Hitchcock on Hitchcock, Volume 1 : Selected Writings and Interviews

Gathered here for the first time are Alfred Hitchcock's reflections on his own life and work. In this ample selection of largely unknown and formerly inaccessible interviews and essays, Hitchcock provides an enlivening commentary on a career that spanned decades and transformed the history of the cinema. Bringing the same exuberance and originality to his writing as he did to his films, he ranges from accounts of his own life and experiences to techniques of filmmaking and ideas about cinema in general. Wry, thoughtful, witty, and humorous—as well as brilliantly informative—this selection reveals another side of the most renowned filmmaker of our time. Sidney Gottlieb not only presents some of Hitchcock's most important pieces, but also places them in their historical context and in the context of Hitchcock's development as a director. He reflects on Hitchcock's complicated, often troubled, and continually evolving relationships with women, both on and off the set. Some of the topics Hitchcock touches upon are the differences between English and American attitudes toward murder, the importance of comedy in film, and the uses and techniques of lighting. There are also many anecdotes of life among the stars, reminiscences from the sets of some of the most successful and innovative films of this century, and incisive insights into working method, film history, and the role of film in society. Unlike some of the complex critical commentary that has emerged on his life and work, the director's own writing style is refreshingly straightforward and accessible. Throughout the collection, Hitchcock reveals a delight and curiosity about his medium that bring all his subjects to life. Cover 1 Hitchcock on Hitchcock 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 CONTENTS 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 8 INTRODUCTION 12 A Life in Films 26 Introduction 28 My Screen Memories (1936) 32 Life Among the Stars (1937) 52 The Woman Who Knows Too Much (1956) 76 After-Dinner Speech at the Screen Producers Guild Dinner (1965) 79 Surviving (1977) 84 Actors, Actresses, Stars 90 Introduction 92 How I Choose My Heroines (1931) 98 Are Stars Necessary? (1933) 101 Women Are a Nuisance (1935) 104 Nova Grows Up (1938) 107 Crime Doesn't Pay (1938) 111 What I'd Do to the Stars (1939) 115 Elegance Above Sex (1962) 120 Thrills, Suspense, the Audience 122 Introduction 124 Gas (1919) 132 Why "Thrillers" Thrive (1936) 134 Let 'Em Play God (1948) 138 The Enjoyment of Fear (1949) 141 Master of Suspense: Being a Self-Analysis by Alfred Hitchcock (1950) 147 Core of the Movie—The Chase (1950) 150 Murder—With English on It (1957) 158 Would You Like to Know Your Future? (1959) 163 Why I Am Afraid of the Dark (1960) 167 A Redbook Dialogue: Alfred Hitchcock and Dr. Fredric Wertham (1963) 171 Film Production 180 Introduction 182 Films We Could Make (1927) 190 "Stodgy" British Pictures (1934) 193 If I Were Head of a Production Company (1935) 197 More Cabbages, Fewer Kings: A Believer in the Little Man (1937) 201 Much Ado About Nothing? (1937) 204 Directors Are Dead (1937) 208 Director's Problems (1938) 211 The Censor and Sydney Street (1938) 217 The Censor Wouldn't Pass It (1938) 221 Old Ruts Are New Ruts (1939) 227 Production Methods Compared (1949) 230 Film Production (1965) 235 In the Hall of Mogul Kings (1969) 252 Technique, Style, and Hitchcock at Work 256 Introduction 258 On Music in Films (1933–1934) 266 Close Your Eyes and Visualize! (1936) 271 Search for the Sun (1937) 275 Direction (1937) 278 Some Aspects of Direction (1938) 287 Lecture at Columbia University (1939) 292 My Most Exciting Picture (1948) 300 On Style (1963) 310 Hitchcock Talks About Lights, Camera, Action (1967) 328 It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's . . . The Birds (1968) 340 Hitchcock at Work (1976) 343 A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE WRITINGS OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK 352 WORKS CITED 358 INDEX 360 Gathered here for the first time are Alfred Hitchcock's reflections on his own life and work. In this ample selection of largely unknown and formerly inaccessible interviews and essays, Hitchcock provides an enlivening commentary on a career that spanned decades and transformed the history of the cinema. Bringing the same exuberance and originality to his writing as he did to his films, he ranges from accounts of his own life and experiences to techniques of filmmaking and ideas about cinema in general. Wry, thoughtful, witty, and humorous as well as brilliantly informative this selection reveals another side of the most renowned filmmaker of our time. Sidney Gottlieb not only presents some of Hitchcock's most important pieces, but also places them in their historical context and in the context of Hitchcock's development as a director. He reflects on Hitchcock's complicated, often troubled, and continually evolving relationships with women, both on and off the set. Some of the topics Hitchcock touches upon are the differences between English and American attitudes toward murder, the importance of comedy in film, and the uses and techniques of lighting.0There are also many anecdotes of life among the stars, reminiscences from the sets of some of the most successful and innovative films of this century, and incisive insights into working method, film history, and the role of film in society. Unlike some of the complex critical commentary that has emerged on his life and work, the director's own writing style is refreshingly straightforward and accessible. Throughout the collection, Hitchcock reveals a delight and curiosity about his medium that bring all his subjects to life Gathered here for the first time are Alfred Hitchcock's reflections on his own life and work. In this ample selection of largely unknown and formerly inaccessible interviews and essays, Hitchcock provides an enlivening commentary on a career that spanned decades and transformed the history of the cinema. Bringing the same exuberance and originality to his writing as he did to his films, he ranges from accounts of his own life and experiences to techniques of filmmaking and ideas about cinema in general. Wry, thoughtful, witty, and humorous-as well as brilliantly informative-this selection reve.;Cover; Hitchcock on Hitchcock; Title; Copyright ; CONTENTS; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; INTRODUCTION; A Life in Films ; Introduction ; My Screen Memories (1936); Life Among the Stars (1937); The Woman Who Knows Too Much (1956); After-Dinner Speech at the Screen Producers Guild Dinner (1965); Surviving (1977); Actors, Actresses, Stars; Introduction ; How I Choose My Heroines (1931); Are Stars Necessary? (1933); Women Are a Nuisance (1935); Nova Grows Up (1938); Crime Doesn't Pay (1938); What I'd Do to the Stars (1939); Elegance Above Sex (1962); Thrills, Suspense, the Audience; Introduction; Gas (1919). Annotation Gathered here for the first time are Alfred Hitchcock's reflections on his own life and work. In this ample selection of largely unknown and formerly inaccessible interviews and essays, Hitchcock provides an enlivening commentary on a career that spanned decades and transformed the history of the cinema. Bringing the same exuberance and originality to his writing as he did to his films, he ranges from accounts of his own life and experiences to techniques of filmmaking and ideas about cinema in general A selection of Hitchcock's writings and interviews, arranged in several thematic groupings."