Vanity Fair decided to recreate some of the classic scenes from the films of Alfred Hitchcock using modern day actors and actresses. Imagine Charlize Theron in Dial M For Murder, Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. in To Catch a Thief, Seth Rogen in North by Northwest, Scarlett Johansson and Javier Bardem in Rear Window, Niomi Watts in Marnie, Keira Knightley and Jennifer Jason Leigh in Rebecca, Emile Hirsch and James McAvoy in Strangers on a Train, Rene Zellweger in Vertigo, Jodie Foster in The Birds, or Tang Wei, Josh Brolin, Casey Affleck, Eva Marie Saint, Ben Foster, Omar Metwally and Julie Christie in Lifeboat.
Well stop imagining, the photos are after the jump. As always, click to enlarge. Pick up the Vanity Fair Hollywood issue for the full sized photo-spreads.
via: ohnotheydidnt
February 7th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Wow, some of these have really piqued my interest. I’d love the thought of seeing some of these actors reprising the role of the main characters in some of Hitchcock’s greatest films. The only problem would be finding a worthy director, of course.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
No remakes, please. These films are perfect the way they are. Just these pics will do, thank you very much.
My only quabble is with fishsticks (Paltrow) as Grace Kelly… anyone (Hathaway, Isla Fisher… anyone!) would have been a better choice. But I know she’s paired with Downey as part of a thinly veiled Iron Man promo.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Very cool! The Rear Window one is the best I think. That movie was actually on last night on TCM.
February 8th, 2008 at 12:33 am
I agree with cigi; NO REMAKES, please and thank you. The PSYCHO remake was bad enough, not to mention that Christopher Reeve REAR WINDOW redux as well; (you could also include DISTURBIA as a remake of REAR WINDOW too, I suppose).
As cool as these pics are, they do tend to scare me a bit. You just know that some young movie executive working at one of the studios is thinking just that; let’s remake these flicks.
February 8th, 2008 at 1:22 am
A Strangers on A Train remake with McAvoy and Hirsch..
and Michael Mann directing…
That would be worth watching.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:49 am
Vertigo/Zellweger is the only one that feels natural.
February 8th, 2008 at 3:52 am
@Orange cinema: why, because you just want her to fall off?
February 8th, 2008 at 7:25 am
These photos are exceptionally done. Jodie Foster looks especially good in The Birds photo, even if her chin looks a little beaky.
February 8th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Yea nothing is worse then Hollywood butchering old classics to make a few bucks. Original concepts seem to come only once a month with a bunch of filler movies like remakes inbetween.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Yes, for God’s sake, no remakes please.
While the photography is quite good (did they blend the original stills with the new shots), what the hell is the rationale behind choosing the different actors for the different roles? Doesn’t seem to be based purely on appearance, acting style, or career path.
I mean, Seth Rogen? Really? He might be a nice guy, but he’ll never share anything more than gender with Cary Grant.
February 8th, 2008 at 11:35 am
vanity fair sucks. trying to hold today’s media driven, talentless quacks to old, golden age hollywood’s glam seems to be their only angle these days to sell their dated rag.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Blah . . . No talant hacks looking for decent vehicles.
Hitch would slap you upside the head!
Hey, I know - Let’s stick Olive Oil’s face on the Mona Lisa.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Tyler J, you were wondering what director would be worthy to tackle Hitchcock? How about Scorsese? Have you seen his tribute to Hitchcock that he did recently? It was a mock-documentary style advertisement that he made, but for it he created a Hitchcock styled short film that looked amazing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5nAxzH4OPs
February 8th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Yeah this is a bit of defeatisms on VF’s part. It’s like saying ‘we know today’s movies stink, so let’s pretend that today’s actors were in good movies like Hollywood use to make!’
February 8th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Please remake each and every one of these with the actors chosen here, but before you show them, would you mind waiting a moment while I wake my grandpa?
You see, he loves to watch train wrecks.
At least do the one with gweneth trying to match Grace Kelly, or zellwigger doing the same with Kim Novak!
Make my ol’ grampy happy!
February 8th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
DIAM M?>>>>???????? WHAT THE FUCK IS DIAM YOU ASSHOLES!!!!!!????????
February 8th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I enjoyed the quote about English women being the sexiest for their repressed sexuality, but it was misquoted…Grace Kelly is a true blue American, born and raised in Philly. Vanity fair did little research besides reading truffot’s interview. Shame
February 8th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Yeah, Grace Kelly’s about as English as Madonna.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
The only reason Seth Rogen appears in this photo is because he is jewish and they all leverage their influences to be noticed. But he is almost talentless.
February 11th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
HAHAHAHA! Seth Rogan in NBNW is a joke! You think his fat ass can run like that? Look at that gut!
April 1st, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Marnie is an often overlooked Hitch film, but it’s really interesting and quite good…especially when you know some of the history behind the “psychodrama” between Tippi Hedren and Hitch. Naomi looks great in the re-creation.