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HITCHCOCK (REVISED EDITION)

HITCHCOCK (REVISED EDITION)

List Price: $21.95
Your Price: $14.93
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A must have for a film buff
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best book about Alfred Hitchcock ever
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great
Review: Forget about all that film theory nonsense written by people who never even made a home movie, this book gets to what matters about film- making as one great director interviews another. If you're a fan of Hitchcock movies this is the first book you should read.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best I've seen re: Hitch
Review: 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.)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best I've seen re: Hitch
Review: 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.)

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Oft-told tales offer caricature not a complete portrait
Review: 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 ...

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Oft-told tales offer caricature not a complete portrait
Review: 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 ...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A film class in itself
Review: I felt compelled to add my thoughts and 5-star rating after noticing the jape quoted from William Goldman below, along with a weak rating. This book is outstanding in many ways: as an introduction to Hitchcock, as an engrossing conversation, and chiefly as a superb exploration of cinema, and what makes cinema cinema and not stage, or print. It's like a film class in a book.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Entertaining and Informative
Review: 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.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Entertaining and Informative
Review: 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.


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