Director Profile: Alfred Hitchcock

To be an auteur is to be much more than a director who simply directs films. According to the theory developed by New Wave directors in the 1950s, it’s much more personal than that. They need to have their own perspective, a unique point of view that imposes itself onto every film they work on.

They have to have full command over the way the story is told, both artistically (themes, genre, symbols, and overall mise-en-scène) and technically (shots, framing, and overall mise-en-shot). And most importantly, this ‘signature’ they have developed must be evident in all of their work, linking every piece in a way that makes it clear to audiences that this film is entirely theirs.

Hitchcock’s Point of View

Alfred Hitchcock (born Alfred Joseph Hitchcock in 1899) grew up in Leytonstone, England from a strict Catholic background. His relationship with his mother and father in the early part of his childhood was strained. As he later described, he was often wrongfully blamed and punished by them (with punishments that far outweighed his supposed crimes). The themes of punishment and being wrongfully accused, as well as the role of the parent, are frequently discussed in his films.

His career in film started in the 1920s. He also spent an early part of his career writing pieces that followed along with the same wave as his films to come. His background writing no doubt helped to cultivate his ability to tell suspense stories masterfully.

Industry

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Shaquilla Alexander

Founder + Film Editor / Sharing her thoughts on all things film! When she's not writing about filmmaking for So Theory Goes, she is writing weekly posts for her new video editing platform, Working Womxn. workingwomxn.com