escape without being harmed. Of course the women are a reference to his supernatural thrillers like Suspiria and Inferno. Since it is obvious that the two women are supposed to be witches. The funny thing was that the introduction in itself had nothing to do with the main plot apart from showing that the main character is a voyeur and getting in trouble because of it. The main plot is completely in Hitchcock mode where enough fresh elements have been added to keep everything interesting. Viewers aren't required to have seen any of Hitchcock movies. But believe me when I tell you that it makes it more worth wile if you have. Personally I would have preferred a much darker ending where all the events of the movie would have tied in.(SPOILER SPOILER It would have been cool to see the main character finally get punished by the two women from the beginning after he realized that his voyeurism should stop. But maybe that would have been too dark for a light movie like this SPOILER SPOILER). Fun little movie!

What a great producer

[Rabiddog · 21 March 2005]

Me and my girlfriend had the opportunity to watch Ti Piace Hitchcock at the Brussels fantastic film festival last Saturday. He directed this movie for the Italian television (RAI) and in mine opinion with success.The movie was introduced to the crowd by the master of horror himself.

The movie isn't as gory like the seventies eighties Argento movies but it still contains a lot of suspense and the murder scene is in "Argento style". If you are looking for a real gory giallo then you'll better skip it. It's an Argento movie and expectations may be high but it's a television movie and when you are an Argentofan you'll notice.

I'm really looking forward to his next movie.

greets

Moody, But Slightly disappointing Hitchcock-Tribute From Argento

[Witchfinder-General-666 · 6/10 · 26 December 2007]

I had pretty high expectations from this movie as it is a tribute from the great Dario Argento to the great Alfred Hitchcock.Dario Argento is one of the living directors i have the greatest respect for, and one of my personal favorite directors of all-time, and there is probably no true cineaste around to doubt that Alfred Hitchcock is one of THE most influential and greatest directors in the history of motion pictures.

That being said, I was slightly disappointed with "Ti Piace Hitchcock?" aka "Do You Like Hitchcock?" of 2005. Not because it's not nearly as gory and brutal as Argento's ultra-violent masterpieces from the 70s and 80s - I expected it to be mild for Argento standards, since it's a made-for-TV tribute from a genius director, Dario Argento, to another genius director, Alfred Hitchcock, and this doesn't call for the extreme violence of films like Suspiria or Opera. What I did expect, however, was the suspense, that Argento usually delivers, and I was therefore a bit disappointed, as I found all the parts of the movie that were meant to surprise way too predictable. There is a lot of tension, and the movie highly entertains, no doubt about that but the plot-twists are quite lame and it is simply not nearly as suspenseful as we're used to from Argento, especially after he delivered another great and highly suspenseful Giallo, "Non Ho Sonno" aka "Sleepless" in 2001.

The performances are great, Elio Germano delivers a solid leading performances and all three leading actresses - Elisabetta Roncchetti, Christina Brondo and Chiara Conti are both sexy and excellent in their roles, especially Roncchetti is drop-dead gorgeous and delivers a great performance in a great femme-fatale role. The score by Pino Donaggio is very good, but then again it is not nearly as brilliant as the scores by Progressive Rock band Goblin and their genius keyboard-player/composer Claudio Simonetti.

Over-all, the movie delivers suspense, atmosphere and good entertainment. It is just not very good for what it is (or could have been), a Hitchcock-tribute from Argento. Argento fans like myself run risk of being a little disappointed, but it is definitely worth the time.

Minor but entertaining Argento

[jangu · 6/10 · 1 July 2005]

Make no mistake, this is a made-for-TV movie so don't expect the usual Argento-gore and a lot of stylized violence. If that's what you're looking for, look somewhere else!

It also shows sometimes that he is working in another medium (television), style-wise. But apart from that, this is a playful and lightweight homage to Alfred Hitchcock, that works fairly well within the constrains of the medium.

