The 2012 american biographical drama film directed by sacha gervasi, based on this nonfiction book is titled hitchcock. Seriously, go watch the film, get surprised by the surprises, then come back. Alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho by stephen rebello here is a gripping, behindthescenes look inside the classic suspense shocker psycho and the creative genius who revolutionized filmmaking. Apr 01, 2000 donald spotos excellent biography alfred hitchcock. Aug 12, 2016 the book that gets inside alfred hitchcocks mind. Alfred hitchcock too was captivated, and turned the book into one of the most loved classic films of all time the year after it was released. Hitchcock remains the most studied and writtenabout film director of all time and there are very few aspects of his life and work that remain undocumented. For example, most people remember psycho for the shower scene, but in this book we can see how, step by step, hitchcock constructed each shot, before the shower scene, so we actually participate in janet leighs experience. When alfred hitchcocks psycho opened on june 16, 1960, the. May 25, 2016 that being said, i will say that watching psycho is generally a more enjoyable experience than reading the book because of the work stef and hitch did on both marion and norman, making them far more likable and empatheticspecifically with marion, whose motives are far more nuanced and rooted in love rather than tradition, and with norman. The dark side of genius supplies the necessary information from hitchcocks personal life. Psycho is a 1959 thriller novel by american writer robert bloch. Psycho, both the book by robert bloch and the movie directed by alfred hitchcock, once consumed are hard to forget. Hitchcock talks about lights, camera, action the american.
It also factored into my grade for the dvds extras. Phoenixbased marion crane, who has for ten years worked as an assistant to real estate agent george lowery, laments the fact she and her divorced boyfriend, sam loomis, cant get married due to money issues, he a penniless hardware store clerk whose debt is a result of having to pay alimony. Hitchcock shows 6 ways psycho slashed hollywoods rule book. Prior to psycho, hitchcock made two films about serial killers, the lodger 1928 and shadow of a doubt 1943, which he often rated as his favorite film. The book is set between the events of the original novel and psycho ii, recounting the events which took place in a state hospital for the criminally insane where bates is a patient. So im rather surprised that a silver screen adaptation of stephen rebellos alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho has been such a long time coming. Lightman hitchcock, above, with rear window 1954 stars jimmy stewart and grace kelly, and, at top, behind the scenes on the films elaborate apartment building set.
Heres the director on psycho, explaining his frequent balletic use of overhead cameras to prime the movies final revelation. He had an enthusiasm for an impossible film alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho by stephen rebello. Alfred hitchcocks movie, psycho and its impact on the film industry the 1960s marked a big change in american cinema. It was a fun movie that got me curious enough to want to read both the bloch and the rebello books. Rebello, clearly an enthusiastic fan of psycho, charts the films course from its origins as an unheralded suspense novel through the intricacies. It details the creation of director alfred hitchcocks 1960 thriller psycho. Hitchcock also included gothic horror touches looking back to stories like dracula. Jun 21, 2011 meet the inspiration for alfred hitchcocks psycho tweet share post bookmark subscribe last week june 16th to be specific was the 51st anniversary of the theatrical release of psycho. Then he took a quantum leap to further greatness with a lowbudget, blackand. His books include the awardwinning reel art great posters from the. This was a great introductory critical work on psycho.
Psycho, american suspense film and psychological thriller, released in 1960, that was directed by alfred hitchcock and is loosely based on the reallife killings of wisconsin serial murderer ed gein. Alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho audiobook, by stephen rebello. Psycho is one of the most twisty, sneaky film plots ever snuck and twisted onto a movie screen. According to the 1990 book alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho often considered the definitive history of the movie hitchcock made one more investment in blochs novel. Heres the director on psycho, explaining his frequent balletic use of overhead cameras to. The book that gets inside alfred hitchcocks mind the.
The movie which centres around the brilliant mr and mrs hitchcock played by the equally brilliantly matched anthony hopkins and helen mirren is based on rebellos very book. In psycho, hitchcock allows the audience to become a subjective character within the plot to enhance the. After secretary marion crane played by janet leigh impulsively absconds from her job with. The following is a list of mostly nonfiction english language titles relating to the life and career of alfred hitchcock hitchcock remains the most studied and writtenabout film director of all time and there are very few aspects of his life and work that remain undocumented. It details the creation of director alfred hitchcock s 1960 thriller psycho. The audiences sympathy toward marion is heightened with the introduction of cassidy whose crude boasting encourages the audiences dislike of his character. Meet the inspiration for alfred hitchcocks psycho tweet share post bookmark subscribe last week june 16th to be specific was the 51st anniversary of.
Alfred hitchcocks psycho has been commended for forming the archetypical basis of all horror films that followed its 1960 release. Jun 12, 2017 hitchcock talks about lights, camera, action june 12, 2017 herb a. Cmrra, sony atv publishing, solar music rights management, and 2 music rights societies. It is appalling that, a selfregarded psycho fan as i am, this book would have escaped my notice if not for the movie hitchcock 2012. Psycho at 61, alfred hitchcock was reaching what many saw as the end of an illustrious career. The modernistic version of psycho would be hitchcocks own story of mortgaging his house to make psychoand making clear. Writers who want to write lasting dark, and macarbe stories are encouraged to read stephen rebellos alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho. Sanitarium written by chet williamson, was released in 2016. The film classics library and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Alfred hitchcocks movie, psycho and its impact on the. In the case of the 1960 film psycho by director alfred hitchcock, a tale of murder and taxidermy inspired by. Controversy abounds with both this book and the movie that is loosely based upon it. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It stars anthony perkins, janet leigh, john gavin, vera miles, and martin balsam, and was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by robert bloch.
