Alfred Hitchcock
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4.6 • 5 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Alfred Hitchcock rigorously controlled his public image, drawing certain carefully selected childhood anecdotes into full focus and blurring out all others. In this gripping short biography, Peter Ackroyd wrests the director’s chair back from the master of control to reveal a lugubriously jolly man fond of practical jokes, who smashed a once-used tea cup every morning to remind himself of the frailty of life. Iconic film stars make cameo appearances throughout Hitchcock’s story, just as the director did in his own films: Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, James Stewart and, perhaps most famously of all, Tippi Hedren, who endures cuts and bruises from a fearsome flock of real birds. Perceptive and intelligent, Alfred Hitchcock is a fascinating look at one of the most revered directors of the twentieth century.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Why another book about Alfred Hitchcock?" is the question readers may ask themselves before beginning the latest offering from Ackroyd (Wilkie Collins). The answer becomes clear in the opening chapter, which stresses the significance of the acclaimed director's strict Catholic upbringing in early 20th century London. Hitchcock, "the Master of Suspense," is introduced as a fearful, eccentric, and solitary figure whose life and work were profoundly impacted by his Jesuit education. The author, himself a Londoner who was raised as a Catholic, is the perfect candidate to explore this fascinating aspect of the director's character, but Ackroyd often changes course while trying to cram his subject's 80 years into a single slim volume. The book's pacing feels rushed as Ackroyd introduces an array of Hitchcock's famous friends and collaborators, including producer David O. Selznick, costume designer Edith Head, and filmmaker Fran ois Truffaut. Despite the limited scope of this condensed account, it should find an audience with Hitchcock novices eager to consume a vigorous and immensely readable study of a consummate film craftsman.
Customer Reviews
Excellent......
Really provides the reader insight into the director's mind and the staff that helped bring forth his vision. Very interesting to say the least and piques interest for even further reading. Well done.....