Which Hitch book to read?

On 01 Feb 2004 03:38:45 GMT, billybond.DeleteThis@aol.com.exx (Bill Warren)
wrote:

>>From: "Ray" maisanoNO.DeleteThis@SPAMmindspring.com
>
>>Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light by Patrick McGilligan
>>
>>Hitchcock/Truffaut
>>
>>Or one of the Donald Spoto books?
>
>Hitchcock/Truffaut is radically different from the McGilligan book, which is a
>biography. I suspect it will be reasonably good; his book on Jack Nicholson
>was reasonable, though I was disappointed in the one on Fritz Lang.
>

I'm about half way through the McGilligan book and believe it will
appeal to most Hitchcock fans.

As far as the OP question about critical reviews of Hitch's films -
this seems to be a lacking area ...
 >> Stay informed about: Which Hitch book to read? 

=I think Robin Wood's _Hitchcock's Films Revisited_ (1989) is the best
critical study of H.'s major films ever published.

=You can find biographical material about Hitchcock everywhere. One of
the best interviews (and the most famous) is the one by Truffaut.
Revised Edition. (Correction: Trufffaut's Interview of H. is the best,
not just one of the best.)

=Ken Mogg's book, The Alfred Hitchcock Story,
abridged edition, is a lovely book, but it has no
Index, and I hate that in this kind of a book. And I can't find his
unabridged version (and if that one doesn't have an Index, I don't want
it).

=Dr. Donald Spoto's The Art of Alfred Hitchcock (revised and updated in
1992) is very good. And it has an Index!

=Hitchcock on Hitchcock, Selected Writings and Interviews, edited by
Sidney Gottlieb, is an excellent book of H.'s reflections on his own
life and work.

Sligo
 >> Stay informed about: Which Hitch book to read? 

sligosevier.TakeThisOut@webtv.net wrote:
>
> =Dr. Donald Spoto's The Art of Alfred Hitchcock (revised and updated in
> 1992) is very good. And it has an Index!

I'm reading this right now, along with "Hitchcock/Truffaut."

I think the Spoto book is excellent. He is addressing each film
thematically, and that interests me as I watch the films again.

His writing style is eloquent, and he is sure of his opinions. It
is a relief to see that sort of writing. I disagree with him now and
again, but that's what makes the book interesting.

--
AE Jabbour

"If I did have a tumor, I'd name it Marla."

Narrator, "Fight Club"
 >> Stay informed about: Which Hitch book to read? 

Donald Spoto's "The Dark Side of Genius" is also a very good biography.


****************************
Denise Noe
Koko the Signing Gorilla says: "Fine animal gorilla."
 >> Stay informed about: Which Hitch book to read?