Alfred Hitchcock

Born: 1899-08-13

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980), was an English director and producer. Labeled as the "Master of Suspense", he became known for thrillers, often combined with a dark sense of humor. After a successful career in his native country, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood in 1939. Over a career spanning more than half a century, Hitchcock fashioned for himself a distinctive and recognizable directorial style. He pioneered the use of a camera made to move in a way that mimics a person's gaze, forcing viewers to engage in a form of voyeurism. He framed shots to maximize anxiety, fear, or empathy, and used innovative film editing. His stories frequently feature fugitives on the run from the law alongside icy blonde female characters. Many of Hitchcock's films have twist endings and thrilling plots featuring depictions of violence, murder, and crime, although many of the mysteries function as decoys —or MacGuffins— meant only to serve thematic elements in the film and the extremely complex psychological examinations of the characters. Hitchcock's films also borrow many themes from psychoanalysis and feature strong sexual undertones. Through his cameo appearances in his own films, interviews, film trailers, and the television program Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1965), he became a cultural icon. Hitchcock is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In 2002, Hitchcock was ranked 2nd behind Orson Welles in the critics' top ten poll in the list of The Greatest Directors of All Time compiled by the Sight & Sound magazine. Andrew Sarris in his influential book of film criticism The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929–1968 included him in the "pantheon" of the 14 greatest film directors who had worked in the United States. Hitchcock's critically most acclaimed film is the psychological thriller film Vertigo (1958). Although being a mild failure upon its release, it has risen in popularity over the decades. In 2012 it even replaced Orson Welles' Citizen Kane as the greatest film ever made in the Sight & Sound critics' poll. Regarding visual style, Vertigo is often declared as Hitchcock's most perfect film. The use of color symbolism, meticulously composed shots, and the famous "Vertigo effect" (dolly zoom) continue to be studied and admired. Hitchcock's most commercially successful and most famous film is Psycho (1960), which had a significant impact on the horror genre, especially the slasher film. Hitchcock was able to prove his skills with the mystery thriller film Rear Window (1954), to create suspense within a confined setting - primarily the protagonist's apartment. In this film, voyeurism, one of Hitchcock's favorite subjects, is an essential aspect. Many of Hitchcock's spy films, most notably North by Northwest (1959) and Notorious (1946), had a major impact on the Mission: Impossible and James Bond series.


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Psycho

as Man Outside Office (uncredited)
Released: 1960-06-22

When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of...

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Rear Window

as Clock-Winder in Songwriter's Apartment (uncredited)
Released: 1954-08-01

A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes...

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Vertigo

as Man Walking Past Elster's Office (uncredited)
Released: 1958-05-28

A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities...

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The Birds

as Pet Store Customer (uncredited)
Released: 1963-03-28

Thousands of birds flock into a seaside town and terrorize the residents in a series of deadly...

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To Catch a Thief

as Man Sitting Next to John Robie on Bus (uncredited)
Released: 1955-08-03

An ex-thief is accused of enacting a new crime spree, so to clear his name he sets off to catch...

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as Man Who Misses Bus (uncredited)
Released: 1959-07-08

Advertising man Roger Thornhill is mistaken for a spy, triggering a deadly cross-country chase.

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See!

Marnie

as Man Leaving Hotel Room (uncredited)
Released: 1964-07-17

Marnie is a thief, a liar, and a cheat. When her new boss, Mark Rutland, catches on to her...

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Strangers on a Train

as Man Boarding Train Carrying a Double Bass (uncredited)
Released: 1951-06-27

Two strangers meet on a train. They’ve never met before. Both of whom have someone they’d like...

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Notorious

as Man Drinking Champagne at Party
Released: 1946-08-21

In order to help bring Nazis to justice, U.S. government agent T.R. Devlin recruits Alicia...

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Rebecca

as Man Outside Phone Booth (uncredited)
Released: 1940-03-23

Story of a young woman who marries a fascinating widower only to find out that she must live in...

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Spellbound

as Man Leaving Elevator (uncredited)
Released: 1945-11-08

When Dr. Anthony Edwardes arrives at a Vermont mental hospital to replace the outgoing hospital...

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The Lady Vanishes

as Man in London Railway Station (uncredited)
Released: 1938-10-07

On a train headed for England a group of travelers is delayed by an avalanche. Holed up in a...

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Dial M for Murder

as Man Sitting at a Table (uncredited)
Released: 1954-05-29

An ex-tennis pro carries out a plot to have his wealthy wife murdered after discovering she is...

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I Confess

as Man Crossing the Top of Long Staircase (uncredited)
Released: 1953-02-18

Unable, due to the seal of the confessional, to be forthcoming with information that would serve...

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The Man Who Knew Too Much

as Man in Marrakesh Marketplace (uncredited)
Released: 1956-05-16

A couple vacationing in Morocco with their young son accidentally stumble upon an assassination...

