The Movies: Psycho, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Vertigo, Rebecca, Dial M For Murder, Strangers on a Train, Notorious Who else could it have been, really? Alfred Hitchcock is very much considered to be the definitive "popular" movie director - his films were often trashy or embraced B-movie ideas, but somehow managed to transcend their origins to become much, more more. Indeed, the amount of discussion and film theory that has been conducted across Hitchcock's body of work is gargantuan - and his legacy is perhaps incalculable as a result. He's also considered to be one of the definitive "auteurs," if you're into that sort of thing, and an inspiration to a generation of directors including Steven Spielberg and Brian De Palma. Certainly more than 8 Hitchcock movies could have made it into the IMDb Top 250, and there are a few notable absences: Shadow of a Doubt, for example, is nowhere to be seen, and definitive classics like The Birds, Saboteur and To Catch A Thief are also missing. But as far as what's included goes, the picks - Psycho, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Vertigo, Rebecca, Dial M For Murder, Strangers on a Train, Notorious - define Hitchcock and his masterful canon in the best way possible. Fabulous.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
