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AIfred Hitchcock's successful screenthrillers earned him the nickname “Masterof Suspense.” but he is also consideredone of the greatest film directors m the history ofcinema. And he remains so in the 21st century, 27years after his death. Hitchcock's films drawheavilyon both fear and fantasy, and areknown for their droll hunour:and usually laced witha comical cameoappearance by theheavyset directorhimself, usually at thestart of the picture.
Early life
On the 13th of August. 1899. Alfred JosephHitcheock was born in Leytonstone. East End ofLondon. His father was a greengrocer and his mother.a homemaker. The very shy boy was educated strictlycatholic. One day, after he had acted childishly, hisfather gave the boy a letter and had him deliver it byhand to the local police station, where the officer onduty, after perusing the contents, locked the boy ina cell for a few moments, then released him. It waslong enough to petrify the poor boy. This enhancedthe boy's apprehension of the police and helped plantin him the seeds of a somewhat cruel sense of humorthat expressed itself in practical jokes. And theincident is often cited m connection with the themeof distrust of police which runs through many ofhis films. Hitchcock's serious fear of the police wasalso reportedly the reason he never learned to drive.His reasoning was that if one never drove, then onewould never have an opportunity to be pulled over bythe police and issued a ticket.
Hitchcock spent his youth reading and studying.He had big interest in math and technology, whatprobably made him become an all-round talent as afihnmaker. He was able to do everything, from theproduction to direction of photography, from studiotechnology to special effects. Hitchcock also readvery much. and later he was an inspired theatre and,naturally, cinema lover.
At the age of 14, Hitchcock's father died. Therebyhis mother became an increasingly importantrole for him. His mother would often make himaddress her while standing at the foot of her bed,especially if he behaved badly, forcing him to standthere for hours. Perhaps this is why Hitchcock hada preference for the strong woman, helping herweak man, who often appeared in his movies. Inthe same year, Hitchcock left the Catholic schooland enrolled in the University of London to studyengineering. He read extensively, took eveningclasses, attended theatre and cinema performancesconstantly, and sketched and wrote.
In 1920, at the age of 20, Hitchcock read that anAmerican film company, Famous Players-Lasky,was opening a studio in London. He applied for aposition as a title designer and was accepted. The jobis to design the titles for silent movies. Hitchcocktook his work seriously and grabbed the attentionof all who came in contactwith him. He was ambitious.He set about with intenseconcentration to learn everyaspect of the film business, and in little more than threeyears he had climbed thecorporate ladder to becomean assistant director. It wasduring his time at the filmcompany in London thatHitcbcock became acquaintedwith Alma Reville, his laterwife, who was only one dayyounger than him. At thetime, Alma worked as ascript girl and film editor.The leading persons of themovie business predicted shewould have a great career asan editor and perhaps as adirector. But when Alfred andAlma married in 1926, thenew Mrs, Hitchcock workedexclusively for her man fromthat point of time.
Pre-war British career
In 1925, just 5 short years afterentering the motion picture field,Hitchcock was given a chance to directhis first film The Pleasure Garden inGermany. Certainly the film industrywas young too, but Hitchcock's quickrise underscored his ambition andconfidence. In 1926, Hitchcock madehis debut in the thriller genre. Theresulting film, The Lodger, was themovie that established him as a risingstar. The Lodger was also his first bighit. Hitchcock first filmed a storythat was brimming with suspense.Complete with what would becomehis trademark cameo appearanceand a plot he had chosen himself,The Lodger is considered by many,including its creator, to be the firstreal Hitchcock film. And Hitchcockbecomes one of the most famousdirectors of Britain.
Following the success of TheLodger, Hitchcock began his firstefforts to promote himself in themedia, and hired a publicist tocement his growing reputation as oneof the British film industry's risingstars.And Hitchcock longed for more.In 1929, he directed the first soundfilm in Britain, Blackmail, whichwas highly successful. Hitchcockshifts to sound movies without anyproblem. With the climax of thefilm taking place on the dome of theBritish Museum, Blackmail beganthe Hitchcock tradition of usingfamous landmarks as a backdropfor suspense sequences.
Hitchcock concentrated all hisefforts on producing "thrillers."He first came to internationalattention in the mid-'30s with TheMan Who Knew Too Much (1934).This film, a critical success aswell as a movie audiences loved.made Hitchcock a name that wasconnected with quality movies.It was notable for its pacingand suspense. The movie thatestablished the director as a majorforce in filmmaking, however,was The 39 Steps (1935). Fromthe release of this film Hitchcockwould become a householdname in Europe. This movie,regarded as the best movie ofHitchcock's English period, wasfull of wonderful humor, withits careful balance of suspenseand romance. It was also one ofthe first to introduce the conceptof the "MacGuffin". In The 39Steps, the MacGuffin is a stolenset of blueprints.
