Alfred Hitchcock: Cinema on the Edge of Nothing

Behind the scenes of some of the 20th century’s greatest movies with the Master of Suspense

“If you make a bomb go off, the audience has a shock that lasts 10 seconds,” said Alfred Hitchcock. “But if you simply tell them there’s a bomb, the suspense is dragged out and the audience is kept on pins and needles for five minutes.” Hitchcock’s ability to sustain almost unbearable tension, frame after frame, with devices such as this earned him the moniker of the “Master of Suspense.” Enthralling plots, innovative editing, distinctive camera movement and framing: these signatures made Hitchcock a true icon of cinema history―worshipped, revered and still imitated today.

Published on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the birth of Alfred Hitchcock, this volume celebrates the life and work of the filmmaker. Through a vast selection of photos and original content taken from the sets of masterpieces like Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963), readers are taken backstage and behind the scenes to better understand the life and work of this cinematic genius.

One of the most influential filmmakers of all time, Alfred Hitchcock (1899–1980) made more than 50 feature films in a long and distinguished career of more than five decades. From his silent films of the 1920s through to his final works of the 1970s, Hitchcock’s suspenseful psychological thrillers have terrorized entire generations and redefined the film medium. Regularly credited with having directed some of the greatest films in cinematic history, he received an AFI Life Achievement Award in 1979.