Halloween + Hitchcock

October 31st, 2012

TV, Audio & Electronics

Whether you’re going all out with an evil costume and pumpkin carving, or you simply want to take the opportunity to indulge in a scary movie or two, there is no denying it … Halloween is upon us!

Whatever October 31 means to you, there is no better time than to look back through popular culture to one of the pioneers of suspense and thrillers in cinema.

While modern-day horror movies such as Dawn of the Dead and Saw have attracted many fans, it is hard to beat viewing the classic works of Alfred Hitchcock on the scariest night of the year.

Psycho (1960)

Home of the iconic horror movie shower scene and the accompanying screeching violin score, Psycho features all of the essential ingredients for a thriller – robbery, murder, lies and jealousy.

Psycho earned four Academy Award nominations and was selected to be preserved by the Library of Congress at the US National Film Registry in 1992.

But it was the cultural impact that the black-and-white film had – thanks to one of the most terrifying scenes ever filmed – that makes Psycho the classic that it is today.

Vertigo (1958)

Recently voted by the British Film Institute as the best film of all time in the 2012 Sight & Sound decade poll, Vertigo is considered by many as Hitchcock’s greatest work.

Starring James Stewart and Kim Novak, the film tells the story of a former police officer – who suffers from acrophobia and vertigo – and his job as a private investigator instructed to follow a suicidal woman.

Even though Vertigo received mixed reviews when it was first released, and despite coming at the peak of Hitchcock’s career, the movie is praised for its unique camera angles and nail-biting suspense.

The Birds (1963)

While some may consider The Birds to be the last of Hitchcock’s “great” works, it was also one of the most expensive productions that the director worked on.

The horror/fantasy plot sees a young couple fall in love while birds begin to attack townsmen in increasing numbers and viciousness.

Instilling a fear of flighted fowl in most of those who watched the film, Hitchcock reportedly took things one step further on-set – ditching the robotic birds developed for the film in favour of real birds for the infamous schoolhouse scene.

Still need more Hitchcock horrors? Other honourable mentions include Dial M for Murder, Rear Window and Strangers on a Train.

If you’re thinking about hosting a horror movie night – on October 31 or anytime of the year – enhance the experience by upgrading to a plasma TV and Blu-ray home theatre system.