Psycho revised draft, 01dec1959 the hitchcock zone. Alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho wikipedia. Psycho is a 1960 american psychological horrorthriller film directed and produced by alfred hitchcock, and written by joseph stefano. Aug, 1999 he had an enthusiasm for an impossible film alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho by stephen rebello. For this alfred hitchcock masterpiece collection, they sent this program to a separate disc of extras. Sequence from alfred hitchcocks psycho showing the murder of the private detective arbogast played by martin balsom. A casebook collects some of the finest essays on this groundbreaking filma film that is ideal for teaching the language of cinema and the ways in which strong. In the opening sequence of psycho, hitchcock succeeds in capturing the audiences initial senses of awareness and suspicion while allowing it to identify with marions helpless situation. The novel is considered as being blochs most enduring work and one of the most influential horror books of the 20th century.
Alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho by stephen rebello. A meticulous history of the classic suspense film based on exclusive interviews with the director, writers, cast, and crew the new york times. Despite the irresistibly juicy way its written, alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho offers a thorough, careful examination of every step of the preproduction, production and postproduction aspects of film creation. Alfred hitchcock has 576 books on goodreads with 46693 ratings. Alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho audio book store. As spectators, watching impassively, we cannot always see the careful plotting behind each shot. The film stars anthony hopkins, helen mirren as hitchcocks wife, alma reville, and scarlett johansson as janet leigh. Her explanations are clear and to the point, placing the film in its historical context to show how the film deviated from other films at the time, and why the film has maintained such high praise and. Alfred hitchcock has a lot of incredible films to his credit, but few are as iconic as the. The book that gets inside alfred hitchcocks mind the new. First released in june 1960, psycho altered the landscape of horror films forever. Cnn alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho august.
The mass appeal that psycho has maintained for over three decades can undoubtedly be attributed to its universality. Alfred hitchcock went to great lengths to keep psycho plot secret. News about alfred hitchcock, including commentary and archival articles published in the new york times. Books by alfred hitchcock author of alfred hitchcock. The novel tells the story of norman bates, caretaker at an isolated motel who struggles under his domineering mother and becomes embroiled in a series of murders. Nov 30, 2012 this is a book for movie lovers, but its not fluff. News about alfred hitchcock, including commentary and. Amanda wells does a great job of laying out the basics on why psycho has been so well received by the public, the critics, and film studies. Speaking of terrific, the psycho dvd also includes hitchcocks fabulous trailer. When robert blochs novel was published in 1959, hitchcock bought all. A casebook collects some of the finest essays on this groundbreaking filma film that is ideal for teaching the language of cinema and the ways in which strong filmmakers can break hollywood conventions. With the collapse of the hollywood studio system came a weakening of censorship laws.
The 1990 nonfiction book has been very well received over the years, as its infinitely readable, meticulously researched and wonderfully enlightening. The film was released on november 23, 2012 the book was first published on april 15, 1990, by dembner books, and. Alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho home facebook. Stephen rebellos nonfiction classic alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho is in print in the u. Sep 22, 2008 psycho original soundtrack theme licensed to youtube by. In some ways a groundbreaking film, psycho has been extensively written about and minutely analyzed. Here is a gripping, behindthescenes look inside the classic suspense shocker psychoand the creative genius who revolutionized filmmaking. Psycho was a joke this article is more than 7 years old in a newly discovered 1964 tape from the bbc archives, the director makes the remarks about his most shocking film. Stephen rebello, author of alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho, describes his reaction the first time he saw psycho and the cultural impact of alfred hitchocks film. In the case of the 1960 film psycho by director alfred hitchcock, a tale of murder and taxidermy inspired by the notorious mass murderer.
The following is a list of mostly nonfiction english language titles relating to the life and career of alfred hitchcock. Rebellos anecdotal approach could well have been entitled the saga of psycho. Hitchcock later said, thirtythree percent of the effect of psycho was due to the music. Alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho is a nonfiction book by stephen rebello. When the cast and crew began work on the first day, they had to raise their right hands and promise not to divulge. Alfred hitchcocks most popular book is alfred hitchcock presents. Books by alfred hitchcock author of alfred hitchcock presents. Gothic horror alfred hitchcocks psycho pictures cbs news. Psycho 1959 by robert bloch the alfred hitchcock wiki.
Rare is the hitchcock makingof book that includes an interview with the director, and rare is the makingof book, regardless of subject matter, as good as this one. Just take a look at the table of contents brackets are mine. Its loosely based on stephen rebellos alfred hitchcock and the making of psycho. Over half a century on, psycho is a tremendous inspiration to low budget filmmakers, as hitchcock shot the film on a shoestring budget of under a million dollars admittedly, to generate the marketing and awareness of the film at the time, studios today would have to spend blockbuste. Psycho revised draft, 01dec1959 this version of the script for psycho 1960. Some of the highest art comes from the lowest of sources. Stephen rebellos groundbreaking book offers the complete inside story on the making of alfred hitchcocks original psycho, now seen as the forerunner of all.
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