His next major success was in 1938, TheLady Vanishes. a clever and fast-paced film. Itwas his most humorous thriller. With The 39Steps, the two superb black-and-white films solidified his reputation for combining mysteryand suspense with dashes of humor.
By the end of the 1930s, Hitchcock was atthe top of his game artistically. Hollywood badalready become attentive to Hitchcock and histalent.
Fame spread in Hollywood
In 1939, Hitchcock and his wife left England. He loved England,but when Gone with the Wind producer, David O. Selznick offeredhim a directorial contract, Hitchcock signed on. In the end. thereason he abandoned London for Hollywood was simple to state:the latter could far more easily accommodate his aspirations thancould England's more provincial film industry. The United Stateswas also years ahead of London, offering advanced film makingtechnology, which Hitchcock took immediate advantage of.
Hitchcock's gallows humour and the suspense that became histrademark continued in his American work. With the prestigiousSelznick picture Rebecca in 1940, Hitchcock made his firstAmerican movie. This multi Oscar-winning lilm made a hugeprofit for Selznick and turned Hitchcock into one of Hollywood'stop "money" directors, whose uame on a marquee could attractaudiences.
Following his American debut, Hitchcock put out at least onefilm each year for the next three decades. Hitchcock scored bigwith movie audiences, putting forth big budget suspense films.starring leading actors and actresses. Spellbound (1945) exploredthe then fashionable subject of psychoanalysis and he used surrealdesigns created by Salvador Dali9 to represent the manifestationsof the unbalanced mind of the hero. Notorious (1946) markedHitchcock's first film as a producer as well as director. From thispoint onwards, Hitchcock would produce his own films, givinghim a far greater degree of freedom to pursue the projects thalinterested him.
In 1948, Hitchcock lilmed his first colour film, Rope. Presentedby his own production company Transatlantic Pictures, this moviemarked a new way of working in Hitchcock's career.
Peak years and decline
Beginning with the bizarre Strangers on aTrain (1951), Hitchcock directed a series of films that placed him among thegreat artists of modern cinema. His productions of the 1950s were stylisticallyfreer than his earlier films and thematically more complex. Strangers on aTrain was an instant classic about cormnitting the perfect murder.
The thriller Dial M for Murder (1954), starring Grace Kelly, is thefilming of a stage play in a way that makes the audience more involved.Hitchcock made this movie because he was running out of ideas and neededsomethiug to keep him busy until he found inspiration, and he would find itm his next movie.
Hitchcock's biggest success of this period, however, was Rear Window(1954). This was Hitchcock's directorial tour de force, showing himexpanding the boundaries of storytelling while confining himself to a singleset and mostly a single point-of-view, breaking down the screen and the focus of the viewer and the film into small fragments. This film is one ofthe most suspenseful of all of Hitchcock's because of the involvement ofthe viewers through not only the story but the use of montage as well. Formany, the movie was his technical peak as a filmmaker; and even here, hemanaged to slip in several in-jokes.
It was during the second half of the 1950s that Hitchcock's output reachedits zenith, with an output of suspense films that was extraordinary in itsquality. In 1956, Hitchcock became an American citizen, by which time healready had a string of hits under his belt and was fast becoming the legendhe is today.
Starting with Rear Window, he created a series of movies that challengedviewers, sometimes quietly and sometimes boldly, but always in unexpectedways. This all led to a new venture for the director, in the form of a weeklysuspense anthology series called Alfred Hitchcock Presents, as he said "putmurder back in the home where it belongs." Each episode would wind up inan unexpected twist Andalthough he only directed ahandful of the episodes, hisweekly appearances as thewry-witted, dark-humoredhost made him a fixture inAmerican households andthe minds of millions ofpeople.
The series, in turn, overlappedwith Hitchcock's last great sustainedperiod of success, including his moreopulent remake of The Man WhoKnew Too Much (1956). This periodalso included the darkly romantic,chilling Vertigo (1958), which was notespecially successful at the time buthas since come to be regarded as oneof the jewels of the director's output.It was followed by the wildly paced,suspenseful (and often comical) Northby Northwest (1959).