It has a sympathetic lead in Elio Germano (but the female are more formulaic) and most actors are a lot better that what is common in an Argento-movie. The beginning of the movie is very well set-up when you get a peak into several apartments a la "Rear window". The script is full of references to different Hitchcock-movies, but there are also nods towards Brian dePalma and...Dario Argento himself! There are scenes that seems to have been lifted more or less intact from his other creations like "Deep red", "Opera" and "Inferno". But this is not necessarily a negative thing since all this is mostly woven into the plot with a lot of skill. There is only one murder (but two death scenes), but it is quite violent and the scene leading up to it is very suspenseful. The final 10 minutes are also edge-of-your-seat material.

Also worth mentioning is the nice cinematography by Fasano (especially the shots at night are very nice to look at). And the score by Pino Dinaggio is absolutely top-notch! It's certainly a lot better than the anonymous music he put together for Dario in "Trauma" and might remind you of his work for Brian de Palma.

But some things don't work, for instance the scene where our "hero" breaks his leg. It is too drawn out even though it's suspenseful in the beginning. The pace flags occasionally and is generally erratic. And even if the climax is exciting, I cannot shake of a feeling that it could have been even better with a tighter script. It seems that Argento/Ferrini lost interest somehow in their intriguing little tale of terror. And finally, the usual quibble when it comes to an Argento film...the dubbing is sometimes truly bad, at best it's acceptable. And note that I saw the Italian version! God only knows why italians often prefer to dub instead of using the original sound?!

But all in all, a very decent outing by Mr Argento. It certainly doesn't top "Suspiria", "Inferno", "Deep red" or his other masterpieces (it doesn't even top the underrated "Trauma" which is resembles sometimes), but it is absolutely one of the best things he's done since "Opera".

I don't like (this) Argento

[petra_ste · 4/10 · 27 April 2009]

Had Ti Piace Hitchock? (Do You Like Hitchock?) been the debut of a twenty-something director working with a few bucks and using friends and family members in his cast, I would have been eager to praise it for a few decent scenes and neat visual choices. Since, however, it has been made by a director of the magnitude of Dario Argento, an influential master of horror, the result comes across as aggressively mediocre and even rather sad - almost to the point that, along with Il Cartaio and other recent bombs dished out by Argento, it could be pointed out as a sign of the rapidly encroaching senility of a once great artist.

Built as a Hitchock shrine, the movie references, among others, Rear Window and Strangers on a Train: set in Turin (the same baroque, elegant city of Profondo Rosso), the film follows Giulio, a young man spying on his neighbours; when a woman is killed, movie geek Giulio suspects a Strangers on a Train-like arrangement in which two murderers switched their designated victims.

Surprisingly flat set-pieces apart, what hurts more is the acting, with some of the worst performances in a movie by a major director you are likely to see in a long time. I can honestly claim I've seen better performances in school plays, and by better I mean "there is no comparison". This is becoming a trademark of the last Argento: most of his recent movies have been plagued by this horrifically bad acting - see Silvio Muccino in Il Cartaio, another recent failure unwisely homaged here with a shot of its poster in a video store.

The most entertaining part is catching other Hitchcock references; I've noticed nods to Marnie and Vertigo, and to Psycho as well (the climax takes place in a bathroom), but I might have missed others as I was covering my eyes and ears during the worst instances of bad acting.

4/10

Been watching too many films? Or just enough?

[OJT · 6/10 · 13 February 2014]

A boy cycling in the woods discovered a couple of women acting strange, and starts spying on them, until he is discovered. That's the start of this film by cult film director Dario Argento. A clear and present homage to the great director Alfred Hitchcock in absolutely all that is done on screen, and more so, even to the art of film.

After the start we get to know a real film buff, working in a room full of movie posters. Is it the young boy at an older age? Yes, it is. He's Giulio, and a real Peeping Tom. Now he gets a chance to spy on a neighboring women undressing, just like the photographer in Hitchcocks "Rear window". I'm already sold... But the references go on. "Strangers on a train", "Psycho", "Dial M for murder", "Blackmail", "Family plot", "Vertigo"...

The film refers to so many classics that it's a gem in itself, and the plot is well made up in this story as well. Filmed in the typical Argento style, with the occasional mystical lingering on nature, city scapes and artful Gothic sculptures, this manages to make the right tension. Add music highly inspired by Hichcock and 80'ies thrillers like "Dressed to kill" (DePalma) and all the other ingredients, even down to finger movements, and you're in for a treat. It's not splattery, except from in one scene. OK, but has so much going for it, that it's impossible to dislike, if you got the references on.

