Pop some popcorn and kick off your very own Hitchcock film fest with this documentary that centers on the famous week-long interview of Alfred Hitchcock by fellow filmmaker Francois Truffaut: “Hitchcock/Truffaut The Timeless Legacy of Alfred Hitchcock.” While revealing a lifelong friendship between the two directors, the film makes some interesting points about the work of Alfred Hitchcock. For instance, his status as an auteur was granted him by the filmmakers of the French New Wave, his silent film career informed his style as cinema transitioned to talkies, and his vision was singular and highly controlled with only a few collaborators allowed into his process.
Once you’ve gotten a little background knowledge on this famous director, Kanopy is loaded with a considerable sampling of his work, most notably his early silent films. You’ll also find “Blackmail,” Hitchcock’s first talkie, and you’ll see his budding talent for suspense in “Jamaica Inn” and “Dial M for Murder.”
Finally, I wouldn’t be a worthy librarian if I didn’t also mention that this interview between Truffaut and Hitchcock also spawned a classic text, often considered a seminal work in the study of cinema. You can check out “Hitchcock/Truffaut (Revised Edition)” right here at your local library!
If the Truffaut documentary and other Kanopy holdings tempt you to explore more of the Hitchcock catalog, you can easily find films that show the director in full mastery of his art at the library. Classic films like “Vertigo,” “Rear Window,” “The Birds,” and “Notorious” are waiting for you on our shelves. Sure, you could pay for them on streaming platforms like Apple TV or Amazon Prime, but why?
Kanopy’s Hitchcock Films
“The Ring,” 1927
Silent Film
A young boxer gets revenge in and outside of the ring.
“Champagne,” 1928
Silent film
This film was panned by critics and later dismissed by Hitchcock himself as a movie searching for a plot.
“The Farmer’s Wife,” 1928
Silent film
Local landowner seeks a wife.
“The Manxman,” 1929
Silent film
Fisherman Pete and lawyer Philip vie for the heart of Kate, the landlord’s daughter.
“Blackmail,” 1929
Feature film
Hitchock’s first talkie.
“Murder!,” 1930
Feature film
A former juror seeks to exonerate the woman he convicted of murder.
“The Skin Game,” 1931
Feature film
Landed gentry defend tradition.
“Rich and Strange: East of Shanghai,” 1931
Feature film
Money breaks apart a married couple.
“Number Seventeen,” 1932
Feature film
Thieves attempt to elude a determined detective.
“The Man Who Knew Too Much,” 1934
Feature film
A young Peter Lorre does his creepy best in this film about an ordinary couple whose child is kidnapped in Switzerland. Hitchcock would later remake this film (1956) with bigger Hollywood names and an altered plot (but he still hired Lorre the second time around!).
“Jamaica Inn,” 1939
Feature film
Based on the novel by Daphne Du Maurier. A young woman discovers she’s surrounded by criminals, but that doesn’t stop her from trying to foil their evil ways!
“Dial M for Murder,” 1954
Feature film
A slimy ex-tennis pro plots to have his wife murdered and spends the rest of the time trying to cover up his misdeeds.