Psycho (1960) was Hitchcock'smost terrifying and controversialfilm, and made an entire generationof moviegoers nervous abouttaking a shower. At the time of itsrelease, no one was allowed intothe theatre if they showed up late,assuring the shock of the movie.This movie would serve as thespringboard for "splatter films,"and would inspire the entire futureof the horror genre. The use of gorein this movie was to put mentalfright into the viewer's mind andby the end of the movie the mentalhorror is almost unbearable. It re-defined horror for decades.
The Birds" (1963), whichwas a hit in theatres, was amovie in which Hitchcockwarned us against becomingcomplacent. Mother Naturecould turn against us at anymoment as it does to thecharacters in this movie.
These were his last greatfilms, after which his careerslowly wound down. Failinghealth also reduced his outputover the last two decades ofhis life. In the early 1970s,Hitchcock returned to hisnative England, where heproduced Frenzy. The 1972film was well received in hishomeland and the public criedfor more. His final film FamilyPlot (1976) was a light comedythriller with a very originalstory which was based on a novel.
Dinner Party出席宴会
Hitchcock was a very calm man, who wouldrather eat and drink comfortably at home, than have big parties. Hitchcock was an avidfood and wine lover. Although the familyof Hitchcock was very rich, they didnot show it. They avoided those chicHollywood parties and their house wasfumished very simply.
While attending a private dinner partyone evening, Hitchcock, whose famouslyportly profile betrayed a certain fondness for
food, was dismayed to find that the portionsbeing served were far from adequate. At the end ofthe eveding, the host bid Hitchcock farewell. “I dohope you will dhie with us again soon,” she added.“By all means,” Hitchcock drily replied. “Let'sstart now. ”
In 1979, already very ill, Hitchcock is honored with the "LifeAchievement Award" by the American Film Institute. In 1980,Hitchcock was knighted by Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ and died soonafterward the same year, aged 80.
As a film director, Hitchcock was famous for skillfully wroughtsuspense thrillers. He was essentially concerned with depictingthe tenuous relations between people and objects and renderingthe terror inherent in commonplace realities. He pioneered manytechniques in the suspense and thriller genres. He directed morethan fifty feature films in a career spanning six decades, from thesilent film era, through the invention of talkies, to the colour era.His methods of suspense and shock are studied at film schoolsaround the world. Although he never won an Oscar, Hitchcockremains one of the best known and most popular directors of alltime. Hitchcock and his movies will continue to influence andinspire generations of audiences forever.
Anevdotes of Alfred Hitchcock
希区柯克轶事
Bumpy Trip?
Hitchcock was once detained at a French airport by a customsofficial whose suspicions had been raised by the director's passport,which simply listed his occupation as "Producer." "So what do youproduce?" the official asked. Hitchcock's renly? "Gooseflesh!"
Hitchcock Souffle
One day, Hitchcock's wife prepared a cheese souffle. FirstHitchcock watched, entranced, as she put the dish into the oven."What is going on behind that door?" he then asked several times,lowering his voice to a whisper lest a sudden noise prevent thesouffle from fising properly. Finally, Mrs. Hitchcock opened theoven to reveal a perfect souffle. "No more souffles until we have anoven with a glass door," Hitchcock ordered, in a state of nervousexhaustion. "I can't stand the suspense!"
Fear of Eggs
Hitchcock had an extreme tear of eggs, he said: 'Tinfrightened of eggs, worse than frightened, they revolt meThat white round thing without any holes…, have you ever seenanything more revolting than an egg yolk breaking and spillingits yellow liquid'? Blood is jolly, red. But egg yolk is yellow.revolting. I've never tasted it."
The Best Alfred Hitchcock Films
The 39 Steps (1935)
Synopsis1: Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) is aCanadian visitor to London. After a presentation of the "Mr.Memory" show at a music hall, he meets Annabella Smith(Lucie Mannheim) who claims her life is in danger fromenemy spies When she is murdered in his flat. he mustflee to Scotland to expose the spy ring, as well as, exoneratehimself of the woman's murder With both Scotland Yardand the spies hot on his trail, he finds himself in even deepercircumstances when he becomes handcuffed to an unwillingaccomplice (Madeleine Carroll).
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"What I like in The 39 Steps are the swift transitions."