This Italian/Spanish production is English spoken, dubbed probably due to to bad English, though filmed with Italian actors in Turin, Italy. Maybe some might feel it a bit forced and artificial due to this, and the perfect English voice-over which make our hero more recipient than actually possible. Never mind, it does only add to the fascination.

The only disappointment here is that Argento doesn't have a cameo in this film, like sold Hitch did in his!

Another shrug-worthy attempt from Argento

[Jonny_Numb · 4/10 · 6 July 2008]

At this point in his career, one wonders what Dario Argento is trying to prove to his fans, save for the fact that his former artistic greatness seems completely drained. While the cheeky-yet-conventional "Do You Like Hitchcock?" emphasizes self-referential genre playfulness over gore, it still can't save the fact that the film is a mostly dull view. I realize this was made for Italian television, but that shouldn't excuse the all-around lack of enthusiasm and interest--the film suffers from the indifferent staging, framing, and characters that has afflicted most of Argento's work from the '90s onward. Here we have film student/nerd Giulio (Elio Germano), an avid Hitchcock fan, who becomes obsessed with a sexy brunette who lives in the apartment complex opposite his; there is a murder, and Giulio becomes entangled in the rather bland string of Hitch homages that follow (particularly "Rear Window"). Had Argento made this during his '80s heyday, it would have seemed pretentious and smug (considering his 1969 directorial debut, "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage"), but it also probably would have been more competent and stylish at the same time. While this runs circles around some of the director's more dire efforts ("Phantom of the Opera" and "Sleepless" come to mind), its drab images and lazy framing keep us from connecting with the story, leaving only a bevy of beautiful (and sometimes nude) ladies and a few bloody setpieces to hold the viewer's dwindling attention. Too bad.

The story is a rather clever and playfully mix of Rear window and Strangers in a Train.

[marebito · 7/10 · 31 March 2005]

With this film, made for television and shot with DV camera, Argento delivers a very enjoyable and stylish little thriller. There are lots of references to several Hitchcock-films, but Ti Piace Hitchcock also reminds us a lot of the thrillers of Brian De Palma (such as Sisters, Dressed to Kill, Obssesion...).

Its not the greatest film of the Italian master of suspense but with this film Argento re-found his former style. A style that goes back to his films he made during the 70 or 80 period (Suspiria, Deep Red, Inferno...).

Of course being made for television the production values are not as high as in the films I quoted above. Sometimes the colors are (too) saturated and there is more emphasis on the story then there is on the visual style of the film. On the other hand the photography and the overall style of the film really look fine: certainly a lot more then the average TV-film. That also counts for the scenes involving nudity and violence. There is at least one scene of violence (a typical Argento-style murder) and several scenes of nudity which won't be pleasing several TV-censors. Hopfully this film will soon be available, uncut, on DVD. Catch it if you can.

For Argento completists only...

[chaosrampant · 3/10 · 19 January 2008]

I wonder what goes on in Argento's head sometimes. I'm a huge fan of his work, even his 90's stuff that is usually, and unfairly IMO, dismissed as sub par, but this one just pales in comparison. Not only is it the worst film in Argento's fodder by far, it's a BAD movie on all counts.

Now the usual flaws levelled at his work are bad acting and poor scripts, but this one just takes the cake. Ridiculous English accents from people that are obviously supposed to be Italian, and even the establishing shots make it obvious the movie is set in Italy (Turin actually). I could accept it if it was merely the English dubbed version, but from the lips movements, it was pretty clear the actors were speaking English. Awkward dialogues. Poor script, that can't for the life of it masquerade its ineptness through Hitchcock homages to Rear Window or Strangers on a Train. The "twist" and resolution make little sense. There's close to no gore, which on one hand is understandable as this is a TV movie produced for RAI Uno. But on the other hand, there's no suspense, and as this movie was constructed as a homage to the master of suspense, ultimately it fails. Actually, there's one scene that tries hard to be suspenseful (when Guillio tries to get away on a scooter from somebody chasing him), but it's handled woefully bad. The character is supposedly in real danger, but we never feel it, and the scene drags for too long. The comedic bits are far from funny. So what's left? Now, like any Argento fan would do, I would be ready to forget and forgive all these, if his usual flair for visual perfection was on display. But we get none of it. No intriguing camera work, no cameras peering from impossible angles, no rich set pieces, no perverse black-gloved killer, no inventive killings, nothing. Kind of like Jennifer, it's just so pedestrian, it breaks my heart. Pino Donaggio's music was nice and that was about it. I can't believe such a formulaic, uneventful thriller came out from the same guy that gave us Profondo Rosso.

