If you were to ask somebody what the best Alfred Hitchcock movie was, they'd likely say something along the lines of Psycho, Vertigo, or Rear Window…and I’d agree.

But “best” doesn't necessarily mean my “favorite,” and if we're talking about that, then I've narrowed it down to two, those being Shadow of a Doubt, which was also Hitchcock's favorite, and Strangers on a Train. Today, I want to talk about the latter.

Now, as somebody who has watched a lot of Hitchcock movies, I can tell you that Strangers on a Train is great in all of the ways that I love a Hitchcock movie to be, and for a number of reasons. Here are just a few.

Firstly, It Has One Of Hitchcock’s Creepiest Villains

Back when there were a number of Hitchcock movies still on Netflix (which, unfortunately, is not the case any longer), I mentioned his penultimate film, Frenzy, which is an under-appreciated gem, and also one of his darkest stories. The film deals with a serial rapist and killer named Bob Rusk (Barry Foster) who strangles people with a necktie, and in a lot of ways, this is Hitchcock’s creepiest villain.

However, I think one villain might have him beat, and that’s Bruno Antony, played by Robert Walker in Strangers. What makes Bruno a creepier villain than Rusk is the fact that it seems like he doesn’t understand why murder is wrong. In fact, his own father, who Bruno wants murdered, says himself that he thinks his son needs to be evaluated, while his mother poo-poos the idea, believing that Bruno is just misunderstood. The viewer can clearly see that, no, Dad is right. Something is seriously wrong with this man.

The story is based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith (the author of the Ripley series–which spawned one of my favorite movies, The Talented Mr. Ripley) and it concerns a tennis player (Farley Granger) who just so happens to meet a stranger on a train. Now, whether the meeting was a matter of happenstance or planned by Bruno is not entirely clear, but it certainly seems like Bruno manufactured the meeting because he seems to know an awful lot about our protagonist.

What’s Bruno’s big plan? Well, it’s that he’ll kill the protagonist’s wife, if our protagonist will kill Bruno’s father in exchange so that nobody can trace a motive back to either man. Yep. Bruno’s a total creepazoid, and more so because it seems like he doesn’t even realize it.

It’s Also One Of Hitchcock’s Most Risque Films

Hitchcock never really shied away from taboo topics like sex or murder (taboo in his period, anyway). So, when Psycho came out in 1960, I’m sure it must have been incredibly shocking for people at the time (the movie, Hitchcock, starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren does a good job of showing this). I mean, hell, Psycho is still kind of shocking today when thinking about what the famed director got away with at the time.

However, I think even more impressive is what Hitchcock was able to get away with in 1951 with Strangers on a Train, because even though we don’t get a steamy (and stabby) shower scene with Janet Leigh, we do get some implications that I’m pretty sure any adult could ascertain if they read between the lines. For example, that tennis player I mentioned earlier is named Guy Haines, and he hates his current wife, Miriam (Kasey Rogers) since she’s essentially making a cuckold out of him.

It’s the WAY she’s been cheating on him that is still kind of impressive, even today. For instance, she’s open about having another man’s baby, and the fact that nobody is going to believe that her husband isn’t the actual father. Even more shocking (for the time) is that in one scene, she’s going off with two men at a carnival, and it’s pretty clear that she’s been engaging in threesomes with them (which, fine, whatever. I’m not judging. Do you).

But, it’s fascinating at just how risque this film is allowed to be for 1951, and what Hitchcock was able to get away with by simply implying situations.

The Plot Never Slows Down For Even A Second

Do you want to know something? Besides the rare exception, I think that most movies should be 90 minutes or less. For instance, my favorite Best Picture winner, Marty, is only 93 minutes long, and it makes every second count. My main problem with most movies is that a lot of them overstay their welcome, and have boring stretches that mar the overall experience.

Well, even though Strangers on the Train is a little longer than my preferred hour and a half runtime (but, not by much, at 101 minutes), there's not a single boring moment in this movie and it never lets up. From the very first scene, where we meet our two leads in Guy and Bruno, to the very end, where they’re fighting on an out-of-control carousel (oh, and you better believe I’ll get to that later), this movie just never lets up when it comes to tension and suspense.

A great deal of that is because we care for the characters, and can understand them…at least the “good” characters. Guy hates his wife and is in love with a senator’s daughter (Ruth Roman). He wants a divorce, but his adulterous wife won’t let him have one and even laughs in his face when he brings her the money to get the process in motion, saying that she’ll buy some clothes with the money instead.

I don’t condone murder, but I understand his frustration. So, when his wife IS murdered by Bruno, we don’t want Guy to get in trouble because we like him, and so when the cops get closer and closer to putting him in jail, we hope that he gets out of this okay.

Which is what keeps me fully engaged. I do think that a movie like Vertigo, or Rear Window is better, but they take their time (especially Vertigo). But, not so with Strangers on a Train. It never gives you a moment to check your phone.

The Third Act Literally Goes Full Tilt

Now, I’m not going to say that Strangers on a Train is ruined by its ending, like, say, Signs was (which I actually don’t dislike as much anymore after a rewatch). What I will say is that if there’s one aspect of this film that I think could have been better, it’s the ending, as it literally goes full tilt on an out-of-control carousel.

In the end of the film, Guy goes to the carnival where his wife was murdered, and Bruno is also there. He has a lighter that Guy once had, and it’s the key to clearing Guy’s name, which is why Bruno is making sure not to lose it (even though he does drop it down a metal grate earlier, which is also very suspenseful when he’s trying to retrieve it). Well, the cops are pursuing Guy, and one of them shoots the carousel operator, which sends the ride spinning at an incredible speed (so much so that Guy is hanging on for dear life with his legs flying behind him).

And…it’s ridiculous. I mean, the rest of the movie is so taut and tense, and yet, this climax is so cartoony. Even so, it’s definitely not boring. In fact, it might be TOO exciting, but it still doesn't take away from the rest of the wonderful experience.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. There once was a time when I had only heard of Alfred Hitchcock. But then, Covid happened, and I was stuck inside, so I watched a lot of Alfred Hitchcock movies. Now, I’m a huge fan!

Besides directing one of the greatest movies to ever win Best Picture (that being 1940’s Rebecca), he also has a track record for directing some of the most memorable movies of all time. That’s why there’s a good chance that he’s your favorite director’s favorite director, or, at least in their top 10.

So, with Netflix recently adding seven classic Hitchcock films to their service, I thought now was as good a time as any to make some recommendations. And, guess what? I recommend all of them! But, what order should you watch them in? Well, just like in my article on what movies to watch if you want to get into Kubrick, I thought I’d do the same for Hitchcock. So, first…

Start Off With Rear Window

Rear Window, which stars Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Raymond Burr, among others, might just be the perfect movie, so why not start there?

What could be considered a bottle movie, because it mostly happens in one location, the story concerns a photographer confined to a wheelchair (Stewart) who spends most of his days looking out his window through one of his cameras or binoculars. Well, one day, he thinks he witnesses a murder, and he spends a great portion of the film trying to make sure that he saw what he thinks he saw…only to end up in possible danger himself.

Honestly, Rear Window might be my favorite Hitchcock film. The tension is through the roof, and Raymond Burr makes for the perfect suspect. The film also feels extremely hot, as all the characters are commenting on the heat.

I mainly think you should start here because it’s a great introduction to Hitchcock, but also Jimmy Stewart, who appears in two more movies on this list.

So really, start wherever you want (they’re all good – though, I actually wouldn’t start with the last three on this list). But, if you’re wondering where to jump in, Rear Window is my recommendation. Okay, next…

Move On To The Birds

Hitchcock’s bread and butter was the suspense thriller. While many of his films had horrific elements, it’s often believed that he only really made three TRUE horror movies, those being Frenzy (Which is on this list), Psycho (Also on this list), and The Birds.

If you’re a big fan of horror, you’re in luck, since all three Hitchcock horror flicks are currently on Netflix. That said, I think you should watch The Birds first since it's in color. Now, I know some people actually like black and white movies (I certainly do), and Frenzy is also in color. But, when it comes to classic Hitchcock movies, this one is pretty high up there.

Starring Jessica Tandy, Rod Taylor, and Tippi Hedren in her film debut, The Birds is about exactly what it sounds like: birds. Actually, let me rephrase. It’s about KILLER birds. Yes, there’s more to the film, of course (there’s a love story between Taylor and Hedren’s characters), but the film is primarily about Californians being attacked by birds.

It’s pretty terrifying. Do you remember The Happening? Well, The Birds is like that, but actually good (sorry Shyamalan fans). My favorite thing about it is that we don’t exactly know WHY birds are starting to attack people, making it all the eerier.

So, The Birds, and then…

Slide Into Psycho

Probably Hitchcock’s most famous film, you know the story of Psycho. And, if you don’t, then at least you know the main theme by Bernard Herrmann.

The basis for the excellent Anthony Hopkins/Helen Mirren Hitchcock biopic (which you can also watch on Netflix), Psycho stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, and many others, in a truly disturbing horror movie from 1960.

I won’t spoil it for you just in case all you know about it is the infamous shower scene, but it’s mostly about an embezzler (Leigh) who finds her way to a hotel tended by a seemingly milquetoast proprietor (Bates), and then…stuff happens.

Again, you probably know what happens, but I’m intentionally being vague. I could have started you here, but since it’s black and white (it’s actually the only black and white film on this list), and since it’s such a disturbing picture (even by today’s standards), I thought I would drop it here.

Personally, it’s not my favorite Hitchcock movie, but it’s so iconic that now is a good time to watch it. Moving on...

The Man Who Knew Too Much Should Be Next

Would you believe that this is the second The Man Who Knew Too Much that Hitchcock made? The first was in 1934, and it starred Leslie Banks and Peter Lorre.

The second stars Doris Day and Jimmy Stewart, and it came out in 1956. While most people prefer the second one to the first, don’t sleep on the 1934 version. It’s really good, too (and different)!

Anyway, the 1956 version – which is where the song, “Que, Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” comes from – is about a husband and wife (Stewart and Day, respectively), whose son is kidnapped after they witness a murder, and they pretty much have to work on their own to recover him. That’s a brief synopsis, but the film is mostly great because of just how tense it feels.