Spellbound (1945)
Synopsis: The Chief of Staff of a mental institution6 is retiring onlyto be replaced by Dr. Edwards (Gregory Peck). Shortly after his arrival,it is revealed that Dr. Edwards is not the famed psychiatrist but instead, aparanoid amnesiac impostor. Assuming the real Edwards is dead; he goeson the run with renowned psychoanalyst (Ingrid Bergman) is While assistinghim solve the mystery of the real Dr. Edwards, she finds herself falling inlove with a man who has no identity and, just might be a murderer.
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"The whole thing's too complicated, and I found the explanationstoward the end very confusing."
Rear Window (19541
Synopsis: L. B. Jeffries (JamesStewart) is a photojoumalist who is holedup in his apartment with a broken leg. Topass the time, he "watches" his variousneighbors from his window. When oneof his neighbors (Raymond Burr) beginsto act suspiciously, Jeffries thinks he'shiding the fact he has murdered his wife.His accusations fall on the deaf ears ofhis glamorous girlfriend (Grace Kelly).After convincing her they begin toinvestigate...
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"This is actually the purest expressionof a cinematic idea."
North by Northwest (1959)
Synopsis: Roger Thornhil/ (Cary Grant) is a Manhattanbusinessman whose identity gets confused with a would-be agent.When he is kidnapped and Mmost murdered he must resort to hisown wits to clear himself of the fiasco. His situation grows worsewhen he is photographed with a knife over the dead body of a UNdiplomat. His escapades take him on a cross-country pursuit wherehe must rely on the shady dealings of Eve Kendall (Eva MarieSaint) who may prove to be his savior, or his doom.
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"I made North by Northwestwith tongue in cheek; to me it wasone big joke."
Trivia
The shot of Grant entering theUN building had to be filmed with ahiddeu camera as Hitchcock wasn'table to get permission to shoot there.
The Birds (1963)
Synopsis: Set in the Bay Area, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren)pays a visit to male friend Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) in the sleepybayside town near Bodega Bay. Her weekend get-away, however,is anything but that. What appears, at first, as a series of freakish accidents, Melanie begins to suspect something is amiss with the birdpopulation in the area. Her suspicions come true when "the birds"launch a ferocious attack on the town's people and they must scramblefor their lives .
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"With The Birds I made sure that the public would notbe able to anticioate from one scene to another."
Trivia
Over 350 effect shots were used in this film, over35 in a scene at the end.
The scene where Hedren is ravaged by birdsnear the end of the movie took a week to shoot. Thebirds were attached to her clothes by long nylonthreads so they could not get away.
The movie does not finish with the usual "THE END" title becauseHitchcock wanted to give the impression of unending terror.
Psycho (1960)
Synopsis: MarionCrane (Janet Leigh)is a woman whois longing for abetter life. Whenthe opportunityarises, she stelsa large amount ofmoney hopingthat it will buyhappiness.Knowing she hascommitted a crime she goes on therun hoping to find a place where she can getaway from all of her troubles. Tired afterthe long drive and caught in a storm, shegets off the main highway and pulls intoThe Bates Motel. The motel is managed bya quiet young man called Norman (AnthonyPerkins) who seems to be dominated by hiscrotchety "mother"...
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"My main satisfaction is that the filmhad an effect on audiences, and I considerthat very important... It wasn't a messagethat stirred the audiences, nor was it agreat performance or their enjoymentof the novel. They were arousedby pure film."
News
Australian actress Naomi Watts has beenoffered the lead role in the remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 horror classic TheBirds. She would play the role of MelanieDaniels, which was played by Tippi Hedren,in the original. The movie features a wealthySan Francisco socialite who follows a potentialboyfriend to a small Northern California townwhere birds suddenly begin to launch viciousattacks on people.
Alfred Hitchcock's classicmovie North by Northwesthas topped a style poll namingthe most stylish films of all time.The 1959 thriller, which starsCary Grant and Eva Marie Saint,had the most influence on theway contemporary men dress,according to US magazine GQ.
Scots heart-throb Ewan McGregor hassigned up to appear in a new film basedon the life of Alfred Hitchcock. The film willfocus on the director's early years growing upin London, and how he went on to work withHollywood legends Cary Grant, James Stewartand Grace Kelly. The film is due to start filminglater last year (2006), with British actor MattLucas of the satirical comedy Little Britaintipped to play Hitchcock.
Sir Anthony Hopkins is top of a producer'swish list to play Alfred Hitchcock in amovie about the filmmaker's later life. Theproject which goes under the working title ofAlfred Hitchcock Presents will centre on a shortperiod of the legendary director's life but reflecthis overall struggles. "I better put on someweight," Hopkins joked patting his tummy.