For Argento completists only.

I don't think any fan of Argento or Hitchcock should miss this.

[christopher-underwood · 8/10 · 18 April 2006]

Most enjoyable and suspenseful tale, featuring in the main elements of 'Strangers On A Train' and 'Rear Window', but also making reference to many of Hitchcock's movies. Much fun can be had spotting all the amusing/effective references without the ongoing tale being spoiled. There are at least two excellent sequences, one involving a moped and the other a bath, but although the pace may be a little erratic, the dialogue rather strange and the dubbing diabolical, this is as much fun for us as it must have been for Mr Argento. I'm not one of those that will talk of a 'return to form' because I'm just happy to enjoy what I enjoy without harping back, but I don't think any fan of Argento or Hitchcock should miss this.

Solid entertainment

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 18 October 2005]

This is only the second of Dario Argento's films I've seen, but I found it quite enjoyable, and I'll definitely look for other films by him(not something I felt like after watching the other film by him I saw, Creepers). The film is a salute to Argento's idol, Alfred Hitchcock, and contains homages to several of his films. It's about a guy who sees two girls meeting and discussing the plot of Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train briefly, and then someone close to one of the girls die. Has the two girls switched murders, like it happened in the very film they discussed? The plot is a playful mix of Strangers on a Train and Rear Window, with some parts inspired by other Hitchcock masterpieces. The pace is pretty good, though it drags at some points in the film. Like Hitchcock, Argento manages to create some excellent suspense. The gore isn't as shocking or gratuitous as what I understand most of Argento's film contain, but it's good considering that it's a TV-film. There's also a fair bit of nudity. This fact will no doubt deter some possible viewers, and draw others. The acting is fairly good, for the most part, though there are a few scenes where the acting is embarrassing, even by TV-movie standards. The characters are credible and interesting, though a few of them seem written in just to make room for a few twists near the end, and at some points, the characters seemed completely illogical to me(but this may be an issue of cultural differences... this may be typical for Italians, in other words, but I've never seen people act like that). All in all, a fun little film, good for fans of either or both directors, but not really something you'll want to watch more than once or twice. I recommend this to fans of Dario Argento and/or Alfred Hitchcock. Check it out if the plot grabs your attention. Chances are, you won't regret it. I certainly didn't. 7/10

Can't sleep? Watch this!

[ctomvelu1 · 5/10 · 27 February 2010]

Argento has obviously seen better days, but there are still traces of his genius in this slow-moving TV movie about a kid obsessed with the films of Hitchcock who thinks a neighbor living across from him may have been murdered by someone he knows. The murder itself is about the only gory moment in the movie, which will come as a disappointment to lovers of past Argento splatter classics like CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, TENEBRAE, DEEP RED, SUSPIRIA, THE PHANTOM and OPERA. The film pays homage to STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, PSYCHO, VERTIGO, DIAL M FOR MURDER and REAR WINDOW. Badly acted, and the stilted English spoken by the actors in an Italian setting makes it hard to watch at times. The killer's identity comes as no surprise in the end.

Do You Like Hitchcock?

[Scarecrow-88 · 6/10 · 28 September 2006]

A young film student named Giulio(Elio Germano), with a classic unhinged case of "peeping tom" disease, believes a woman named Sasha(Elisabetta Rocchetti) that he spies on from across the street may've formed a "Strangers on a Train" partnership with another young woman, Federica(Chiara Conti). His belief only heightens when Sasha's overbearing(..but wealthy!!white flag, maybe?)mother is viciously murdered. His increased desire to find out if what he believes is true, Giulio will inevitably face possible harm or worse death. Yet, he continues on to find a killer..

