Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most well known film directors in the world. Born in England in 1899, Hitchcock directed more than 50 feature-length films between 1920 and 1970. He was known as the 'master of suspense' throughout his directing life. Hitchcock first got into the field of film making in 1919 when he saw an advert in one of the cinema trade papers that a new film studio was being build in England.
1920-1930's
The first thriller he ever made was names 'Lodger' in 1926. This film is based upon a woman (a landlady) who believes that her lodger is a madman murderer who is killing women who live in London.
His next thriller in 1929 was a film named 'Black Mail'. This was Hitchcock's first film with sound and it was also Britain's first film with sound. This film was based on a woman who kills a man that tried to assault her. The woman's name is Alice. Alice goes to a fancy dinner party with her husband Frank Webber who is soon to become a very important detective. Alice begins to flirt with a male artist at a different table and he invites her into his studio, as she arrives he asks her to pose in nude. Alice doesn't take this in an complimentary way and stabs him to death. She then returns to dinner with her husband and tries to forget about what she has just done.
In 1932, Hitchcock directed yet another successful thriller. This was called 'Number 17'. This film was based on the original play by J. Jefferson Farjeon. This film is based on a group of criminals that take part in a jewel robbery and hide their money in an old house. The films title is due to the number of the house. Although an outsider intervenes with this plan with the help of a neighbour - this happens to be a police officers daughter. The film consists of tension throughout which starts right at the beginning of the film where a detective goes into a house up for sale and finds a dead body. The story continues from here.
1940's
In 1940, Hitchcock directed an Oscar winning thriller named 'Rebecca'. This film is seen as a film that is based around abuse in relationships. Others may view this as a film based on a man that is being haunted by his own past and haunted by the fact that he cannot control his own past. Hitchcock admitted that 'Rebecca' was one of his favourite films that he directed.
In 1942, Hitchcock directed yet again another successful film which goes by the name of saboteur. The film is based in an aircraft factory worker names Barry Kane. He goes on the run all over the USA when he is falsely accused of starting a fire that killed his best friend. This film is known as a universal studios spy thriller.
1950's
The 1950's were thought to be Hitchcock's peak years, he directed many brilliant pieces of work during that decade such as; Stage Fright; I Confess; Rear Window; The Wrong Man and Vertigo. During the 1950's; Hitchcock moved to paramount pictures where he directed Rear Window as his first film working for the company.
'Stage Fright' is one of Hitchcock's most famous crime thrillers. The film focuses on a young struggling actress who spends her time trying to help one of her friends prove his innocence after he is accused of murdering the husband of a high society entertainer. Thus throughout the film suspense is represented within each character as they uncover the narrative.
Vertigo is one of the most famous psychological thriller films Hitchcock ever directed. Its narrative focuses on a retired detective from San Francisco suffering from acrophobia, he begins to investigate the strange activities of an old friends wife, meanwhile he slowly became strangely obsessed with her.
1960's
Psycho is the most well known thriller film ever directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is recognised and praised as a piece of cinematic art by international film critics. Psycho is a film about a secretary names Marion who steals $40,000 fro one of her employers clients. She goes on the run and checks into a motel run by a young man who is dominated by his mother. Everyone is told that Marion has disappeared, meanwhile when she takes a shower; the shower curtain is moved and a woman holding a large knife stood before her as the screams she is struck by the knife several times. The narrative continues and the estranged woman seems to murder more characters as the story goes on.
The impact Alfred Hitchcock has had on modern day thrillers...
Modern day thriller directors have taken on board the way Hitchcock directed his films and have used similar techniques, codes and conventions of the thriller genre to maintain the influence of suspense and tension throughout the films. As much as modern day directors will try and be influenced the the likes of Hitchcock and the way he produced pieces of cinematic art, they try to avoid repetition of this - this is why sub genres and hybrid genres have been formed.
Vertigo is one of the most famous psychological thriller films Hitchcock ever directed. Its narrative focuses on a retired detective from San Francisco suffering from acrophobia, he begins to investigate the strange activities of an old friends wife, meanwhile he slowly became strangely obsessed with her.
1960's
Psycho is the most well known thriller film ever directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is recognised and praised as a piece of cinematic art by international film critics. Psycho is a film about a secretary names Marion who steals $40,000 fro one of her employers clients. She goes on the run and checks into a motel run by a young man who is dominated by his mother. Everyone is told that Marion has disappeared, meanwhile when she takes a shower; the shower curtain is moved and a woman holding a large knife stood before her as the screams she is struck by the knife several times. The narrative continues and the estranged woman seems to murder more characters as the story goes on.
The impact Alfred Hitchcock has had on modern day thrillers...
Modern day thriller directors have taken on board the way Hitchcock directed his films and have used similar techniques, codes and conventions of the thriller genre to maintain the influence of suspense and tension throughout the films. As much as modern day directors will try and be influenced the the likes of Hitchcock and the way he produced pieces of cinematic art, they try to avoid repetition of this - this is why sub genres and hybrid genres have been formed.
Psycho is the most well known thriller film ever directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is recognised and praised as a piece of cinematic art by international film critics. Psycho is a film about a secretary names Marion who steals $40,000 fro one of her employers clients. She goes on the run and checks into a motel run by a young man who is dominated by his mother. Everyone is told that Marion has disappeared, meanwhile when she takes a shower; the shower curtain is moved and a woman holding a large knife stood before her as the screams she is struck by the knife several times. The narrative continues and the estranged woman seems to murder more characters as the story goes on.
The impact Alfred Hitchcock has had on modern day thrillers...
No comments:
Post a Comment