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Alfred HitchcockAuthor, Filmmaker, Director, and sometimes Actor
Biography
1899-1980
Born in England, but died a
US citizen in Los Angeles,
CA
Roman Catholic
His parents were
greengrocers
He is the youngest of three
children
Naughty Boy
As a five-year-old boy, he was sent to the local police station
by his father with a note in hand about young Alfred
participating in mischief-making
The sergeant read the note that the father wrote and put the
five-year-old into a prison cell
“This is what we do to naughty boys”
Hitchcock’s childhood inspired him to write about terror
being inflicted upon the unknowing and sometimes, innocent
Main themes of his works are guilt, fear, and redemption
Education / Career
High interest in numbers and technology
Studied at Jesuits’ St. Ignatius College until the age of 16
From JSIC, he went to the University of London to study
engineering and navigation
At 19, he started work as an estimator at Henley Telegraph
Company. From estimator, he went to advertising.
From HTC, he got a job with Paramount Studios in London
as a silent film title designer. By the age of 22, he was an
assistant director.
Love on Set
His first job assistant director was working on a film titled, “No. 13”
“No. 13” never finished production, but he met Alma Reville during production and they married in December 1926.
Alfred and Alma produced several projects together
Their daughter even worked as an actress in some of his projects
His Works
Shadow of a Doubt – Hitchcock’s favorite of his works
1925’s The Pleasure Garden – directorial debut
1926’s The Lodger – launched his career in England, making
him the most successful and highest paid director in that
country
1940’s Rebecca – AH emigrated to America to film and won
an Oscar
The Classics and the
Masterpieces1950-1960 was Hitchcock’s most
productive decade
Dial “M” for Murder
To Catch a Thief
Strangers on a Train
The Masterpieces
Rear Window
Vertigo
North by Northwest
Controversy
Psycho
1955 was a good year
Hitchcock became a US citizen
Launched Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Due to the popularity of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, he became a celebrity in the US
Hitchcock drew his profile in nine strokes and became the symbol of his celebrity
Up until the day he died
(almost)…
He wrote, produced, and directed films up until 1979.
His late works The Birds, Marnie, and Family Plot were well-
known among Americans
He died in his sleep, which is ironic, because of his penchant
for murder, mayhem, and shock.
What is even more ironic, is that he and his family lead a
quiet and unostentatious life.
Up until this day…
Hitchcock’s legacy is vast:
books, tributes, film
festivals, and imitators
abound.
Alfred Hitchcock Mystery
Magazine, a monthly
magazine, and Alfred
Hitchcock Presents are still
going strong.
Did You Know?Alfred Hitchcock was once stopped at the French border by a
suspicious customs official. Eyeing the space where Hitchcock
listed his profession as "producer," the official demanded, "And
what do you produce?" "Gooseflesh," Hitchcock coolly replied.
Hitchcock never sat among an audience to watch his films.
Amazingly enough, Hitchcock never won a best director Oscar in
competition, although he was awarded the Irving Thalberg
Memorial Award at the 1967 Oscars. He did receive the American
Film Institute Life Achievement Award in 1979 and his homeland
made sure he was properly acknowledged: In the New Year's
Honors list of 1980, he was named a Knight Commander of the
British Empire.
He went by the nickname, “Hitch”.
Man in
unexpected
trouble
Typical Hitchcock Ingredients
Blonde love interest
Domineering
mother
character
Authority is unhelpful or
not to be trusted
Horizontal travel
Danger
is
vertical
Technical competence
Elaborate set in Rear WindowMeticulous pre-planning
Inventive use of sound
Uses the same themes:Suspense, guilt, murder
Thriller is a broad genre of literature,
film, and television programming that
uses suspense, tension and
excitement as the main elements.
Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer's
moods giving them a high level of
anticipation, ultra-heightened
expectation, uncertainty, surprise,
anxiety and/or terror. Thriller films
tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty,
rousing and fast-paced. Literary
devices such as red herrings, plot
twists and cliffhangers are used
extensively. A thriller is a villain-driven
plot, whereby he or she presents
obstacles that the protagonist must
overcome. (Wikipedia)
Hitchock is an auteur. Auteur—a filmmaker whose
individual style and complete control over all elements of
production give a film its personal and unique stamp.
Trademarks:
• Appears in cameos in his films, usually in the beginning
so the audience doesn’t get too distracted looking for
him and lose focus on the story.
• Bathrooms are often a plot device. What?!
• Liked using a shot to feature a female’s hairstyle.