ARTH3926: The Cinema of Alfred Hitchcock

This course examines the achievement and significance of Alfred Hitchcock. It will consider his entire career, including both the British and American periods, his major films and his television program, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The course will address his characteristic themes and concerns (the double, the relationship between criminality and legality, the play of suspense and surprise); the traditions that shaped him (the Gothic in literature and theater; Victorian melodrama) and the influence he had on other films and filmmakers (the horror film, the political thriller); his significance in relation to the history of film criticism and scholarship (auteurist, feminist, queer). Students will gain a thorough knowledge of Hitchcock and the biographical, historical, technological, industrial, aesthetic issues surrounding his achievement. They will gain practical experience in analyzing films and addressing the critical issues raised by the media in contemporary society.

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