Marginal Argento effort doesn't come anywhere near his greater gialli, and is surprisingly predictable. It's underwhelmingly non-violent(only one death, believe it or not), and has very little in the way of thrills. It does have some nudity and Argento's camera longingly strokes their flesh, but it is more to do with Giulio's lifestyle and obsession for spying on them. That may be one of a few true characterizations of Giulio for he pretty much spies on someone the entire picture and is lucky to escape several near moments of real danger(..even as a child, as Argento opens the film, he narrowly escapes spying on two older women slicing a bird).

The homage to Hitchcock is a wonderful reason to watch the film and Argento also has moments of praise for Fritz Lang, David Lynch, & "Nosferatu." He often shows Giulio visiting a video store so that is kind of cool to see Argento even given himself the treatment(check out the poster of his recent "The Card Player"), and has him researching several films. You always feel, though, that Hitchcock is to be praised in this film and "Rear Window" especially gets a lot of love.

If you want Argento with bite..look elsewhere. This is an uninspired thriller which does have good pacing even if the ending is lackluster.

Minor but watchable Argento

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 30 November 2014]

Dario Argento's homage to Alfred Hitchcock, and more specifically to "Rear Window", "Strangers On A Train" and "Dial M For Murder", is a minor entry in his filmography, but quite watchable all the same. Argento still has some of his directorial flair, and he hasn't lost his eye for high-grade female beauty either, though the violence is more restrained than usual for him (probably because the film was made for TV). The script he co-wrote has a couple of twists, as well as film-buff references, though the opening sequence doesn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the picture, and the English dialogue creates an awkward contrast with the Italian surroundings and written words. All in all, this film is somewhat better than its reputation. Good score by the veteran Pino Donaggio. **1/2 out of 4.

ARRRGH! This one is thoroughly watchable, but it has so much wasted potential

[callanvass · 5/10 · 28 December 2013]

(Credit, IMDb) A college film student, obsessed with the works of Alfred Hitchcock, investigates a murder committed in the apartment building across from his and suspects that his seductive neighbor hired a girlfriend to commit the deed.

I didn't hate this movie, far from it. I actually enjoyed this somewhat. It has some neat homages to Rear Window, Vertigo, among other works. I just felt that Dario Argento should have gone a bit further with the plot. That seems to be the theme for Argento these days "Missed potential" I'm not sure if he has succumbed to the pressures of trying to adapt to today's society, but he can't seem to fully put it together. Your enjoyment of this film may hinge on how you feel about the polarizing lead. Elio Germano is a completely asinine in almost every scene he's in. He's an unlikable pervert that is very hard to elicit sympathy from. You have a gorgeous woman, why are you treating her so badly? I couldn't stomach him, but managed to get into the movie anyway. The performances are nothing to write home about, but that's not really what Argento films are all about. The Man is about style. It has some decent twists, involving the killer, and Argento puts in his usual stylistic touches. I just felt he could have done so much more with this movie. I didn't mind it, but I didn't love it either. It's worth a look, just don't expect too much. You take what you can get from Argento these days.

5.6/10

Now the homage and respect to Alfred Hitchcock is admirable, however, the film itself is not

[TheUnknown837-1 · 2/10 · 9 January 2010]

I *loved* the *idea* of the Dario Argento movie "Do You Like Hitchcock?" Being an admirer and fanatic of the Master of Suspense myself, I was all for a movie that was not only inspired by Hitchcock's masterpieces, but made homage to them and incorporated their influence into its characters. The idea of combining elements from films such as "Vertigo", "Psycho", "Strangers on a Train", "Dial M for Murder" and most notably "Rear Window" sounded like a real winner to me. So the concept of this made-for-television film rang like solid gold, however, the final product itself is not. Rather, I'm afraid to report, it's dreck.

The whole premise is like a reworking of "Rear Window." A film student obsessed with Alfred Hitchcock gets to looking out his window, especially when he breaks his leg. And he becomes convinced that his neighbor across the street has committed murder. And he's convinced that his neighbor is also a fan of Alfred Hitchcock and may have been inspired by the master's films.

