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SALT LAKE CITY — While March 12 may just seem like another day, it's not. It's actually National Alfred Hitchcock Day. That's right, the English-born director has his very own day here in the states.
Hitchcock directed nearly 70 feature films, TV series and short films and is one of the most iconic filmmakers of all time. He blazed a trail for many of today's best directors, and it seems fitting the guy has his own day.
In honor of the master filmmaker we've put together a list of five of his best films that you can watch tonight to celebrate National Alfred Hitchcock Day.
Strangers on a Train (PG)
Hitchcock's 1951 film "Strangers on a Train" is dark, creepy and mesmerizing. The film follows a socialite who approaches a pro-tennis player on a train and presents a plan of how two strangers can pull off the perfect murder. Then, they decide to test their theory.
The film has that classic Hitchcock pace and mystery. While some of the acting is a bit "dramatic," it doesn't seem to take away from the intensity and intrigue of the film.
The film doesn't hold up today as well as some of the others on this list, but it still resonates more with today's audiences than most films that are more than 60 years old.
Vertigo (UR)
The 1958 film "Vertigo" tackled the fear of heights while telling the story of a romantic mystery.
Jimmy Stewart is fantastic in the lead role as a retired San Francisco detective battling acrophobia. The movie is considered a classic for its impeccable timing, unpredictable story and well-paced narrative.
Hitchcock managed to wrap a romance, a thriller and a mystery into one neat package with "Vertigo."
North by Northwest (UR)
Just a year after "Vertigo," Hitchcock mesmerized audiences with "North by Northwest."
The film follows a New York advertising executive, played by Cary Grant, as he is mistaken for a government agent by foreign spies and chased across the country.
The film includes the charm and humor Grant brought to every role, but it still has the action and thrills of a Hitchcock movie. The crop-duster scene is one of the most famous and duplicated scenes in movie history.
While watching someone try and outrun an airplane is cliché now, it had never been done before "North by Northwest." It's incredible to think that Hitchcock's master eye was able to dream up and execute such a staple in cinematic history.
Rear Window (PG)
In 1954 Hitchcock made one of his greatest films, "Rear Window." It's true, I am biased toward this one because it's one of my favorite films of all time, but there's a reason for that.
The story centers on a wheelchair-bound photographer, played by Jimmy Stewart, as he watches his neighbors and their daily lives from his window. Sure, the guy is a voyeur, but you probably would be too if your neighbors were so interesting.
Cabin fever starts setting in with Stewart, and he soon becomes paranoid that his neighbor has murdered his wife and hid her body.
The movie is truly a masterpiece. John Michael Hayes wrote a brilliant script based off the short story by Cornell Woolrich, but it was up to Hitchcock to make it come to life.
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Hitchcock proved himself as a master of his craft as he told a compelling, tight, tense and coherent story all from one spot. The entire film is shot from inside Stewart's apartment, but a majority of the action takes place outside. The way Hitchcock kept you intrigued and focused on characters you never see close up or even hear is a marvel.
"Rear Window" was the kind of film that no one dared tackle up to that point, and one that many have tried to copy since. While some films have done the "one location" pretty well, "Rear Window" will always be the original and, in my opinion, the best.
Psycho (UR)
1960's "Psycho" is Hitchcock's masterpiece. The film treaded waters that no other filmmaker had dreamed of, and he did it with class and precision.
The film, about a secretary who steals $40,000 from her employer's client and then meets a reclusive and strange motel proprietor and his overbearing mother, is a classic that has often been replicated but never matched.
The movie has the granddaddy of twist endings. The movie keeps you entranced while you try and piece together what has happened and where it's going.
The film shocked audiences when it was released, but it's considered tame by today's standards. Still, it's just as entertaining to watch. Hitchcock was at the top of his game when he made the film, and it can be seen in every frame.
So, in an effort to celebrate National Alfred Hitchcock Day, try watching one of these classics and marvel at the fact that Hitchcock movies can still entertain some 60 years later.
What are your favorite Hitchcock films? Let us know on the comment boards, Facebook or send me an email.
