The defence The Big-Idea Head
“Form is the argument.”
Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
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High Anxiety
Comedy · Mystery · Thriller · 1977
A psychiatrist with intense acrophobia (fear of heights) goes to work for a mental institution run by doctors who appear to be crazier than their patients, and have secrets that they are willing to commit murder to keep.
Movie details
High Anxiety
“Danger, intrigue, romance...and a touch of kinkiness!”
1977 Comedy · Mystery · Thriller 1h 34m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.4 / 10
Community rating
A psychiatrist with intense acrophobia (fear of heights) goes to work for a mental institution run by doctors who appear to be crazier than their patients, and have secrets that they are willing to commit murder to keep.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over High Anxiety?
For the defence
The Big-Idea Head
“You watch with your brain, not your gut.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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A middle-aged couple suspects foul play when their neighbor's wife suddenly drops dead.
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Weekend at Bernie's
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Mel Brooks
Written by
Mel Brooks · Ron Clark · Rudy De Luca · Barry Levinson
Mel Brooks
Dr. Richard H. Thorndyke
Madeline Kahn
Victoria Brisbane
Cloris Leachman
Nurse Charlotte Diesel
Harvey Korman
Dr. Charles Montague
Ron Carey
Brophy
Howard Morris
Professor Lilloman
Dick Van Patten
Dr. Philip Wentworth
Court is in session
Put High Anxiety on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.