How does one begin to sum up Alfred Hitchcock? He’s one of the most iconic directors of all time — his name rings a bell to film scholars and casual moviegoers alike, and his influence on cinema and television can still be seen and felt today. He was an innovator, a workaholic, a perfectionist, a legend. His treatment of actors is controversial — he was notorious (no pun intended) for referring to them as cattle — but he always managed to get great performances out of them, despite a less-than-ethical approach.
Looking back on his career, it’s easy to call him a master. His films accumulated 50 Oscar nominations — never a win, though. In his 80 years on earth, Hitchcock undoubtedly left quite the legacy. Over 50 feature films, two long-running television series, and countless projects that never made it past pre-production (not to mention the plethora of filmmaking techniques he created). At the end of the day, there are ten films that defined his career as one of the world’s most notable filmmakers.
Psycho
Even if you’re the most laid-back movie watcher, you definitely know Psycho. The shower scene, the creepy score, the infamous stills — not only is it a pillar of 20th-century filmmaking, it’s a pillar of the pop culture pantheon. (The television series Bates Motel and the 90s remake no doubt brought in more viewers, as well.) It’s Hitchcock at the very top of his game.
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Rear Window
While Psycho might be Hitchcock’s best and most recognizable film, Rear Window might be his most mimicked. How many films have you seen where a man looks through his blinds at the woman across the street? How many films have used this trope, the idea of the woman next door and the secrets that might be hiding right outside the window? The film’s plot incredibly thrilling and it’s spectacularly made.
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Vertigo
Hitchcock’s 1958 film Vertigo, like the two films we’ve listed before it, is a masterpiece. Not many directors can boast about having three masterpieces under their belt, but Hitchcock is certainly one who can. James Stewart stars as a former detective who wrestles with his past trauma as he falls deeper and deeper into an obsession with a beautiful woman. Of these top three films, Vertigo might be the most unknown — the title might ring a bell, but anyone who hasn’t seen it should make it a priority.
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North by Northwest
Starring Cary Grant, Hitchcock’s North by Northwest is a classic example of the “falsely accused man on the run.” It’s also one of Hitchcock’s longest films, but you’d hardly be able to tell — once the story kicks in, it doesn’t stop. It’s a stupendous tour-de-force for Hitchcock and Grant alike.
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Rebecca
Nearly 80 years after its release, Rebecca remains one of the most profound psychological thrillers in film history. It explores the corrosive and destructive nature of a toxic relationship (which might sound familiar to anyone who saw Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread), with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine giving performances of a lifetime. Rebecca is one of Hitchcock’s most confounding films, but its sheer significance is undeniable.
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Notorious
While the film is difficult to find today, Notorious’s placement on this list is indisputable. Starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, the movie is a thrilling and suspenseful adventure about a US agent and the daughter of a German war criminal as they attempt to bring the Nazis to justice in the wake of World War II. The film is a great reminder of Hitchcock’s lasting imprint on the suspense genre.
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Rope
One aspect of Hitchcock’s career is his willingness to embrace new techniques and technologies in his films. Rope is no exception — the entire thing plays out as if it were filmed in a single take. There are no visible cuts, almost as if the cast and crew completed the movie in one day without stopping the camera once. Of course, Hitchcock just utilized camera tricks and movie magic to create this effect, but it’s incredible how he was able to do that in 1948.
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Strangers on a Train
Many of Hitchcock’s films come from previous works — whether it be a play or a novel, he often draws inspiration from many different sources. Strangers on a Train is one such example—it’s adapted from a novel of the same name. Hitchcock delivers a classic crime thriller with his adaptation, and the end result really is something timeless.
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Dial M for Murder
Based on the play of the same name, Hitchcock’s adaptation takes on a similar approach to the stage production — it mostly takes place in an apartment, complete with captivating monologues and suspenseful twists. That’s why it’s so interesting that, despite its relatively plain setting, the film was released in 3D all the way back in 1954. The movie is ingenious, and it’s not just because of the early embrace of futuristic filmmaking technology.
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Shadow of a Doubt
Hitchcock’s 1943 examination of small-town darkness and family drama is nothing short of gripping. It’s one of his least grounded and implausible films, but it’s no matter — the movie is still as superb as we’d expect any Hitchcock film to be. It’s a satisfyingly deep examination of the suburban psyche, complete with a knockout performance from Joseph Cotten.
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