Definitely one of Hitchcock’s most exciting films, TMWKTM is constantly twisting and turning like a good mystery suspense thriller should. Stewart and Day make for a great pairing, and the Marrakesh setting is interesting and unique.

I’m putting this one here because it’s a lot breezier than Psycho, and it makes for a good Stewart segue into the next movie.

Now Would Be A Good Time For Vertigo

I’ll be honest with you. Vertigo is one of my least favorite Hitchcock movies. I find it extremely slow and plodding. However, much like I don’t love Kurbick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, I still know it’s considered his magnum opus, which is why I put it at the top when ranking his films.

The same could be said for Vertigo, which is often considered Hitchcock’s masterpiece. In fact, in Sight & Sound’s Greatest Films of All Time poll of 2012, it received the highest honor, knocking Citizen Kane off the top spot, which it held for years.

In other words, it’s definitely worth a watch. Starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak, the story is about a former police detective (Stewart) who is traumatized by the death of his colleague, as he fell off a roof. Stewart's character is hired to look after an old friend’s wife, as she seems to be suicidal, but then, things delve into deep, psychological territories that probably need multiple viewings to really appreciate.

It’s not a bad movie. Like I said, it’s considered Hitchcock’s masterpiece. But, I would never start anybody here, because it just doesn’t move like his other films.

However, if you have the patience and love deep, psychological movies, then Vertigo is your film. So now…

I Think You’re Ready To Check Out Frenzy

Okay, so get this. I actually prefer Frenzy to Vertigo. It’s about a serial killer who strangles women with a necktie.

However, as Hitchcock’s penultimate film (and the only one that’s rated-R), I couldn’t put it above his more classic movies, even though I really like it.

The killer is actually a rapist (played by Barry Foster), and for a lot of the film, our protagonist (played by Jon Finch) is trying to uncover the murderer…especially when it’s suspected that it’s him.

This is a really sordid film, and interesting since it distinctly takes place in London.

I only put it down here because I feel it feeds into his final film…

Now Close With Family Plot

It’s strange that Hitchcock’s final film would have such comedic elements, but what’s even stranger is that Netflix even has it.

Now, Family Plot is not “bad,” per se. It’s about a hokey psychic (Barbara Harris) and her boyfriend (Bruce Dern) who are tasked to find a nephew who is all grown up now, but was once put up for adoption.

But, it turns out that the nephew turned out to be the murdering type, and he and his girlfriend (Karen Black) don’t like being followed, leading to a pretty wild time.

Again, Family Plot isn’t bad, but there are so many other Hitchcock films I’d like to recommend to you, but can’t, because this is the last one available on Netflix.

Either way, I hope you enjoy these flicks!

SPOILER WARNING: The following article takes a deep dive into two of the most pivotal moments from Psycho, so unless you have not seen it yet or, miraculously, managed to avoid knowing anything about the story in the 60-plus years since its release, proceed with caution as you read on.

At the moment I am writing this, I am 31 years old and it was only a few weeks ago when I finally saw the 1960 classic, Psycho, in its entirety for the very first time. As a die-hard of the genre, I am not at all proud to admit that it took me this long to watch one one of the greatest horror movies of all time but, in my defense, with how often its most shocking moments have been spoiled for me, I was afraid of how that might affect my experience. Luckily, I ended up adoring the movie but, perhaps, not for the typical reasons.

For instance, the suspenseful thriller’s single most iconic and influential scene — I know I do not even need to describe it for you — was not the moment that had the strongest impact on me. I can explain why, but first allow me to discuss my true favorite scene from, arguably, Alfred Hitchcock’s best movie and why I have “gone mad” for it.

Abogast's Death Scene Is My Favorite Moment

In Psycho, there are only two victims claimed by, as we discover at the end, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins, whose son, Osgood Perkins, wrote and directed Longlegs and other thrillers). The second kill is that of Detective Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam), whose investigation into the disappearance of Marion Crane (iconic Scream Queen Janet Leigh, whose daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, starred in horror films like Halloween) leads him to the Bates Motel.

Unfortunately, it becomes his final destination after suffering a slash to the face, which cause him to fall backward down the main staircase of the Bates’ home. After he lands on the floor, Bates (dressed as his mother) runs down the steps to deliver a series of stabs, sealing Arbogast’s fate.

I realize why this scene is not as famous as some of the other haunting horror moments from Psycho, but I think it deserves to be. I have never seen a kill in a horror movie shot as uniquely as Arbogast’s stairwell fall, during which the camera remains close on his shocked and bloodied face as he descends closer to the ground. It is such a terrifying and even hypnotic visual, complemented wonderfully by Bernard Herrmann’s unmistakably shrill score, that I have not been able to stop thinking about since.

My Thoughts On The Iconic Shower Scene

I also completely understand, and even agree on, why Marion Crane's death — via stabbing while taking a shower in her Bates Motel room — is the most famous moment in Psycho. I imagine that seeing the assumed protagonist murdered in cold blood halfway through the film had quite an impression on audiences in 1960, unless they ignored Alfred Hitchcok’s stern warning to see it from the very beginning and not a second later. Not to mention, Leigh’s admission to Woman’s World that she only preferred baths for the rest of her life makes the scene all the more remarkable.

However, I suppose it was because I had seen this moment several times, and also seen enough funny spoof movies poke fun at it, that it did not have such a strong impact on me. There are many things I still admire about it, especially the slow zoom in on Marion’s blood running down the drain transitioning to a zoom out from her lifeless eye. Yet, I also have some personal reservations, particularly the quick editing, which I have never been a fan of.

Still, there is no question why this scene is so important and beloved, which is why I wish it had not been spoiled for me so early in my life. I suppose seeing the most recognizable moments from cinema's most esteemed classics is inevitable at this point, especially after more than 60 years.

Overall, taking all of its inner workings and history in account, I think that Psycho is one of the greatest psychological thrillers I have ever seen in my life. Even knowing Marion's fate, I was still fully invested in her story and the twist of Norman’s dual personality (the other being his deceased mother) was still fascinating to hear explained. It was also fun to catch a few retroactive Easter Eggs, like John Gavin’s Sam Loomis having the same name as Donald Pleasance’s character’s name in the Halloween movies.

I guess it just goes to show that a movie does not necessarily live or die by its surprises if it is good enough, and I think Hitchcock would be happy to know that Psycho is, in my opinion, one such film.

Considering how hard it is to make one very good movie, it's a serious accomplishment to make more than ten. There are actually more than this list even encompasses, but to keep it manageable, I limited it to English-speaking films. Huge names like Otto Preminger and Akira Kurosawa, for example, certainly qualify but aren't here. Here are the names of the directors with at least 10 great movies. 

Martin Scorsese

It's no surprise that Martin Scorsese would be on this list. A director that will surely go down in history as one of the greatest of all time with films like Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Gangs of New York, Cape Fear, Casino, Raging Bull, The Color of Money, The Wolf Of Wall Street, Cape Fear, Mean Streets, and Killers of the Flower Moon, plus so many more. 

Steven Spielberg

Another no-brainer for this list is Steven Spielberg.  Spielberg's best films move at a pace and with a professionalism that is unparalleled in the industry. Just listing off the names of his movies, Jaws, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Color Purple, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln, Catch Me If You Can, Empire of the Sun... the list goes on and on. 

Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is a relative newcomer to this list, as he works so methodically, that he's only directed 11 films in his career. Of course, all are excellent, and he's a master across genres with superhero films like the Dark Night Trilogy, historical films like Oppenheimer and Dunkirk, and his mind-bending, time-twisting signature films like Tenet, Inception, and Memento.

Jane Campion

There is, admittedly, a dearth of female directors on this list. Thankfully, that is changing as directors like Jane Campion break boundaries both on screen and within the movie industry. The Kiwi director has won two Academy Awards, including best director for Power of the Dog, and best screenplay for The Piano, which she also directed. She's also won a slew of awards for movies like Sweetie, Holy Smoke! and others. 

Quentin Tarantino

Technically, since Quentin Tarantino considers Kill Bill to be one film, he's only made nine to this point. For the purposes of this list, however, I'm counting it as two, because he certainly deserves to be here. All of his movies, from Reservoir Dogs to Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Tarantino never really misses. It's remarkable. 

Alfred Hitchcock

There is no bigger giant in the history of cinema than the great Alfred Hitchcock. With more than 50 directing credits to his name, most of them classics, his influence on film cannot be understated. Psycho, Rear Window, The Birds, North by Northwest, Dial M for Murder, Strangers on a Train, Rebecca, Vertigo...the list of great movies directed by Hitchcock is almost endless. 

Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson is another director who rarely, if ever, misses. His string of great movies, from Bottle Rocket to Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Moonrise Kingdom, and on doesn't even get into his animated works, like Isle of Dogs, and my favorite of his, Fantastic Mr. Fox.  

Stanley Kubrick

Very few directors loom larger than Stanley Kubrick. Film buffs don't just watch his films, they memorize them, as do his fellow directors. With a resume of movies like 2001, Dr. Strangelove, Eyes Wide Shut, Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining, it's not hard to see why he tops so many "Best of" lists. 

Few directors have the number of cultural touchstones that Robert Zemeckis is responsible for. Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Romancing The Stone, Cast Away, and Death Becomes Her are some of the most beloved movies in history, and they are just scratching the surface of his career. 

John Ford

John Ford may be mostly remembered for his early epic Westerns, like The Searchers, but he was an incredibly diverse director who won an astonishing four Academy Awards for Best Director, for The Informer (1935), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), and The Quiet Man (1952). He was also a war hero. A true national treasure. 

Kathryn Bigelow

It's confounding that it took a woman so long to win a Best Directing Oscar, but it wasn't until Kathryn Bigelow won for The Hurt Locker in 2010 that it happened. Bigelow was already responsible for some serious bangers, like Strange Days and Point Break, but breaking that glass ceiling is her most important accomplishment. 

