Rope, released in 1948 this thrilling crime drama is one of Hitchcock's most dynamic and suspenseful features to date. Proving his creativity and attention to detail over ten years before is infamous Psycho (1960) was released, Hitchcock shows anything is possible and his talents as a director and visionary were unstoppable.
Rope tells the story of two young men, Brandon Shaw and Phillip Morgan, played by John Hall and Farley Granger. They commit a murder in their apartment and later that evening host a dinner party to toast for a perfect murder. However, reporter Rupert Cadell (James Stewart) quickly finds the pairs behaviour suspicious and soon starts probing them for details.
One of the reasons Rope belongs on the top 100 list is simply for its unique filming style, Rope was filmed to appear as one continuous shot from beginning to end. Each shot ran continuously for up to ten minutes (the camera's film capacity at the time) without interruption. It was shot on a single set, aside from the opening establishing shot street scene under the credits. The camera moves were carefully choreographed and there was almost no editing to the final results. For 1948, this concept was truly unique and even watching Rope now the impact is magnificent. The use of one continuous shot wasn't simply to look impressive but to establish the characters anxiety throughout the film. Being trapped in one location heightens emotions and only elevates the suspense for both the audience and the characters. Rope is by far one of the best Hitchcock features, it often goes under-appreciated or over looked by fans as it isn't necessarily his most scary movie like The Birds or Vertigo but nonetheless, Rope is a film everyone should experience at least once- if you give it enough attention it should make your palms start to sweat.
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