National Alfred Hitchcock Day Reviewed

March 12 has been selected as the day we honor the Master of Suspense - Alfred Hitchcock.

Alfred Hitchcock Day is a holiday in the category of Arts & Entertainment. On March 12 we celebrate the life, times and work of this master filmmaker.

Presenting Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock (Wikipedia)

Hitchcock was an English film director who became one of the  most influential figures in the world of cinema.

In a career that spanned six decades, Hitchcock directed over 50 feature films, many of which are still watched and well known today.  Some of his most famous were Strangers on a Train,  Dial M for Murder, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North by Northwest, The Birds and Psycho. The actors in these, and other, Hitchcock films were some of the top names of the day, including Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman.

Hitchcock became as well known as any of his actors due to his cameo appearances in most of his films, his many interviews, and his television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents. 

Born in Essex (near East London), Alfred Hitchcock grew up in a rather austere and strict environment without much joy. He had no real friends and developed many fears over the years. Perhaps his background helped bring out the suspenseful and fearful ideas he had for his many films.

Hitchcock's favorite subject was geography and he loved maps and timetables of trains, trams and buses. He had a particular interest in London trams and, fans of Hitchcock films will note, a large percentage of his films included rail or tram scenes. 

Alfred Hitchcock married Alma Reville, an English screenwriter, in 1926 and they had one daughter, Pat. Alma became his closest collaborator and wrote or co-wrote many of Hitchcock's films. 

One of Hitchcock’s most famous movies was Psycho. The violence (shower scene) and the early death of the heroine by a disturbed murderer became the hallmarks of a new horror-film genre and became very popular with audiences. 

Alfred Hitchcock’s films showed recurring themes and plot devices throughout his directing career. The "Hitchcockian" style included the use of "editing and camera movement to mimic a person's gaze, thereby turning viewers into voyeurs, and framing shots to maximise anxiety and fear."

Summary

Alfred Hitchcock received many awards for his work over the years, and frequent accolades.  Life magazine called him the "greatest master of melodrama in screen history". The holiday of National Alfred Hitchcock Day celebrates this outstanding Master of Suspense.

Related Reviews:

• Alfred Hitchcock Suspense Films Collection Reviewed by Sylvestermouse Cynthia

For more Holiday Reviews, Check out

ReviewThisReviews: Holidays

A Few of the Many Favorite & Most Well-Known Hitchcock Films:

The Birds [DVD]

Psycho (1960) - 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital [4K UHD]

North By Northwest (4K UHD + Digital)

Rear Window - 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital [4K UHD]

*Review of the Holiday ‘National Alfred Hitchcock Day’ was written by Wednesday Elf.

 

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