4. Nudity
Can you even find a horror movie without nudity nowadays? You'd be hard pressed to do so. Hitchcock didn't rely on gratuitous nudity in his films. Obviously, being a heterosexual man, Hitchcock appreciated female nudity. However, nudity for nudity's sake just wasn't Hitchcock's style. Yes, he made films during a time when a nude female body was mostly taboo, but lest you think he was forced by contemporary morals to avoid naked bodies altogether, remember that he did use a very minor flash of breast in
Psycho.
This grainy, background nudity was, integral to the horror of the scene - a scene in which he depicts a person at their most vulnerable moment - naked and alone.
5. Target Demographic
Modern horror films, with a few exceptions, are almost solely targeted to teens and young adults. This targeting makes plenty of fiscal sense, but it eliminates a lot of room for psychological horror as young adults are more interested in a fast-paced movie with plenty of gore and little need for analysis (as am I at times).
Hitchcock targeted a more adult audience. When I think back to my teen experiences with Hitchcock thrillers, I was less than impressed. Now that I am older and have a slightly more sophisticated horror palate, I can appreciate Hitchcock's work for the genius it entailed.