Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE (August 13, 1899 – April 29, 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.
Movie | Hitchcock on Grierson | Self | 2025 |
Movie | Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel | Self (archive footage) | 2023-03-05 |
Movie | My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock | Self (archive footage) | 2023-07-21 |
Movie | Hitchcock’s Pro-Nazi Film | Self (archive footage) | 2023-09-08 |
Movie | Grace Kelly – Hollywoods tragische Prinzessin | Self (archive footage) | 2022-09-17 |
Movie | Her Name Was Grace Kelly | Self (archive footage) | 2021-03-20 |
Movie | Normandie ne partira pas ce soir | Unknown | 2021-09-01 |
Movie | I Am Alfred Hitchcock | Self | 2021-05-02 |
Movie | Tales of the Uncanny | Self (archive footage) | 2020-10-31 |
Movie | When Hitchcock met O'Casey | Self (archive footage) | 2019-02-21 |
Movie | Hitchcock Confidential | Self (archive footage) | 2019-06-24 |
Movie | When Hitchcock Met O'Casey | Self (archive footage) | 2019-02-21 |
Movie | Mais qui a tué Alfred Hitchcock? | Himself | 2018-01-01 |
Movie | Hitch x 4 | Himself | 2018-01-01 |
Movie | German Concentration Camps Factual Survey | Self (archive footage) | 2017-01-06 |
Movie | Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story | Self (archive footage) | 2017-02-01 |
Movie | 78/52 | Self (archive footage) | 2017-10-13 |
Movie | Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions | Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) | 2017-08-06 |
Movie | Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words | Self (archive footage) | 2015-08-27 |
Movie | Hitchcock/Truffaut | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2015-09-04 |
Movie | Documenting John Grierson | 2014-02-28 | |
Movie | Night Will Fall | Self (archive footage) | 2014-06-07 |
Series | Talking Pictures | Self (archive footage) | 2013-01-05 |
Movie | What Is Cinema? | Self | 2013-09-06 |
Movie | The Psycho Legacy | Self (archive footage) | 2010-10-19 |
Movie | The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style | Self (archive footage) | 2009-11-03 |
Movie | Once Upon a Time... 'Notorious' | Self (archive footage) | 2009-06-29 |
Movie | In the Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy | Self (archive footage) | 2008-10-07 |
Movie | Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock | Self (archive footage) | 2008-10-07 |
Movie | Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of Hitchcock | Self (archive footage) | 2008-10-07 |
Movie | Grace Kelly: Destiny of a Princess | Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) | 2006-09-16 |
Movie | The Pervert's Guide to Cinema | Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) | 2006-10-06 |
Movie | The Making of 'Psycho' | Self (archive footage) | 2005-10-26 |
Movie | Alfred Hitchcock: The Early Years | Self (audio archival footage) | 2004-11-24 |
Movie | Hitchcock and Dial M | Self (archive footage) | 2004-10-31 |
Movie | Writing And Casting To Catch A Thief | Self (archive footage) | 2002-11-05 |
Movie | Alfred Hitchcock And To Catch A Thief: An Appreciation | Self - Archival Footage | 2002-11-05 |
Movie | 'The Trouble with Harry' Isn't Over | Self (archive footage) | 2001-03-06 |
Movie | The Story of 'Frenzy' | Self (archive footage) | 2001-03-06 |
Movie | 'Rear Window' Ethics: Remembering and Restoring a Hitchcock Classic | Self (archive footage) | 2001-03-06 |
Movie | Plotting 'Family Plot' | Self (archive footage) | 2001-03-06 |
Movie | Topaz: An Appreciation by Film Critic/Historian Leonard Maltin | Self (archive footage) | 2001-03-06 |
Movie | The Making of 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' | Self (archive footage) | 2000-04-01 |
Movie | All About 'The Birds' | Self (archive footage) | 2000-05-28 |
Movie | The Trouble with 'Marnie' | Self (archive footage) | 2000-05-30 |
Movie | Destination Hitchcock: The Making of 'North by Northwest' | Self (archive footage) | 2000-09-10 |
Movie | Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood | Self (archive footage) | 1999-01-23 |
Movie | Hitchcock: The Early Years | Self (archive footage) | 1999-10-07 |
Movie | Monsieur Truffaut Meets Mr. Hitchcock | Self (archive footage) | 1999-08-05 |
Movie | The Universal Story | Self (archive footage) | 1996-04-21 |
Movie | Ingrid Bergman Remembered | Self (archive footage) | 1996-04-06 |
Movie | Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels | Self (archive footage) | 1996-05-19 |
Series | Star Life | Self (archive footage) | 1990-08-04 |
Series | Tales from the Crypt | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1989-06-10 |
Movie | Gregory Peck: His Own Man | Self (archive footage) | 1988-03-08 |
Movie | Cary Grant: A Celebration of a Leading Man | Self (archive footage) | 1988-06-05 |