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Suspicion

as Man Mailing Letter (uncredited)
Released: 1941-11-14

Wealthy, sheltered Lina McLaidlaw is swept off her feet by charming ne'er-do-well Johnnie...

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Rope

as Man Walking in Street After Opening Credits (uncredited)
Released: 1948-03-11

Two men murder a man in cold blood for the thrill and invite his parents over for a celebration...

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Shadow of a Doubt

as Man on Train Playing Cards (uncredited)
Released: 1943-01-15

Just when Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Newton, is feeling especially frustrated by the lack of excitement...

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Torn Curtain

as Man in Hotel Lobby with Baby (uncredited)
Released: 1966-07-15

During the Cold War, an American scientist appears to defect to East Germany as part of a cloak...

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Topaz

as Man in Wheelchair (uncredited)
Released: 1969-12-17

Copenhagen, Denmark, 1962. When a high-ranking Soviet official decides to change sides, a French...

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The Man Who Knew Too Much

as Man in Raincoat Passing Bus (uncredited)
Released: 1934-12-01

While vacationing in St. Moritz, a British couple receive a clue to an imminent assassination...

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Foreign Correspondent

as Man with Newspaper on Street (uncredited)
Released: 1940-08-16

American crime reporter John Jones is reassigned to Europe as a foreign correspondent to cover...

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The Wrong Man

as Prologue Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Released: 1956-12-22

In 1953, an innocent man named Christopher Emmanuel "Manny" Balestrero is arrested after being...

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The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog

as Man in Newspaper Office (uncredited)
Released: 1927-02-14

London. A mysterious serial killer brutally murders young blond women by stalking them in the...

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Family Plot

as Silhouette at Office of Vital Statistics (uncredited)
Released: 1976-04-09

Spiritualist Blanche Tyler and her cab-driving boyfriend encounter a pair of serial kidnappers...

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Frenzy

as Spectator at Opening Rally
Released: 1972-05-25

After a serial killer strangles several women with a necktie, London police identify a...

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The 39 Steps

as Man Walking Past Bus (uncredited)
Released: 1935-06-06

Richard Hanney has a rude awakening when a glamorous female spy falls into his bed - with a...

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Stage Fright

as Man Staring at Eve on Street (uncredited)
Released: 1950-02-23

A struggling actress tries to help a friend prove his innocence when he's accused of murdering...

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Mr. & Mrs. Smith

as Man Passing David Smith on Street (uncredited)
Released: 1941-01-31

Happily married for three years, Ann and David Smith live in New York. One morning Ann asks...

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The Trouble with Harry

as Passer-by (uncredited)
Released: 1955-10-03

When a local man's corpse appears on a nearby hillside, no one is quite sure what happened to...

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Sabotage

as Man Walking Past the Cinema as the Light Is Renewed
Released: 1937-01-08

Karl Anton Verloc and his wife own a small cinema in a quiet London suburb where they live...

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Young and Innocent

as Photographer Outside Courthouse (uncredited)
Released: 1937-11-01

Robert Tisdall finds on the beach the corpse of a woman he knew. Others wrongly conclude that he...

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Saboteur

as Man in Front of New York Drugstore (uncredited)
Released: 1942-04-24

Aircraft factory worker Barry Kane flees across the United States after he is wrongly accused of...

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78/52

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2017-10-13

The most famous murder scene in movie history comprises 78 camera settings and 52 cuts: the...

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Blackmail

as Man on Subway (uncredited)
Released: 1929-07-28

London, 1929. Frank Webber, a very busy Scotland Yard detective, seems to be more interested in...

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Under Capricorn

as Man at Governor's Reception (uncredited)
Released: 1949-09-08

A native Briton banished to Australia for murder, and his wife, Henrietta, the disturbed sister...

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Easy Virtue

as Man with Stick Near Tennis Court (uncredited)
Released: 1928-03-05

Larita Filton is named as correspondent in a scandalous divorce case. She escapes to France to...

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The Pervert's Guide to Cinema

as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Released: 2006-10-06

A hilarious introduction, using as examples some of the best films ever made, to some of...

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I Am Alfred Hitchcock

as Self
Released: 2021-05-02

Interviews and archival footage weave together to tell the story of the Master of Suspense, one...

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Hitchcock/Truffaut

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: 2015-09-04

Filmmakers discuss the legacy of Alfred Hitchcock and the book “Hitchcock/Truffaut” (“Le cinéma...

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Murder!

as Man on Street (uncredited)
Released: 1930-07-31

When a woman is convicted of murder, one of the jurors selected to serve on the murder-trial...

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The Ring

as Man-Dipping Attraction Worker (uncredited)
Released: 1927-10-01

Both Jack Sander and Bob Corby are boxers in love with Mabel. Jack and Mabel wed, but their...

