Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light

An exhaustive biography on Alfred Hitchcock--his life and movies. This really didn't tell me anything I didn't know before and is WAY too detailed in his personal life. Also the author keeps taking shots at the book "The Dark Side of the Genius" by Donald Spoto (which is considered to be THE best book on Hitch). This is fairly well written but there's just far too much information which just isn't necessary. Also the insults leveled at Spotos book come across as childish and I really question how correct they are. It's OK but just too long.

I always liked hearing a story my dad told of when he saw "The Birds" in the theater. A young man strutted in with *two* girls, one under each arm, and sat in front of him and my uncle. At one tense point in the movie when the hero picks up a rock, intending to throw it at some birds, the cool young man suddenly lost it, leaping up yelling "Don't do it!" while the two embarrassed girls shrank as low as possible in their seats. We would laugh at that as kids, that a grownup would get so caught up in a movie. But having recently watched it with my kids I could see how easy it was to be pulled into the frightening world of the Master of Suspense, and my kids are still talking - over a month later - of how much fun it was to watch "The Birds."

Alfred Hitchcock started in the era of silent movies. He once lamented the advent of talking pictures, saying it ruined a good story. But he was always innovating and challenging himself, whether it was through intricate camera shots or complex plot twists. He had a fascination for the dark and macabre, and appreciated stories that shocked and surprised. Such themes filled his movies, usually with a touch of his English wit and humor. And yet, there was another side to the man who frightened so many. He was a loving husband and father, was generous with friends and relatives, and loved watching plays and films, including anything by Walt Disney. And he had a soft spot for animals.

Much has been written about Alfred Hitchcock, but Patrick McGilligan's biography is an outstanding addition. He provides a balanced portrayal of the famous director, often pointing out inaccuracies in Donald Spoto's "Dark Side of Genius." But he doesn't shy away from showing Hitchcock's crude side, from the dirty jokes he often told to his penchant for pushing the limits of censorship. He tells of how difficult and demanding Hitch could be to work with, as well as the admiration and awe held by many in the business - a long list that is a veritable "who's who" of the Hollywood elite. It is a story told largely through the lens of the director's camera, and chronicles the films he made. And it's a long story - 750 pages before the notes - that took me several months to read. Yet it was interesting and compelling in spite of having only seen a few of the movies.

While my knowledge of Hitchcock was limited mostly to the scary stories collected in his name that I read as a child, I gained a much greater appreciation for his movie making genius from this book. I'm not much of a film buff but I look forward to watching more of his films, after re-reading McGilligan's account of each, of course.

This comprehensive biography of one of the most notorious film directors in history is a remarkably thorough and balanced portrayal of a complicated, brilliant man. Other biographies have been written, but seem to me to be much more biased - either unrealistically over-praising or unnecessarily scathing, depending on which mood and era of the man's life they chose to dissect.

It's so detailed that it's difficult to write a review that's not novella-length, but it follows "Hitch" from his humble beginnings as a greengrocer's son in England, a sensitive and reserved boy who somehow still had the charisma to amass an enormous network of friends and colleagues, to his domination of the American film industry. His fascination with murder and the psychology of killers began early in life, as the slightly-eccentric Hitchcock family enjoyed lively dinner discussions about famous villains of their day: Dr. Crippen, Jack the Ripper, and Adelaide Bartlett, among others. Hitchcock was also an avid reader and happily described himself as an Americophile, and when the film industry really began to blossom he was most impressed by the American studios and production techniques, which he felt were superior to what was being done in Europe at the time. After early jobs in sales for an electrical products firm, he officially entered the film business as an assistant art director. It was during this time that he met Alma Reville, the woman who would become his wife and most valued collaborator.

After success in the European movie market, Hitch was wooed by the Selznick brothers to cross the pond and contract with Warner Brothers (he would later leave them for Paramount and would ultimately finish his career at Universal), which he did with some hesitation because very few British directors had successfully crossed over into the American market. There were hits and misses - for instance, two of my very favorites, Rope and Vertigo, were considered box office failures! - but overall his success was substantial, and with Psycho, one of the top-grossing films of its day, his place in history was secured.

One of the gems of this book is the inclusion of a treasury of early short stories Hitchcock wrote for The Telegraph, as well as an extensive filmography, which alone is 100 pages long! It's also heavily sprinkled with entertaining anecdotes and references from and about the actors, writers and musicians he worked with on every film: his deep friendship with Ingrid Bergman, teaching Gregory Peck about wine, falling out with Tippi Hedren, battles with the Selznicks, collaborations with writers like John Steinbeck and Ray Bradbury, and much more. Reading all those details immediately prompted me to go out and rent a few of my favorites again, finding them even more fascinating after reading all the `inside' details.

One of the most poignant points of Hitch's life story is, perhaps, its end. By all accounts, when his health deteriorated and forced him to retire, his inability to keep doing the one thing he truly loved - make movies - killed him, quite literally. Although his physicians said he could have gone on and possibly lived many more years, he simply didn't want to. He went to bed, stopped eating or seeing friends and family (besides Alma, who was also very ill), and died shortly thereafter. I make it sound like this all happened in a matter of days when it was actually a period of a few years, but it was a steady and relatively rapid decline. In the end although all were saddened, nobody who knew him seemed too surprised.

At 800+pages it's no small investment of time, but it was a true pleasure to read and for ardent Hitchcock fans it's probably still not long enough!

An excellent, straightforward telling of Hitchcock's life and career.

What a remarkable life Hitchcock had. He lived to make movies and achieved commercial and (eventually) critical success - while developing his own distinctive style. Now considered by many to be the greatest film director of all time.

Hitchcock was not only a great film-maker but also a master self-publicist and a man with many hangups. If you are interested in Hitchcock, then this book will not disappoint.

This is simply one of the best biographys I have read in a long time. Incredible detail about the world of Alfred Hitchcock and his movies. The book is packed full of information and their are no lulls in the story of Hitch at all. From Blackmail, The 39 Steps, Rebecca, Rear Window, NbNW, and Frenzy you get all the information about Alfred Hitchcocks triumphs and the story behind them. A definate read for *any* fan of movies and how they are made. McGilligan has written a book that is worth at least 3 reads to absorb all the information.