Items related to Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock was a strange child. Fat, lonely, burning with fear and ambition, his childhood was an isolated one, scented with fish from his father's shop. Afraid to leave his bedroom, he would plan great voyages, using railway timetables to plot an exact imaginary route across Europe. So how did this fearful figure become the one of the most respected film directors of the twentieth century?
As an adult, Hitch rigorously controlled the press's portrait of himself, drawing certain carefully selected childhood anecdotes into full focus and blurring all others out. In this quick-witted portrait, Ackroyd reveals something more: a lugubriously jolly man fond of practical jokes, who smashes a once-used tea cup every morning to remind himself of the frailty of life. Iconic film stars make cameo appearances, just as Hitch did in his own films. Grace Kelly, Carey Grant and James Stewart despair of his detached directing style, and, perhaps most famously of all, Tippi Hedren endures cuts and bruises from a real-life fearsome flock of birds.
Alfred Hitchcock wrests the director's chair back from the master of control and discovers what lurks just out of sight, in the corner of the shot.
As an adult, Hitch rigorously controlled the press's portrait of himself, drawing certain carefully selected childhood anecdotes into full focus and blurring all others out. In this quick-witted portrait, Ackroyd reveals something more: a lugubriously jolly man fond of practical jokes, who smashes a once-used tea cup every morning to remind himself of the frailty of life. Iconic film stars make cameo appearances, just as Hitch did in his own films. Grace Kelly, Carey Grant and James Stewart despair of his detached directing style, and, perhaps most famously of all, Tippi Hedren endures cuts and bruises from a real-life fearsome flock of birds.
Alfred Hitchcock wrests the director's chair back from the master of control and discovers what lurks just out of sight, in the corner of the shot.
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Review:
"Superb, insightful short life... Deft and moving" (Bee Wilson The Guardian)
"Irresistible" (Louise Jury The Independent)
"An elegant and hugely enjoyable read" (Alexander Larman Sunday Express)
"[A] nutritious, compact and superb critical biography" (Roger Lewis Daily Mail)
"Shelves of serious biographies have been written on Alfred Hitchcock, but perhaps none as pleasurable as Peter Ackroyd’s" (Kate Muir The Times)
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"Irresistible" (Louise Jury The Independent)
"An elegant and hugely enjoyable read" (Alexander Larman Sunday Express)
"[A] nutritious, compact and superb critical biography" (Roger Lewis Daily Mail)
"Shelves of serious biographies have been written on Alfred Hitchcock, but perhaps none as pleasurable as Peter Ackroyd’s" (Kate Muir The Times)
Peter Ackroyd turns his gimlet eye to one of the twentieth century's most revered directors.
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- PublisherVintage
- Publication date2016
- ISBN 10 0099287668
- ISBN 13 9780099287667
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages288
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Peter Ackroyd turns his gimlet eye to one of the twentieth century's most revered directors.Alfred Hitchcock was a strange child. Fat, lonely, burning with fear and ambition, his childhood was an isolated one, scented with fish from his father's shop. Afraid to leave his bedroom, he would plan great voyages, using railway timetables to plot an exact imaginary route across Europe. So how did this fearful figure become the one of the most respected film directors of the twentieth century?As an adult, Hitch rigorously controlled the press's portrait of himself, drawing certain carefully selected childhood anecdotes into full focus and blurring all others out. In this quick-witted portrait, Ackroyd reveals something more- a lugubriously jolly man fond of practical jokes, who smashes a once-used tea cup every morning to remind himself of the frailty of life. Iconic film stars make cameo appearances, just as Hitch did in his own films. Grace Kelly, Carey Grant and James Stewart despair of his detached directing style, and, perhaps most famously of all, Tippi Hedren endures cuts and bruises from a real-life fearsome flock of birds.Alfred Hitchcock wrests the director's chair back from the master of control and discovers what lurks just out of sight, in the corner of the shot. So how did this fearful figure become the one of the most respected film directors of the twentieth century?As an adult, Hitch rigorously controlled the press's portrait of himself, drawing certain carefully selected childhood anecdotes into full focus and blurring all others out. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780099287667
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Book Description Condition: New. Alfred Hitchcock was a strange child. Afraid to leave his bedroom, he would plan great voyages, using railway timetables to plot an exact imaginary route across Europe. So how did this fearful figure become the one of the most respected film directors of the twentieth century? This book answers this question. Num Pages: 288 pages. BIC Classification: APFB; BGF. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 129 x 196 x 20. Weight in Grams: 214. . 2016. Paperback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780099287667
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