Hitchcock film paired with a surprising dish

Image: cravingsomethinghealthy.com

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren & Scarlett Johansson

Rating 7/10

Film

The movie begins depicting the opening night of Hitchcock’s latest hit, North By Northwest. When a journalist challenges him about being to old, suggesting that he hang up his merry little director’s hat, Hitch gets a bit blue and decides to do something daring, something he would have undertaken in his younger years, Psycho. But everyone, including his wife Alma, thinks that he’s as crazy as the film but Hitch persists and his better half starts warming to the idea but the studio rejects it until Alfy comes to them with a proposal they can’t resist.

Meanwhile, Hitch is stalked by visions of serial killer, Ed Gein, whose horrific crimes formed the basis for the movie. Work starts on the film and in walks blonde bombshell, Janet Leigh, who Hitch starts getting quite fond of, as he did with all his leading ladies and his Mrs is not happy. Although Alma is supportive of the new movie (even going so far to mortgage the house to fund the film) she starts working on a script with ‘friend’, Whitfield Cook, who takes her to his secret beach house to write.

Then Alfred collapses from exhaustion and Alma takes over the reigns for a while and does a mighty fine job but on the first screening, everyone hates the movie. Hitch realises he needs Alma to work on it with him in the editing suite and then it gets GOOD!

Review

I love Alfred Hitchcock movies when I was growing up with his thick neck and protuding belly. I love the guy. His movies were cutting edge with weird angles and super-freaky storylines.. eeek! Hitchcock is a fascinating (and apparently pretty true-to-life) story of Alfred Hitchcock in the twilight of his life and career. I had no idea his wife had so much input into his movies but I knew he had a huge soft spot (in a strange way) for his leading ladies. Oh behave.

Anyhoo this is a good movie with an incredible performance from Anthony Hopkins, although I wasn’t too fussed with Scarlett Johansson – she was a tad plastic as usual. The story drove the movie but it’s not one of my favourites – there was nothing outstanding or amazing about it  but the film was intriguing – a perfect movie for a Friday night with a bit of strange tucker. Check out the trailer below…

Food

Old Hitch was the king of suprises! From dames falling off church towers, to murderers lurking in bathrooms, gee he was good. For this movie I’m pairing a bit of a pleasantly surprising dish… it’s Apple Cheddar Spiral Stuffed Bread recipe from Craving Something Healthy. Eat, watch, enjoy!

Note: Thanks to Anne from Craving Something Healthy for permission to feature her stunning image and link to her amazing recipe.

Hitchcock trivia 

• When he was a kid, Anthony Hopkins actually met Alfred Hitchcock in a restaurant.
• Real life murderer, Gein inspired the baddie in Psycho and Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs. 
• The movies was shot in only 36 days – talk about a hectic schedule.
• Anthony Hopkins desperately wanted to play Alfred Hitchcock and a great job he did too!
• In real life, Helen Mirren is married to a film director – just like Alma.
• Oliver Platt, Bill Murray and, oddly, Johnny Depp were considered for the role of Alfred Hitchcock.

Check out these film and food matches:

* Top 10 eighties movies paired with nostalgic recipes
* The Help movie matched with recipes from the South
* Now You See Me movie paired with magical dishes