Arts and Artists Alfred Hitchcock

Starter Questions What is a suspense movie? What is a mystery movie? What does psychology tell us about human nature? Can you name a director with a strong personal style?

What is a suspense movie?

What is a mystery movie?

What does psychology tell us about human nature?

Can you name a director with a strong personal style?

Introduction Today’s lecture will look at the life, style and some of the films of Alfred Hitchcock Hitchcock is one of the 20 th century’s most influential directors His films were part of this year’s Shanghai International Film Fest

Today’s lecture will look at the life, style and some of the films of Alfred Hitchcock

Hitchcock is one of the 20 th century’s most influential directors

His films were part of this year’s Shanghai International Film Fest

The Life of Alfred Hitchcock

Young Alfred Hitchcock Born in Leytonstone, London, 1899 Had an unhappy childhood – how can it influence an artist? Started working as an assistant in a film studio in 1920

Born in Leytonstone, London, 1899

Had an unhappy childhood – how can it influence an artist?

Started working as an assistant in a film studio in 1920

The Start of a Career Worked in England and Germany in 1920s Directed first film, The Pleasure Garden , in 1925 Married his assistant director Alma Reville in 1926 Was a famous director by the 1930s

Worked in England and Germany in 1920s

Directed first film, The Pleasure Garden , in 1925

Married his assistant director Alma Reville in 1926

Was a famous director by the 1930s

A Move to America Hired by mega-producer David O. Selznick in 1939 Moved to California, lived there for the rest of his life Worked with Selznick until 1946, then produced own films

Hired by mega-producer David O. Selznick in 1939

Moved to California, lived there for the rest of his life

Worked with Selznick until 1946, then produced own films

Hitchcock in His Prime Moved from black and white to color in 1948 Created best films from 1950s to mid-1960s Almost always pushed the boundaries of censorship at this time Diversified his projects

Moved from black and white to color in 1948

Created best films from 1950s to mid-1960s

Almost always pushed the boundaries of censorship at this time

Diversified his projects

A Move … to TV? Ran own TV series from 1955-1965 Featured mysteries and horror stories As host, Hitchcock became a star Let’s watch a few minutes to see Hitchcock in action

Ran own TV series from 1955-1965

Featured mysteries and horror stories

As host, Hitchcock became a star

Let’s watch a few minutes to see Hitchcock in action

The Later Years Body of work declined in the 1970s Died in 1980 at the age of 81 Directed 66 films in all Lives on as an inspiration to horror and mystery directors

Body of work declined in the 1970s

Died in 1980 at the age of 81

Directed 66 films in all

Lives on as an inspiration to horror and mystery directors

Hitchcock’s Awards Irving Thalberg Memorial Award, 1967 Best Picture, Rebecca , in 1940 Six personal Oscar nominations 50 total Oscar nominations for his films Knighted by the Queen of England shortly before his death Never received an Oscar for Best Director

Irving Thalberg Memorial Award, 1967

Best Picture, Rebecca , in 1940

Six personal Oscar nominations

50 total Oscar nominations for his films

Knighted by the Queen of England shortly before his death

Never received an Oscar for Best Director

The Style of Alfred Hitchcock

Freudian Influence Who was Sigmund Freud? Hitchcock was fascinated by Freud’s ideas Many of his characters have psychological problems first explored in Freud’s writing

Who was Sigmund Freud?

Hitchcock was fascinated by Freud’s ideas

Many of his characters have psychological problems first explored in Freud’s writing

Loving and Hating Actors As a perfectionist, Hitchcock was hard on his actors Reportedly said actors are like cattle Later clarified his remarks: “Actors should be treated like cattle” Yet seemed to prefer using the same stars

As a perfectionist, Hitchcock was hard on his actors

Reportedly said actors are like cattle

Later clarified his remarks: “Actors should be treated like cattle”

Yet seemed to prefer using the same stars

The Hitchcock Cameo Often inserted himself into his films Finding this cameo appearance became a game for audiences Let’s watch for Hitchcock’s cameo at the start of North by Northwest

Often inserted himself into his films

Finding this cameo appearance became a game for audiences

Let’s watch for Hitchcock’s cameo at the start of North by Northwest

Common Themes Voyeurism – watching from afar The ordinary person or wrong man The charming criminal Overbearing mothers Blonde women The Macguffin – a plot device Humor and ridiculous situations

Voyeurism – watching from afar

The ordinary person or wrong man

The charming criminal

Overbearing mothers

Blonde women

The Macguffin – a plot device

Humor and ridiculous situations

The Films of Alfred Hitchcock

The 39 Steps (1935) One of Hitchcock’s first and best films A common man from Canada visiting the UK meets a British spy on the run from assassins The Macguffin is “secret military plans”

