Alfred Hitchcock was, arguably, the most successful prolific filmmaker in cinematic history. Hitch: The Genius of Alfred Hitchcock, a two-part documentary originally broadcast on the BBC, covers Hitchcock's five-decade career, offering insights into the many suspense classics he created in London and Hollywood. While much of the material here will be familiar to Hitchcock fans, more than a few surprises pop up, both in the outtakes and audition reels that were never meant to be publicly shown, and in interviews with various actors and writers who collaborated with Hitchcock (the entertaining Karen Black interview about the making of Family Plot should be a film all by itself). The first part of this set, “Alfred the Great,” is rich with scenes from Hitchcock's intriguing but rarely-revived early works--including his silent features and much-maligned 1949 production Under Capricorn--and also features the little-known story of Hitchcock's doomed attempt to run his own studio. The second part, “Alfred the Auteur,” provides a fascinating look at the rocky latter part of his career, including his curious ambivalence regarding the celebrated TV series that made him a weekly presence in millions of homes (aside from directing a few episodes, Hitchcock had relatively little to do with the series, aside from delivering the wonderfully droll opening and closing monologues). A fun and deservedly glowing tribute to a film master, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (P. Hall)
Hitch: The Genius of Alfred Hitchcock
(1999) 2 videocassettes or discs. 102 min. VHS: $229.95, DVD: $249.95. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 0-7365-8329-7 (vhs). Volume 19, Issue 5
Hitch: The Genius of Alfred Hitchcock
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