A Year of Hitchcock: 52 Weeks with the Master of Suspense

by Jim McDevitt, Eric San Juan

Alfred Hitchcock's career spanned more than five decades, during which he directed more than 50 films, many of them indisputable Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Psycho, among others. In A Year of 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.

426 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 2011

Reviews

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started to follow the plan. Finished the first films already; I’d seen The Lodger before, but enjoyed The Ring more than I expected.
The information on which discs to purchase might be helpful. I found great visual copies of these two silent films on TUBI for free (commercials included). Both were Studio Canal reissues.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a book I dipped in and out of...I'm not an obsessive Hitchcock fan, but there are a number of his movies I love and I also love a good program guide. I'm also impressed that this included his famous TV series as part of the entries, which is often overlooked and dismissed. If you're a Hitchcock devotee, you will thoroughly enjoy this volume.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some chapters are better than others, but overall, a worthy read if you are a Hitchcock aficionado

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well organized, and surprisingly informative for how compact it is. It's honestly faster to grab this off my shelf than to turn to Google when I need a quick answer to a Hitchcock question, which happens more often than one might think. Whether you're a dedicated Hitchcock fan or just looking to become one, this is a highly recommended purchase.

[John Stanton]

A great overview of all the films. I really like the concise entries, with enough detail to still offer depth, but not so much that you get swamped with information. A good quick reference book.