Now the homage and the respect to Alfred Hitchcock is admirable, however the film is not. I will admit there was one moment of suspense that I actually found credible, but everything before and after it was so unbelievably dull, so preposterously dumb, so mind-numbingly slow and inferior that the movie resulted in nothing short of being a catastrophe. I had a feeling the movie was going to be a waste of time after its peculiar and unintentionally funny opening scene. I knew that when I saw yet another unnecessary sex scene afterward that the movie was going to throw a lot of idiotic and time-slowing ideas after another.

I am not familiar with the director or actors' works, but I'm sure they have done much better than what I saw here. Elio Germano is rather dull as the protagonist modeled after Jimmy Stewart's character in "Rear Window", often rushing through his lines so fast that he's opaque, his girlfriend played by Cristina Brondo hasn't a sliver of the charm of Grace Kelly, and the murderers – the characters in a Hitchcock movie that were always charismatic or interesting – are as dull as they come…and badly acted. There is no menace from them.

In addition, the movie also fails because it's trying too much to be like a Hitchcock movie, modeling a lot of scenes, cinematography, sequences, and so forth after scenes from the master's filmography. The movie doesn't seem to have an original thought of its own…and what it does have of its own is rather ridiculous. As hopeful and enthusiastic I was for this film, I'm sorry to report that your time is better spent elsewhere.

Argento and Television May Not Mix

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 20 May 2010]

A film student with a habit of spying on his neighbors witnesses a murder one night and is quickly sucked into a web of seduction and danger. Can he help the police identify the killer before the killer identifies him? And what of his girlfriend who disapproves of this hobby? This film marks the thirteenth Dario Argento film I have seen. And while I can safely say he is my favorite horror director (and one of my favorite directors in general), this film is a weak spot on his impressive record. While the plot itself is somewhat weak, it could have worked as a tense, suspenseful giallo. Why didn't it? Many critics point to the fact this film was made for television, and surely this was a factor. The camera used was of less quality, and it comes off with a soap opera feel. But Argento tries to make this work: despite being on television, there is still some blood and a fair amount of nudity. Yet, it just doesn't hold my interest (or apparently many other people's).

I have heard some say that his "style" is different here, and that seems to be true. There are few shots that scream Argento. One close-up on some eyes, another scene with a flooding of color, but overall the film seems washed out with too much light and it just doesn't seem "movie" worthy. Oh, well.

True Argento fans will want to see and possibly own this one, but I can tell you with certainty: it is probably the worst film of his you will ever see. I own it, and I'm pleased about that, but I don't expect to give it much replay. The special features consist of a director bio and a behind the scenes that is in Italian, so unless you understand Italian it probably won't tell you much.

altro che!

[RainDogJr · 20 May 2008]

"This young Italian guy is starting to worry me".

Dario Argento gained the attention of one of the biggest influences, maybe the biggest, in his career: Alfred Hitchcock. In his homage to the master of suspense, he practically returns to the basic murder-mystery story that itself have always the influence of Hitchcock. The main character of the story is Giulio (Elio Germano), a film student who lives alone in an apartment and spends his time with his girlfriend (Cristina Brondo), watching films, especially of the German Expressionist (Caligari, Nosferatu, Golem, etc), and making studies about them. As a film lover I always like a lot when in a film there are references to Cinema itself and in this case we all must find familiar those images in the DVD store looking out fore some new and interesting titles. The fact that the main character is making his thesis about the German Expressionist is perfect to put some images of "Nosferatu" and "The Golem" and also I like a lot how film posters looks on the screen, some of them in the film are the ones of "Vertigo", "Metropolis" and "Nosferatu", and are only details but I really like them. Returning to the story, we have that Giulio has been always an observer so now in his apartment he begins to spy his sexy neighbor Sasha (Elisabetta Rocchetti) and he see the bad relation between Sasha and her mother (Milvia Marigliano). The giallo begins when Sasha's mother is mysteriously murdered inside her own apartment. Giulio's fear and paranoia makes that he begins to build his own theory about the murdered having the Hitchcock film "Strangers on a Train" in mind (Sasha previously rented the DVD of that film and also talked about it with Federica) believing that Federica was the murderer of Sasha's mother so now he believes that Sasha is going to kill somebody related with Federica, of course like in the Hitchcock movie.