Hopkins is being courted for the title rolewhile Oscar nominee Helen Mirren is eying upthe role of Alma Reville, Hitchcock's wife andlifelong creative collaborator.
Early life
On the 13th of August. 1899. Alfred JosephHitcheock was born in Leytonstone. East End ofLondon. His father was a greengrocer and his mother.a homemaker. The very shy boy was educated strictlycatholic. One day, after he had acted childishly, hisfather gave the boy a letter and had him deliver it byhand to the local police station, where the officer onduty, after perusing the contents, locked the boy ina cell for a few moments, then released him. It waslong enough to petrify the poor boy. This enhancedthe boy's apprehension of the police and helped plantin him the seeds of a somewhat cruel sense of humorthat expressed itself in practical jokes. And theincident is often cited m connection with the themeof distrust of police which runs through many ofhis films. Hitchcock's serious fear of the police wasalso reportedly the reason he never learned to drive.His reasoning was that if one never drove, then onewould never have an opportunity to be pulled over bythe police and issued a ticket.
Hitchcock spent his youth reading and studying.He had big interest in math and technology, whatprobably made him become an all-round talent as afihnmaker. He was able to do everything, from theproduction to direction of photography, from studiotechnology to special effects. Hitchcock also readvery much. and later he was an inspired theatre and,naturally, cinema lover.
At the age of 14, Hitchcock's father died. Therebyhis mother became an increasingly importantrole for him. His mother would often make himaddress her while standing at the foot of her bed,especially if he behaved badly, forcing him to standthere for hours. Perhaps this is why Hitchcock hada preference for the strong woman, helping herweak man, who often appeared in his movies. Inthe same year, Hitchcock left the Catholic schooland enrolled in the University of London to studyengineering. He read extensively, took eveningclasses, attended theatre and cinema performancesconstantly, and sketched and wrote.
In 1920, at the age of 20, Hitchcock read that anAmerican film company, Famous Players-Lasky,was opening a studio in London. He applied for aposition as a title designer and was accepted. The jobis to design the titles for silent movies. Hitchcocktook his work seriously and grabbed the attentionof all who came in contactwith him. He was ambitious.He set about with intenseconcentration to learn everyaspect of the film business, and in little more than threeyears he had climbed thecorporate ladder to becomean assistant director. It wasduring his time at the filmcompany in London thatHitcbcock became acquaintedwith Alma Reville, his laterwife, who was only one dayyounger than him. At thetime, Alma worked as ascript girl and film editor.The leading persons of themovie business predicted shewould have a great career asan editor and perhaps as adirector. But when Alfred andAlma married in 1926, thenew Mrs, Hitchcock workedexclusively for her man fromthat point of time.
Pre-war British career
In 1925, just 5 short years afterentering the motion picture field,Hitchcock was given a chance to directhis first film The Pleasure Garden inGermany. Certainly the film industrywas young too, but Hitchcock's quickrise underscored his ambition andconfidence. In 1926, Hitchcock madehis debut in the thriller genre. Theresulting film, The Lodger, was themovie that established him as a risingstar. The Lodger was also his first bighit. Hitchcock first filmed a storythat was brimming with suspense.Complete with what would becomehis trademark cameo appearanceand a plot he had chosen himself,The Lodger is considered by many,including its creator, to be the firstreal Hitchcock film. And Hitchcockbecomes one of the most famousdirectors of Britain.
Following the success of TheLodger, Hitchcock began his firstefforts to promote himself in themedia, and hired a publicist tocement his growing reputation as oneof the British film industry's risingstars.And Hitchcock longed for more.In 1929, he directed the first soundfilm in Britain, Blackmail, whichwas highly successful. Hitchcockshifts to sound movies without anyproblem. With the climax of thefilm taking place on the dome of theBritish Museum, Blackmail beganthe Hitchcock tradition of usingfamous landmarks as a backdropfor suspense sequences.
Hitchcock concentrated all hisefforts on producing "thrillers."He first came to internationalattention in the mid-'30s with TheMan Who Knew Too Much (1934).This film, a critical success aswell as a movie audiences loved.made Hitchcock a name that wasconnected with quality movies.It was notable for its pacingand suspense. The movie thatestablished the director as a majorforce in filmmaking, however,was The 39 Steps (1935). Fromthe release of this film Hitchcockwould become a householdname in Europe. This movie,regarded as the best movie ofHitchcock's English period, wasfull of wonderful humor, withits careful balance of suspenseand romance. It was also one ofthe first to introduce the conceptof the "MacGuffin". In The 39Steps, the MacGuffin is a stolenset of blueprints.
