Alfred Hitchcock's career spanned more than five decades, during which
he directed more than 50 films, many of them indisputable classics:
Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by
Northwest, and Psycho, among others. In A Year of Hitchcock: 52 Weeks
with the Master of Suspense, authors Jim McDevitt and Eric San Juan
provide a comprehensive examination of Hitchcock's film-to-film
development, spanning from the beginning of his career in silents to his
final film in 1976, including his work on two French propaganda shorts
he directed during World War II and segments he directed for Alfred
Hitchcock Presents. Organized into 52 chapters and arranged in
chronological order, the book invites readers to spend a year with the
director's most notable works, all of which are available on DVD. Each
film is examined in the context of Hitchcock's career, as the authors
consider the themes central to his work; discuss each film's production;
comment on the cast, script, and other aspects of the film; and assess
the film's value to the Hitchcock viewer. From The Lodger to Family
Plot, 68 works directed by Hitchcock are analyzed. Each analysis is
supplemented by key film facts, trivia, awards, a guide to his cameos, a
filmography, and a listing of available DVD releases. Whether readers
decide to undertake the journey through his films one week at a time or
pick and choose at their discretion, A Year of Hitchcock will open the
eyes of any viewer who wants to better understand this director's
evolution as an artist.
