National Alfred Hitchcock Day

National Alfred Hitchcock Day, is annually celebrated on March 12^th. It is a wonderful chance to celebrate the life, times, and work of master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock.

History of National Alfred Hitchcock Day

Known as The Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock is celebrated every year on March 12. It is not the birthday or death of Hitchcock, and it is unclear why it is celebrated this time. May be because March 12 is the televised anniversary of his American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Awards? Or was the March 1939 contract that brought him to Hollywood signed on March 12? The press covered his contract story on March 17. Whatever the reason, it's bound to be a day that puts you in your chair.

Alfred Hitchcock is best known for making horror films. He blends suspense, humor and sex, and uses a variety of motifs and devices, such as MacGuffin, to fuel his complex and engaging plots. His career is often divided into four periods: the silent period, the British period, the Hollywood era of the 1940s, and his most artistically successful period - which took place during the 1950s and early 1990s. 1960s.

The date of birth of Alfred Hitchcock was August 13, 1899. He was born in Leytonstone, England. He lived with his parents Emma and William with two siblings, and grew up as an isolated and lonely child suffering from obesity. He was frequently subjected to harsh punishment from his parents, which later influenced his work, appearing in one of his recurring themes: a man being wrongly punished. The major of Hitchcock was engineering but later he chosen to become a draftsman and designer. He worked at W.T.'s Telegraph Works Company. It was at that time that his interest in cinema began, and he began going to the cinema and reading American trade magazines. It is time that his creative endeavors began. He published short stories for Henley's in-house magazine, the Henley Telegraph.

His film career began in 1920 when he began illustrating title cards for silent films at Paramount Pictures-Lasky's acclaimed London studio, where he soon became head of the department. There, he got the knowledge about screenwriting, editing and art directing skills, and met his future wife and collaborator, Alma Reville. They got married in 1927 and a following year, they had a daughter, Patricia.

The first period of his directorial career began in 1922 when he directed his first short film, Number 13. However, the film was abandoned. The Pleasure Garden (1925) was his first feature film. In 1927, he directed The Lodger, a groundbreaking film whose elements often appeared in his later works: an innocent protagonist wrongly accused and caught up in a conspiracy.

His first walkie-talkie was Blackmail (1929), which introduced him to his so-called British period. One notable film from this period was The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), which was a huge commercial and critical hit. This is the place where he introduced the MacGuffin at first. It is a device where characters focus on something, but nothing is clearly defined for the viewer. After the release of The Lady Vanishes (1938), Hollywood took notice, and the next phase of his work opened up.

In March 1939, Hitchcock signed a seven-year contract with producer David O. Selznick and quickly headed to Hollywood. His American film debut was Rebecca (1940), starring Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier. This film was also nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won Best Picture. One of his most critically acclaimed films, Shadow of a Doubt, was released in 1943, and Lifeboat, released the following year, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. In 1945, he made a psychotherapy film, named Spellbound that marked the first of three films in which he collaborated with Ingrid Bergman. The film also stars Gregory Peck, and Hitchcock was again nominated for Best Director. Notorious (1946), with the participants of Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Raines, is voted as a love story more mature than previous Hitchcock works. His first color film was Rope (1948), which was also his first collaboration with James Stewart. It's also notable for several long shots that have been edited together to appear as one long shot.

His fourth period, from about 1950 to the beginning of the following decade, was considered as the most successful phrase. It is Strangers on a Train (1951), a successful comeback after several misses in the late 1940s. It was followed by I Confess (1953), Dial M for Murder (1954), and Behind the Eyes (1954) - starring Grace Kelly and James Stewart.

In 1955, Hitchcock began working in television with Alfred Hitchcock Presents, a half-hour show that aired on CBS and NBC until 1965 its name was changed to The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in 1962 episodes were featured by Hitchcock, and the show catapulted him to even greater popularity.

In 1956, he remade The Man Who Knew Too Much, with James Stewart and Doris Day in the lead roles. Although not initially appreciated commercially or critically, Vertigo (1958) is now considered a masterpiece. It featured James Stewart in his last collaboration with Hitchcock. What followed was another one of Hitchcock's true masterpieces, North by Northwest (1959), starring Cary Grant (in his last Hitchcock film) and Eva Marie Saint. It includes action sequences, such as Grant being chased by a crop sweeper, and Saint and Grant clinging to life on the face of Mount Rushmore. It has suspense, a love story, a dramatic score, and innovative cinematography. This was followed by another one of Hitchcock's best films, Psycho (1960), a controversial thriller heavy on sex and violence. In its most iconic scene, a naked Janet Leigh is stabbed to death in a shower, which creates more shock than suspense upon release. This is one of the most memorable scenes in cinematic history and has influenced later killer movies. The perpetrator of Leigh's death was Norman Bates, a psychotic killer who took on the personality of his dead mother. Bates is played by Anthony Perkins. The last film in Hitchcock's heyday was The Birds (1963), a horror thriller with birds attacking and killing townspeople. It was a both financial and critical success that Hitchcock would not achieve again.

The Birds were followed by mediocre films and poor health. Hitchcock returned to England for Frenzy (1972), and his last film was Family Conspiracy (1976). He then turned to taking care of his own health, and that of his wife Alma, who had suffered a stroke. On March 9, 1979, he was awarded the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. Later that year, he was knighted and became Sir Alfred Hitchcock. After the death of The Master of Suspense on April 29, 1980, he continued to be widely influential after his death, and there is still a great deal of interest in his work. So we celebrate him today.

Why we love Alfred Hitchcock

• He is the master of suspense

Hitchcock perfected the film's use of suspense, creating an unsettlingly unsettling experience for viewers and pioneering the modern psychological horror genre.

• A master creator

Hitchcock created many new cinematographic techniques, including the "Jaws shot". Hitchcock pioneered this zoom technique to simulate a character's point of view.

• He worked his way

Alfred Hitchcock began his career designing title cards for silent films. He quickly rose through the industry, becoming an assistant manager within a few years.

Interesting facts about Alfred Hitchcock

• More and more

It is believed that giving more information for viewers can create suspense by showing the audience dangers unnoticed by the character, keeping them on the edge of the seat while the hero is in trouble. .

• Ready for my close-up

Hitchcock pioneered the use of close-up photos that were stitched together to tell a story. This technique gives directors more control over what they show the audience and when.

• Contrasting situations

Hitchcock often tells two contrasting stories side-by-side to build suspense, distract audiences, and act as a primer for real action-packed action.

• Natural camera working

With a basic knowledge in silent films, Hitchcock realize the importance of visual storytelling by including close-ups, zooms and panning shots that evoke the feeling of a person actually looking around the room.

• MacGuffin

Hitchcock popularized the term "MacGuffin", a designation for an item in the film that serves as a plot booster and character motivation, but by itself isn't really important.

Celebrating Alfred Hitchcock Day

• Gather your friends and do a marathon in the Hitchcock movie. Some of his more famous films include Psycho, Vertigo, and The Birds.
• One of the unique things about Hitchcock's films is that he's played a cameo in most of them. So while watching the Hitchcock movie marathon, play Hitchcock's spot game. Whoever shows up with the most guests wins?
• Throw an Alfred Hitchcock themed party. Decorate your venue with bird-related props. Serve your guests pecan pie (from Marnie), Moroccan tagine (from The Man Who Knew Too Much) and Chicken (from Notorious). Screen Murder Party, an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presented to your guests.