His next major success was in 1938, TheLady Vanishes. a clever and fast-paced film. Itwas his most humorous thriller. With The 39Steps, the two superb black-and-white films solidified his reputation for combining mysteryand suspense with dashes of humor.
By the end of the 1930s, Hitchcock was atthe top of his game artistically. Hollywood badalready become attentive to Hitchcock and histalent.
Fame spread in Hollywood
In 1939, Hitchcock and his wife left England. He loved England,but when Gone with the Wind producer, David O. Selznick offeredhim a directorial contract, Hitchcock signed on. In the end. thereason he abandoned London for Hollywood was simple to state:the latter could far more easily accommodate his aspirations thancould England's more provincial film industry. The United Stateswas also years ahead of London, offering advanced film makingtechnology, which Hitchcock took immediate advantage of.
Hitchcock's gallows humour and the suspense that became histrademark continued in his American work. With the prestigiousSelznick picture Rebecca in 1940, Hitchcock made his firstAmerican movie. This multi Oscar-winning lilm made a hugeprofit for Selznick and turned Hitchcock into one of Hollywood'stop "money" directors, whose uame on a marquee could attractaudiences.
Following his American debut, Hitchcock put out at least onefilm each year for the next three decades. Hitchcock scored bigwith movie audiences, putting forth big budget suspense films.starring leading actors and actresses. Spellbound (1945) exploredthe then fashionable subject of psychoanalysis and he used surrealdesigns created by Salvador Dali9 to represent the manifestationsof the unbalanced mind of the hero. Notorious (1946) markedHitchcock's first film as a producer as well as director. From thispoint onwards, Hitchcock would produce his own films, givinghim a far greater degree of freedom to pursue the projects thalinterested him.
In 1948, Hitchcock lilmed his first colour film, Rope. Presentedby his own production company Transatlantic Pictures, this moviemarked a new way of working in Hitchcock's career.
Peak years and decline
Beginning with the bizarre Strangers on aTrain (1951), Hitchcock directed a series of films that placed him among thegreat artists of modern cinema. His productions of the 1950s were stylisticallyfreer than his earlier films and thematically more complex. Strangers on aTrain was an instant classic about cormnitting the perfect murder.
The thriller Dial M for Murder (1954), starring Grace Kelly, is thefilming of a stage play in a way that makes the audience more involved.Hitchcock made this movie because he was running out of ideas and neededsomethiug to keep him busy until he found inspiration, and he would find itm his next movie.
Hitchcock's biggest success of this period, however, was Rear Window(1954). This was Hitchcock's directorial tour de force, showing himexpanding the boundaries of storytelling while confining himself to a singleset and mostly a single point-of-view, breaking down the screen and the focus of the viewer and the film into small fragments. This film is one ofthe most suspenseful of all of Hitchcock's because of the involvement ofthe viewers through not only the story but the use of montage as well. Formany, the movie was his technical peak as a filmmaker; and even here, hemanaged to slip in several in-jokes.
It was during the second half of the 1950s that Hitchcock's output reachedits zenith, with an output of suspense films that was extraordinary in itsquality. In 1956, Hitchcock became an American citizen, by which time healready had a string of hits under his belt and was fast becoming the legendhe is today.
Starting with Rear Window, he created a series of movies that challengedviewers, sometimes quietly and sometimes boldly, but always in unexpectedways. This all led to a new venture for the director, in the form of a weeklysuspense anthology series called Alfred Hitchcock Presents, as he said "putmurder back in the home where it belongs." Each episode would wind up inan unexpected twist Andalthough he only directed ahandful of the episodes, hisweekly appearances as thewry-witted, dark-humoredhost made him a fixture inAmerican households andthe minds of millions ofpeople.
The series, in turn, overlappedwith Hitchcock's last great sustainedperiod of success, including his moreopulent remake of The Man WhoKnew Too Much (1956). This periodalso included the darkly romantic,chilling Vertigo (1958), which was notespecially successful at the time buthas since come to be regarded as oneof the jewels of the director's output.It was followed by the wildly paced,suspenseful (and often comical) Northby Northwest (1959).
