Hitchcock (Revised Edition)

Hitchcock is overrated. That's my opinion. Yes, he made some great movies, but he also made the same movie about 20 times (at what point to we honestly feel suspense when in ALL* his movies the blonde ends up with the hero in the end).
Still, this book is great. Truffaut certainly did his homework and it shows as Hitchcock is candid about his movie making. It's a great look at how things were when he made movies and also is full of several good stories by Hitchcock.

This very rambling book is by one great director about another great director, maybe one of the greatest. I expected more info on Hitchcock and much less distraction from Truffaut. But what you do learn about Hitchcock is very interesting.
" I guess you had to be there. "

This book was first published in 1967 (when Hitchcock was still alive) and has achieved legendary status now. It was revised in 1985 and is still considered one of the most definitive studies on Hitchcock. Truffaut's book-length interview with Hitchcock provides many eye-opening personal and professional details. This isn't a fluff piece like so many other film books because the two men spent days together talking about films. It is a good-sized book (over 350 pages) with Hitchcock revealing technical details of Psycho, Vertigo, and The Birds. Script changes in Rebecca, Suspicion and Spellbound are also covered. All of Hitchcock's films get some treatment. I must admit to purchasing many film books and most of them aren't very good. If you want some meat attached then check this out. It is in Hitchcock's own words so it's particularly valuable. Truffaut's portion has been translated from French into English so American readers will appreciate the insights.

Buy this book.

Hitchcock is the master of suspense,the most intense presentation of dramatic material. Hitchcock has not always been thought so highly of in America(hence passed over for Oscars) due to his propensity for practical jokes and his presentation of his public image.With a great talent for publicity he often turned his interviews into farces. This cynical exterior was a form of defence mechanism for his real self.Truffaut, another superb film maker devoted to the art of film, wanted a systematic and thorough dialogue to uncover this film maker of genius. He does this by being an auteur himself and former new wave critic and having a thorough knowledge of every one of Hitch's films and a love like the master of what is visually inspiring to charge the screen with emotion. Hitchcock respected this younger disciple's awareness of film making techniques(of which Hitch was the master) and his ability to put real questions to Hitchcock,to avoid red herrings, Maguffins and cut to the chase.He names Hitch as his doyen and searches for the answers to his own problems.

Hitchcock hinges his plots around striking coincidences, then feeds a maximum of plausibility and tension into the drama.It is his determination to compel the audience's uninterrupted attention,to create and then to keep up the emotion,to sustain the tension throughout, that makes his films so personal and unique.This art of involving the audience makes the viewer a participant in the film.He is the most supreme master of form,of showing rather than saying what is the case.He chooses to express everything by purely visual means, having total control of the whole film-making process, an all-round specialist,masterminding the construction of the screenplay as well as the photography,the cutting and the sound-track. Film making in England was always held in contempt by the intellectuals ,why only himself, Chaplin,Lean and Powell and Pressburger are internationally recognised.

Hitchcock disliked over-literary adaptations and plays turned into films. When his film Rear Window was morally attacked, he said," Nothing could have prevented me making that picture, because my love for cinema is stronger than any morality".He has a feeling for good villains(e.g. Claude Rains Notorious) as well as the wronged innocent man(e.g. Cary Grant North by Northwest). But his approach is anti-literary and purely cinematic, film as a receptacle to be `charged with emotion'. Truffaut positions him as a Catholic artist, his work permeated by the concept of original sin and of man's guilt. Hitchcock is mostly concerned with fear,sex and death and the confrontation of good and evil characters.And then there's the films...A star in both America and Europe.

Alfred Hitchcock rarely granted interviews. He did so only when it was required for publicity for his TV series and his movies. But in the late 1960s, French director Francois Truffaut interviewed Hitchcock at length (something like 2 or 3 hours a day for five days straight) and from a director-to-director standpoint, the book covers each and every one of Hitchcock's movies and "in-his-own-words" format. So Hitchcock is constantly commenting about his films. Truffaut thankfully, lets Hitchcock do much of the talking. There is no other book like this one and of the three must-have books on Alfred Hitchcock, this is on the top of the list.

