Tweet

 

Ladies and gentlemen, the "Master of Suspense" has returned. At the end of this month, the British Film Institute will kick of the London 2012 Olympics by screening 58 of Alfred Hitchcock’s films, including nine of his surviving silent films.

 

One of the most famous and brilliant film makers of all time, Hitchcock was the mastermind behind such classic films like Psycho, Rear Window, and The Birds. All of his best known works will be shown by the BFI, but that is not even the most thrilling part...

 

Before moving to Hollywood to make films, Hitchcock shot a total of 10 silent movies while still living in Britain, and nine of those films have survived. The project of restoring the "Hitchcock 9" was the largest restoration ever undertaken by the BFI. While these films are mostly unknown to many, they are sure to give clues to the techniques and motifs utilized by Hitchcock in his later films.

 

This is a wonderful addition by the BFI for the start of the London 2012 Olympics. By looking back to the classics of the past, it is a subtle and inspiring ode to the legacy of the U.K. itself and the country's contributions to filmmaking.

 

 

- Kayla Fassold, YH Staff