Terrence Malick

Terrence Malick has made exactly ten films in his career, despite making his debut in 1973. He took a 20-year hiatus after his first couple, then periodically took long breaks after that, until cranking four in five years in recent times. All are interesting and worthwhile, and a few are all-time greats like The Thin Red Line, Tree Of Life, and Badlands 

The Coen Brothers

There is no way to separate Joel and Ethan Coen. For many years early in their careers, Joel was credited as the director, and Ethan as the producer of their many excellent movies, but they're undoubtedly viewed as a team when it comes to their films. The body of work speaks for itself. The Big Lebowski, No Country For Old Men, Fargo, Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Barton Fink, Blood Simple, True Grit, Burn After Reading, The Hudsucker Proxy, etc... It's some of the sharpest writing and most unique directing in cinema history. 

Tony Scott

A true master of the action film genre, Tony Scott directed some of the biggest hits of the '80s and '90s. We're talking monster hits like Top Gun, Days of Thunder, The Last Boy Scout, Crimson Tide, and Beverly Hills Cop II. He also directed one of the biggest cult films of the era, True Romance. He was versatile and stylish and his movies are incredibly rewatchable. 

John Singleton

Okay, in full disclosure, I'm fudging a little here. John Singleton only made nine films in his career, but had he not died at such a young age (51), there is no doubt he'd have made this list. From his powerhouse debut, Boyz n the Hood to his final film in 2011, Abduction, Singleton always had something interesting to say. 

Ridley Scott

Like his brother Tony, Ridley Scott is a chameleon-like director. He can do huge war epics like Napoleon and Gladiator, sci-fi like Alien and Blade Runner, horror like Hannibal, and, of course, one of the greatest buddy flicks of all time, Thelma & Louise. His movies are some of the most appreciated movies in history. 

David Fincher

Thankfully for all of us, David Fincher didn't quite directing after his experience on his first film, Alien 3. He went on to produce hit after hit, like Se7en, Fight Club, The Game, The Social Network, Zodiac, Gone Girl, and many others. Like Steven Spielberg, his movies always move at a great pace and they are never dull and that's a real attribute. 

Mel Brooks

When you talk about comedy in the 20th century, you have to start with the great Mel Brooks. He completely invented his own style of absurdist humor and every time he made a movie, no matter the subject, you knew it was going to be hilarious. Who can argue with classics like Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, The Silent Movie, The Producer, or Young Frankenstein? Mel Brooks is a legend.

Peter Jackson

Across six epic films in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Peter Jackson cemented his place in movie history. But don't sleep on his earlier films like The Frighteners and Heavenly Creatures. When you add in his documentary works like The Beatles: Get Back and They Shall Not Grow Old you have the makings of an all-time great. 

Spike Lee

When talking about groundbreaking filmmakers, Spike Lee is among the most important. Not just because he broke so many barriers by being a Black director in an industry that made it hard for Black people to participate for so long, but because his style was just so darn unique. There was nothing like Do The Right Thing, or School Daze when he exploded on the scene in the late '80s and early '90s. Lee has never slowed down either.  

Francis Ford Coppola

If Francis Ford Coppola had only made three films in his career, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now, he'd be near the top of any best director list. But he's never rested on his laurels, directing other really good movies like The Outsiders, The Conversation, Tucker: A Man and His Dream, Peggy Sue Got Married, and The Rainmaker among others. He always made them his way and even stopped for a time when the industry wouldn't allow him to. 

David Lynch

There is no one like David Lynch. His mind just operates differently from the rest of us mere mortals. It shows in his films, all of which are distinctly his. Movies like Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Dune, Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man, and Mulholland Drive. There is nothing like a David Lynch film. Plus, his weather reports on LA public radio are now legendary too. 

Oliver Stone

Olive Stone is fearless. Whether you agree with his politics or not, he's never been afraid to tell you exactly how he feels. In movies like Platoon, JFK, Born on the Fourth of July, Natural Born Killers, and basically anything else he directed, there is no subtly, just honesty, as Stone sees it. 

Sofia Coppola

This is another little fudge on the list. Sofia Coppola hasn't quite made ten movies yet, but she continues to put great film after great film. The Virgin Suicides, Lost In Translation, Marie Antoinette, and Priscilla are all examples of just how good she can be and no doubt will continue to put out great movies in the future. 

David Lean

Like Francis Ford Coppola, if David Lean had only directed three films–Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge On the River Kwai, and Doctor Zhivago, he'd be one of the best ever. His career was hardly just those classics though. Great Expectations in 1946 began his greatness and it ended almost 40 years later with A Passage to India in 1984. A remarkable career for a remarkable director. 

Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner has made some of the most quotable and funniest movies of all time, with When Harry Met Sally, This Is Spinal Tap, and The Princess Bride. He's also made some of the greatest dramas of all time, like A Few Good Men and Ghosts of Mississippi. He even snuck a horror classic in his resume, with Misery.  

Woody Allen

It's impossible for most of us to watch a Woody Allen film these days and not feel at least conflicted if not totally repulsed by the director. It would be disturbing if you didn't connect the art with the artist, especially given how personal his films are. Still, it's hard to deny just how many incredible films the troubled Allen made over his long career, and for that, he's reluctantly on this list. 

Tim Burton

One of the most interesting and unique directors of the last several decades has to be Tim Burton. He makes oddballs into heroes in movies like Edward Scissorhands, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, and Beetlejuice. He dives into animation and even conquered the superhero genre with Batman decades before DC and Marvel superheroes were everywhere on the big screen.

Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderbergh walks the fine line between indie filmmaker with movies like Kafka and Che, and mainstream with the Oceans movies, Magic Mike, and Erin Brockovich. It's a rare ability that Soderberg has mastered and doesn't seem to be daunted by either. 

Clint Eastwood

A giant in Hollywood for decades, Clint Eastwood is not only one of the best actors of all time, but his directing skills are phenomenal. Whether it's his early westerns like The Outlaw Josey Wales, his war films like Heartbreak Ridge and Flags of Our Fathers, or his dramas like The Bridges Of Madison County, you can always count on Eastwood to deliver, as he has over and over. 

Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry's movies aren't everyone's cup of tea, but no one can deny his achievements. With the Madea series, Perry took independent filmmaking to a whole new level, churning out budget-conscious hit after hit. All are produced in-house with Perry taking on virtually every aspect of the production. You simply can't ignore that level of success. 

Danny Boyle

Trainspotting, The Beach,  28 Days Weeks,  Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours... do I need to go on? How about Steve Jobs, T2 Trainspotting, and Yesterday? Plus he directed the opening ceremonies of an Olympic Games. Is there anything Danny Boyle can't do? The director is a marvel and his movies are some of the most loved movies of the last few decades. 

This list is only a sample of the many directors who have made more than ten great films, but the list needs to grow. We need more women. We need more African American representation, and we need more LQBTQ+ representation. Hollywood is working on that, and that means this list will only grow and grow. 

Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds is widely regarded as a cinematic masterpiece, and one of the classics when it comes to horror thrillers. Yet it's funny that for all the acclaim the movie has received over the years, we don't talk about the absolutely wild way it starts off. I'm talking, of course, about the absolutely unhinged beginning of the movie, which revolves around the actions of one Melanie Daniels.

Tippi Hedren gives a phenomenal performance in The Birds, but the actions of her character in the first half of the movie are questionable at best. For those who don't have a chance to watch it with a Peacock subscription ahead of Halloween, here's why I'm scratching my head about this truly baffling character. 

She Almost Went To Jail For A Practical Joke

We first meet Melanie Daniels while she waits for news on a bird she ordered, and she decides to have some fun in the meantime posing as one of the store's employees. It's there she's introduced to Mitch Brenner, who is in search of birds for to give to his sister. Melanie's joke soon goes awry, but it's exactly what Mitch expected. 

We then learn that Mitch knew who she was all along because she almost went to jail for a practical joke that resulted in the smashing of a plate glass window. First off, what kind of practical joke was this grown woman doing that broke that strong of a window. Second, why does this sound like something for which a YouTuber would appear in court? 

In all seriousness, if we're assuming that Daniels is the same age as Tippi Hedren was when filming The Birds, a 34-year-old appearing in court for a practical joke is pretty wild. Unfortunately, the movie only touches on this specific part, which is a shame because I have a ton of questions about it. It does set the stage for just what kind of person Melanie is, though, and the lengths she'll go to all for a laugh.  

She Buys Love Birds For A Guy She Just Met

After Mitch shames Melanie, she decides she needed to make amends and buy his sister love birds for her birthday. It seems like a huge task to do in the 1960s considering she only just met this guy, but because she's a quick thinker, she copies down his license plate and calls a friend at the city for his address. That feels all sorts of illegal, but The Birds kind of brushes past that for the sake of moving the story along. 

I'd also like to remind the reader that Melanie was already on the hook for a bird she purchased before she ever met Mitch. She then purchased another two birds, which can't be cheap. Where is this woman's money coming from? What kind of job does she have to justify buying two birds on a whim? 

I should also note that The Birds explains Melanie did this as an apology, but I'm not sure what she's apologizing for. Mitch was the one who set her up for being on the other side of a joke, so why exactly does she have to make amends? Again, the movie doesn't do much in exploring this, instead just peddling along with her journey to get him these birds. 

She Drives Over An Hour To Track Down The Mystery Man

Once Melanie obtains the birds, she attempts to deliver them to Mitch's apartment. She's then informed by a neighbor that he's out of town for the weekend, as he went to go visit family. If she wants to deliver the birds, she has to drive an hour and a half out of town to see him. 

At this point, I felt like I wouldn't blame Melanie for letting the whole thing go. For some reason, though, she's bound and determined to give these birds to him as a free present he can in turn give to his sister. She hops in the car and makes the trek to Bodega Bay in hopes of figuring out where he lives. 

The Birds really undersells how difficult a task this is. It's one thing to obtain the information from a neighbor about where Mitch is from, and quite another to figure out where his house is. Fortunately, she's aided by a shopkeep who seems to know everyone's business, and he just so happens to know that Mitch's family lives in the big white house across the bay. Fortunately for Melanie, there's a road that leads directly to the house, but of course that's not ideal for the surprise entrance she wants to make. 

