Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius (1999) (TV)

Director:

Ted Haimes

Writer:

Ted Haimes (writer)

Release Date:

13 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography

Plot:

This documentary is a fascinating look at the cinematic genius of Alfred Hitchcock. Briefly covering much of his early British works...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kevin Spacey	...	Narrator (voice)
Jonathan Demme	...	Himself
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself (archive footage)
Joseph Stefano	...	Himself
John Michael Hayes	...	Himself
Janet Leigh	...	Herself
Brian De Palma	...	Himself
Curtis Hanson	...	Himself
Patricia Hitchcock	...	Herself (as Pat Hitchcock O'Connell)
Alma Reville	...	Herself (archive footage)
Norman Lloyd	...	Himself
Herb Steinberg	...	Himself
Peter Bogdanovich	...	Himself
Robert E. Kapsis	...	Himself
Ronald Neame	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Dial H Hitchcock: The Genius Behind the Showman
Dial H for Hitchcock (Canada: English title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario)

Company:

Rocket Science Laboratories

Movie Connections:

References To Catch a Thief (1955)

superficial but watchable

This might be a fine documentary to watch if you've never seen anything at all on Hitchcock before; it gives you the basic facts and a chronology of his career and all that. But for anyone with any actual familiarity with Hitchcock, this will all have been seen before.

This documentary is basically a pedestrian retelling of Hitchcock's film life. It rarely dips beneath the surface. Surprisingly, the most interesting comments on Hitchcock's approach to film are made not by the directors and academicians but by actresses who have worked with him. But the documentary fails to shed any light on what makes Hitchcock important, or give any insights into his artistry. It just tells you he is important and artistic.

I wouldn't say this was without any merit at all. There is an occasional interesting comment, or brief snippet of film, that is worthwhile. But it is very weak.