Psycho (1960) was Hitchcock'smost terrifying and controversialfilm, and made an entire generationof moviegoers nervous abouttaking a shower. At the time of itsrelease, no one was allowed intothe theatre if they showed up late,assuring the shock of the movie.This movie would serve as thespringboard for "splatter films,"and would inspire the entire futureof the horror genre. The use of gorein this movie was to put mentalfright into the viewer's mind andby the end of the movie the mentalhorror is almost unbearable. It re-defined horror for decades.
The Birds" (1963), whichwas a hit in theatres, was amovie in which Hitchcockwarned us against becomingcomplacent. Mother Naturecould turn against us at anymoment as it does to thecharacters in this movie.
These were his last greatfilms, after which his careerslowly wound down. Failinghealth also reduced his outputover the last two decades ofhis life. In the early 1970s,Hitchcock returned to hisnative England, where heproduced Frenzy. The 1972film was well received in hishomeland and the public criedfor more. His final film FamilyPlot (1976) was a light comedythriller with a very originalstory which was based on a novel.
Dinner Party出席宴会
Hitchcock was a very calm man, who wouldrather eat and drink comfortably at home, than have big parties. Hitchcock was an avidfood and wine lover. Although the familyof Hitchcock was very rich, they didnot show it. They avoided those chicHollywood parties and their house wasfumished very simply.
While attending a private dinner partyone evening, Hitchcock, whose famouslyportly profile betrayed a certain fondness for
food, was dismayed to find that the portionsbeing served were far from adequate. At the end ofthe eveding, the host bid Hitchcock farewell. “I dohope you will dhie with us again soon,” she added.“By all means,” Hitchcock drily replied. “Let'sstart now. ”
In 1979, already very ill, Hitchcock is honored with the "LifeAchievement Award" by the American Film Institute. In 1980,Hitchcock was knighted by Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ and died soonafterward the same year, aged 80.
As a film director, Hitchcock was famous for skillfully wroughtsuspense thrillers. He was essentially concerned with depictingthe tenuous relations between people and objects and renderingthe terror inherent in commonplace realities. He pioneered manytechniques in the suspense and thriller genres. He directed morethan fifty feature films in a career spanning six decades, from thesilent film era, through the invention of talkies, to the colour era.His methods of suspense and shock are studied at film schoolsaround the world. Although he never won an Oscar, Hitchcockremains one of the best known and most popular directors of alltime. Hitchcock and his movies will continue to influence andinspire generations of audiences forever.
Anevdotes of Alfred Hitchcock
希区柯克轶事
Bumpy Trip?
Hitchcock was once detained at a French airport by a customsofficial whose suspicions had been raised by the director's passport,which simply listed his occupation as "Producer." "So what do youproduce?" the official asked. Hitchcock's renly? "Gooseflesh!"
Hitchcock Souffle
One day, Hitchcock's wife prepared a cheese souffle. FirstHitchcock watched, entranced, as she put the dish into the oven."What is going on behind that door?" he then asked several times,lowering his voice to a whisper lest a sudden noise prevent thesouffle from fising properly. Finally, Mrs. Hitchcock opened theoven to reveal a perfect souffle. "No more souffles until we have anoven with a glass door," Hitchcock ordered, in a state of nervousexhaustion. "I can't stand the suspense!"
Fear of Eggs
Hitchcock had an extreme tear of eggs, he said: 'Tinfrightened of eggs, worse than frightened, they revolt meThat white round thing without any holes…, have you ever seenanything more revolting than an egg yolk breaking and spillingits yellow liquid'? Blood is jolly, red. But egg yolk is yellow.revolting. I've never tasted it."
The Best Alfred Hitchcock Films
The 39 Steps (1935)
Synopsis1: Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) is aCanadian visitor to London. After a presentation of the "Mr.Memory" show at a music hall, he meets Annabella Smith(Lucie Mannheim) who claims her life is in danger fromenemy spies When she is murdered in his flat. he mustflee to Scotland to expose the spy ring, as well as, exoneratehimself of the woman's murder With both Scotland Yardand the spies hot on his trail, he finds himself in even deepercircumstances when he becomes handcuffed to an unwillingaccomplice (Madeleine Carroll).
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"What I like in The 39 Steps are the swift transitions."
Spellbound (1945)
Synopsis: The Chief of Staff of a mental institution6 is retiring onlyto be replaced by Dr. Edwards (Gregory Peck). Shortly after his arrival,it is revealed that Dr. Edwards is not the famed psychiatrist but instead, aparanoid amnesiac impostor. Assuming the real Edwards is dead; he goeson the run with renowned psychoanalyst (Ingrid Bergman) is While assistinghim solve the mystery of the real Dr. Edwards, she finds herself falling inlove with a man who has no identity and, just might be a murderer.
