I am a huge Alfred Hitchcock enthusiast.

I had extremely high expectations for this book.

However, I was severely disappointed as it failed to meet the promise of its title.

The book, which was supposed to be a detailed exploration of Hitchcock's works and techniques,

turned out to be rather lackluster.

It didn't offer any new or profound insights into the master filmmaker's genius.

The writing was dry and unengaging,

making it a chore to get through.

Despite my initial excitement,

this book ended up being a letdown for me as a die-hard Hitchcock fan.

I had hoped for a more in-depth and captivating analysis,

but unfortunately, that was not the case.

Perhaps there are other books out there that can do justice to the great Alfred Hitchcock.

Until then, I will continue to search for a more satisfying exploration of his cinematic legacy.

I'm truly torn when it comes to my feelings about reading this book. On one hand, I have an absolute love for this man's work. However, I hesitated to learn more about him because I knew he was a pervert and had a reputation for sexual harassment, which was more tolerated during his heyday but is completely unacceptable now. I wonder why I don't boycott him like I do others. Where are my principles in this regard? Am I so obsessed with Hitchcock's work that I won't allow myself to give it up? Well, after reading the book, I have to say that he was even weirder than I thought. Yep, he's a perv. He did some really rotten things to several women, including Tippi Hedren, Ingrid Berman, Kim Novak, and even his own daughter Patricia Hitchcock. He's a total jerk.

He had an unhappy childhood and lived a life filled with crazy quirks and anxieties. He had few to no friends, and his only confidante was his wife and partner, Alma. I have to admit that I'm glad he directed those films because perhaps otherwise he might have been a rapist or murderer. It was truly an obsession of his. He was a complete weirdo but also a brilliant man. It's quite scary. The book was well-written. It was tough to read about him. He was a great artist and director.

My favorite film is Lifeboat, closely followed by Rear Window, The Birds, Rope, Strangers on a Train, Vertigo, Rebecca, Saboteur, Notorious, Suspicion, The Wrong Man, and Dial M For Murder. Less beloved but always watchable are Torn Curtain, The Man Who Knew Too Much, North by Northwest, To Catch a Thief, Family Plot, and Marnie. Painful to watch are Frenzy, The Trouble with Harry, and Topaz.

Very interesting insights into the movie business were presented in this work. It was truly engaging to get a peek into the mind of Hitchcock. However, overall, I couldn't help but notice that there was a significant amount of repetitiveness. This made the reading experience a bit tiresome at times. I firmly believe that the book could have been shortened without losing its essence. By the time I got done with reading, I just wanted to be done. I felt that some of the points could have been made more concisely, allowing for a more streamlined and enjoyable read. Nevertheless, the interesting aspects about the movie business and Hitchcock's mind were still valuable and值得 exploring further.

Excellent book!

If you have an interest in the life, career, and films of Alfred Hitchcock, this is the book for you.

It is impressively researched and documented, containing detailed insights into his life, films, themes, and working relationships with his collaborators.

Particularly, it delves into his obsessive love/hate relationships with many of his lead actresses.

Although it's a big book, I never found it boring.

In fact, I often had trouble putting it down.

The author has done a remarkable job of presenting a comprehensive and engaging account of Hitchcock's life and work.

Whether you're a die-hard Hitchcock fan or simply interested in the history of cinema, this book is well worth reading.

It offers a fascinating look into the mind of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and provides valuable context for understanding his films.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Hitchcock or the world of film.

An interesting book indeed!

I firmly believe that it was the very first biography of Hitchcock penned after his passing. As a result, Spoto's respectful yet unyieldingly grim perspective on the subject made a profound and lasting impression on the public.

Over the subsequent decades, numerous other biographies have emerged. These later works might perhaps take a more sympathetic stance towards the great director.

Each biography offers a unique lens through which to view Hitchcock's life and career. Some may focus on his artistic achievements, while others might delve deeper into his personal life and the demons that haunted him.

Regardless of the approach, all of these biographies contribute to our understanding of one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema.

As we continue to study and appreciate Hitchcock's work, these biographies serve as valuable resources that help us to piece together the complex puzzle of his life.

Alfred Hitchcock is rapidly emerging as one of my most cherished film directors, and there are excellent reasons for this.

He had an uncanny ability to delve into the most basic and primal emotions, a feat that eluded many others in the industry.

It is for this very reason that I have developed a profound love for this biography penned by Donald Spoto.

Given that he was prominently featured in the various retrospective documentaries accompanying the fifteen films I watched last month, I knew without a doubt that I had to get my hands on this book.

He seemed to be the ultimate interpreter of Hitchcock's body of work and personality.

While the biography is arranged in the typical chronological fashion, Spoto skillfully weaves in his own assessment of Hitchcock's psychology and how it manifested in his art.

This aspect was truly captivating and prevented the book from being a mere run-of-the-mill list of facts and filmography.

It is also filled to the brim with anecdotes and footnotes that offer additional depth and insight.

From a literary standpoint, it ranks among the best biographies I have ever read.

I was able to breeze through it with ease because I was so deeply invested in the material and the engaging way it was presented.