Examples: When Truffaut asked Hitchcock why he appears at the close of the opening credits of NORTH BY NORTHWEST, the director commented that his in-joke of appearing in "almost" every movie distracted audiences spending time looking for him, shortly after the success of the TV show, hence the reason why the director made his on-screen appearances in the beginning of each of his movies after 1956, and not in the middle or end. Remember the scene in which Eva Marie Saint pulls a gun out and shoots Cary Grant towards the end of the picture? Hitchcock commented that a blooper is in that scene. A young boy in the background puts his fingers in his ears BEFORE she pulls the gun out of the purse. When Truffaut commented that Hitchcock won his only Oscar for Rebecca, which won the Academy Award for best picture of the year, Hitch corrected him saying he did not. He wold have had he won best director. The best picture Oscar went to Selznick, the producer.

There is no other book like this. It's filled with page after page of info.

(The other two must-reads are the Donald Spoto's "Art of Alfred Hitchcock" book and Grams and Wikstrom's "The Alfred Hitchcock Presents Companion". Together with these two and this book, you have the essential library and all-you-really-need references for all things Hitchcock.)

"Hitchcock/Truffaut" consists mainly of an interview that French filmmaker François Truffaut conducted with Alfred Hitchcock in 1962 with the help of Helen Scott, an American employee of the French Film Office in New York, who acted as a translator. The interview was 50 hours long. It took Truffaut several years to edit the material to be included in the book, which was first published in France in 1967. This is a translation of the revised edition, to which Truffaut added some of his thoughts on Hitchcock's character and his last three films after the director died. Truffaut was a great admirer of "the Master of Suspense" and was motivated to conduct this interview with publication in mind by the tendency of critics to dismiss Hitchcock's work due to its commercial success.

Well, that was the situation in the 1960s. By the 1980s, Hitchcock was worshipped in American film schools -for good reason. But François Truffaut certainly succeeded. If there was ever a doubt that Alfred Hitchcock was a brilliant filmmaker, it is dispelled by Hitchcock's analyses of his films, explication of his technique, and Truffaut's probing questions in this book. Truffaut takes Hitchcock through all 50 of his films up until "Torn Curtain", skipping only a few that Hitchcock had nothing to say about, from his first foray into the motion picture business writing titles for Famous Players-Lasky in London, though his European career and his ups and downs in Hollywood. Hitchcock's memory for detail and Truffaut's familiarity with Hitchcock's oeuvre are impressive.

In the course of speaking about individual films, Hitchcock expounds on the transition from silent films to talkies, his definition of "suspense", his view of "whodunits", problems of lighting color films, his humorous approach to serious subjects, and why he likes icy blondes, among other subjects. He was an uncommon director in his innovation and in the degree of detail in which he conceived his films. He might justifiably be called the "auteur" of many of the films he directed, even if he didn't write them, a credit I would allow very few directors. Truffaut obviously thought so too. He's an unabashed fan but not always uncritical. Truffaut doesn't hesitate to say what's wrong with "Sabotage" and "Spellbound", for example. And Hitchcock is often his own harshest critic. "Hitchcock/Truffaut" is an absorbing interview and essential reading for all aspiring filmmakers and film lovers.

I just finished "Hitchcock/Truffaut" and I am ready to watch all Hitch's movies again. (Of course, I'm always ready to watch all his films again...well, maybe not "Juno and the Paycock"). I appreciated many of the special aspects of Hitchcock's movie but now I have even greater insight to those scenes and many others that I didn't appreciate at the time. This is all thanks to Francois Truffaut who knows quite a bit about movie-making. Truffaut started out as a movie critic with his partner Jean-Luc Godard and both eventually went into directing with highly acclaimed results. This knowledge from the point of view of critic AND director helps lead us along a meaningful conversation that gets into the specifics of the craft of movie-making. Credit both parties for being able to inform us without belaboring us with all the inside technical mumbo-jumbo. Truffaut has seen just about all of Hitchcock's movies and freely critiques those aspects that he did not enjoy in the various films while accenting those aspects that he did enjoy. Alfred Hitchcock responds informatively to either perspective. There are a few times that Truffaut gets a bit pushy on a subject but Hitchcock is generally ready with an insightful retort or an accepting acknowledgement. Actors and actresses generally come across as mere pawns in the game much as how a baseball manager picks his lineups, relief pitches and pinch hitters. This merely underscores the director on director nature of the dialogue. Thus we are spared the question, "What was it like to work with Paul Newman" even though, to make a point, Hitchcocks actually discusses that subject.

I rated this book with 5 stars for several reasons; it was so interesting to read, it was very informative, and it was a unique look into the career of a very private person.

