The film is a great reminder of Hitchcock’s lasting imprint on the suspense genre. Starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, the movie is a thrilling and suspenseful adventure about a US agent and the daughter of a German war criminal as they attempt to bring the Nazis to justice in the wake of World War II. While the film is difficult to find today, Notorious’s placement on this list is indisputable. Rebecca is one of Hitchcock’s most confounding films, but its sheer significance is undeniable. It explores the corrosive and destructive nature of a toxic relationship (which might sound familiar to anyone who saw Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread), with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine giving performances of a lifetime. Nearly 80 years after its release, Rebecca remains one of the most profound psychological thrillers in film history. It’s a stupendous tour-de-force for Hitchcock and Grant alike. Starring Cary Grant, Hitchcock’s North by Northwest is a classic example of the “falsely accused man on the run.” It’s also one of Hitchcock’s longest films, but you’d hardly be able to tell - once the story kicks in, it doesn’t stop. Of these top three films, Vertigo might be the most unknown - the title might ring a bell, but anyone who hasn’t seen it should make it a priority. James Stewart stars as a former detective who wrestles with his past trauma as he falls deeper and deeper into an obsession with a beautiful woman. Not many directors can boast about having three masterpieces under their belt, but Hitchcock is certainly one who can. Hitchcock’s 1958 film Vertigo, like the two films we’ve listed before it, is a masterpiece. How many films have you seen where a man looks through his blinds at the woman across the street? How many films have used this trope, the idea of the woman next door and the secrets that might be hiding right outside the window? The film’s plot incredibly thrilling and it’s spectacularly made. While Psycho might be Hitchcock’s best and most recognizable film, Rear Window might be his most mimicked. (The television series Bates Motel and the 90s remake no doubt brought in more viewers, as well.) It’s Hitchcock at the very top of his game. The shower scene, the creepy score, the infamous stills - not only is it a pillar of 20th-century filmmaking, it’s a pillar of the pop culture pantheon. PsychoĮven if you’re the most laid-back movie watcher, you definitely know Psycho. At the end of the day, there are ten films that defined his career as one of the world’s most notable filmmakers. Over 50 feature films, two long-running television series, and countless projects that never made it past pre-production (not to mention the plethora of filmmaking techniques he created). In his 80 years on earth, Hitchcock undoubtedly left quite the legacy. His films accumulated 50 Oscar nominations - never a win, though. Looking back on his career, it’s easy to call him a master. His treatment of actors is controversial - he was notorious (no pun intended) for referring to them as cattle - but he always managed to get great performances out of them, despite a less-than-ethical approach. He was an innovator, a workaholic, a perfectionist, a legend. How does one begin to sum up Alfred Hitchcock? He’s one of the most iconic directors of all time - his name rings a bell to film scholars and casual moviegoers alike, and his influence on cinema and television can still be seen and felt today.
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