Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchock was the most well-known director from the 1950's to the early 1960's. During this period of time he made his most successful films including North by Northwest (1959) and Psycho (1960). His success brought him a knighthood in 1980 and a place in the list of the most influential filmmakers of all time.

Hitchcock and the Thriller Genre

Even in the modern day, filmmakers follow conventions set by Hitchcock which truly demonstrates the extent of his success. "Hitchcockian" films are films made using similar themes and conventions of those used in Hitchcock's. Some themes include:

An attractive blonde- Hitchcock used blonde women as lead roles because Hitchcock thought a blonde appeared more innocent and harmless than a brunette. They were also his preference in his black and white films because he preferred how they looked on screen.

A domineering mother- i.e. Psycho

An innocent man accused and thrust into a strange/dangerous situation- i.e. North by North West

Mistaken identity- North by Northwest

Characters who switch sides or who cannot be trusted- Janet Leigh in Psycho: initially we feel sympathetic towards her due to her unfortunate situation but soon after her character changes. After she steals a large sum of money from a customer we no longer trust her.This then makes Norman Bates appear to be the new protagonist. However, his character also changes after we see him peeking Leigh's room as she undresses.

Incompetent authority figures, particularly police officers- in Psycho, Janet Leigh is pursued by a policeman who doesn't notice that she is running away with a large sum of money after plenty of hints (for example when Leigh sells her vehicle for another one to cover her tracks).

Use of darkness to symbolise inevitable danger- the mise-en-scene: dark clothing, shadows, smoke, etc.

Famous landmarks- Mount Rushmore in North by North West

The use of a staircase as a motif for impending danger or suspense- Suspicion (1941)

Use of a MacGuffin- i.e. the microfilm in North by Northwest

Other facts:

- Hitchcock makes a cameo appearance in almost every one of his films. He appeared in the beginning of his films to ensure that his audience are not distracted from the plot.

- Janet Leigh found the shower scene in Psycho said that she found the experience so distressing and terrifying that from then on, she took baths instead of showers.

Psycho (1960): BBC TV Interview

In this interview, Hitchcock discusses his film Psycho which prepares his audience for the storyline and the "Hitchcock" thrill that will come alongside it. He also speaks of some of the themes discussed before which he reveals are in fact personal fears. He incorporates them into his work in order to "release" his fears.