Movie | Memory of the Camps | Self (uncredited archive footage) | 1985-05-07 |
Series | The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Self - Host (archive footage) | 1985-09-29 |
Movie | Terror in the Aisles | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1984-10-26 |
Movie | Family Plot | Silhouette at Office of Vital Statistics (uncredited) | 1976-04-09 |
Series | Spécial cinéma | Self (archive footage) | 1974-09-25 |
Series | The Men Who Made the Movies | Self | 1973-11-04 |
Movie | The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock | Himself | 1973-01-01 |
Series | Midi trente | Self (archive footage) | 1972-03-06 |
Movie | Frenzy | Spectator at Opening Rally | 1972-05-25 |
Movie | Masters Of Cinema - Alfred Hitchcock | Self | 1972-07-15 |
Movie | The Illustrated Hitchcock | Self | 1972-07-15 |
Series | Samedi soir | Self | 1971-01-09 |
Series | V.I.P. Schaukel | Self | 1971-05-09 |
Movie | Topaz | Man in Wheelchair (uncredited) | 1969-12-17 |
Movie | Hitchcock at the N.F.T. | Self | 1969-12-30 |
Movie | The Movie Orgy | Self (archive footage) | 1968-01-01 |
Series | The Dick Cavett Show | Self - Guest | 1968-06-06 |
Movie | Mondo Hollywood | 1967-06-30 | |
Movie | Cinema: Alfred Hitchcock | Himself | 1966-05-20 |
Movie | Torn Curtain | Man in Hotel Lobby with Baby (uncredited) | 1966-07-15 |
Movie | A Talk with Hitchcock | Self | 1964-02-21 |
Movie | Marnie | Man Leaving Hotel Room (uncredited) | 1964-07-17 |
Movie | The Birds | Pet Store Customer (uncredited) | 1963-03-28 |
Movie | The Children of Alda Nuova | self - host | 1962-06-05 |
Series | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Self - Host | 1962-09-20 |
Movie | Hollywood: The Selznick Years | Self (uncredited) | 1961-12-31 |
Movie | Psycho | Man Outside Office (uncredited) | 1960-06-22 |
Movie | North by Northwest | Man Who Misses Bus (uncredited) | 1959-07-08 |
Movie | Vertigo | Man Walking Past Elster's Office (uncredited) | 1958-05-28 |
Movie | The Wrong Man | Prologue Narrator (voice) (uncredited) | 1956-12-22 |
Series | Cinépanorama | Self | 1956-02-04 |
Movie | The Man Who Knew Too Much | Man in Marrakesh Marketplace (uncredited) | 1956-05-16 |
Movie | To Catch a Thief | Man Sitting Next to John Robie on Bus (uncredited) | 1955-08-03 |
Movie | The Trouble with Harry | Passer-by (uncredited) | 1955-10-03 |
Series | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1955-10-02 |
Series | Reflets de Cannes | Self | 1954-03-25 |
Movie | Rear Window | Clock-Winder in Songwriter's Apartment (uncredited) | 1954-08-01 |
Movie | Dial M for Murder | Banquet Member (uncredited) | 1954-05-29 |
Movie | I Confess | Man Crossing the Top of Long Staircase (uncredited) | 1953-02-13 |
Series | The Oscars | Self | 1953-03-19 |
Movie | Strangers on a Train | Man Boarding Train Carrying a Double Bass (uncredited) | 1951-06-27 |
Series | What's My Line? | Self - Mystery Guest | 1950-02-02 |
Movie | Stage Fright | Man Staring at Eve on Street (uncredited) | 1950-02-23 |
Series | Lux Video Theatre | Self | 1950-10-02 |
Movie | Under Capricorn | Man at Governor's Reception (uncredited) | 1949-09-08 |
Movie | Rope | Man Walking in Street After Opening Credits (uncredited) | 1948-03-11 |
Movie | Notorious | Man Drinking Champagne at Party (uncredited) | 1946-08-21 |
Movie | Spellbound | Man Leaving Elevator (uncredited) | 1945-11-08 |
Movie | Shadow of a Doubt | Man on Train Playing Cards (uncredited) | 1943-01-15 |
Movie | Show-Business at War | Self | 1943-05-21 |
Movie | Saboteur | Man in Front of New York Drugstore (uncredited) | 1942-04-24 |
Movie | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Man Passing David Smith on Street (uncredited) | 1941-01-31 |
Movie | Suspicion | Man Mailing Letter (uncredited) | 1941-11-14 |
Movie | Rebecca | Man Outside Phone Booth (uncredited) | 1940-03-23 |
Movie | Foreign Correspondent | Man with Newspaper on Street (uncredited) | 1940-08-16 |
Movie | The Lady Vanishes | Man in London Railway Station (uncredited) | 1938-10-07 |
Movie | Young and Innocent | Photographer Outside Courthouse (uncredited) | 1937-11-01 |
Movie | Sabotage | Man Walking Past the Cinema as the Light Is Renewed | 1937-01-08 |
Movie | The 39 Steps | Man Walking Past Bus (uncredited) | 1935-06-06 |
Movie | The Man Who Knew Too Much | Man in Raincoat Passing Bus (uncredited) | 1934-12-01 |
Movie | Murder! | Man on Street (uncredited) | 1930-07-31 |
Movie | Sound Test for Blackmail | Self (uncredited) | 1929-01-01 |
Movie | Blackmail | Man on Subway (uncredited) | 1929-07-28 |
Movie | Easy Virtue | Man with Stick Near Tennis Court (uncredited) | 1928-03-05 |
Movie | The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog | Man in Newspaper Office (uncredited) | 1927-02-14 |
Movie | The Ring | Man-Dipping Attraction Worker (uncredited) | 1927-10-01 |