Hitchcock and the Methods of Suspense

<p> Alfred Hitchcock had a gift for turning the familiar into the unfamiliar the mundane into the unexpected. A director known for planning the entire movie before the first day of filming began by using the storyboard approach Hitchcock was renowned for his relaxed directing style resulting in an excellent rapport with his actors. Decades later Hitchcock's films stand as sterling examples of innovative technique infused with meaning that only repeated viewing can reveal.</p><p> This work examines themes techniques and the filmmaking process in 15 of Hitchcock's best known films: <I>The 39 Steps Rebecca Shadow of a Doubt Spellbound Notorious Rope Strangers on a Train Rear Window The Man Who Knew Too Much Vertigo North by Northwest Psycho The Birds Frenzy</I> and <I>Family Plot</I>. It explores the auteur's treatments of psychoanalysis voyeurism and collective fears during the Cold War. Also presented are key stories behind several Hitchcock classics such as the director's stormy relationships with Raymond Chandler and David O. Selznick that resulted in synergetic success for some of his most successful films. The book includes numerous photographs and an extensive bibliography.</p>