Title: Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho
Author: Stephen Rebello
Publisher: Open Road
Release Date: 06/16/2010
ISBN: 9781453201213
Ever since I first saw the movie, I’ve always been particularly taken with Hitchcock’s Psycho. When I was younger I’d pour over the movie details, especially when I managed to get my hands on a book that gave a scene by scene guide of the movie. (It was all done picture by picture. I wish I could find a copy of that now!) The first time I watched it I still managed to be surprised by everything even when I knew the outcome. It was just that much of a testament to the genius & talent of Hitchcock & those he worked with.
This book gives the reader the history of the movie, from Bloch’s planning of the book & the crimes that preceded them to Hitchcock filming it & releasing it in theaters. Very little is left out in this book & everything is examined thoroughly. It’s incredibly informative & just as incredibly entertaining.
Fans of Hitchcock will love getting a better glimpse of the master at work while people who just love a good story will also be interested to see how hard it was to get this film made. Would you believe that Hitchcock initially viewed this as “just another film” & wasn’t initially as into this film as he would eventually become? There’s a lot in this book that might make people surprised, especially when you consider the standards at the time. What some might view as tame by today’s standards was considered to be wildly inappropriate at the time, causing Hitchcock to have to fight to get his feature in theaters.
While the writing might be a little dry for some, I can’t say enough great things about this book. I loved revisiting an old favorite of mine in a whole new light & it really made me appreciate this movie that much more.
(ARC provided by NetGalley)
No comments:
Post a Comment