Hitchcock Films

Known to his audiences, both past and present, as the "Master of Suspense", Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock directed more than fifty films during a career which spanned more than six decades.

His tales of murder and mystery, told with intelligent plots and witty dialogue, inspired a new generation of filmmakers and revolutionized the thriller genre. Despite being considered the best filmmaker of all time, the legendary director never won an Oscar for his work, despite being nominated several times. The only Hitchcock film to win an Academy Award, "Rebecca", was not actually awarded to the man himself.

Hitchcock began his career in the era of silent film. Between 1925 and 1929, he made nine silent feature films including: The Pleasure Garden; The Mountain Eagle; Downhill; The Lodger; Easy Virtue; The Ring; Champagne; The Farmer's Wife and; The Manxman. Unfortunately, some of these no longer exist.

Hitchcock had, in 1929, the honour of being the director of England's first talking film. "Blackmail" is the story of a young woman who, after killing her attempted rapist, finds herself caught between a blackmailer and the investigating detective - her boyfriend.

During the 1930's, Hitchcock was to direct, and often write, a further twelve films in his British homeland. One of these "The Man Who Knew Too Much" from 1934 was later remade by Hitchcock himself in 1956. Many believe the original was the better version.

"The Lady Vanishes" (1938) is still considered some of Hitchcock's best work. This clever and fast-paced film centres around a young woman pitched into a dizzying web of intrigue in her search for a kindly old Englishwoman, who disappears while onboard a train. The plot is set in the fictitious country of Vandrika, which is a thinly-veiled depiction of Nazi Germany.

In 1939, Hitchcock and his family made the move to Hollywood where the second, and by far, most successful phase of his lucrative career was to begin.

The 1940's saw the production of yet another twelve movies. The most notable of these were "Rebecca" and "Shadow of a Doubt."

"Rebecca" Hitchcock's first American film is a psychological thriller, starring Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine and Judith Anderson. The plot centres around a young woman (who is never named) who marries an aristocratic widower but feels that she lives in the shadow of his former wife, Rebecca, who died in mysterious circumstances.

Hitchcock made his signature cameo appearance in a phone box toward the end of the film.

The release of Rebecca was delayed to give it a chance at the 1940 Academy Awards, the 1939 awards to be dominated by Gone With The Wind. Rebecca was nominated for a total of nine Oscars, including Best Director, but won only two, Best Picture and Best Cinematography.

"Shadow of a Doubt" (1943) was Hitchcock's personal favourite of all of his films, which is why I considered it a necessary inclusion here. In this, the young Charlotte, suspects and then confirms, that her favourite Uncle Charlie, is the "merry widow murderer" a notorious serial killer.

The 1950's were a golden decade for Hitchcock, releasing some of his most famous, most loved and most enduring films during this time. Most notable during this time were:

"Rear Window" (1954) One of the most stylish thrillers, this film was shot entirely in or within view of the window of one apartment. In it, a wheelchair-bound photographer uses his binoculars to spy on his neighbours, unwittingly discovering a possible murder in the process.

"To Catch A Thief" (1955) Starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, this film had one of the wittiest scripts of all, loaded with double-entendres. Grant's character, a retired thief, is the prime suspect in a series of cat burglaries.

"Vertigo" (1958) This haunting, dream-like thriller, is one of the most discussed of Hitchcock's works. However, on its release it actually met with poor box office sales and negative reviews. Vertigo is the story of a retired police investigator, who after being hired to tail a woman develops a deadly obsession with her.

"North By Northwest" (1959) A Madison Avenue advertising executive is mistaken for a double agent and chased across the country by spies who take every opportunity to try to kill him. This is Hitchcock at his best producing a comedy and a thriller which delivers scene after memorable scene.

The next two decades saw a decline in the number of films by the prolific director but certainly not a decline in quality or popularity. Two of Hitchcock's most famous, even notorious films were released during this time: "Psycho" in 1960 and, "The Birds" in 1963.

"Psycho" Who hasn't heard the piercing violin shrieks that dominate the unprecedented violence of the shower scene? That sound alone is enough to produce shivers. With the disturbed killer extinguishing lives without care and the heroine of the piece meeting an early demise, this has become the prototype for the countless horror films to have followed.

"The Birds" A woman is terrorized by a flock of birds making violent attacks in an isolated community. The reason for the birds attacking was never revealed, adding to the mystery and the fear.

Alfred Hitchcock died in 1980, an inductee to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hall of fame, a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and, most importantly, the creator of some of the best know, and most loved films of all time.