Thoughts about Hitchcock/Truffaut (book)

I'm not a huge fan of Hitchcock. I've seen several of his films. The Birds. Vertigo. North by Northwest. I've seen his films as part of Literature or Film Studies classes. And the images and music of Psycho are etched on my brain so much that I will never forget them. Yet, I'm more of epic/dystopian then a thriller/suspense kind of movie goer. Aside from that Sir Alfred's filmmaking career was long and came about with hard work and a never give up attitude that is a really good example to follow for an aspiring filmmaker. The book takes the reader from when he was making films in England to the glory days of his Hollywood works under David O. Selznick.

The Hollywood days include his most memorable films which I have mentioned already. In the final chapter of the book Truffaut summarizes the final years of Monsieur Alfred's output. I haven't seen any of those films. I really should take a look at Marnie which starred Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren. In the book Hitchcock comes off as a workaholic who never did much else than make films. That much seems true, but little is mentioned about the personal life of Hitch which might reveal a more nuanced character. I guess I should read a biography if I want that kind of material. This was rather an interview about films and filmmaking.

Hitchcock sure knows his technical stuff when it comes to filmmaking. Several times that stuff went over my head. I don't have much of a background in cameras and such. Yet it also revealed what a micromanager Hitchcock was. It's too bad he never won an Oscar for directing. You would think he would have for Psycho? Or Vertigo? But no, it was not to be. His films were however successful at the box office for years until attitudes and fashions changed. His later films were flops made with no name actors. It wasn't like the late 50's and early 60's when Hitch was working with actors like Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. Actors whose time in the spotlight had passed.

Hitch went out with more of a sputter then with a bang. But his films still live on and are remembered by generations of film fans.