Hitchcock and the Methods of Suspense

Mention famous film directors and the name of Alfred Hitchcock is bound to come up. Not only were Hitchcock's films innovative and unique, they were also entertaining, captivating critics and audiences alike. He had a gift for turning the familiar into the unfamiliar, the mundane into the unexpected. With a penchant for planning the entire movie before the first day of filming began - a story board approach he shared with only one other director, Walt Disney - he was renowned for his relaxed directing style which resulted in an excellent report with his actors. Even today, decades later, Hitchcock's films stand as sterling examples of innovative technique, literally overflowing with meaning which only repeated viewing can reveal. Encompassing the scope of Alfred Hitchcock's fifty-three film career, this volume contains a comprehensive analysis of the director's greatest films, including behind-the-scene insights into the film and television industry. It examines Hitchcock's effective use of lighting and expert manipulation of the camera as a vehicle of cinematic expression. Movies such as ""The Birds"", ""Shadow of a Doubt"", ""Psycho"", and ""Rear Window"" are evaluated from a psychiatric point of view, emphasizing the ways in which Hitchcock pulled his audience into his films, often inviting them to fill in the blanks. Interviews with those who knew Hitchcock personally and quotes from the master filmmaker himself demonstrate the ways in which the director was often just as intriguing as his films.