Birth Name: Alfred Joseph Hitchcock
Birth Date: August 13, 1899
Birth Place: Leytonstone, Essex, England
Date Of Death: April 29, 1980
Features Directed: 54
Features I've Seen: 23 (43%)
Alfred Hitchcock began his career in movies when he was 20 years old. He began working for Islington Studios in London as a title card designer for silent films. Within five years he became a jack-of-all-trades as he took jobs as a screenwriter, art director and assistant director. His first feature film he was allowed to direct, Number 13, went unfinished. Three years later, in 1925, Hitch directed his first complete feature film, The Pleasure Garden, which turned out to be a big flop in London. His first real success came a couple of years later, in 1927, when he made The Lodger, a movie that portrayed the chase of a serial killer around London. This would be the first time, in a career that would span 50 years, where Alfred Hitchcock would be known as "The Master Of Suspense". While in London, he would go on to make many critically acclaimed and audience pleasing films up until 1939, when he moved to Hollywood. His first feature in the States, Rebecca, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. From then on he would direct some of the most beloved, darkly humorous, suspense-filled movies ever captured on celluloid. He was nominated for five Academy Awards in the category of Best Director but never won. In 1968 he was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for his life's contribution to making films. Although I have seen less than half of all his feature films (some of the early ones are hard to find!), Alfred Hitchcock remains one of my favourite directors for his ingenuity, his darkness, and his ability to make us laugh when we probably shouldn't. What follows is a list of Alfred Hitchcock's movies I've seen, listed in three different categories, chronologically. (imdb.com score in brackets):
MUST SEE
The Man Who Knew Too Much - 1934 (6.9): The original that should have been left alone. Peter Lorre is great!!
The 39 Steps - 1935 (7.8): Intriguing from start to finish, just a fabulous thriller for it's day, and still.
The Lady Vanishes - 1938 (8.0): Another constant thrill-ride with fabulous spots of humour.
Shadow Of A Doubt - 1943 (8.0): The two Charlies causing havoc!
Strangers On A Train - 1951 (8.1): Criss-cross murders, an unbelievable merry-go-round scene and Robert Walker stealing the show.
Dial M For Murder - 1954 (8.2): Grace Kelly and Ray Milland are incredible. Hitchcock really plays up the suspense in this one.
Rear Window - 1954 (8.5): Easily my favourite of all his films. Perfect from start to finish!!
The Trouble With Harry - 1955 (7.2): Hilarious and suspenseful. Just a great time.
Vertigo - 1958 (8.4): Gets better and better after repeated views. James Stewart is awesome!
North By Northwest - 1959 (8.4): Cary Grant's best Hitchcock film, in my opinion. James Mason is great, too.
Psycho - 1960 (8.5): Much more than just a shower scene. Anthony Perkins IS Norman Bates.
Frenzy - 1972 (7.5): Hitchcock's return to England. Another great thriller.
NICE TO SEE
Rebecca - 1940 (8.2): I liked it, but a lot of folk say this is one of his best...that I disagree with.
Suspicion - 1941 (7.5): Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine are great. Hitchcock knows paranoia!
Lifeboat - 1944 (7.8): Great idea that could ONLY be done by The Master.
Spellbound - 1945 (7.7): Some great cinematography in this one, including a crazy sequence constructed by Salvador Dali.
Notorious - 1946 (8.1): Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant, with Claude Rains. Pretty good!
Rope - 1948 (8.0): Filmed like a stage play with only 6 edits through the whole film.
To Catch A Thief - 1955 (7.5): Grace Kelly and Cary Grant...all you need to know!
The Birds - 1963 (7.7): Scared the crap out of me as a kid, but has lost it's mph over the years.
Family Plot - 1976 (6.8): Hitch's last film is one of his most light-hearted thrillers. Offbeat funny.
NO NEED TO SEE
The Man Who Knew Too Much - 1956 (7.5): No comparison to the original, and Doris Day becomes annoying.
Marnie - 1964 (7.2): Disappointing, especially since it stars Sean Connery. Tippi Hedren is terrible.
And that's The Master Of Suspense. Next up...Francis Ford Coppola.
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