One of Hitchcock’s first and best films

A common man from Canada visiting the UK meets a British spy on the run from assassins

The Macguffin is “secret military plans”

The Lady Vanishes (1938) Spy thriller set in the mythical European country of Badrika Stand-in for Nazi Germany Much action takes place onboard a train, common for Hitchcock One of his last films made in the UK

Spy thriller set in the mythical European country of Badrika

Stand-in for Nazi Germany

Much action takes place onboard a train, common for Hitchcock

One of his last films made in the UK

Rebecca (1940) Suspense film with a touch of ghost story, adapted from a novel A new bride feels threatened by her husband’s dead wife and insane housekeepers Won Best Picture

Suspense film with a touch of ghost story, adapted from a novel

A new bride feels threatened by her husband’s dead wife and insane housekeepers

Won Best Picture

Shadow of a Doubt (1943) Film noir Setting is a quiet, small town in California A young woman named Charlie discovers that her Uncle Charlie is a serial killer

Film noir

Setting is a quiet, small town in California

A young woman named Charlie discovers that her Uncle Charlie is a serial killer

Spellbound (1945) A psychologist in a mental asylum discovers her new coworker is an impostor suffering from amnesia Features psychological themes like psychoanalysis

A psychologist in a mental asylum discovers her new coworker is an impostor suffering from amnesia

Features psychological themes like psychoanalysis

Notorious (1946) Spy thriller An American spy (Cary Grant) recruits the daughter of a Nazi spy (Ingrid Bergman) to spy on Nazis seeking uranium in South America

Spy thriller

An American spy (Cary Grant) recruits the daughter of a Nazi spy (Ingrid Bergman) to spy on Nazis seeking uranium in South America

Strangers on a Train (1951) Suspense Two men who meet on a train discuss murders they’d like to commit They jokingly agree to “exchange” murders, but when someone actually dies, one man chases the other

Suspense

Two men who meet on a train discuss murders they’d like to commit

They jokingly agree to “exchange” murders, but when someone actually dies, one man chases the other

Dial M for Murder (1954) Mystery/suspense A man hires a killer to murder his wife, but the wife kills the murderer in self-defense, so the man frames his wife for murder Originally filmed in 3D

Mystery/suspense

A man hires a killer to murder his wife, but the wife kills the murderer in self-defense, so the man frames his wife for murder

Originally filmed in 3D

Rear Window (1954) Mystery/suspense A man stuck in a wheelchair after an accident spends his days watching his neighbors, and soon suspects one of his neighbors has killed his wife

Mystery/suspense

A man stuck in a wheelchair after an accident spends his days watching his neighbors, and soon suspects one of his neighbors has killed his wife

To Catch a Thief (1955) Romantic thriller set in the French Riviera A former thief is accused of committing new jewel robberies and tracks down the real thief himself Highlights include a memorable driving sequence

Romantic thriller set in the French Riviera

A former thief is accused of committing new jewel robberies and tracks down the real thief himself

Highlights include a memorable driving sequence

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) Suspense thriller An ordinary man on vacation witnesses an assassination; the victim passes a secret onto the man: someone else will die Features the some “Que Sera Sera”

Suspense thriller

An ordinary man on vacation witnesses an assassination; the victim passes a secret onto the man: someone else will die

Features the some “Que Sera Sera”

Vertigo (1958) Suspense thriller A police detective suffers from acrophobia and is obsessed with a woman he could not save because of his fear of heights Has a rare unhappy ending

Suspense thriller

A police detective suffers from acrophobia and is obsessed with a woman he could not save because of his fear of heights

Has a rare unhappy ending

North by Northwest (1959) Spy thriller A man is mistaken for a spy and caught up in a Cold War spy affair between a mysterious woman and a foreign agent Features intense action sequences

Spy thriller

A man is mistaken for a spy and caught up in a Cold War spy affair between a mysterious woman and a foreign agent

Features intense action sequences

Psycho (1960) Horror/suspense A woman on the run after stealing $40,000 is brutally murdered after checking into the Bates Motel Her family comes to investigate and meets Norman Bates

Horror/suspense

A woman on the run after stealing $40,000 is brutally murdered after checking into the Bates Motel

Her family comes to investigate and meets Norman Bates

The Birds (1963) Horror A small California town is terrorized when birds attack for an unknown reason Required development of new special effects Inspired many modern horror movies

Horror

A small California town is terrorized when birds attack for an unknown reason

Required development of new special effects

Inspired many modern horror movies

The End