The Films Of Alfred Hitchcock
January 30, 2010
Alfred Hitchcock is best known as the creator of films like The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window and of course, Psycho. The scene in which Norman Bates tears off the shower curtain rods and ends Janet Leigh’s run from the cops, leaving her in an identical state to the fabric shower curtain, is one of the most well-known in cinema history. This article will talk a little about the life of this director, and why his movies are loved still today.
Hitchcock began his career making silent films in Britain. These were, for the most part, not very extraordinary pictures and are only seen today due to his fame. It wasn’t until the release of his movie “The Lady Vanishes” that he began to get attention for his ability to make films in an effective manner. His British period also contained, “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much”, a film which was later recreated, starring James Steward and Doris Day.
From the success of these films, Hitchcock was hired by mega-producer David O. Selznick, the Harvey Weinstien of his time, to go to America and make movies for Hollywood. His first film in the States, Rebecca, did little at the box office, but soon he was making films like Notorious, Rear Window and To Catch a Thief.
Hitchcock had something most directors aren’t lucky enough to achieve. Due to the distinctive nature of his films and the TV show he created, he became a household name, and his face is well recognizable among those over fifty years of age. This kind of popularity came with a price, however, as he was seen by many critics to be a “populist” director rather than a creator of art films. For example, he never won an Academy Award for directing. This view of his work could not be further from the esteem it’s currently held in by cinephiles around the world. However, critics such as Ray Carney and David Thomson point out that his films have a certain level of hollowness to them. While they’re without doubt very exciting and emotionally manipulating films, this manipulation also has a narcissistic quality, and perhaps points to the social awkwardness Hitchcock experienced.
Hitchcock’s later pictures are thought of as not being as effective as his earlier hits. As he grew older, his manners became stranger, and it’s widely assumed that at one point he propositioned Tippi Hendren, the lead actress The Birds and Marnie who Hitchcock discovered on a television commercial. While Hendren has the visual qualities of a star, there can be no arguing she was not at the high level of most great actors.
But this was never Hitchcock’s worry. He has notoriously been quoted as saying that actors should be treated as cattle, and plans his movies out before filming even begins on his films. This level of unwavering control is the reason his films are so engaging and virtuosic, but perhaps also show the reason why some find the films to be emotionally hollow.
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