She Literally Rents A Boat To Pursue This Man

Melanie wants her arrival to be a surprise, so she asks the shopkeep about where she can rent a boat to get to Mitch's house. The shopkeep, who honestly should've realized something was up at this point, decides to tell her where to find one. As the reader can guess, she spends the money to rent a boat and ride across the bay to his house.

It takes some time for her to arrive, and she runs into his old ex along the way, but for some reason no one questions the lengths Melanie went to show up unannounced at his home. Honestly, it probably would've came up had The Birds not shifted to the whole thing to where the birds of the world all start to simultaneously attack humanity. They really did her a solid in erasing some of the wild antics she engaged in before this, and I choose to believe that was their motive for attacking rather than the other prevailing theory about The Birds. 

I should note that while this post is made in jest of Melanie Daniels, none of it is meant to reflect Tippi Hedren's performance. As an actress, she delivered on what the script called for, and given the allegations of sexual assault she later leveled against Hitchcock coming from her time on Marnie, it's a wonder she performed as well as she did with the director possibly impacting her ability to deliver. It's still a solid movie, but the odd issues with Melanie Daniels are hard to overlook at the beginning. 

As mentioned, The Birds is available to stream over on Peacock. Check it out along with several other horror classics, which can make for a night full of streaming the best horror movies of all time. 

One thing I absolutely adore doing is picking a director and going through their entire filmography.  

I’ve already ranked Paul Thomas Anderson’s movies (and even still find myself thinking about Licorice Pizza every now and then), as well as many other directors.   

But, I have a bit of a problem when it comes to Alfred Hitchcock movies, because there are just so many of them. Plus, even with my beloved Netflix DVD plan (which I’m still processing the end of), not all of them are easy to find.  That said, for the many Hitchcock movies I have seen, I’ve learned a few things about the director. Here are just a few.    

Alfred Hitchcock Really Seemed To Like Cross Country Stories  

Alfred Hitchcock sure loved his cross country stories, or, what I like to call his “on the run” movies. With the over-50 films the director made, some of the most famous on-the-run stories that I can think of are The 39 Steps, Saboteur, and of course, North by Northwest with Cary Grant. In these types of films, a leading man is often either mistaken for a crime they didn’t commit, or framed. They go on the run, and meet a beautiful woman along the way who goes on the adventure with them. 

For instance, in the 1937 film, Young and Innocent, its heroes, played by Derrick de Marney and Nova Pilbeam, are on the run after the male character is mistakenly taken for a murderer because he was at the crime scene shortly after it happened. The female character is the police chief’s daughter, and she falls in love with our protagonist, and then goes on the run with him to clear his name. 

But, here’s the thing. Even though Hitchcock had dipped into this well on multiple occasions, that doesn’t mean that the movies feel similar. For instance, Young and Innocent feels nothing like Saboteur, even though there’s another mistaken identity storyline in that one as well. 

In fact, all of Hitchcock’s on-the-run movies feel quite different, so I think that’s a credit to the famed director’s creativity. But, yeah. I guess if you watch enough films by one director in a row (Like I have with Hitchcock), then you’re bound to start seeing a pattern.  

Hitchcock Employed Cary Grant For Thrills, And Jimmy Stewart For Chills 

Some actors, no matter how many films they might do, still seem intrinsically tied to a specific director. For example, Robert De Niro is often thought of in the same sentence as Martin Scorsese. The same goes for Johnny Depp and Tim Burton. These actor/director teams can seem like a match made in Heaven, as the pairings can sometimes produce gold.      

Well, while I can’t say that Hitchcock had any actors on the same scale as De Niro/Scorsese, who now have 10 feature length films together, or Depp/Burton, who have 8, I will say that Hitchcock definitely found a place for both Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart, as he made 4 films apiece with the actors. 

For Cary Grant, those films were Suspicion, Notorious, To Catch a Thief, and North by Northwest, and for Jimmy Stewart, they were Rope, Rear Window, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo. Now, I’ve recently seen all 8 films, (the remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much was actually on my list of 10 movies from Netflix DVD that I recently watched, and what I noticed was that Hitchcock used both actors very differently.  

For Cary Grant, he used him in a more “action star” kind of way. I’m not saying that a movie like Suspicion, or North by Northwest are “action movies,” as they’re very much thrillers. But, there is definitely a lot more action in them than say, a movie like Rope, which sees Jimmy Stewart as a prep school housemaster who has thoughts on Nietzsche’s Ubermensch philosophy, or his character in Rear Window, who is confined to a wheelchair throughout the film. 

In a lot of ways, I feel like Hitchcock called upon Cary Grant when he wanted a convincing leading man who could run away from a plane, and called upon Stewart when he needed somebody for a more psychological thriller, such as Vertigo.     

Hitchcock’s Favorite Film Of His Is My Favorite Film Of His, Too

It’s been well-documented that Hitchcock’s favorite film of his own was Shadow of a Doubt, and you know what? It’s my favorite movie of the director as well. In the movie, which stars Teresa Wright, and an utterly terrifying Joseph Cotten, a young woman (Wright) gets a visit from her much adored uncle (Cotten), only to learn that the visit isn’t just a random one, and her uncle may have a very, very dark past.  

What I love most about this movie is Cotten’s performance, as he truly sells the idea that even the seemingly nicest people can actually be the worst people on Earth. My favorite moment is a dinner-time scene where Cotten’s character seems to go into a trance and reveal his innermost, misogynistic feelings. It’s really quite shocking to see in a 1943 movie, and I really do like this film more than many of Hitchcock’s bigger, more revered movies like Psycho, The Birds, and Vertigo. It just hits differently.     

Hitchcock Really Should Have Won Best Director At Least Once 

When it comes to the greatest movies to ever win Best Picture, I would definitely put Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca on that list. It’s spooky, dark, and layered with subtext. In other words, it’s an excellent movie directed by a master filmmaker, and it did win Best Picture. 

But, guess what. Alfred Hitchcock didn’t win Best Director at the 13th Academy Awards. That distinction went to John Ford for The Grapes of Wrath, which is an okay movie (The book is way better), but I don’t know if I would say the direction in that movie is superior to Rebecca (Though, to be fair, how much direction did Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine really need to knock it out of the park?).   

It doesn’t end there, though, as Hitchcock NEVER won Best Director, even after being nominated five times (He should have been nominated even more if you ask me!). This is just as egregious as my all-time favorite director, Stanley Kubrick, never winning for Best Director, even though he certainly deserved it as well. I mean, yes, I know. Winning a trophy isn’t everything, but for all the magnificent films Hitchcock directed, he seriously couldn’t win Best Director once? Outrageous!    

Hitchcock’s Last Movie Was Actually A Really Interesting Final Film To Go Out On 

As I mentioned in the last section, my favorite director is Stanley Kubrick, and his last movie, Eyes Wide Shut, is a really fascinating denouement to a staggering career. That said, Eyes Wide Shut is definitely a Stanley Kubrick movie. In other words, I would never confuse it with another director’s work. Its coldness has Kubrick written all over it. 

However, I can’t say the same for Hitchcock’s last movie, Family Plot, which is about a shady couple hired to look for a grown man who was once adopted… who also turns out to be a murderer and a thief. It’s often labeled as a “black comedy thriller,” but I’d call it more comedy than thriller. This is really interesting, because I’d expect something else entirely from a man who built a great deal of his reputation on making much darker films. For him to end on a lighter note really just goes to show that Hitchcock wasn’t any one thing, despite what people might have thought of him.

And, that’s just some of the stuff that I’ve learned about Hitchcock after watching several of his movies. But, what do you think? Have you also seen a number of movies from the “Master of Suspense”? For more news on other classic movies, be sure to swing around here often! 

Few names are as iconic as Stephen King when it comes the written word. Known for his spine-tingling tales of horror and suspense, which have been adapted into countless horror movies, King has enthralled readers for decades with his unique brand of storytelling. But in a recent interview, the master of the macabre revealed a surprising twist in his approach to writing mystery novels, and it takes a deliberate page (pun intended) straight out of Alfred Hitchock’s playbook of suspense as opposed to Agatha Christie's guide.

The renowned author of Salem’s Lot is currently promoting his latest novel, Holly, which reintroduces his beloved character from Mr. Mercedes. It's a gripping story about a mass murderer plowing a Mercedes-Benz through a crowd at a job fair. During an interview on The Book Review Podcast, the horror author shared his approach to crafting mysteries, emphasizing his preference for the suspenseful style of Alfred Hitchcock over the intricate whodunits often associated with Agatha Christie. In his own words, he explained:

Stephen King's candid revelation shows his profound respect for Agatha Christie's work, which has seen numerous film adaptations, including Kenneth Branaugh's A Haunting in Venice, which heads to theaters just in time for Halloween. However, King's true passion lies in crafting suspenseful scenarios rather than weaving complex plots. In a homage to the cinematic master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, King drew a parallel between his narrative style and Hitchcock's famous quote:

Clearly, the author finds inspiration in the idea of keeping readers on the edge of their seats, aware of a looming threat that the characters may not yet comprehend. This approach aligns with Alfred Hitchcock's philosophy of slowly building tension and anticipation, making the audience actively participate in the story's unfolding drama.

The writer's revelation offers a fresh perspective on his future mystery novels, such as his upcoming work, We Think Not, which he said will again feature the beloved character Holly Gibney, albeit in a slightly less starring role. While plot-heavy mysteries might not be his cup of tea, fans can anticipate gripping and suspenseful tales that keep them hooked from the first page to the last.

As fans eagerly await the release of We Think Not and the multitude of upcoming Stephen King movies, it's evident that, even at 75, the master of horror still has a treasure trove of thrilling surprises to captivate us, his loyal readers, and keep us perched on the edge of our seats for years to come.

For those looking to relish some of Stephen King's finest films on the big screen, know that John Carpenter's adaptation of Christine is returning to theaters this month. Additionally, suppose you're eager for more spine-tingling experiences at the cinema. In that case, our schedule of upcoming horror movies can help you plan your next suspenseful and thrilling trip to the cinema. Also, Kind's latest novel, Holly, is available now.

Following the end of his run as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, we’ve only seen Robert Downey Jr. act in 2020’s Dolittle, but he’ll soon be on our screens more often. Along with being part of the sprawling cast of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, as well as both starring in and executive producing the upcoming HBO series The Sympathizer, it’s now been reported that Downey is involved in a remake Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 movie Vertigo both behind the scenes and potentially on camera.

Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights to a remake of the psychological thriller that’s being written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, who also just signed on to write a Star Wars movie. Robert Downey Jr. is producing this new version of Vertigo with his wife, Susan Downey, through their Team Downey production banner alongside Davis Entertainment’s John Davis and John Fox. Additionally, Deadline has heard that Downey is being “eyed” to play the role originated by James Stewart of a police detective who’s forced to retire after experiencing trauma that leaves him with vertigo and a fear of heights, and is hired to investigate an acquaintance’s wife. Whether or not Downey plays this character, it’s unclear if the man would also be named John “Scottie” Ferguson” or something else.

The original Vertigo, which was also distributed by Paramount, was initially met with mixed critical reception when it came out, but decades later, it now stands as one of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest movies. James Stewart was joined by Kim Novak, Tom Helmore, Barbara Bel Geddes and Henry Jones, among others, and Alec Coppell and Samuel Taylor penned the screenplay based on the French novel The Living and the Dead (originally known as D'entre les morts, or From Among the Dead) by Boileau-Narcejac. A number of movies have taken inspiration from Vertigo, including Francis Ford Coppola’s Obsession and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive.

Again, a deal isn’t in place yet for Robert Downey Jr. to lead the Vertigo remake. Still, assuming Paramount movies forward with it, we can at least count on him working on it behind the scenes, just like he’s been doing with Perry Mason, which is currently in the midst of its second season and can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription. There’s also been a long wait for Downey to reprise his version of Sherlock Holmes, but Guy Ritchie, who directed the first two movies in that series and is still involved in Sherlock Holmes 3, has said that at this point, it’s up to the actor whether the threequel will happen or not.

Once more details about the new Vertigo come in, including whether or not Robert Downey Jr. will actually star in it, we’ll let you know. Meanwhile, you’ll be able to see him playing Lewis Strauss when Oppenheimer opens on July 21 among the 2023 new movie releases.

Gwendoline Christie generated a massive fanbase when she played one of the most badass women on television in Game of Thrones. Its characters like Brienne of Tarth proved that Game of Thrones was good for women because they were able to see themselves in many different roles, including seeing a female knight fight dirty with a sword. But, it wasn’t the type of role where the 6’3” actress was able to present her femininity. With her new role in the Netflix series Wednesday, Christie spoke about how Alfred Hitchcock helped influence her new character and allowed her to feel beautiful for the first time on-screen.

Imagine getting a role request from Tim Burton, whose best movies included Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Batman movies, to join The Addams Family TV show Wednesday. According to an interview with EW, this was an opportunity that Christie was excited to take, and she described it her time on the Netflix series, saying:

She thanked Burton as well as her hair and makeup team for the transformation. Her favorite part about playing the role of Principal Larissa Weems in Wednesday was Burton giving her creative freedom to do whatever she wanted with the character. She had to be loyal to George R.R. Martin’s character while playing Brienne of Tarth, but getting to play this original character meant she could have a lot of creative fun with it.

Just like how Brienne of Tarth was considered an outcast in Game of Thrones, Wednesday’s Larissa Weems, the principal of Wednesday Addams’ school Nevermore Academy, was no different in the mind of Christie. The idea came to the English actress that her character was an outcast when she was a student at Nevermore Academy. She was always in the shadow of Morticia Addams. With Principal Weems now being in a position to protect a school full of outcasts like herself, the actress made a connection to and was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock. Luckily, Burton and costume designer Colleen Atwood couldn’t agree more.

Christie elaborated on why she was inspired by Hitchcock's films, talking about their "poise" and "elegance." She also said: 

With Gwendoline Christie’s bleach blonde hair wrapped up in that French twist wearing her fashionable coats, you can’t help but think of the leading ladies seen in Alfred Hitchcock movies. Hitchcock would mold these female characters into what he would define as the perfect woman. From their hair to their dresses, these women who starred his classic thrillers like The Birds and Vertigo were beautiful blonde bombshells. The Star Wars Resistance actress wanted to present this quality to her character in showcasing to audiences “the classic idea of femininity.” But at the same time, Christie would do something different with the Alfred Hitchcock influences of Kim Novak and Tippi Hedren in having Principal Weems be a character in charge of her own fate instead of letting the central characters define that. 

In order to prepare for the role of Principal Weems, Gwendoline Christie of course took it upon herself to watch movies by the “Master of Suspense” director. This was where she was able to create her character’s poise, elegance, and stance. With all of these elements and the help of working with Atwood, Christie felt “incredible” with the ability to celebrate her body and feel beautiful. It was a great collaboration between the two women, in that the 44-year-old actress gave Atwood her input into her character’s look which was welcomed and praised by the award-winning costume designer.

Gwendoline Christie’s beauty has shined in every role she’s played in, and audiences can look at this talented actress and know she’s a force to be reckoned with no matter what she's wearing. I’m very proud that Wednesday gave her the beautiful moment she wanted. You can gaze at Christie's beauty as you watch Wednesday on your Netflix subscription.

We’re still more than a month away from the Shudder limited series Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror making its premiere on Thursday, September 29. And we have been rolling out some of our early coverage on the series, thanks to the fact that executive producer Bryan Fuller and celebrated director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry) stopped by the CinemaBlend suite at San Diego Comic-Con to open up about horror in the queer community and the reasons why LGBTQ+ respond so passionately to horror stories. As part of our conversation previewing the four-part documentary series, Fuller and his team dove deep into the classic films of Alfred Hitchcock, who will be discussed on Queer for Fear, and elaborated why the Psycho director’s filmography often encourages queer interpretations. Executive producer Steak House told us:

Bryan Fuller then went on to add the seminal Strangers on a Train derived from Patricia Highsmith’s novel) and Jamaica Inn to the list of Alfred Hitchcock movies that the Queer for Fear team discovered were inspired by queer writers. Fuller went on to add:

The idea of Alfred Hitchcock’s films having strong queer readings isn’t new, and dates back to the 1940s and 1950s, when the Master of Suspense was making multiple film cameos and delivering some of his most complicated and conversation-inducing masterpieces, from Rear Window and Vertigo to Shadow of a Doubt. In the analytical work Intimate Violence: Hitchcock, Sex, and Queer Theory, author David Greven digs into three specific areas that experts point to when commenting on Hitch’s interests, which include: his decision to turn Psycho lead character Norman Bates into a sensitive and sexually ambiguous Mama’s Boy; an unusual fascination (and often blatant attraction) to the villains in this movies; and finally, the director’s fascination with Cary Grant.

Now we want to dig back into Alfred Hitchcock’s vast filmography to see other places where queer interpretations of the iconic director’s approach to stories could be interpreted. We have had fun covering mysteries in movies like The Birds, and sharing that very cool story of the way that Hitchcock tried to prevent spoilers when Psycho was released in theaters. There’s also the time Anthony Hopkins played the acclaimed director in a biopic. 

But for now, we will wait until Shudder drops the entirety of Queer for Fear, to see if there are other interpretations awaiting us with regards to Hitchcock’s classic works. As Fuller notes, “Cock is in the title.” 

It’s hard to think of horror, mystery, and suspense without also thinking of Alfred Hitchcock. For many horror movie filmmakers that followed him, he was a mentor with his style, technique, and ability to both create psychological and physical horror.

The peak of Alfred Hitchcock’s film career was from the 1930s to the late 1960s and early ‘70s. Despite many of his films being over 80 years old, they're still favorites of many movie makers and fans.

For this list, I am only listing Alfred Hitchcock movies with sound (not his silent film collection), many of which are available through some of the best streaming services out there.

Psycho (Netflix)

Starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh

What it’s about: This 1960 film follows Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a seemingly normal hotel owner. Quickly, viewers learn that Norman might not be the good guy.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: Psycho continues to find new forms because it’s a memorable and haunting story, and also a little relatable: “We all go a little mad sometimes.” Psycho stunned viewers and continues to make showering a daunting activity.

• Stream Pyscho on Netflix
• Rent/Buy Psycho on Amazon.

Dial M For Murder (Tubi)

Starring: Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, and John Williams.

What it’s about: The film follows a man who plots to murder his wife after he discovers that she had an affair, then he tries to frame her for murder.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: Dial M for Murder is one of my favorite types of films, one where you know who the criminal is, and then you wait and see how all the scheming and plotting starts to bring him or her down. Alfred Hitchcock does an excellent job of exploring motive, while also keeping a hint of mystery as well.

• Stream Dial M for Murder on Tubi.
• Rent/Buy Dial M for Murder on Amazon.

North By Northwest (Tubi)

Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason

What it’s about: The film follows Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) as he deals with a case of mistaken identity. He must run for his life while also trying to uncover what’s really happening.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: It’s thrilling, funny, sexy, and features a talented cast of actors. Cary Grant really thrives in this movie because of the ease in which he goes from dramatic to romantic to comedy to fearful to sly. He really shows a range of emotions and acting skills in North by Northwest.

• Stream North by Northwest on Tubi.
• Rent/Buy North by Northwest on Amazon.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Pluto TV)

Starring: James Stewart and Doris Day

What it’s about: A family’s vacation drastically gets turned upside down when they learn about a murder plot, and then the parents must save their son from kidnappers.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: James Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock have worked together in several films, and this is just another one where their collaborative relationship excels. Stewart’s good guy naive charm pairs nicely with Doris Day’s slightly more people savvy character.

• Stream The Man Who Knew Too Much on Pluto TV.
• Rent/Buy The Man Who Knew Too Much on Amazon.

Notorious (Tubi)

Starring: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains

What it’s about: This film follows the story of a U.S. government agent, T.R. Devlin, and an American spy, Alicia Huberman, as they take down the Nazis, and the story of how they fall in love while the stakes of war climb higher and higher.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: While Alfred Hitchcock has always been a man of mystery and suspense and thrillers, this was one of his first films where a love story was really at the center of it, and not just one love story, but two men who fall in love with the main woman. Centered around World War II and having plenty of drama, this film is one that you can’t miss if you like romance mixed in with a classic spy film.