Alfred Hitchcock rarely granted interviews. He did so only when it was required for publicity for his TV series and his movies. But in the late 1960s, French director Francois Truffaut interviewed Hitchcock at length (something like 2 or 3 hours a day for five days straight) and from a director-to-director standpoint, the book covers each and every one of Hitchcock's movies and "in-his-own-words" format. So Hitchcock is constantly commenting about his films. Truffaut thankfully, lets Hitchcock do much of the talking. There is no other book like this one and of the three must-have books on Alfred Hitchcock, this is on the top of the list.

Examples: When Truffaut asked Hitchcock why he appears at the close of the opening credits of NORTH BY NORTHWEST, the director commented that his in-joke of appearing in "almost" every movie distracted audiences spending time looking for him, shortly after the success of the TV show, hence the reason why the director made his on-screen appearances in the beginning of each of his movies after 1956, and not in the middle or end. Remember the scene in which Eva Marie Saint pulls a gun out and shoots Cary Grant towards the end of the picture? Hitchcock commented that a blooper is in that scene. A young boy in the background puts his fingers in his ears BEFORE she pulls the gun out of the purse. When Truffaut commented that Hitchcock won his only Oscar for Rebecca, which won the Academy Award for best picture of the year, Hitch corrected him saying he did not. He wold have had he won best director. The best picture Oscar went to Selznick, the producer.

There is no other book like this. It's filled with page after page of info.

(The other two must-reads are the Donald Spoto's "Art of Alfred Hitchcock" book and Grams and Wikstrom's "The Alfred Hitchcock Presents Companion". Together with these two and this book, you have the essential library and all-you-really-need references for all things Hitchcock.)

If someone wanted to read only one book on Alfred Hitchcock and ignore all others, I would recommend that they choose this book! It is one of my favorite books on classic cinema and is my absolute favorite book on Alfred Hitchcock. How could anyone go wrong with a book length interview with Alfred Hitchcock given by another great director (Francois Truffaut)? My only complaint is that since the book was originally published in the late 1960s, the films that were made after Torn Curtain (Topaz, Frenzy, and Family Plot) aren't covered in as much depth. Truffaut does write about the 3 films that Hitchcock made after this book length interview (and includes a much less in depth interview on Frenzy). There is a wealth of information here that covers the directors entire career. This is an essential book.

this book conveys two fundamental aspects of art: respect and friendship. it is clear from the opening introductory essay that truffaut genuinely loved, respected, and cared for the works of hitchcock, moreover, for the person behind the art. and in their discussions, it is all the more clear that genuine friendship and admiration occurred between the two. truffaut's questions are informed and probing, but above all, his enthusiasm for the films echo throughout. he carefully balances formal questions with his account of his own first impressions. hitchcock is lively, never condescending, with an air of immense pride for his works.
reading this book is like sitting in on a great conversation between two passionate people. it's a hard book to put down as every page is replete with great film stills and engaging discussions. truffaut covers the entire hitchcock oeuvre. for this, we should be grateful as he reminds us of the many number of works that are still widely unavailable and unseen.
the book opens with a sort of a manifesto by truffaut as to what great cinema should be. the discussions that follow fall along the paths that truffaut lays down: what is suspense, the role of arbitrary fate, the unreality of the cinematic image, and how to tell a good story. it ends with a thoughtful tribute, of truffaut's reminiscences of his last encounters with hitchcock. it's a moving portrait of the last years of a genius.
this book includes a helpful "bibliography" (cinemaography?) of every hitchcock movie.
a truely invaluable book for any cinemaphile.

This is an important document in film history and scholarship and a fun, interesting read. Two great artists discuss film in general and Hitchcock's work in particular. The interview provides some interesting background facts about some of the films, revealing analyses, and some clues to the ideas and goals Hitchcock had when making his pictures. I would offer one caveat: after reading this book through several times, I confess that occasionally I suspect the veracity of a few of Hitchcock's remarks. Sometimes Hitchcock appears too agreeable to Truffaut's observations, endorsing statements that contradict what he's stated or suggested elsewhere. I don't mean to suggest that Hitchcock lied or behaved maliciously; I don't even mean this as criticism. I believe simply that in details that were of small importance to him, Hitchcock didn't bother to dissent, leaving Truffaut to believe as he liked. Also, they both occasionally get their facts wrong when talking about an older film, a mere failure of memory. It's helpful knowing these things going in; otherwise, no harm done-it's still a great book, one that should be read by every Hitchcock fan and anyone who's wanted to know a little bit more about any of his films.

