X
  • 1977
  • PG
  • Twentieth Century Fox
  • 1 h 34 m
  • 1977
  • PG
  • Twentieth Century Fox
  • 1 h 34 m

Summary Mel Brooks' spoof of the most famous Hitchcockian classics-"Vertigo," "The Birds," "Psycho" and "Spellbound." After a Harvard psychiatrist (Brooks) takes over the Psycho-Neurotic Institute for the Very, Very Nervous, he realizes his predecessor died under suspicious circumstances. When events take a murderous turn, he is accused of the c...

Directed By: Mel Brooks

Written By: Ron Clark, Rudy De Luca, Barry Levinson, Mel Brooks

  • 1977
  • PG
  • Twentieth Century Fox
  • 1 h 34 m
  • 1977
  • PG
  • Twentieth Century Fox
  • 1 h 34 m

High Anxiety

Metascore Mixed or Average Based on 5 Critic Reviews
55
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 9 User Ratings
7.2
My Score
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Where to Watch

Summary Mel Brooks' spoof of the most famous Hitchcockian classics-"Vertigo," "The Birds," "Psycho" and "Spellbound." After a Harvard psychiatrist (Brooks) takes over the Psycho-Neurotic Institute for the Very, Very Nervous, he realizes his predecessor died under suspicious circumstances. When events take a murderous turn, he is accused of the c...

Directed By: Mel Brooks

Written By: Ron Clark, Rudy De Luca, Barry Levinson, Mel Brooks

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 5 Critic Reviews
55
60% Positive
3 Reviews
20% Mixed
1 Review
20% Negative
1 Review

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 5 Critic Reviews
55
60% Positive
3 Reviews
20% Mixed
1 Review
20% Negative
1 Review

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
83
Anxiety is nearly as obsessive in recreating Alfred Hitchcock's visual style as Gus Van Sant's Psycho was, but to much greater effect.
By Nathan Rabin FULL REVIEW
80
As witty and as disciplined as "Young Frankenstein," though it has one built-in problem: Hitchcock himself is a very funny man. His films, even at their most terrifying and most suspenseful, are full of jokes shared with the audience. Being so self-aware, Hitchcock's films deny an easy purchase to the parodist, especially one who admires his subject the way Mr. Brooks does.
FULL REVIEW
63
One of the problems with Mel Brooks's High Anxiety is that it picks a tricky target: It's a spoof of the work of Alfred Hitchcock, but Hitchcock's films are often funny themselves. And satire works best when its target is self-important.
By Roger Ebert FULL REVIEW
40
As with all great spoofers, you can feel the love the director has for Hitchcock, the thoroughness of his jokes vouches for that and the entire plot is loosely based on Spellbound. Perhaps, he was too devoted, the film lacks daring, it’s soft, Hitch would have sneered at such weakness.
By Ian Nathan FULL REVIEW
30
This is a child's idea of satire - imitations, with a funny hat and a leer...There isn't a whisper of suspense, and there are few earned laughs; all Brooks does is let us know he has seen some of the same movies we have.
By Pauline Kael FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 9 User Ratings
7.2
78% Positive
7 Ratings
11% Mixed
1 Rating
11% Negative
1 Rating

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 9 User Ratings
7.2
78% Positive
7 Ratings
11% Mixed
1 Rating
11% Negative
1 Rating

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

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Production Company Crossbow Productions
Release Date Dec 25, 1977
Duration 1 h 34 m
Rating PG
Genres
Tagline The Master of Comedy takes on The Master of Suspense!
View All Details

Awards

Golden Globes, USA
• 2 Nominations

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