The film runtime is only 90 minutes and definitely is a really good and fast-paced murder mystery film without a lot tension and gore scenes but is amazingly entertaining and really well acted. Being a Hitchcock homage of course there are many references to him part of having the common environment of a suspense film. The most notorious are the ones to "Rear Window", "Marnie", "Psycho" and of course to "Strangers on a Train".

Cast: as I write the film is pretty well acted. Germano is really good for the main role, looking always insecure and sometimes unable to solve the mystery. The support cast is also good, with the sexy Elisabetta Rocchetti, and for me the character of Giulio's girlfriend is a little weak.

Conclusion: A basic murder story but I really enjoyed this Argento film that was made for TV. For me is not one of the finest films of Dario but still is recommendable and really good. Just be careful with the things you see.

Region 4 DVD: I realize about the existence of this film through this site and after reading what was about, I had lots of desires to watch it. It was just a complete surprise to find the Region 4 DVD of this film since I never imagine a release. The DVD is just good with the English language only and the TV spot as the unique extra.

Do you like Hitchcock ? Not any more...

[moimoichan6 · 2/10 · 12 February 2007]

Jean Tular, in his french "guide des films", wrote about "L'Uccello dalle plume di crystal", the first Argento's Giallo, made in 1970, that its main weak point was that his influences were too obvious, and were not really digested by the young cinephilic director : "a little bit of Dassin, a lot of Hitchcock, and a touch of German expressionism", were for Tular those too omnipresent influences of Argento. More than 35 years later, after having reinvented the horror/thriller genre with a fistful of Giallo masterpieces, it seems that Argento returns to the movies that inspired him when he was young, but unfortunately, it only proves that all kind of inspiration is now gone from the old Italian master of horror. And if this movie also adds another influence to the Tular's list, Dario Argento himself, all this references to Hitchcock's, Lang's or even to himself are so poorly done and so obvious, that the all movie quickly become a parody more than a homage to the classic.

The movie starts with a ridiculous scene which has absolutely no connections with the rest of the story : a little boy and his bicycle are running away from two witches in the wood. Why this scene ? Is it a nightmare, a metaphor of the film to come, an advertising for VTT ? We'll never know, I guess. Then, if you survive this painful introduction, the movie really starts : and it doesn't getting any better. A young student is the witness of a murder and is convinced that it's got something to do with Hitchcock's "Stranger on a Train". And believe me, it doesn't. And the thing is it doesn't have anything to do with Argento's cinema neither : it's just a senile copy of the masters, a ridiculous plagia, not even stylistic (the murder scenes are pitiful), not even clever (the movie claims that a cinema spectator has a lot in common with a Peeping Tom : big deal ! That already was the thesis of "Rear Window"), and the saddest thing is that it's also really ugly.

No mistakes, I'm a big fan of Giallo's movies, and of Argento's in particularly, but this one is seriously so bad, that I almost was ashame to watch it. And don't tell me to be more tolerant because it's a movie made for TV : "Jeniffer", the short movie Argento has made for the "Master of horror" series, is also made for TV, and is ten times better than this one. I hope his next long feature will mark the return of the master (as "Jeniffer" may announce it), and will make us absolutely forget the esthetically crisis that Argento seems to cross since his disastrous version of "The Phantom of the Opera" .

Playful and suspenseful homage to a great director by a great director

[ODDBear · 8/10 · 22 August 2006]

Giulio is a peeping Tom and lovely Sascha from across the street catches his eye from time to time. At a local video store Giulio sees Sascha and another girl discussing Hitchcock's film Strangers on a Train and Sascha rents it. Later Sascha's mother is killed and Giulio starts thinking about the plot from Strangers on a Train.

From his very first film Argento has been nicknamed "the Italian Hitchcock" and many still refer to him as that. Although he heartily disagrees with that assessment, Argento may have felt obliged to do a direct homage to the old master at some point in his career. With the help of his longtime script collaborator Franco Ferrini, Argento has constructed a very clever "whodunnit" which successfully weaves together elements from Hitchcock's Rear Window, Strangers on a Train, Dial M. for Murder and Vertigo, and possibly a few others. The story is surprisingly airtight considering the many films it's paying homage to. No great loopholes to be found and although you know the old films by heart, Do You Like Hitchcock? still manages to surprise up until the end. It's no doubt great fun for a Hitchcock aficionado to spot all the references, I particularly liked the Vertigo inspired ending.