Although I was somewhat familiar with certain aspects of Hitchcock's personal life, there were specific details revealed towards the end of his career that alternately made my stomach churn and yet still evoked a sense of pity for him.

In no small measure, I feel the latter because I察觉到 a great deal of psychological similarities between him and myself, at least in the way we approach human relationships.

If you have even the slightest interest in film history, or Hitchcock in particular, I would highly recommend this biography.

It is well-structured, enjoyable to read, and contains a wealth of information and astute analysis.

Savory for Hitchcock fans. This phrase holds a special allure for those who are passionate about the works of the great Alfred Hitchcock. For Hitchcock enthusiasts, every detail, every plot twist, and every character in his movies is like a delicious morsel to savor. The suspense, the mystery, the psychological depth - all these elements come together to create a cinematic experience that is truly savory.

Hitchcock's films are known for their ability to keep audiences on the edge of their seats, guessing and speculating until the very end. His masterful use of camera angles, lighting, and sound adds an extra layer of tension and excitement to the story. Whether it's the iconic shower scene in "Psycho" or the thrilling pursuit in "North by Northwest," Hitchcock's movies are filled with moments that are both unforgettable and savory.

For fans, watching a Hitchcock film is not just about being entertained; it's about delving into the mind of a genius and experiencing the art of filmmaking at its finest. The savory nature of Hitchcock's works lies in their ability to engage the senses, stimulate the imagination, and leave a lasting impression. So, if you're a Hitchcock fan, prepare to savor the deliciousness that his movies have to offer.

This is an excellent biography.

It provides in-depth insights into the life and work of the subject. The chapters that deal with Hitchcock's treatment of Vera Miles, Audrey Hepburn, and especially Tippi Hedren are extremely hard to read.

The details presented are quite disturbing and show a side of Hitchcock that is not often discussed. However, I really appreciate that the author didn't gloss over these aspects as if they didn't matter.

By addressing them head-on, the author gives a more complete and accurate picture of Hitchcock.

This allows the reader to form a more nuanced understanding of the man and his work.

Overall, this biography is a must-read for anyone interested in Hitchcock or the history of cinema.

This must be the best that Spoto has written, but not the book that this genius deserved.

Although it is true that at the time it appeared, there was little literature on Hitch, aside from his interviews with Truffaut, some scattered analyses, and the then - and still today - almost unfindable book by Robin Wood, published in the 60s by Cineclub Núcleo and very difficult to find used (I have a photocopy).

Where it stumbles the most is when attempting to relate the sexual obsessions of his entire filmography with Hitch's own sexual life. Spoto goes so far as to assert, based on his own suppositions, that for half a century Sir Alfred had no sex at all (not even with his wife), but did have many fantasies about all those blondes who, inevitably, abandoned him for other directors, princes, or ordinary mortals.

This kind of speculation may make for an interesting read, but it lacks solid evidence. It is important to approach the study of a filmmaker's work with objectivity and respect for the facts. While it is tempting to draw connections between a director's personal life and their art, we must be careful not to overreach or make unfounded assumptions.

Perhaps a more in-depth and comprehensive study of Hitchcock's films, focusing on their themes, techniques, and historical context, would provide a more accurate and valuable understanding of his genius.

It's truly well-written. Even though I had a certain degree of knowledge about some of these matters, the majority of it was still new to me. Some of the details presented made me pause and question my existing respect for the director. However, there were also aspects that further deepened my respect for him. After all, this article vividly illustrates Hitchcock as he was in real life. He was a person with profound flaws, yet at the same time, he was an absolute cinematic genius. His complex personality and remarkable talent combined to create a body of work that has had a lasting impact on the world of cinema. We can't help but be both intrigued and impressed by the man who was Alfred Hitchcock.

It probably shouldn't be a surprise considering Hitchcock's subject matter that he had some inner demons. These demons, in a strange way, paid off on the screen. His works often delved into the darker aspects of human nature, creating a sense of tension and mystery that captivated audiences. However, it was not without a cost. The blond beauties who appeared in his films often went through the ringer. They were subjected to intense emotional and psychological turmoil, which was vividly portrayed on the screen. Their experiences added another layer of complexity to Hitchcock's already fascinating films, making them some of the most memorable in cinematic history.

What I Liked

This book was extremely interesting. It posed numerous questions regarding Hitchcock and his art. It made for a very engaging and frequently entertaining read. The author delved deep into Hitchcock's life and work, providing valuable insights and perspectives. It was fascinating to learn about the various aspects of Hitchcock's creative process and how his unique vision influenced the world of cinema.

What I Didn't Like

I had the impression that the author had a tendency to overemphasize Hitchcock's weight at times when it wasn't entirely relevant to the points he was trying to make. While it's true that Hitchcock's obesity was significant in certain aspects of his life, such as his relationships with women and his self-perception, and it was also a result of using food as a means to cope with emotional wounds, the problem was that the author often allowed his focus to shift to Hitchcock's weight when it had little or no connection to the topic at hand. For example, he might say something like 'Hitchcock started filming (insert movie title) and at that time he weighed a grotesque...' This detracted from the overall flow and coherence of the book.