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Hitchcock's Notebooks: An Authorized And Illustrated Look Inside The Creative Mind Of Alfred Hitchcock
From a couple racing across the top of Mount Rushmore to a woman's final shower at an isolated motel, no other filmmaker has given movie fans more unforgettable images or heart-pounding thrills than Alfred Hitchcock. Now you can share in the Master of Suspense's inspiration and development -- his entire creative process -- in Hitchcock's Notebooks. With the complete cooperation of the Hitchcock estate and access to the director's notebooks, journals, and archives, Dan Auiler takes you from the very beginnings of story creation to the master's final touches during post-production and publicity. Actual production notes from Hitchcock's masterpieces join detailed interviews with key production personnel, including writers, actors and actresses, and Hitchcock's personal assistant of more than thirty years. Mirroring the director's working methods to give you the actual feel of his process, and highlighted by nearly nearly one hundred photographs and illustrations, this is the definitive guide into the mind of a cinematic legend.
576 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 10, 2010
My second book. This project took an enormous amount of time, but I loved every moment. Harper rushed to publication so there are rough spots and i would love to revisit this one and add new research and correct the infelicities. I wanted filmmakers and Hitchcock fans to get sense of the scope of his talent.
August 11, 2008
Worth it for the storyboards alone!
January 1, 2019
An insightful look into the many films of one of the most famous directors of all time, Dan Auiler's book is a fascinating piece of work. Taking the reader through every stage of the production process from script to post-production and publicity, how Hitchcock put many of his films together is on full display. There's story breakdowns for Rebecca, handwritten script notes, storyboards of the cropduster sequence from North By Northwest (including one with Cary Grant represented as little more than a smiley-faced stick figure), transcribed conversations about the ending of Topaz, and the script Hitchcock used for a trailer for Spellbound otherwise lost to time. Those are just a few of the book's highlights.
My only real quibble with the book comes on the presentation side. Quite a few of the items showcased were little more than photocopies and, at times, deciphering handwriting was easier said than done. I found myself wishing that perhaps those items could have been transcribed and presented alongside the original document for convenience. Otherwise, the book is well worth a read if you're a Hitchcock fan.
My only real quibble with the book comes on the presentation side. Quite a few of the items showcased were little more than photocopies and, at times, deciphering handwriting was easier said than done. I found myself wishing that perhaps those items could have been transcribed and presented alongside the original document for convenience. Otherwise, the book is well worth a read if you're a Hitchcock fan.
September 11, 2017
I've been a great fan of Alfred Hitchcock since I was a teenager in the 80s. Late in the night (or early in the morning) "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" reruns frequently lit up our living room with an eerie, black and white ambiance. That program followed "The Twighlight Zone". I immediate fell in love with the twisted plots and the zany introductions Hitchcock put on every show.
This book is a decent menagerie of notes, letters, and script parts that provide some interesting behind-the-scenes views of Hitchcock's professional life and the lives of all involved in any of his screen productions. I wouldn't call this book "a real page turner", but if you're a Hitchcock fan like myself you'll definitely get some reading enjoyment.
This book is a decent menagerie of notes, letters, and script parts that provide some interesting behind-the-scenes views of Hitchcock's professional life and the lives of all involved in any of his screen productions. I wouldn't call this book "a real page turner", but if you're a Hitchcock fan like myself you'll definitely get some reading enjoyment.
September 10, 2021
While this is only for the most devoted Hitchcock fan, it is a fascinating look into the development of films, plot, script and storyboard.
March 7, 2017
Si te gustan sus películas, sus historias, su vida, lee esto, no solo habla del proceso creativo de Hitchcock, es también una recopilación de sus guiones, sus storyboards, notas que escribía durante el proceso de sus mejores películas y de otras no tan sonadas, en verdad es muy bueno, sobretodo si estas haciendo una investigación del señor
March 7, 2012
From a couple desperately racing across the top of Mount Rushmore to a woman's final shower at an isolated motel, no other filmmaker has given movie fans more unforgettable images or heart-pounding thrills than Alfred Hitchcock. Now for the first time, you can finally share in the Master of Suspense's inspiration and articulate development, his entire creative process, his subtle brilliance... in Hitchcock's Notebooks. With the complete cooperation of the Hitchcock estate and unprecedented access to the director's notes, files, and archives, Dan Auiler takes you from the very beginnings of story creation to the master's final touches during post-production.
Actual production notes from Hitchcock's masterpieces join detailed interviews with key production personnel, including writers, actors and actresses, and his personal assistant of more than thirty years. Mirroring the director's working methods to give you the actual feel of his process, the book explores the production files of 'Shadow Of A Doubt,' 'Strangers On A Train,' 'North By Northwest,' and others, as well as the legendary lost works: 'The Mountain Eagle' and the unfinished film 'Kaleidoscope'. Highlighted by nearly one hundred photographs and illustrations, chapters focus on finding and constructing the right story (featuring interviews with such renowned screenwriters as Charles Bennett, Samuel Taylor, and Ernest Lehman); envisioning the film (from storyboards to set design); the filming (spotlighting Hitchcock's innovations and trick shots); music; and so much more.