• Stream Notorious on Tubi.
• Rent/Buy Notorious on Amazon.

Sabotage (Tubi)

Starring: Sylvia Sidney, Oskar Homolka, John Loder

What it’s about: Sabotage is Alfred Hitchcock’s 1936 film about a woman (Sylvia Sidney) who suspects that her husband (Oskar Homolka) is involved with terrorists. The terrorists plan to launch a series of attacks on London. John Loder plays the sergeant who’s investigating the couple and falls in love with the wife.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: The film is another suspense movie that proves why Hitchcock is the master of it. Sabotage keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

• Stream Sabotage on Tubi.
• Rent/Buy Sabotage on Amazon.

Family Plot (Amazon Rental)

Starring: Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris, William Devane

What it’s about: Several lives intersect in this black comedy thriller about two people hired to find a nephew given up for adoption at birth, only to find out that this supposed nephew isn’t the person they were told he would be.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: Hitchcock is pretty much known for being a man of mystery, suspense, and movies that make you rewatch over and over again to see if you missed something. But Family Plot takes a look at that and offers a comedic reprieve from his normal dosage of horror. It’s also significant because it’s Hitchcock’s last directing role.

• Rent/Buy Family Plot on Amazon.

Rear Window (Amazon Rental)

Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly

What it’s about: While healing his broken leg, Jeff witnesses what he believes to be his neighbor killing his wife. He then sets out to investigate the possible crime.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: There is so much to admire about this film, from the acting, the story, the directing style, and so much more. Without getting too geeky about Rear Window, in basic terms, it's just a really good mystery and thriller that keeps you engaged.

• Rent/Buy Rear Window on Amazon.

Shadow Of A Doubt (Amazon Rental)

Starring: Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten

What it’s about: This 1943 film tells the story of an uncle that seems like a regular man, but as his niece begins to unravel the mystery behind him, she finds out that he is wanted for murder - and soon, he realizes she knows.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: Shadow of a Doubt feels like one of the best mysteries out there because the audience is in on the mystery - it’s the characters that aren’t, and so you’re hoping they figure it out before it’s too late. It’s a great psychological thriller, one that you can’t miss.

• Rent/Buy Shadow of a Doubt on Amazon.

Rope (Amazon Rental)

Starring: James Stewart, John Dall, Farley Granger

What it’s about: Based on the 1929 play of the same name, Rope follows two aesthetes who decide to commit the “perfect murder” and prove their superiority, but all begins to turn upside down as more people discover who they truly are.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: Despite some people’s negative opinions about the 1948 version of Rope, it’s a Hitchcock film that I really enjoy. Rope works for a few different reasons. One it makes you identify with the killers and it makes you root for them, then you remember they’re cold-blooded killers, so you root against them.

• Rent/Buy Rope on Amazon.

The Birds (Netflix)

Starring: Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette

What it’s about: The lives of the residents of Bodega Bay, California are suddenly turned upside down when violent birds begin to attack them out of nowhere.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: The legacy of The Birds is now filled with controversy and violent behavior from Alfred Hitchcock, but the film itself is one of his best. The film makes you terrified of a normally peaceful animal. I think what makes the idea of The Birds (at least to me) so frightening is that their attacks come out of nowhere.

• Stream The Birds on Netflix.
• Rent/Buy The Birds on Amazon.

Foreign Correspondent (Max)

Starring: Joel McCrea, Laraine Day, Herbert Marshall and George Sanders

What it’s about: An American reporter gets assigned to go to Europe to be a foreign correspondent. While there, he stumbles upon a spy ring and assassination plans.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: Foreign Correspondent was Alfred Hitchcock’s second big Hollywood film. After its 1940 release, it along with Hitchock’s first big Hollywood movie, Rebecca, was nominated for the 1941 Best Picture Academy Award. Rebecca won the Best Picture Oscar that year.

• Stream Foreign Correspondent on Max.
• Rent/Buy Foreign Correspondent on Amazon.

Vertigo (Amazon Rental)

Starring: James Stewart and Kim Novak

What it’s about: A former police detective who retires thanks to an incident in the line of duty is called back into action to investigate the strange behavior of someone’s wife.

Why it is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films to stream: If you’ve taken any college film class, then you probably watched Vertigo at least once. Vertigo is a film that the more I watch, the more I discover new things to admire and appreciate about it. I’m a basic person, so Vertigo is probably in my top twenty favorite films. It’s just so good after you have to watch it four million times.

• Rent/Buy Vertigo on Amazon.

These are only 13 of the many great Alfred Hitchcock films available to stream. If you can’t get enough of Alfred Hitchcock films, then the internet provides a cornucopia of options.

Charlie Chaplin, Louise Brooks, and Harold Lloyd were just a few of the major stars of early Hollywood and the silent film era, who became sensations around the world thanks to their innate ability to express a wide range of emotions through physical acting (and physical comedy). But, with that era long gone and some of the silent films all but forgotten by a large portion of moviegoers, it’s important that we remember those icons and their greatest films.

Lucky for us, there are a ton of great silent movies on HBO Max. Sometimes, though, locating those films, and other titles in the Turner Classic Movies hub, is hard to do. Fear not, because we have put together a list of 13 great silent films if you have long desired to check them out.

Modern Times (1936)

One of the most beloved silent films, Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 masterpiece, Modern Times, follows the Tramp (Chaplin) as he tries to make sense of a technologically-advanced world and stay out of prison, though he achieves neither. 

Over the course of the movie, it is easy to see why Chaplin remains so revered in Hollywood, whether it was due to his unique form of physical comedy or the way in which he pulls off more tender moments, like his numerous run-ins with the young orphaned girl Ellen Peterson (Paulette Goddard) throughout the thrilling comedy.

Stream Modern Times on HBO Max.

The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (1927)

There is nothing funny about Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 silent historical drama, The Passion of Joan of Arc, as the dramatic title (and the image featured above) suggests. Often considered one of the greatest films of all time, the movie follows Joan of Arc (Renée Jeanne Falconetti) as she is captured, tried, and convicted of heresy and prepared to be burnt at the stake. 

The writing, direction, acting, and decision to film mostly in close-ups are all incredible (and incredibly influential), and make it seem like the movie was released far more recently than the late 1920s.

Stream The Passion of Joan of Arc on HBO Max.

Pandora's Box (1929)

G.W. Pabst’s groundbreaking 1929 silent film, Pandora’s Box, centers on Lulu (Louise Brooks), a young woman who uses her looks and charm to wrap men up in her web and get what she wants from them. But, when her ambition gets the best of her, Lulu is forced to face the consequences for her actions, one way or another. 

Louise Brooks and her depiction of Lulu is enough to make Pandora’s Box a must-watch, even if you aren’t a fan of silent movies. The way she brings her character to life will make you fall as quickly as the men in her life.

Stream Pandora’s Box on HBO Max.

A Trip To The Moon (1902)

Written and directed by the legendary French filmmaker Georges Méliès, A Trip to the Moon follows a group of astronomers as they set off the explore the lunar surface by using a capsule powered by a cannon. Loosely inspired by several Jules Verne novels, including From the Earth to the Moon and Around the World, Méliès' 1902 silent film has gone on to influence filmmakers, musicians, and artists over the past 100-plus years, and remains an enchanting treat for fans of the sci-fi genre.

Stream A Trip to the Moon on HBO Max.

The Impossible Voyage (1904)

In 1904, George Méliès would take inspiration from Jules Verne once again for the hilarious sci-fi satire film, The Impossible Voyage. Loosely based on Journey Through the Impossible, the movie centers on a group of explorers as they set their sights on the sky. But instead of reaching for the Moon, the group attempts to reach the surface of the Sun. More over-the-top than its predecessor, The Impossible Voyage is a tremendous exploration of humor, science, and the impossible.

Stream The Impossible Voyage on HBO Max.

Safety Last! (1923)

Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor, the 1923 silent film Safety Last!, follows The Boy (Harold Floyd) as he sets off for the big city in hopes of making enough money support him and his girlfriend, whom he hopes to marry. Big city life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and the silent hero finds that out through various interactions and incidents.

Safety Last! features one of the most iconic shots of all time with Harold Lloyd hanging from a clock high above the the city streets. That stunt and various others featured throughout this hilarious comedy make the movie so well regarded even nearly a century after its release.

Stream Safety Last! on HBO Max.

The Lodger: A Story Of The London Fog (1927)

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s earliest films, the 1927 silent film The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog is largely based on the story of Jack the Ripper, a vicious serial killer who terrorized the city’s Whitechapel district in the late 19th Century. The movie offers various perspectives, including the quiet and mysterious man believed to be the killer and his landlady, who grows increasingly suspicious of her new tenant and his nighttime activities.

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog is worth watching for the story alone, but fans of Alfred Hitchcock and his signature filmmaking techniques will enjoy this, especially. This tense thriller with its exaggerated camera angles, moody lighting, and talented cast, is truly something to behold.

Stream The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog on HBO Max.

The Gold Rush (1925)

Another Charlie Chaplin classic, the 1925 silent film, The Gold Rush, centers on the actor’s beloved character the Tramp (this time in the role of a gold prospector) as he looks to make a fortune in Alaska. The road to becoming a millionaire isn’t nearly as easy as the Tramp believes and he quickly finds himself in a heap of trouble and dangerous situations.

There’s a case to be made for The Gold Rush being one of the best movies of all time, and if someone were willing to die on that hill (or sit in a cabin teetering on the edge of that mountain) they’d have good reason to do so. The movie plays like a greatest hits of memorable Charlie Chaplin moments, especially those where he makes a shoe look like a delicacy and that whole business where the cabin is falling off the mountain.

Stream The Gold Rush on HBO Max.

Vampyr (1932)

Though not as well remembered as Nosferatu or Dracula, Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1932 silent horror film, Vampyr, is a great early example of the genre. The movie follows a young occult-obsessed wanderer named Allan Gray (Nicolas de Gunzburg) who travels to a small French town just as strange events begin to take place and people begin falling ill from mysterious bites.

Vampyr is a slow-burner, atmospheric horror film that is a must-watch for fans of the genre. It’s rather short at just 73 minutes, but manages to sneak in a great deal of tension, terror, and drama that has an almost dreamlike quality to it.