Some Argento trademarks are present but on the whole it doesn't always look like it's one of his films. It must be taken into consideration that this is an Italian made for TV film and Argento reportedly had to make it in a hurry and it's budget is lower than usual. The actors here are actually pretty decent and the dubbing fares better here than in Argento's The Card Player. No big names here but they do their jobs well enough. The gore is on the light side, only one sequence has some ick factor in it.

With all limitations in mind it's a wonder what Argento managed to accomplish because Do You Like Hitchcock? is overall a suspenseful homage that no doubt Hitchcock himself would have approved of.

Giallo and giallo-not at the same time

[helencmm · 7/10 · 21 October 2019]

At first, I want to mention that this film, in my opinion, is a really modern giallo, that almost didn't really reminded me of a giallo. This is not necessarily flaw, because either is good because of the fact that is a progressive giallo and different from the other Argento's works, either is bad because of the simple reason that isn't giallo. It's not a "true" giallo, because it doesn't really have the aesthetic. This is basically my dilemma. Whether this film is a giallo or not.

Let's continue with the things that I liked. I really liked the protagonist. Elio Germano was really great. He was the perfect actor to portray Giulio. I also really liked the actor that portrayed the role of Andrea. He was also great and convincing, in addition with the actress that played Sasha. No, just no.

Then, the plot, although was not original (what is original nowadays?), was quiet catchy and I liked the Easter eggs with the posters of Hitchcock and the previous film of Dario Argento (Il cartaio). It contained very very obvious references of Hitchcock's works (thereof the title).

Now the bad things. Some actors were good, but the rest of the cast was mediocre to bad. The "whodunnit" was very obvious from the beginning, only a part was kind of sudden.

The thing that I didn't liked at all was the fact that it was English-language. Really? I wanted it to be original Italian. I never understood why all the giallo should be in English. I prefer the Italian language. We have so many English-language films. It was not necessary at all.

In general, I believe that it's a nice film to watch. Fast pacing, not boring, with catchy plot, but certainly it's not the typical giallo film. It's closer to a mystery (although very obvious for a mystery) thriller film than a giallo, but it's different, so for me is good.

I recommend it.

Neither Bian or Alfred / Argento is old, poor guy!!!!

[frank-glinski · 1/10 · 5 January 2007]

We love Dario, we own almost all of his classics, but this......? somebody here said it's a movie for Brian de Palma and/or Alfred Hitchcock-fans....okay! hello, can you hear me? hello, are you there? next time: please watch a Brian or Alfred movie before you make such a comment, thanx - this is trash out of the television gutter from hell, don't watch it, it's a waste of everything you earn: time, money, brains....... there where no Brian or Alfred-like sequences, you know what I'm talking about, there was just "under budgeted" television shots, like in a European tele-novela from Spain..., go figure! - but, I have to say, Donaggios music was great, what a waste, poor everybody involved! Especially the "people" trying to say these words Argento was putting in their mouths... bye from Berlin

Harry Potter and the hot babe next door.

[lastliberal · 6/10 · 26 July 2009]

If you are an Argento or Hitchcok fan, you will certainly enjoy this. It is not meant to be a typical Argento film, but an homage to Hitcock, especially Rear Window and Strangers on a Train.

Harry Potter lookalike Guilio (Elio Germano) spends the time, when he isn't studying German expressionist film (Nosferatu, for example), peering into Sasha's (Elisabetta Rocchetti) bedroom across the way (with binoculars). Of course, when he isn't admiring her naked body, he is watching her argue with her mother (Milvia Marigliano).

One day he runs into Frederica (Chiara Conti) at the video store, and sees her moments later talking to Sasha. After Sasha's mother is murdered, Guilio immediately thinks of Strangers on a Train (he is a film student, after all), and decides to do some snooping, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend Arianna (Cristina Brondo), who gets a short shrift.

Things get a little dicey when the girls discover he's looking. The video store clerk (Iván Morales) tries to kill Guilio in a Dial M for Murder homage, and is only stopped by his mother's (Elena Maria Bellini) new boyfriend.

Exciting suspense with little blood.