Dial M for Manipulation: A retrospective on Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpieces
By: Ralph Regis
Tags: Movies, Manipulation, Filmmaking, Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho

Dial M for Manipulation: A retrospective on Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpieces

English film director Alfred Hitchcock has crafted various iconic suspense thrillers that have made a significant impact to the world of cinema. His films have garnered universal acclaim and defined the genre of suspense thrillers.

A criterion collection

In a span of six decades, Hitchcock has directed over 50 films and is now considered as one of cinema’s most influential auteurs. Serving as an inspiration for a generation of filmmakers, some of his famous works are:

Psycho (1960) is considered as Hitchcock’s most popular work. The film revolves around the encounter between secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) who runs away after stealing money from her employer and Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) at the motel which leads to horrifying events.

Vertigo (1958) is a noir psychological thriller follows former police detective John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart) who is forced into early retirement due to an incident on-duty. Scottie develops acrophobia (an extreme fear of heights) and vertigo (a sensation of whirling and loss of balance) in the process and is hired by Gavin Elster, as a private investigator to follow Gavin’s wife Madeleine’s (Kim Novak) peculiar behavior. The film is considered as ‘the greatest film ever made’ according to the 2012 British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound critics’ poll.

Rear Window (1954), a mystery thriller which also stars Stewart as L. B. “Jeff” Jefferies and former Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly as Lisa Carol Fremont. Jefferies, a news photographer is confined to a wheelchair after an accident. He observes the occupants of the next-door apartments through a telephoto lens and binoculars and is convinced that there has been a murder in one of the apartments.

Dial M for Murder (1954) is a crime mystery drama which follows ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) who wants to have gain the inheritance of his wealthy wife, Margot (Grace Kelly) and have her murdered. Wendice comes up with the perfect plan when he discovers Margot’s affair with American crime-fiction writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). The set-up goes wrong, Margot stays alive and Wendice now tries to outwit the police and avoid his plot uncovered.

North by Northwest (1959) is a thriller tale which follows New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) who is mistakenly identified as a government agent and pursued across the United States by Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) and trying to prevent him from blocking their plan to smuggle government secrets. Thornhill ends up on a cross-country journey and stumbling upon the gorgeous and mysterious Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) who serves as an important piece in the wild cat-and-mouse chase.

Rope (1948) is a psychological crime thriller which centers on dinner party hosts Philip Morgan (Farley Granger) and Brandon Shaw (John Dall) on coming up with the perfect murder. With the piece of rope, they strangle their mutual friend and hide the body in a chest whilst arranging a buffet dinner and welcoming their guests. The film also stars Stewart as college professor Rupert Cadell whose lectures inspired the murder.

The Hitchcockian style

Featuring the same as Hitchcock’s styles and themes are the “Hitchcockian films” made by a variety of filmmakers. The plot device ‘MacGuffin’ was popularized by Hitchcock in his 1935 thriller The 39 Steps. The story revolves around the MacGuffin which can be an object, device, or concept which drives the story forward. It can be crucially important to the protagonists, however, the audiences may not be truly invested in it.

These elements can also include the climactic plot twist and tension building through suspense (Vertigo), the cool platinum blonde character (Kelly), a domineering mother’s impact in someone’s life (Psycho), an innocent man accused (The Wrong Man), mistaken identity (North by Northwest, Frenzy), and crime presented as mystery and not explicitly (Dial M for Murder).

A legacy of suspense

Through Hitchcock’s techniques and themes, his films have a significant impact in the industry and are iconic in their own right. Psycho is popularized for the infamous shower scene which involves the death of Marion Crane at the hands of Norman Bates. The awkward and softly-spoken Norman toys with the audience’s sympathies wherein mainstream horror films at the time hadn’t done before. Furthermore, the soundtrack is legendary of its own, with striking and compelling sounds that escalade suspense.

His style of work has also conveyed certain imagery and scenes. Rope was one of the first films with the illusion of being filmed with a continuous take. Segments last up to 10 minutes and end by panning or tracking against an object — a man’s jacket or the back of a piece of furniture in order to block the screen and allowing a cut between takes. The technique was later used in modern day films such as Children of Men, Birdman, and Russian Ark.

Furthermore, Vertigo is known for Hitchcock’s use of the ‘dolly zoom’, the subject appears still while the background size changes. A dolly zoom can be achieved when the camera moves closer or further from the subject, while the zoom is simultaneously adjusted. The technique is used in a scene from a tower shaft through Scottie’s perspective looking down and emphasizing on his sickness. On the other hand, Hitchcock is one of the first directors who experimented with 3D technology with Dial M For Murder. However, at the time, audiences weren’t intrigued by this and the gimmick quickly faded. Not until the 2009 mega blockbuster hit, Avatar, connected with audiences for the stunning visuals and modernized technology.

With the study of voyeurism and the theme of surveillance, Rear Window reminds us of the state of social media and reality television today. The film has influenced other films including Minority Report, Panic Room, and Disturbia. North By Northwest was cited as a framework for the James Bond films due to its womanizing themes, use of exotic locations, a sinister villain, and the portrayal of secret agents as stylish and elegant. The film also features the iconic crop duster attack scene which involves Thornhill running away from a crop dusting plane and the Mount Rushmore climax sequence.