Stream Vampyr on HBO Max.

Speedy (1928)

When his girlfriend’s family’s horse-drawn trolley business is threatened by a crooked and greedy competitor, Harold “Speedy” Swift (Harold Lloyd) takes matters into his own hands to get back the stolen streetcar. What follows is a mad dash around New York City, where Speedy visits the biggest attractions and meets its biggest heroes, like Babe Ruth.

Ted Wilde’s 1928 silent film, Speedy, is one of the funniest silent films, and it’s worth watching for that reason alone. The film is also of note because it would be Harold Lloyd’s final silent movie, as he shifted over to speaking roles the following year.

Stream Speedy on HBO Max.

A Woman Of Paris (1923)

The 1923 silent drama, A Woman of Paris, which was written, directed, and scored by Charlie Chaplin (though he’s not featured as an actor), tells the heartbreaking story of Marie St. Clair (Edna Purviance), a young woman who sets off for the “City of Lights” for a new life. She finds luxuries and pleasures upon adopting the big city life, but Marie’s past comes calling, leading to disaster.

When you see the name “Charlie Chaplin” planted on a movie poster, you immediately think you’re about to watch a comedy. A Woman of Paris couldn’t be further from that as it is a dark and unsettling romantic drama that shakes you to your core.

Stream A Woman of Paris on HBO Max.

City Lights (1931)

One of the best romantic comedies of all time, City Lights follows Charlie Chaplins’ the Tramp as he falls in love with a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill) and does everything in his power to make a better life for her.

Another superb addition to Charlie Chaplin’s impressive filmography, City Lights is also one of his most charming. There is something about the character that works well as a hapless romantic, and that is seen in this movie better than just about anywhere else.

Stream City Lights on HBO Max.

Berlin: Symphony Of A Great City (1927)

Walter Ruttmann’s 1927 silent film, Berlin: Symphony of a Great City, doesn’t have a narrative structure and instead is edited to make it seem like a single day passing in the German capital. Described as “city symphony” style documentary, the movie shows people from all walks of life and various locations throughout the city as it looked just a few years before Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power.

Stream Berlin: Symphony of a Great City on HBO Max.

These are just a dozen or so of the great silent movies on HBO Max. If you liked these recommendations, you should totally go explore the vast library of silent films on the streaming service (check the Turner Classic Movies hub for some great titles). But, since you're here, go ahead and check out our list of the best movies on HBO Max. 

Few of Alfred Hitchcock’s legendary films have been touched, but Netflix is daring to break tradition with a remake of 1940’s Best Picture winner Rebecca. The psychological thriller is based on a classic novel by Daphne du Maurier, and brings Armie Hammer and Lily James together to play newlyweds haunted by the husband’s first wife.

Every actor has their own way of handling adaptations. Some like the distance from previous takes, while others thrive off the inspiration of earlier performances. Check out Armie Hammer’s hilarious take on crafting his own version of Maxim de Winter during his Rebecca interview with CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell:

The “Larry” he’s referencing here is, of course, the iconic Laurence Olivier, who was nominated for an Oscar for the role alongside Joan Fontaine, Judith Anderson and Alfred Hitchcock among the film’s 11 nominations and two wins back in the day. Armie Hammer answered lightheartedly, but there’s certainly truth in his statement. How does one follow one of the most well-known early performances in cinema? You just don’t, and Hammer mindfully ignored it until after finishing up production.

Although 80 years have now passed since Alfred Hitchcock's version of Rebecca, Armie Hammer’s response certainly goes to show how coveted the original has remained since then. It’s just what happens when one of the most decorated filmmakers of all time has their name on something. 2020’s Rebecca remains a fairly tight adaptation to the novel that keeps its characters in the ‘30s and will attempt to captivate audiences in a fresh way.

Rebecca has debuted to overall mixed reviews from critics, with CinemaBlend’s review of the film echoing its overall consensus with a three-star rating. The movie was directed by High-Rise’s Ben Wheatley, and along with featuring Armie Hammer of The Man From U.N.C.L.E and the buzzy Cinderella actress Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas plays Mrs. Danvers, the overbearing and unsettling housekeeper.

Check out Armie Hammer talk about his approach to the Rebecca adaptation below for yourself:

You can also check out the entire exclusive CinemaBlend interview with Armie Hammer, Lily James, Kristen Scott Thomas and director Ben Wheatley, which has the cast and filmmaker talking more about the process of making the lavish remake that serves as a spooky addition to Halloween season and entertaining romantic drama to get wrapped into.

After Rebecca, Armie Hammer will be part of another remake of an iconic film. He’ll play the central role of Simon Doyle in the Agatha Christie adaptation Death on the Nile. Rebecca will start streaming on Netflix on October 21. Check out what else is new on Netflix this month with Netflix’s new October releases.

In the earlier history of the James Bond franchise, the position of who directed the films seemed to circulate through the hands of four individuals alone. With the exception of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service director Peter R. Hunt, directors Terrence Young, Lewis Gilbert, Guy Hamilton and John Glen were the team that shaped 007 history for the first 16 films in the series. But when you include Hunt, all five men were part of the James Bond team in some position or another. Which makes the fact that in the classic history of Bond films, we could have seen a pretty big name break into their ranks, if history had been a bit kinder.

But even in the modern practice of almost a new director every film, with only Martin Campbell and Sam Mendes being the recurring figures in Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig’s tenures, there have been some amazing “what if” scenarios we missed out on. Today, we’re about to dive deep into the ranks of history, and see how eight directors had a brush with the world of Ian Fleming’s secret agent, and how each of them either lost out or passed up the opportunity to command the gun barrel, along with the man who walks across its gaze.

Steven Spielberg, The Spy Who Loved Me/Moonraker

Back when Steven Spielberg was a young, hotshot director making hits like Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the world seemed to be his oyster. And yet, even after making two of the biggest films that defined his career and the history of blockbuster filmmaking, James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli still wouldn’t hire Spielberg as a director in the Roger Moore era of Bond. Calling his shot two different occasions, history could have seen Steven Spielberg directing either The Spy Who Loved Me or Moonraker, based on the timing of when Spielberg personally called Broccoli to offer his services. Funny enough, both times Steven Spielberg tried to get into the 007 series, Jaws would have been there to greet him if it had worked out.

Alfred Hitchcock, Thunderball

Before Dr. No became the first James Bond tale to be adapted into a 007 film, Ian Fleming originally wanted the script that would eventually become Thunderball, entitled Longitude 78 West, to be directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Even more amazing is the fact that Hitchcock himself was a fan of Fleming’s work, thanks to Casino Royale winning him over in book form. Timing scuppered the works, and the world lost out on what’s now considered to be a “lost Hitchcock.” Even stranger, as Hitch’s North by Northwest leading man Cary Grant was also in the mix as one of the first candidates to play James Bond back in the day, we might have seen the two reunite on the film that eventually became one of the biggest legal headaches in Bond history.

John Landis, Bond 17

The other large legal quagmire that threatened to derail the James Bond series for good was that time that home studio MGM/United Artists was bought by another company, which unlawfully leased the rights to the Bond franchise to another company. Were it not for this hiccup, the film that wasn’t quite Goldeneye, but would have been Bond 17, might not have seen Timothy Dalton fail to renew his contract. And if that film moved ahead, one of the candidates mentioned for the director’s post was National Lampoon’s Animal House/Coming To America helmer John Landis. But with the dissolution of that project, the man who also helped shape the story for The Spy Who Loved Me found his chance at directing this nebulous film fading fast.

John Woo, Goldeneye

It takes a lot of confidence to accept a gig like directing the long awaited return of James Bond, which saw Pierce Brosnan finally getting his turn in the tuxedo in Goldeneye. However, it also takes just as much guts to turn it down with a smile and a polite well wish. That very story showed up in author Christopher Heard’s biography on Face/Off director John Woo, Ten Thousand Bullets: The Cinematic Journey of John Woo. According to that text, Woo was allegedly offered the gig to direct the actual 17th James Bond movie, but he declined with the greatest respect. A year after Goldeneye’s explosive debut, John Woo would break into the consciousness of western audiences with his action thriller Broken Arrow. So you could say it all turned out okay.

Peter Jackson, The World Is Not Enough

Imagine a world where The Lord of the Rings isn’t directed by Peter Jackson. That might have been the case if history shook out differently, particularly in the version of events where Barbara Broccoli pursued Jackson’s directorial skills for 1999’s The World is Not Enough. Apparently, according to the authorized biography Peter Jackson: A Filmmaker’s Journey, Broccoli was at once impressed and repulsed by Jackson’s resume. The story goes something like this: it was the serious and sobering drama Heavenly Creatures that put Peter Jackson on Barbara Broccoli’s radar in the first place. This in turn led her to being invited to view the more comedic horror romp The Frighteners, which promptly put her off his hiring. Which is probably a good thing, as The World is Not Enough released in November 1999, a month into his back-to-back-to-back production schedule on The Lord of the Rings.

Quentin Tarantino, Casino Royale

If the powers that be listened to Pierce Brosnan’s pitch for Casino Royale, things might still be a lot different from what they turned out to be in the world of 007. As Brosnan himself told this story during this year’s Goldeneye watch party, a boozy night out led to the then current James Bond and director Quentin Tarantino, fresh off of Kill Bill at the time, to cook up an R-rated version of Ian Fleming’s first Bond adventure. Apparently there were talks about this film also being a black and white period piece, and that may have been what ultimately pushed those in the decision-making seat to pass. Then again, with Pierce Brosnan being released from the role not too long after that point, other wheels may have been turning.

Roger Mitchell, Quantum of Solace

You probably don’t know director Roger Mitchell by name, but you definitely know one of his most memorable projects as a director: the romantic comedy Notting Hill. Believe it or not, there was a time when Mitchell was approached to get Quantum of Solace off the ground, and in a hurry. With a 2007 release firmly in mind, and no script developed at the time, Roger Mitchell was asked if he could develop some action sequences that Daniel Craig’s second 007 outing could employ to wow the audience. But Mitchell wasn’t comfortable without a script and bowed out as he felt the gig just wasn’t for him. Eventually, World War Z director Marc Forster would take over the reins and deliver the finished project.

