The Strange Life Of Alfred Hitchcock
September 2, 2010
Alfred Hitchcock is best known as the director of films like The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window and of course, Psycho. The scene in which Anthony Perkins tears off the shower curtain rods and ends Janet Leigh’s run from the police, 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 films are popular 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 his movie “The Lady Vanishes” was released that he began to get noticed for his ability to make films in an effective manner. His British period also included, “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much”, a film which was later remade, starring James Steward and Doris Day.
From the success of these films, Hitchcock was employed by mega-producer David O. Selznick, the Harvey Weinstien of his time, to go to America and make films for Hollywood. His first film in the States, Rebecca, was not much of a success, but soon he was making films like Notorious, Rear Window and To Catch a Thief.
Hitchcock had something most directors aren’t fortunate enough to achieve. Due to the distinctive style of his films and the TV show he regularly hosted, he became a household name, and his face is well recognizable among those over a certain age. This kind of popularity came with a price, however, as he was thought of by many critics to be a ”mainstream director rather than a creator of art films. For example, he was never awarded an Academy Award for directing. This opinion of his work could not be further from the esteem it’s currently held in by critics around the world. However, some such as Ray Carney and David Thomson point out that his films have a certain quality of hollowness in them. While they’re certainly very exciting and emotionally manipulating films, this manipulation also has a negative quality, and perhaps points to the social awkwardness Hitchcock felt.
Hitchcock’s later films are regarded as not being as effective as his earlier hits. As he grew older, his behavior became stranger, and it’s widely assumed that at one stage he propositioned Tippi Hendren, the lead actress The Birds and Marnie who Hitchcock found on a television commercial. While Hendren has the look of a leading lady, there can be little doubt she was not at the high level of most professional 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 films out before filming even begins on his films. This amount of unwavering control is the reason his films are so engaging and virtuosic, but maybe also show the reason why some find the films to be emotionally hollow.
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