I bought my first copy of "Hitchcock/Truffaut" well over twenty years ago. It opened my eyes not only to the art of Hitchcock but to the art of film. From the engaging conversation between these two directors, one gets an education worthy of the finest film school in all aspects of visual storytelling, stretching from the British silent era (where Hitchcock started) through the American masterpieces of the late 1950's that today stand as the finest films ever made.
I recently replaced my worn paperback copy with a gorgeous (and expensive) leather edition from Easton Press, but regardless of which edition you own, this is a book that any film lover will reach for again and again. Buy it.

It's really not that often that two very talented people in any field get together, talk about their work (successes and failures), and publish it for the world to see. I suppose that ego, pride, and envy are the reasons we have so few of these books to savor. I'm glad that Truffaut approached Hitchcock on this project. Film lovers are the better for it.
Truffaut's interviews with Hitchcock touch briefly on Hitchcock's early life before jumping right in to discuss the master's films. All of the director's important films are discussed, as well as some of the unimportant ones. Although the interviews were conducted in the 1960's, Truffaut does a good job of wrapping up Hitchcock's final films that are not covered in the interview.
My best compliment for the book: It makes you want to see the films again. And again. Hitchcock describes what went into some of his most famous scenes (the cornfield scene from "North By Northwest," the Madeline scenes from "Vertigo," and of course the shower scene from "Psycho"), problems with the films, interaction with actors...a wide range of aspects of making films. I was impressed by the admiration that Truffaut has for Hitchcock, but at the same time, the interviewer is not afraid to disagree with the great master. This is an open and honest document that film lovers will enjoy. My only complaint: I wanted more. I especially wanted to know more about Hitchcock's relationship with his actors. This aspect is touched upon, but I wanted a little more. A very enjoyable read.

This book is an excellent document of who Hitchcock's mind worked, picked apart piece by piece - film by film - by Truffaut, another bonafida master of the medium. Hitchcock is so assure of himself and his place, because his self-critique isn't so whitewashed and he admits to mistakes, admits to acts of brilliance and admits most of all that he was truly the genius filmmaker that every who has seen at least 3 of his films can attest to.
Detailed discussion on how shots were done in say, Psycho, Vertigo, The Birds. Script changes in Rebecca, Suspicion and Spellbound.
Hitch's method is unique and can't (nor shouldn't) be copied, but to understand it enriches a readers subsequent understanding of cinema who's career spanned from the Silents to the 1970s!!! And he left and indeliable mark on directing, and film-storytelling as whole.
The only other interview book that is as exhaustive in the craft of filmmaking are Peter Bogdanovich's WHO THE DEVIL MADE I.T. His THIS IS ORSON WELLES isn't a bad supplement either!!

If you are a Hitchcock fan, you simply cannot live without this book in your library! I stopped about halfway through so I could view each film, then read the interview between Truffaut and Hitchcock about his intent, satisfaction, tricks and memories regarding the same.

True fans of Alfred Hitchcock pictures who know little about the man personally can get great insight into his character by reading Francios Truffaut's interviews. Mr. Hitchcock appears to have been a flawed genius who believed he always had the ability to create the perfect picture. Reading this made his comparison of actors and cattle make sense. Having now read several filmmaker-to-filmmaker interview books (Welles-Bogdanovich, Wilder-Crowe among them) I would not count this the best, but it is certainly among them. The book made me look deeper into Hitchcock's work and gave me new insight into all his films. What more could one who is interested this genre ask?

Fifty hours, five hundred questions. This a provocative book. Two filmmakers talking about cinema: the circumstances that surrounded every film, the script elaboration, the backstage problems, the minutely precise reconstruction of the Hitchcock work enriched by the little anecdotes and the penetrating intelligence of Truffaut make of this text an absolute reference consult to explore the intimate universe of the suspense master.

And please don't forget that Truffaut made the Bride wore black in the middle sixties as perpetual homage to A.H.

I agree wholeheartedly w/ my fellow reviewers: this is one great book. It is absolutely essential reading for any Hitchcock fan. Readers learn a lot about the inside of these movies (many of them great, some good, a few not so good), but, given the immense talent, skill, and experience of both interlocutors (Hitch and Truffaut), we also learn much about moviemaking, period. If I was somehow forced to own only one movie book, this would be probably be the one. (Esp. since several of Maltin's reviews have been stinking it up in recent editions of his book.)