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Terror in the Aisles

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: 1984-10-26

A non-stop roller coaster ride through the scariest moments of the greatest terror films of all...

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My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-07-21

Directed by Mark Cousins, My Name is Alfred Hitchcock re-examines the vast filmography and...

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Night Will Fall

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2014-06-07

When Allied forces liberated the Nazi concentration camps in 1944-45, their terrible discoveries...

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Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2015-08-27

A personal and captivating account of the extraordinary life and work of Ingrid Bergman...

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What Is Cinema?

as Self
Released: 2013-09-06

Using the words and ideas of great filmmakers, from archival interviews with Alfred Hitchcock...

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Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story

as Himself (archive footage)
Released: 2017-02-01

Working largely uncredited in the Hollywood system, storyboard artist Harold and film researcher...

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The Movie Orgy

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1968-01-01

Clips from assorted television programs, B-movies, commercials, music performances, newsreels,...

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Once Upon a Time... 'Notorious'

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2009-06-29

Documentary about the making of Alfred Hitchcock's 1946 film "Notorious."

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The Psycho Legacy

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2010-10-19

The cast and crew of all four Psycho films recall their time working on the influential horror...

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Tales of the Uncanny

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2020-10-31

A detailed look at the history of horror anthology films.

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AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-12-30

TCM host Ben Mankiewicz hosts this 50th anniversary special, with archival footage from 50 years...

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German Concentration Camps Factual Survey

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2017-01-06

On the 29th September 1945, the incomplete rough cut of a brilliant documentary about...

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Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-03-05

Kim Novak never dreamed on being a star, but she became one. Most famous for her enigmatic...

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Uncropped

as Self
Released: 2024-04-26

Alfred Hitchcock. Muhammed Ali. Meryl Streep. LL Cool J. James Hamilton has captured them all....

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Gregory Peck: His Own Man

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1988-03-08

Talented and enduring Academy Award-winning star, Gregory Peck, tells how it was when studios...

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'The Trouble with Harry' Isn't Over

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2001-03-06

This is the featurette on the DVD of "The Trouble With Harry." It consists of interviews, clips...

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Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions

as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Released: 2017-08-06

The greatness, fall and renaissance of Hammer, the flagship company of British popular cinema,...

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Plotting 'Family Plot'

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2001-03-06

Documentary about the making of Alfred Hitchcock's "Family Plot".

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Grace Kelly: Destiny of a Princess

as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Released: 2006-09-16

In 1956, actress and Hollywood star Grace Kelly (1929-82), then at the height of her film...

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Masters Of Cinema - Alfred Hitchcock

as Self
Released: 1972-07-15

Excerpted parts of interviews conducted by Pia Lindstrom (daughter of Hitchcock actress Ingrid...

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Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2008-10-07

The cry of gulls. The ticking of a clock. The clatter of a shower curtain, torn from its rod. In...

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The Making of 'Psycho'

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2005-10-26

A retrospective on the entire movie, from start to finish. There are interviews with many of the...

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Destination Hitchcock: The Making of 'North by Northwest'

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2000-09-10

Hosted by Eva Marie Saint, the film's leading lady, this 40-minute documentary of Alfred...

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'Rear Window' Ethics: Remembering and Restoring a Hitchcock Classic

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2001-03-06

A documentary about Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1954 film Rear Window.

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Hollywood: The Selznick Years

as Self (uncredited)
Released: 1961-12-31

Henry Fonda hosts this retrospective on the career and films of iconic filmmaker David O....

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All About 'The Birds'

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2000-05-28

A wonderfully informative 80-minute documentary combining current interviews with archival...

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Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1996-05-19

Shirley MacLaine was the product of a strict middle-class background from which she and her...

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Alfred Hitchcock And To Catch A Thief: An Appreciation

as Self - Archival Footage
Released: 2002-11-05

A Tribute to Alfred Hitchcock . Features interviews with Hitchcock's daughter and granddaughter,...

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Show-Business at War

as Self
Released: 1943-05-21

A multi-studio effort to show the newsreel audience the progress of the Hollywood war effort.

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Ingrid Bergman Remembered

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1996-04-06

Her name conjures up beauty, grace, talent and style. One of the greatest actresses of her time,...

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Alfred Hitchcock: The Early Years

as Self (audio archival footage)
Released: 2004-11-24

Written and directed by Hitchcock historian Noël Simsolo, this 2004 French television...

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The Universal Story

as Himself (archive footage)
Released: 1996-04-21

Richard Dreyfuss hosts a celebration of the 80 year history of Universal Studios. Founded as IMP...

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Monsieur Truffaut Meets Mr. Hitchcock

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1999-08-05

When Francois Truffaut approached Alfred Hitchcock in 1962 with the idea of having a long...

