Widely regarded as the greatest director of all time and aptly nicknamed The Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock was born on this day in 1899. There are many Hitchcock films that are worthy of making this list but we thought we would acquaint you with the 5 classic Hitchcock films you must see before you die...5. Rebecca
Although not the most instantly recognisable of the old master's work, Rebecca is still one of the greatest pieces Hitchcock brought to the Silver Screen. Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, the film is based on the newly wed, shy and nameless Mrs. De Winter (Joan Fontaine) who must contend with the overbearing influence of her husband's dead wife, Rebecca. Following the whirlwind romance and wedding, Mrs. De Winter returns with her husband Max (Laurence Olivier) to the austere and haunting Manderley mansion which he once shared with his previous wife. Believing she can become the new mistress of the household, Mrs. De Winter is shocked to discover the hold Rebecca still has on its occupants. Essential viewing due to its narrative alone, Rebecca is one of Hitchcock's more eerie productions. Fontaine was traumatised following her appearance in the film, she claimed that Hitchcock had isolated her from the rest of the cast so that this emotion might translate on to the big screen. Whatever his methods, Rebecca won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1940 and is often overlooked in a list of Hitchcock's finest work.
4. The Birds
Following the monumental success of Psycho and after a brief stint directing for TV, Hitchcock returned to the big screen with another exploration of suspense and horror in cinema. Based on another Du Maurier classic, the film follows Tippi Hedren's Melanie who follows a love interest to a small town in California which is slowly infested by vicious birds. While Melanie and Mitch (Rod Taylor) cower in his mother's house, victims of bird attacks begin to increase across the small and peaceful town. What is perhaps most frightening is the apparent ability of the birds to logically think out their mode of attack; no one will ever forget the image of Tippi Hedren sitting quietly while a children's monkey bars slowly populates with more and more of the winged attackers. Yes, something is in fact watching you. A masterclass in horror within the most ordinary of circumstances, The Birds firmly makes the essential list. Also, prepare to develop a fear of birds.
3. North By Northwest
An extreme case of mistaken identity, North by Northwest is certainly one of the best known titles of Hitchcock cinema. Cary Grant plays Roger Thornhill, an advertising executive mistaken for a government agent and caught up in a murder case. While on the run, he meets the beautiful Eva, his only ally who helps him evade the authorities and others who he is trying so desperately to escape. In order to clear his name, he must find Kaplan, the man he has been mistaken for, however this will never be easy while he is on the run as a fugitive. A classic performance from Cary Grant is perhaps most of the reason for the film's success but everyone is familiar with the now famous scene on the runway when Thornhill must run for his life. Following filming, very little editing took place as the end result was considered near perfect. Hitchcock's passion for his projects knew no bounds, imagine a director introducing his film in a trailer like the one below!
2. Rear Window
Recently remade as the poor Disturbia which solely seemed like an excuse to cash in, Rear Window is not only essential viewing on the Hitchcock list but is essential viewing in general. An injured photographer Jeff (Jimmy Stewart), wheelchair and house bound, becomes obsessed with the lives of the neighbours he can view through the back window of his apartment, much to the annoyance of his sometime girlfriend, Lisa. When Jeff thinks he has discovered the truth behind one of the neighbours, his involvement becomes both damaging and dangerous for the couple. Rear Window is without a shadow of a doubt, an absolute masterpiece, the suspense literally reaching a level that is almost unbearable when Jeff sends Lisa to the other apartment to discover his neighbour's dark secrets. Ignore the Shia LeBeouf remake, this is the only version you will ever need to watch.
1. Psycho
Hitchcoks' entire directorial persona culminated in THE horror masterpiece of the century. If you haven't seen Psycho, this is top of your Hitchcock list. Filmed entirely in black and white, Hitchcock felt the violent nature of the film was too much for audiences to bear in colour. Psycho initially follows the story of Marion Crane, a young secretary who steals a fortune from her boss and must go on the run. Needing a place to stay for the night, she pulls into Bates Motel where she encounters a young man who is not all he seems. Hitchcock literally changed history with Psycho, it is impossible to fathom how important the piece is, its leading lady killed off within the opening stages of the film, the violence which was rarely seen on the big screen and the absolute horror in the reveal of what Bates is hiding will never escape your memory. We can't stress this enough, Psycho is no doubt one of the greatest films of the last century, if not ever.
Want to find out more about the man behind the movies? Check out Hitchcock which hits Irish cinema’s on February 8th
