PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Alfred Hitchcock, often referred to as the “Master of Suspense,” was, and still is, one of the most influential and celebrated filmmakers in the history of cinema. Born on August 13, 1899, in Leytonstone, England, Hitchcock began his career in the British film industry in the 1920s as a title designer and art director. He then moved on to directing films in the late 1920s and early 1930s, gaining recognition for his unique style and storytelling techniques.
Hitchcock’s extended trailer for Psycho:
Hitchcock’s wondrous career spanned over six decades, during which he directed more than 50 feature films. His works are known for their psychological depth, meticulous attention to detail, and mastery of suspenseful storytelling. Some of his most famous films include “proto-slasher” Psycho(1960), Vertigo (1958), Rear Window (1954), North by Northwest (1959), The Birds (1963), and Dial M for Murder (1954). Many of his films are already in the United States National Film Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
That Hitchcock Style
One of Hitchcock’s trademarks was his cameo appearances in his own films, often appearing in brief, sometimes humorous roles. Basically, he was the equivalent of Where’s Waldo? in his films, and it could be fun to try to find him without cheating (sometimes his appearances are more obvious than others). He also pioneered many filmmaking techniques, including the innovative use of camera angles, lighting, and editing to create tension and suspense.
Though you’re guaranteed to like some of his films more than others, if you watch his stuff, there’s a pretty solid chance you’ll understand why he is so revered. It also pays to understand that, quite often, he was the first person to do something stylistically in a film. From the use of intense screeching violins in Psycho (which absolutely influenced horror film scores for all time) to his interesting choice to barely have any music in The Birds, Hitchcock was someone who knew how to make creative decisions that make his films memorable and influential down the ages.
It’s Hard to Overexaggerate Hitchcock’s Impact
Throughout his career, Hitchcock received numerous awards and honors, including multiple nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director. Although he never won the Oscar for Best Director, he was honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1968 for his contributions to the film industry, which is quite rarely given to “Creative producers, whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production.”
Hitchcock’s influence on cinema extends far beyond his own films, as his techniques and storytelling methods have inspired countless filmmakers around the world. His legacy as a master filmmaker and innovator continues to be celebrated and studied by film enthusiasts and scholars worldwide. Also, let’s not forget his role in television, where he applied his wry humor to hosting the series Alfred Hitchcock Presents. If you like movies, and horror and suspenseful thrillers, you’ll surely want to revisit some of his stuff from time to time.