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The Trouble with 'Marnie'

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2000-05-30

This hour long documentary on the making of Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" incorporates the usual...

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Cary Grant: A Celebration of a Leading Man

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1988-06-05

A retrospective of the life and career of actor Cary Grant, including clips from his films and...

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Hitchcock Confidential

as Self
Released: 2019-06-24

Alfred Hitchcock is known as a giant of movie making, a facetious master of suspense, obsessed...

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Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of Hitchcock

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2008-10-07

Alfred Hitchcock often referred to his style of film making as "pure cinema" — using camera...

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Hitchcock and Dial M

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2004-10-31

A retrospective look at the brilliance of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Dial M for Murder.'

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Normandie ne partira pas ce soir

as uncredited
Released: 2021-09-01

It was the world's largest, most beautiful and fastest cruise ship. Built in Saint Nazaire in...

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'Torn Curtain' Rising

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2001-01-01

A documentary about Alfred Hitchcock's 'Torn Curtain'.

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In the Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2008-10-07

Films beget films. Filmmakers influence other filmmakers constantly. But the most influential...

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Le Film Pro-Nazi d’Hitchcock

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-09-08

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Her Name Was Grace Kelly

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2021-03-20

Considered one of the most beautiful actresses of her time, Grace Kelly remains an icon today....

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A Talk with Hitchcock

as Self
Released: 1964-02-21

"Master of Suspense" Alfred Hitchcock speaks candidly in this one-on-one interview with director...

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Hitchcock: The Early Years

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1999-10-07

This documentary covers Hitchcock's early British career, up to his move to America in 1940.

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The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2009-01-01

Documentary that features interviews with Martin Scorsese, Curtis Hanson, Francis Lawrence,...

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The Illustrated Hitchcock

as Self
Released: 1972-07-15

Film director Hitchcock discusses his life and career in long talks with Pia Lindstrom...

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The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock

as Himself
Released: 1973-01-01

A look at Alfred Hitchcock's films. The Master of Suspense himself, who is interviewed...

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Writing And Casting To Catch A Thief

as Self - Archive Footage
Released: 2002-11-05

Short interviews describing Hitchcock's efforts to produce the movie over many years, and his...

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The Making of 'The Man Who Knew Too Much'

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2000-04-01

The making of Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 film 'The Man Who Knew Too Much'.

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Topaz: An Appreciation by Film Critic/Historian Leonard Maltin

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2001-03-06

Film critic/historian Leonard Maltin talks about the making of, and his appreciation for, Alfred...

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The Story of 'Frenzy'

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2001-03-06

Documentary about the making of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Frenzy'.

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Hitch x 4

as Himself
Released: 2018-01-01

Hitch x 4 is a filmed portrait of Alfred Hitchcock which, in a screen divided into four equal...

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Cinema: Alfred Hitchcock

as Himself
Released: 1966-05-20

A compilation of original footage from a program made for British television in which producer...

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Mais qui a tué Alfred Hitchcock?

as Himself
Released: 2018-01-01

Mais qui a tué Alfred Hitchcock? is a variation of Alfred Hitchcock's Cinématon hors collection...

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The Oscars

as Self
First aired: 1953-03-19

An annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The...

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The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

as Self - Host
First aired: 1962-09-20

A continuation of the dramatic anthology series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, hosted by the...

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Tales from the Crypt

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
First aired: 1989-06-10

Cadaverous scream legend the Crypt Keeper is your macabre host for these forays of fright and...

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The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest
First aired: 1968-06-06

The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various...

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The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as uncredited
First aired: 1985-09-29

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1985 to...

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The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Self - Host (archive footage)
First aired: 1985-09-29

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1985 to...

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What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest
First aired: 1950-02-02

Four panelists must determine guests' occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while...

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Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Self - Host
First aired: 1955-10-02

A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.

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Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Self - Interviewee
First aired: 1955-10-02

A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.

TV Show page

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Self (archive footage)
First aired: 1955-10-02

A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.

TV Show page

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
First aired: 1955-10-02

A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.

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Spécial cinéma

as Self (archive footage)
First aired: 1974-09-25

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Cinépanorama

as Self
First aired: 1956-02-04

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Lux Video Theatre

as Self
First aired: 1950-10-02

Lux Video Theatre is an American anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1959. The...

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Talking Pictures

as Self (archive footage)
First aired: 2013-01-05

A look back at television appearances by legends of the silver screen, using archive footage to...

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Star Life

as Lui-même
First aired: 1990-08-04

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The Men Who Made the Movies

as Self
First aired: 1973-11-04

Acclaimed profiles of eight great American film directors. Produced and directed by Richard...

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Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

as Self-Host
First aired:

A magician takes a simple-minded runaway under his wing. But the magician's wife has a sinister...

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