The Movie Journal

  Psycho (1960) 62 years after release, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho remains the auteur’s most impactful film. He made incredible thrillers such as Vertigo , North by Northwest , and The Birds , but can any of these pictures match the cultural and film impact this particular film had? Even though the major surprises have long been spoiled, this still remains a masterpiece in tension and manipulation. Some consider this to be the start of the slasher genre which of course allowed films such as 1978’s Halloween to be produced. Hitchcock made some very bold directorial choices that stands the test of time…including murdering the protagonist about a third through the thriller. That shower scene remains one of the most effective murder scenes ever created. There are no knife cuts or wounds displayed. There is a little amount of blood as Hitchcock felt like the audience would not be ready for such gore, but Gus Van Sant later repudiated that fact in his shot-to-shot 1998 remake. Rather, Hit...

The Apartment (1960) 1960’s The Apartment is one of the better, more realistic films of the early 1960’s. It’s a timely, sharp film that features classic director Billy Wilder at his best. This film focuses on the theme of adultery, which was still a subject that many filmgoers did not take lightly. In fact, Fred MacMurray claimed that women would accost him in the street and disapproved of his performance. That said, contemporary critics call this film a masterpiece and I would be inclined to agree. The film, while timely and often sardonic, infuses a mixture of wry humor and a hint of sadness to make this a film you can never forget. There are actually people out there who believe this is a good holiday movie because of its setting, but I’m not entirely sure about that. Billy Wilder is considered one of cinema’s greatest auteurs. I still cannot believe that this is the first film of his that I saw with my own eyes. Some Like It Hot , Double Idemnity , and Sunset Boule...

Spartacus (1960) It is really interesting to see why this film, Spartacus was made in the first place. Obviously, historical epics were massively successful during this time period. But this particular film was made as an answer to 1959’s Ben-Hur. In fact, it was Kirk Douglas’s answer to that movie. Douglas was originally set to star in that movie, but Charlton Heston was cast over Douglas at the last minute, giving Douglas a feeling of bitter resentment. Both films have a very common theme: one man rising against the mighty Roman Empire to fight for their beliefs. I think Ben-Hur is the better film, but there is much to admire about this film. The movie, based off the popular novel by Howard Fast, was written by Dalton Trumbo. Trumbo is a well-known screenwriter, not only for his writing talent but because he was blacklisted because of his associated ties with communism. Kirk Douglas and director Stanley Kubrick stood strong behind their screenwriter and they publicly a...