After reading this book, you will not know much more than you did about Hitchcock's personal life. They were intensely private people. But if you read the book in the first place, that isnt what you were looking for anyway.

This book is an eye opener to how he did what he did on about every film he ever made. You can actually see when you watch the films how his explanations are plausible. I recomend this to anyone who is interested in filmmaking. If you value the illusion, and are interested in keeping the awe, read it anyway, but if you want to have the mysterious edge that his films are famous for, Dont read this. It is pretty much a tell-all about what he did in his films.

Did you know in Notorious He placed a lightbulb in the glass of supposedly poisoned milk Cary Grant was carrying up to his wife? He wanted the milk to stand out in the shot. Also, the milk is pretty much always in the center of the screen. That is how he conveyed the feeling of dread when the viewer saw the glass of milk.

Interesting and informative discussion sessions with Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock. There are a few humorous moments but I wouldn't exactly call this a fun read. It can be dry reading at times especially in the beginning and when they engage in technical talk.

The book is divided into sections covering different periods of Hitchcock's career. You get a little insight -- not a lot -- into some of Hitchcock's methods and thought processes. There are bits of information on just about all of Hitchcock's films -- certainly the better known ones -- ranging from casting choices to production anecdotes to film techniques and even Hitchcock's personal opinion as to why a particular film did or didn't work for the audience.

I particularly liked when the discussion went to casting choices. In many cases (mostly some of his less successful later films) Hitchcock did not get the people he wanted in major roles and he discusses why he believes some of these actors and actresses simply did fit the role. This is done in a matter of fact way, not in a gossipy or snide manner.

Truffaut as interviewer (and obvious fan) seems to want to turn everything into a pontification on symbolism and the deeper meanings of everything. That can get wearying at times.

If you're a even a casual fan of Mr. Hitchcock and his films you're almost certain to get something useful out of this book. If you are a devotee of the master I can almost guarantee you'll love it.

First off, I have four bookshelves from the floor to the ceiling covered with books about Alfred Hitchcock so I know it when I say it... this is the best book you'll ever read about Alfred Hitchcock and his movies. Notice I say his movies because the Grams and Wikstrom book is the book you need to read if you want to explore Hitchcock's television work. For the most part, this publication is one long lengthy interview and is approached from a director's stand-point. Truffaut explores every aspect and Hitchcok took the time to explore and explain why he did what he did in his films, from his cameo appearances to the trick shots. You'll learn what movies Hitchcock admitted he wanted to do and couldn't resolve the problems (like Phone Booth). This book comes highly recommended.

The parenthetical statement is in reference to Cameron Crowe's "Conversations With Wilder", which complements this revered tome aptly (as you can read in my review of that book). This book simply must be read by anyone remotely interested in Hitchcock or film in general. No filmmaker has ever discussed his total body of work in such detail, or with such wit and insight. Of course, no other director has a more impressive filmography: over 50 feature films in about 50 years, with many of them merely great, and several landmark films that stand above all others. Hitch's memory of the smallest details from decades before is astounding -- a true testament to his genius.

A fantastic concept for a film book that I cannot believe has not been used more often. Francois Truffaut asks all of the right questions and gets Hitch to open up on all of his films. Hitch opens up not only about the great ones, but also the misses (e.g., Under Capricorn, etc.). This is an especially great read when put together with Chabrol & Rohmer's book.

This book is unbelievable! Two of the greatest film minds talking to one another about the structure and composition of film. It's a huge interview that spaned a couple days and takes about a few hours to read. It is such a great read for anyone interested in film, Hitchcock, and Truffant.

"Hitchcock/Truffaut" is absolute indispensible and essential for anyone interested in Hitchcock's amazing career - and as a Hitchcock blogger I should know - [...].

Truffaut is an extremely well versed interviewed, and Hitch is open and honest about his films' successes and shortcomings. Buy it, read it, reread it.

I am giving Truffaut's interview with Hitchcock a single star because it has been revered as "the" book on this master director for way too long. I first read this book years ago as a new student of film and Hitchcock. Since that time I have read lots more about Hitchcock and with each new piece of the puzzle, have determined after re-reading it recently that there is little that is new or exclusive to this book. Hitchcock often told the same stories elsewhere, both before and after publication of this book some thirty plus years ago. The books sole value is as an entertainment, or as a Hitchcock-primer. This book merely provides what Hitchcock wanted to say of himself, the packaged image, just like his famous caricature. There are many other books to choose from which offer a more complete portrait. Seek them out ...