Quentin Tarantino Once Slammed This Alfred Hitchcock Film

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Quentin Tarantino has talked about his complicated relationship with the films of Alfred Hitchcock, especially his 1972 movie, Frenzy.

In his book Cinema Speculation, Quentin Tarantino discusses Brian De Palma’s Sisters, but uses the film as a jumping-off point to explore the work of Alfred Hitchcock.

Tarantino observes that Brian De Palma enjoyed making thrillers, though perhaps not watching them. He points out that even if a Hitchcock film like Frenzy isn’t perfect, it’s clear Hitchcock himself was passionate about the process of filmmaking. Tarantino appreciates that Hitchcock took joy in his work, regardless of personal opinions on the final product.

Quentin Tarantino has openly criticized Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, telling Bret Easton Ellis in The New York Times that while many people love the film, he finds it rather average. He actually prefers movies inspired by Hitchcock, like those made by Brian De Palma, Richard Franklin, and Curtis Hanson, over Hitchcock’s own work.

He believed Hitchcock’s creative possibilities were restricted during the 1950s, and that by the late 1960s and early 1970s, the director had aged to the point where he couldn’t fully achieve his goals.

I’ve always thought ‘Frenzy’ is one of Hitchcock’s best later films. It’s a really gripping British thriller about a serial killer in London, and it follows the story of a man who gets wrongly accused of the murders.

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by Anthony Shaffer, the film stars Jon Finch, Alec McCowen, and Barry Foster, alongside Billie Whitelaw and Vivien Merchant. It was Hitchcock’s final major film made in Britain and uniquely received an R rating upon its release in the United States.

The film proved to be a financial hit, earning $12.6 million despite only costing $2 million to make. It also received positive reviews, with Vincent Canby of The New York Times describing it as “a passionately entertaining film” and praising the cast as “superb.”

Roger Ebert gave the film four stars, highlighting its return to the chilling suspense of Hitchcock’s earlier films from the 1940s. Variety applauded its “ingeniously fresh storytelling,” and The Guardian later called it a “complex and gripping thriller,” ultimately labeling it a “masterpiece of suspense.”

Even though Quentin Tarantino has criticized it, most people still consider Frenzy to be an important and effective thriller from late in Alfred Hitchcock’s career, demonstrating his skill at building tension, using dark humor, and creating suspense.

What’s interesting about Tarantino’s views is that they demonstrate even the most celebrated directors have their own preferences, which aren’t always in line with what critics think.

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2025-10-25 15:46