Review of Tony Lee Moral’s Book: ‘Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards’

While I don’t usually write book reviews, I’m a MASSIVE Hitchcock fan, so I jumped at the chance to review Tony Lee Moral’s new book Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards. I am so glad that I took that chance!

Synopsis

This stunning coffee table book focuses on the storyboards for nine of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movies – Vertigo, The Birds, Psycho, North by Northwest, The 39 Steps, Torn Curtain, Marnie, Shadow of a Doubt and Spellbound. It includes never before-published images and incisive text putting the material in context and examining the role the pieces played in some of the most unforgettable scenes in cinema. Hitchcock author and aficionado Tony Lee Moral provides a fascinating and illuminating insight into the directorial mind of the Master of Suspense.

Storyboarding is vital to most video productions because it demonstrates to the crew how a shot should progress. It ties in with the acting and script to create an entire whole, complex scene. It’s the most clear and concise way for the director to communicate his vision to the rest of the film crew. Hitchcock was one of the first studio directors to rely heavily on storyboards in his films. He preferred to have every single frame of his films drawn out before shooting. 

Now let’s talk about the book: it’s large, with slick and gorgeous pages. But this is more than just a coffee book. It’s a stunning look back at some of the best scenes from Hitchcock’s films such as The Birds, Vertigo, Psycho, and even North by Northwest. But there were some surprises too, such as the fact that he hired Salvador Dali to design a dream sequence in Spellbound! 

This is certainly a book that is to be treasured by technical film students, Hitchcock lovers, and casual filmgoers alike. It’s available now wherever you find books.