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I hadn't seen Spellbound in awhile, but recently had read "Exquisite Corpse: Surrealism and the Black Dahlia Murder" which rekindled my interest in Salvador Dali, and the discovery of the author of the Spellbound screenplay, Ben Hecht. I think one of the elements that struck me in the Corpse book, was the web of inspirations that led up to films like Spellbound, and how connected some of the players were at the time. I opted for the Criterion version to really capture the Dali dream sequences properly, but I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Hitchcock's superb eye in this film. Gregory Peck's scene when he is sleepwalking with a razor blade is so vivid and well constructed that it reminded me why this movie has always been so powerful for me. And the old german doctor was a fantastic balance of humor against the drama. This Criterion edition also includes hours of extra materials, especially around the Dali artwork commissioned for the film, the backstory surrounding it, and many archival photos, as well as some material on the theremin which created such great atmospheric music. I like this film on so many levels, but I encourage you to explore it if you enjoy Hitchcock, surrealism, or one of my favorite applications of theremin music.Read full review
For its time, this film is incredible, especially the Dali dream sequence. The skiing scene is also a major accomplishment when you consider that in 1945, before CGI effects, filmmakers had only two options for filming dangerous ski scenes, unless they wanted to risk their stars' lives (or cast Sonja Henie!) They could film at a distance, using stunt doubles, but for close-ups they had the stars stand in front of a screen in a studio. While the stars swayed back & forth, snowy scenery was projected onto the screen behind them. In SPELLBOUND, while it is obvious to the modern viewer that Bergman and Peck are standing in front of a movie screen, the actors manage to convey a sense of suspense and danger. With lesser actors, the ski scene might have been laughable. More problematic, for modern viewers, is the fact that a psychiatrist gets romantically involved with a patient. But apparently this wasn't taboo in the 1940s, as we see in many films of the era, notably DARK MIRROR. If you liked DARK MIRROR, definitely give SPELLBOUND a try.Read full review
I really liked this film. I bought it because I had loved the music from the film score for many years, and was finally curious enough to see the events that the music described. It was a great story, although I agreed with other reviewers that the psychoanalysis seemed a little silly and incomprehensible to those without a background in psychology. However, the acting was superb, and the music was gorgeous. The extra features in this edition were valuable and insightful as well, and I highly recommend this product.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I bought it for the Dali sequence. It said that there was a special feature about it. Turned out that it was a written essay!. Why didn't they just include a booklet? The many pictures were interesting but took forever to load. Really a disappointment! Somebody needs to do this right-
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