Hitch : The Life and Times of Alfred Hitchcock by John Russell Taylor
In Hitch, Taylor admits that his subject often projects his fantasies onto the screen. He also provides a good deal of insight into Hitchcock's domineering, obsessively courteous demeanor. But the focus here is on the details of Hitchcock's life, the preparation and production of his movies, and his relationships with the countless cinematic luminaries who worked with him, including Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, and James Stewart.
Hitchcock by Francois Truffant, Helen G. Scott (Contributor)
Any book-length interview with Alfred Hitchcock is valuable, but considering that this volume's interlocutor is Francois Truffaut, the conversation is remarkable indeed. Here is a rare opportunity to eavesdrop on two cinematic masters from very different backgrounds as they cover each of Hitch's films in succession. Though this book was initially published in 1967 when Hitchcock was still active, Truffaut later prepared a revised edition that covered the final stages of his career. It's difficult to think of a more informative or entertaining introduction to Hitchcock's art, interests, and peculiar sense of humor.
Hitchcock on Hitchcock : Selected Writings and Interviews by Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Gottlieb (Editor)
A collection of excerpts from 40 years' worth of articles, essays, book introductions, and lectures by the director, on his style, filming techniques, his work with actors, and individual films. Hitchcock reveals anecdotes about his life among the stars, and explores the strengths and limitations of German, British, and American modes of film production. He examines the restraints placed on directors and how he managed to get around them. Includes b&w photos, and a bibliography of Hitchcock's writings.
Hitchcock's Films Revisited by Robin Wood
This is really two books in one. It contains the entire text of Robin Wood's groundbreaking Hitchcock's Films and supplements it with articles and commentaries on Hitchcock that Wood wrote from the time of that book's publication until today. Tracing the trajectory of Hitchcock's career, Hitchcock's Films Revisited also allows us to follow the intellectual and emotional development of one of the cinema's major critics.
Hitchcock's Notebooks : An Authorized and Illustrated Look Inside the Creative Mind of Alfred Hitchcock by Dan Auiler
Dan Auiler is undoubtedly the luckiest Alfred Hitchcock devotee alive. With the permission of the director's family, he sifted through the Hitchcock archives at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to create a multifaceted portrait of the artist at work. If this book has a fault, it's that the sheer mass of information makes it a little hard to digest; but taken in small doses, its richness becomes a virtue, offering unique insights into the complicated processes that led to some of the greatest movies ever made.
Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello
Stephen Rebello's groundbreaking book offers the complete inside story on the making of Alfred Hitchcock's original Psycho, now seen as the forerunner of all modern horror thrillers. Rebello takes us behind the scenes for every step in the creation of this cinematic masterpiece--from the story's original inspiration to the controversy surrounding the creation of the famous shower scene. Drawing on new in-depth interviews as well as Hitchcock's private files, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho is an eye-opening portrait of the artist at work.
Vertigo : The Making of a Hitchcock Classic by Dan Auiler
Vertigo is Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece and perhaps his most personal film. To view it once is to be devastated. With each subsequent screening, most viewers notice bits of business, depths of thought, and stunning ironies that had previously eluded them. Vertigo is a riveting experience, haunting its fans in the same way that Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart) is haunted by the mysterious Madeleine Elster (Kim Novak).
The Art of Looking in Hitchcock's Rear Window by Stefan Sharff
Sharff contends that the hero of Rear Window, played by James Stewart, is himself a voyeur, and that through him Hitchcock replicates and satirizes the experience of movie watching itself. The author further argues that Hitchcock uses a cinematic "high vernacular" to convey his complex ideas. As he reveals the relationship between the film's visual style and meaning, its form and its content, Sharff walks through it no fewer than three times. In the chapters that make up the heart of this book, he summarizes the movie's plot, then comments on each of its shots in succession, and finally provides a sequential shot list for easy reference.
Psycho : Behind the Scenes of the Classic Thriller by Janet Leigh, Christopher Nickens (Contributor)
The fascinating, behind-the-scenes saga of the making of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece. This is the richest and most revealing portrait of a movie classic in-the-making ever compiled, from casting decisions to personality clashes, from anecdotes about one of Hollywood's most celebrated--and feared--directors to the truth about why the FBI needed to protect Janet Leigh after the opening of the film.
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