I read A Life in Darkness and Light first, after which It's Only a
Movie felt very short, giving barely a page or two to things detailed
extensively (some might say exhaustively) in A Life. I would recommend
reading them both, in the same order. A Life feels like it covers
everything, although I'm sure some more educated Hitchcock fans could
give us both a list of the things it overlooked. It also takes a
somewhat more objective stance than It's Only a Movie, which comes
across as semi-official and therefore slightly sanitized.
It's Only a Movie had a different focus, attempting to give you an idea
of the man more than his body of work. The best thing I can say about
it is that it can give you a slightly different perspective on events
described in great detail in A Life, as well as some amusing anecdotes.
It's a fun, easy read for fans, but is probably not the best launching
point if you're looking to learn about Hitchcock.
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