No fan or film student should be without this definitive guide to the renowned filmmaker's art. From a couple racing across the top of Mount Rushmore to a woman's final shower at an isolated motel, no other filmmaker has given movie fans more unforgettable images or heart-pounding thrills than Alfred Hitchcock. Now for the first time, you can finally share in the Master of Suspense's inspiration and development— his entire creative process— in Hitchcock's Notebooks. With the complete cooperation of the Hitchcock estate and unprecedented access to the director's notes, files, and archives, Dan Auiler takes you from the very beginnings of story creation to the master's final touches during post-production. Actual production notes from Hitchcock's masterpieces join detailed interviews with key production personnel, including writers, actors and actresses, and his personal assistant of more than thirty years. Mirroring the director's working methods to give you the actual feel of his process, the book explores the production files of Shadow Of A Doubt, Strangers On A Train, North By Northwest, and others, as well as the legendary lost works: The Mountain Eagle and the unfinished film Kaleidoscope. Highlighted by nearly one hundred photographs and illustrations, chapters focus on finding and constructing the right story (featuring interviews with such renowned screenwriters as Charles Bennett, Samuel Taylor, and Ernest Lehman); envisioning the film (from storyboards to set design); the filming (spotlighting Hitchcock's innovations and trick shots); music; and much more. No fan or film student should be without this definitive guide to the renowned filmmaker's art.
Actual production notes from Hitchcock's masterpieces join detailed interviews with key production personnel, including writers, actors and actresses, and his personal assistant of more than thirty years. Mirroring the director's working methods to give you the actual feel of his process, the book explores the production files of 'Shadow Of A Doubt,' 'Strangers On A Train,' 'North By Northwest,' and others, as well as the legendary lost works: 'The Mountain Eagle' and the unfinished film 'Kaleidoscope'. Highlighted by nearly one hundred photographs and illustrations, chapters focus on finding and constructing the right story (featuring interviews with such renowned screenwriters as Charles Bennett, Samuel Taylor, and Ernest Lehman); envisioning the film (from storyboards to set design); the filming (spotlighting Hitchcock's innovations and trick shots); music; and so much more.
No fan or film student should be without this definitive guide to the renowned filmmaker's art. From a couple racing across the top of Mount Rushmore to a woman's final shower at an isolated motel, no other filmmaker has given movie fans more unforgettable images or heart-pounding thrills than Alfred Hitchcock. Now for the first time, you can finally share in the Master of Suspense's inspiration and development— his entire creative process— in Hitchcock's Notebooks. With the complete cooperation of the Hitchcock estate and unprecedented access to the director's notes, files, and archives, Dan Auiler takes you from the very beginnings of story creation to the master's final touches during post-production. Actual production notes from Hitchcock's masterpieces join detailed interviews with key production personnel, including writers, actors and actresses, and his personal assistant of more than thirty years. Mirroring the director's working methods to give you the actual feel of his process, the book explores the production files of Shadow Of A Doubt, Strangers On A Train, North By Northwest, and others, as well as the legendary lost works: The Mountain Eagle and the unfinished film Kaleidoscope. Highlighted by nearly one hundred photographs and illustrations, chapters focus on finding and constructing the right story (featuring interviews with such renowned screenwriters as Charles Bennett, Samuel Taylor, and Ernest Lehman); envisioning the film (from storyboards to set design); the filming (spotlighting Hitchcock's innovations and trick shots); music; and much more. No fan or film student should be without this definitive guide to the renowned filmmaker's art.
September 9, 2014
When I was given this book, I assumed that it would be yet another over-analytical study of Hitchcock's movies and would contain nothing of real interest to me. However, I was very wrong. This is like cracking open a treasure chest of information for a fan of both Hitchcock and the art of film. It takes us right through the various stages of his film-making process, from developing a concept, to the preview screenings, and we can read about it in his own words thanks to all of the letters, telegrams, transcribed phone calls and many other notes collected in here. I'd say that this is probably the closest that most of us is ever going to get to experiencing what it must have been like to conspire with The Master of Suspense.
October 14, 2008
This is less a book you pick up to read as it is a reference or a guide. It's an essential tool to any aspiring filmmaker's bookshelf, filled with completely unfiltered writings and drawings from the master himself. In that regards, as an untouched portal to Alfred Hitchcock's mind, it's absolutely fantastic.
March 10, 2010
Edited but fine French edition of Hitchcock's Notebooks.
August 5, 2011
A great book about one of my favorite film directors of all time. I checked it out form the library and read it in one day. Enjoyed every minute of it.
March 25, 2015
A great read for anyone interested in studying the creative processes of Alfred Hitchcock.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews