Top Ten Alfred Hitchcock Films

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Top Ten Alfred Hitchcock Films

Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, is without any doubt my absolute favorite movie director. Not even Billy Wilder comes close. Yes, he stayed mostly in one genre, but he excelled so much in the thriller/horror space that I doubt that any other director would ever come close to his caliber in that genre. He made a lot of movies during his career and I have watched thirty of them so far. Limiting the list to only ten will be difficult, but here we are.

10. Frenzy

Yes, this very late movie, coming in 1972, is his last masterpiece and undoubtedly one of his most shamelessly underrated efforts. Alec McCowen and Vivien Merchant are absolutely hilarious in their culinary mishaps and their very witty sequences serve so well as a counteract against what is otherwise a very dark, violent movie. It’s so well shot, immensely suspenseful and incredibly realistic in the killer himself while also benefiting from added 70s violence and nudity which was interesting to witness in a film by a classic director such as Hitchcock.

9. The Birds

The Birds isn’t his most profound movie obviously as it lacks thematically speaking and is overtly vague in the birds’ goal, but the film still works as a masterful blockbuster from the sixties. It paid off to not have a score and thus the suspense is even more palpable. The characterization is superb as is the dialogue. But above all else the movie succeeds in both the romance and the horror genres as it’s distinctly different in its two halves. Also, it’s undoubtedly the director’s most unabashedly fun flick.

8. Strangers on a Train

Strangers on a Train definitely isn’t as great upon second viewing, but it’s still one of his most distinctly playful, dynamic and consistently riveting thrillers. Its striking, noirish black-and-white cinematography is stunning, but its villain is certainly the film’s most fascinating, complex aspect. And of course the homoerotic relationship between the two men is interesting and a lot of fun. I did not particularly like its ending, but I did love a lot of the scenes here and I especially respected how well they utilized on an already killer premise.

7. Suspicion

Joan Fontaine got an Oscar for Suspicion in the only Oscar-winning performance in a Hitchcock film. It’s a high-caliber movie that was also nominated for Best Picture and deservedly so as it’s phenomenally acted, directed and scripted. The same I said about ‘The Birds’ above also applies here – the first half starts as a romance which later delves into psychological thriller territory. The latter half is terrific and so effective, but I just adored the screwball elements in the former half which were new and highly welcome for the director.

6. North by Northwest

This is another one of his spectacle movies, probably his most spectacular of all as it features many iconic set pieces, especially the finale, and a lot of instantly memorable, true classic action sequences. Cary Grant is phenomenal here in what is definitely his most action-oriented role, the thriller elements are fantastic and some scenes are perfectly constructed in their suspense. I also really liked its playful nature and strong humor. The acting is strong across the board and the film is simply one of the coolest thrillers ever made.

5. Rope

With the groundbreaking and still finest use of the long take, Rope truly is exceptionally shot and continually inventive in its format. Its attention to detail is meticulous and its craftsmanship is evident from the terrific dialogue, great themes and a fantastic, well utilized, but pleasantly simple setting and premise. The two characters are very interesting, their relationship is fascinating and of course the psychology is complex. It’s the simplest of all Hitchcock films, but still one of his best.

4. Rebecca

Mrs. Danvers is one of the finest screen villains ever created as the woman who is bound to get chills to your bone. The top-notch performances from its great cast and a fantastic script also make Rebecca a Gothic classic that it is to this day. It’s one of the most atmospheric and mysterious films from this age and it’s beautifully shot with some amazing interior and set work. It’s the most old-fashioned of the director’s films, but also the most classical and simply elegant. Its Best Picture win wasn’t really earned, but at least he got one of his movies in there.

3. Vertigo

There are a lot of critics out there who would consider Vertigo to be the pinnacle of Hitch’s career. I personally am not one of them as I find the film flawed in some areas and certainly not perfect. However, it still remains a deeply haunting tale of obsession, the one which features an unforgettable, hurtful romance and two amazing performances from Kim Novak and James Stewart. Extreme technical prowess and dreamlike quality make Vertigo one of the craziest, most intriguing and simply authentic experiences you can have watching a film.

2. Psycho

Unnerving and definitely quite creepy in a couple of iconic sequences, Psycho is a pure horror film and in my opinion the best one ever made. Ominous and gorgeously shot, phenomenally paced and highly sophisticated and groundbreaking thematically and psychologically speaking, Psycho also features one of the best, most complex villains ever in Norman Bates. The finale is unforgettable as is that shower scene accompanied by that horrifying shrieking score. It’s truly his masterpiece which would be his finest achievement hadn’t it not been for…

1. Rear Window

Yes, Rear Window ended up on top as the second perfect Hitchcock film. The editing is flawless, the cinematography is stellar and the storytelling is very inventive. Grace Kelly is at the top of her game whereas James Stewart is reliably outstanding himself. It’s sophisticated in dialogue, palpably intense in many of its scenes and obviously innovative in the use of its one set, the film is also frequently quite touching and admirably progressive in its feminism. Rear Window truly is Alfred Hitchcock’s magnum opus and one of Hollywood’s best films of all time.

Honorable Mentions:

Notorious – This 40s thriller is slow at first, but thrilling later on. Again it has many iconic scenes from the prolonged kiss to the suspenseful stellar sequence. Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant are both reliably amazing, the script is strong and the film is one of the director’s most elegant and stylish offerings.

The Lady Vanishes – It has a needlessly extended first act, but otherwise The Lady Vanishes is easily Hitch’s best film from the thirties and his British years. It has an involving story, a fine set of actors/characters and strong spy elements accompanied by a brisk, dynamic energy and a fine entertainment factor to it.

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog – Although too happy in its ending, The Lodger is still one terrific early film for Hitchcock who managed to bypass the silent format restrictions and still create a thrilling movie, especially for its time. The script is excellent, the film is quite engaging and particularly pleasing aesthetically.

Lifeboat – Lifeboat is by far one of the director’s most underrated movies with one hell of a memorable turn from Tallulah Bankhead and a terrific set of characters and dilemmas that develop between them. It’s another of his classic confined space films that entirely happens on one boat and still manages to be immensely involving.

Shadow of a Doubt – It is overly predictable in its plot, but otherwise Shadow of a Doubt is effective in how it’s shot and in its reliably strong suspense. The characters are superbly developed plus Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten are both fabulous. It’s far from his greatest works, but still very much deserving an honorable mention.