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"The whole thing's too complicated, and I found the explanationstoward the end very confusing."
Rear Window (19541
Synopsis: L. B. Jeffries (JamesStewart) is a photojoumalist who is holedup in his apartment with a broken leg. Topass the time, he "watches" his variousneighbors from his window. When oneof his neighbors (Raymond Burr) beginsto act suspiciously, Jeffries thinks he'shiding the fact he has murdered his wife.His accusations fall on the deaf ears ofhis glamorous girlfriend (Grace Kelly).After convincing her they begin toinvestigate...
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"This is actually the purest expressionof a cinematic idea."
North by Northwest (1959)
Synopsis: Roger Thornhil/ (Cary Grant) is a Manhattanbusinessman whose identity gets confused with a would-be agent.When he is kidnapped and Mmost murdered he must resort to hisown wits to clear himself of the fiasco. His situation grows worsewhen he is photographed with a knife over the dead body of a UNdiplomat. His escapades take him on a cross-country pursuit wherehe must rely on the shady dealings of Eve Kendall (Eva MarieSaint) who may prove to be his savior, or his doom.
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"I made North by Northwestwith tongue in cheek; to me it wasone big joke."
Trivia
The shot of Grant entering theUN building had to be filmed with ahiddeu camera as Hitchcock wasn'table to get permission to shoot there.
The Birds (1963)
Synopsis: Set in the Bay Area, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren)pays a visit to male friend Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) in the sleepybayside town near Bodega Bay. Her weekend get-away, however,is anything but that. What appears, at first, as a series of freakish accidents, Melanie begins to suspect something is amiss with the birdpopulation in the area. Her suspicions come true when "the birds"launch a ferocious attack on the town's people and they must scramblefor their lives .
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"With The Birds I made sure that the public would notbe able to anticioate from one scene to another."
Trivia
Over 350 effect shots were used in this film, over35 in a scene at the end.
The scene where Hedren is ravaged by birdsnear the end of the movie took a week to shoot. Thebirds were attached to her clothes by long nylonthreads so they could not get away.
The movie does not finish with the usual "THE END" title becauseHitchcock wanted to give the impression of unending terror.
Psycho (1960)
Synopsis: MarionCrane (Janet Leigh)is a woman whois longing for abetter life. Whenthe opportunityarises, she stelsa large amount ofmoney hopingthat it will buyhappiness.Knowing she hascommitted a crime she goes on therun hoping to find a place where she can getaway from all of her troubles. Tired afterthe long drive and caught in a storm, shegets off the main highway and pulls intoThe Bates Motel. The motel is managed bya quiet young man called Norman (AnthonyPerkins) who seems to be dominated by hiscrotchety "mother"...
Hitchcock's Thoughts
"My main satisfaction is that the filmhad an effect on audiences, and I considerthat very important... It wasn't a messagethat stirred the audiences, nor was it agreat performance or their enjoymentof the novel. They were arousedby pure film."
News
Australian actress Naomi Watts has beenoffered the lead role in the remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 horror classic TheBirds. She would play the role of MelanieDaniels, which was played by Tippi Hedren,in the original. The movie features a wealthySan Francisco socialite who follows a potentialboyfriend to a small Northern California townwhere birds suddenly begin to launch viciousattacks on people.
Alfred Hitchcock's classicmovie North by Northwesthas topped a style poll namingthe most stylish films of all time.The 1959 thriller, which starsCary Grant and Eva Marie Saint,had the most influence on theway contemporary men dress,according to US magazine GQ.
Scots heart-throb Ewan McGregor hassigned up to appear in a new film basedon the life of Alfred Hitchcock. The film willfocus on the director's early years growing upin London, and how he went on to work withHollywood legends Cary Grant, James Stewartand Grace Kelly. The film is due to start filminglater last year (2006), with British actor MattLucas of the satirical comedy Little Britaintipped to play Hitchcock.
Sir Anthony Hopkins is top of a producer'swish list to play Alfred Hitchcock in amovie about the filmmaker's later life. Theproject which goes under the working title ofAlfred Hitchcock Presents will centre on a shortperiod of the legendary director's life but reflecthis overall struggles. "I better put on someweight," Hopkins joked patting his tummy.
Hopkins is being courted for the title rolewhile Oscar nominee Helen Mirren is eying upthe role of Alma Reville, Hitchcock's wife andlifelong creative collaborator.