'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' was a bit of a mixed bag up to this early stages. The first two episodes to me were great, but the next two were disappointing. The biggest interest point of "Into Thin Air" is that it stars Hitchcock's own daughter Patricia in the first of ten appearances in the series in the lead role. The story, while not novel which is acknowledged by Hitchcock himself in the bookending, was a very good idea and very Hitchcockian, even though not directed by Hitchcock.
"Into Thin Air" is neither one of the best or worst episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', certainly better than the rating here implies (somehow managing to be rated worse than the previous episode "Don't Come Back Alive"). More of somewhere in the middle, that does a good deal right but it could have been fresher and runs out of gas at the end (which is a shame). Very neat set up, with a clear 'The Lady Vanishes' and 'So Long at the Fair' influence, with generally solid albeit not amazing execution.
Many things in "Into Thin Air" are good. The production values are solid, some stylish shots and a nice atmosphere created. The music is suitably ominous without being over-emphasised, and cannot get enough of the theme tune for reasons that have been pointed out in my reviews for the previous 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes. The intro is wonderfully dry and acerbic and Don Medford directs in a way that is not static or routine, even if he is not in complete control in the latter stages.
Enough of the script intrigues and there is some nice suspense. Patricia Hitchcock does a good sympathetic job in the lead roles, one of her better performances of the series. The rest of the cast support her well. Alan Napier was always great value, always liked him in 'Batman' for instance.
However, "Into Thin Air" is another episode of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' that tries to cram in too much in too short a duration. It feels very rushed, sprawling in structure and needed a much longer length, this is a story that would have leant itself much better as feature length. The suspense also could have been more consistent, it's there but just not enough.
Really do agree that a lot of suspension of disbelief is needed, though it is not as much as "Don't Come Back Alive" and even more so that the very abrupt and anti-climactic ending is a let down. Giving the sense that the writers didn't know how to end it so tacked one on.
Concluding, acceptable if not great. 6/10.
"Into Thin Air" is neither one of the best or worst episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', certainly better than the rating here implies (somehow managing to be rated worse than the previous episode "Don't Come Back Alive"). More of somewhere in the middle, that does a good deal right but it could have been fresher and runs out of gas at the end (which is a shame). Very neat set up, with a clear 'The Lady Vanishes' and 'So Long at the Fair' influence, with generally solid albeit not amazing execution.
Many things in "Into Thin Air" are good. The production values are solid, some stylish shots and a nice atmosphere created. The music is suitably ominous without being over-emphasised, and cannot get enough of the theme tune for reasons that have been pointed out in my reviews for the previous 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes. The intro is wonderfully dry and acerbic and Don Medford directs in a way that is not static or routine, even if he is not in complete control in the latter stages.
Enough of the script intrigues and there is some nice suspense. Patricia Hitchcock does a good sympathetic job in the lead roles, one of her better performances of the series. The rest of the cast support her well. Alan Napier was always great value, always liked him in 'Batman' for instance.
However, "Into Thin Air" is another episode of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' that tries to cram in too much in too short a duration. It feels very rushed, sprawling in structure and needed a much longer length, this is a story that would have leant itself much better as feature length. The suspense also could have been more consistent, it's there but just not enough.
Really do agree that a lot of suspension of disbelief is needed, though it is not as much as "Don't Come Back Alive" and even more so that the very abrupt and anti-climactic ending is a let down. Giving the sense that the writers didn't know how to end it so tacked one on.
Concluding, acceptable if not great. 6/10.