Danny Boyle, No Time To Die

And here we are: the most recent and arguably most painful 007 parting of the ways we’ve seen in the current age. When you hire someone like Danny Boyle to make a movie, you kind of expect the man who shepherded Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary and 28 Days Later to do something at list a little bit unconventional. Yet when he and writer John Hodge were hired to craft the movie that was eventually No Time To Die, it felt like maybe the series was ready for that sort of approach. Five months after their hiring, and a ton of speculation later, Boyle left the then titled Bond 25, and it was supposedly over a bunch of “crazy, madcap ideas.”

One can only imagine how different the history of James Bond would have been if any of these directors had landed their moments in the 00-sun. These are some experimental ideas and wild chances that might have paid off... or failed spectacularly. It's something to keep in mind as we make our way into the next phase of the Bond franchise, as any new hirings on the directing front could see a quick and sharp reversal of fortune. No Time To Die closes out the Daniel Craig era of films, with its planned release in theaters on November 20, and we can't wait to see how Cary Joji Fukunaga earns his place in the ranks of those who were lucky enough to walk away with the job in hand.

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It's that time of year when we are all busy visiting family, attending holiday functions and, of course, shelling out an exceptional amount of money to show our friends and family just how much we love them. Here at CinemaBlend, we won't tell you what sweater to buy your uncle, what watch would best suit your partner, or what heartwarming gift will bring tears to your mother's eyes. However, we're pretty confident that when it comes to recommending home entertainment sets, we've seen all the good stuff this year, and as such, we're happy to share our (super-opinionated and kind of nerdy) knowledge.

This year there were some big new entries and some rereleases in the home entertainment department. These aren't the type of Blu-ray, DVD and Digital releases that make your average stocking stuffer, but they please those movie and TV lovers who are collector's at heart. In addition, if you'd like to take a look at what we recommended last year, head here.

Firefly: 15th Anniversary Collector's Edition

There are a lot of products out there for avid Firefly fans, including book sets, key chains and tons of similar memorabilia. While it's difficult to believe it, Firefly turned 15 this year (or alternatively got cancelled 15 years ago, depending on how you want to look at it). To commemorate the release, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has given the show the due it really deserves with the Firefly: 15th Anniversary Collector's Edition, which come with a slew of fun extras, collectible packaging and even a quote on the back that reads, 'Find a Crew. Find a job. Keep flying. Fans of the previous 2008 Blu-ray won't have new extras on the disks, but there is a map of the United Alliance of Planets and some fun trading cards. It's the perfect starter set for anyone looking to meet Captain Mal and the rest of the gang. Order your own copy of the set.

Who This Set Is Perfect For: Browncoats, Browncoats, Browncoats. Oh, and maybe the occasional Castle fan.

Transformers: 5-Movie Collection

Paramount's Transformer movies have certainly gone through a lot of changes over time. We've seen casting changes with the humans in the movies and new characters introduced. There have been some intriguing storylines dangled in front of us, as well. If you've ever wanted to see the movies in continuity or watch the flicks over and over again, you can do so with the 5-movie collection, which includes Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Transformers: Age of Extinction and the most recent entry Transformers: The Last Knight. The movie is basically a repacking of the flicks, and The Last Knight comes with its own bonus disc, but it's certainly a handy way to keep the Transformers movies on-hand. Order your own copy of the set; this one's a stocking stuffer!

Who This Set Is Perfect For: People who are pumped for the Bumblebee spinoff, all your kids, those who want to relive some of the top big budget Michael Bay moments.

Dirty Dancing 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition

One of the truest gift sets this year, the Lionsgate Dirty Dancing 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition is a beautiful set. The packaging is sturdy and opens up to a shot of Baby dancing with Johnny. If you open the set even further you'll find your very own room key for Kellerman's, a slew of dance cards that will teach you the salsa, etc., and even a script for the movie. The Blu-ray is hidden underneath all that fun stuff. Once you "unlock" the key so to speak, there are even more hidden gems, including a satchel, a Do Not Disturb sign and some faux postcards. None of this is practical, of course, but it's still very enchanting. Quotes even adorn the back of the box. If the set has a con, it's going to take up a lot of space on the shelf, but given no restrictions, this set for superfans is a must-buy. Order your own copy of this beaut.

Who This Set Is Perfect For: Anyone who has ever attempted this dance lift, anyone who can quote at least one Dirty Dancing line--and if you don't know "Nobody puts Baby in a corner," we'd be shocked. Anyone in love with this era of eighties movies and Jennifer Grey.

The Strain: The Complete Series

The Strain was always seen as a limited event series, and executive producer Carlton Cuse once stated the FX show was designed to play out across five seasons. It didn't quite get that far, and FX ultimately decided to wrap up the show at the end of Season 4, after being given shortened episode counts that "supercharged" the series. This new collection is coming along with The Strain: The Complete Fourth Season DVD and Blu-ray releases on December 12. So, if you've always been a fan of this well-liked series, this set is certainly time to buy. New bonus features with the fourth season include traditional stuff like a gag reel and deleted scenes. However, 11 featurettes are also included that will give you a look at "The Baby Factor" (their words, not ours) and will even delve into the finale and how the show chose to wrap things up. Don't strain yourself too hard looking for this set; you can find it right here.

Who This Set is Perfect For: Here at CinemaBlend, we have a lot of The Strain superfans. This set is for you, Strain superfans. May the show with one of the grossest promotional posters ever live on through this boxed set.

DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection

This limited edition set is individually numbered and first hit shelves just a few weeks ago. It's sort of like the comprehensive Bond 50 set that came out a few years ago, although with very different subject matter, and includes 30 animated films and an additional 5 animated shorts. It also has a slew of Comic-Con footage from years past (including a 2017 panel), a full documentary, Mark Hamill footage and plenty of other bonus features on an extra disc. That's just the base facts of this set, though. The fact is, it features well over 30 hours of movies, and is arguably a better box set than anything DC has released in years. If you've been keeping tabs on DC's animation at all, the track record for quality is insane, and the set consolidated a lot of meaty material in one package. I could even gush on and on about the book-like packaging for each of the Blu-rays and the 3-collector coins hidden underneath. (I won't be I definitely could) Oh, and there are coloring pages, because people who like DC also like coloring, OK? The 10th Anniversary Collection doesn't come cheap, but it's also comprehensive. Check it out.

Who This Set Is Perfect For: DC Fans, of course. Specifically, those already up on the R and PG-13 animated projects DC has been putting out. This set is topnotch. It's a pretty damn good holiday gift.

Samurai Jack: The Complete Series

One of the few big box office sets this holiday season that also comes with a Digital copy of the series, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network's comprehensive Samurai Jack: The Complete Series set comes with all five seasons of the series, a feat made possible despite the fact the show took a hiatus of nearly 15 years and switched to Adult Swim upon its return. Previous releases of the early seasons of Samurai Jack have also been DVD offerings, making this High Definition release more enticing. If that's not enough, there's new cover art for each season, and the set comes with cool original metal plate artwork. Here's how you can nab a copy.

Who This Set Is Perfect For: Avid Adult Swim watchers, anyone excited for Samurai Jack's big return earlier this year, anyone who gets suckered in by some cool artwork, etc.

The Godfather Trilogy: Omerta Edition

Another limited edition set with a shiny gold number on the front, Paramount's latest release of The Godfather Trilogy. The trilogy of movies have been previously released with the same in-depth special features, but similar to some of the other gift sets in this holiday gift guide, it's some of the exclusive fun new collectibles that make this set so shiny. Well, that and the beautiful gold typeface that will make this set look good on any shelf. As for the collectibles, there's new magnetic poetry, an "Anatomy of a Scene foldout," and even fun new trivia cards that should make a holiday get-together a bit more amusing. Character cards with quotes are also included.

Who This Set is Perfect For: Anyone who has ever quoted The Godfather to you and doesn't yet own The Godfather trilogy, anyone who is enticed by gifts with shiny gold font.

The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Series

Warner Bros.' The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Series has been a long time coming. The long-running CW series made it through eight seasons of a changing cast, which later included a spinoff in The Originals and characters who grew and changed a lot through the show's run. Julie Plec built a fanbase through characters like Stefan, Elena, Damon, Klaus and more. Although the set in question is basically a repacking of all eight seasons of the popular supernatural series, the complete series set makes for an incredible fun re-watch, illuminating exactly how much changed as time went on in the show. It might make you feel a little old, but in a good way. Conjure up your own copy of the full series on Blu-ray and DVD.

Who This Set Is Perfect For: Those who love to binge-watch, anyone who capably knows what Stelena, Delena, Steroline, and Janna means.

The Amazing Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is all about the famous wall crawler this season. Earlier this fall, the studio released the 4K edition of the Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone-led series. If 4K isn't enough to entice you to buy in, the set also comes with Blu-ray and Digital copies, 15 featurettes Sony describes as "rare," nearly 10 hours of special features, and a full color, image-filled booklet that really goes into the behind-the-scenes of the making of the two films. It's a nice set, even without the 4K. And if that's not your cup of tea, Sam Raimi's trilogy of movies is also available in 4K with the similar Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection. It's not too pricey to own, either.

Who This Set Is Perfect For: Spidey completists, anyone still 'shipping Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield, and 4K fanatics who love a pristine picture on your TV screen.

You'd have a hard time finding any filmmaker more versed in suspense and thrills than Alfred Hitchcock. The legendary director delighted in keeping film lovers on the edges of their seats, having made some of the best films ever. This has led some not so great attempts at movie remakes, but now one of Hitchcock's freakiest films, The Birds, is getting the TV treatment. The BBC will be spinning the original film, which involved flocks of birds just saying "screw it" and attacking every human they see, into a television series, but there will be some notable differences.

For the television drama version of The Birds, the BBC will be teaming with production company Heyday Television, which is owned by Harry Potter producer David Heyman. While it's still early on in the process, Digital Spy reports that the television drama will actually take its location cues from Daphne du Maurier's original 1952 novella of the same name, which Hitchcock's film was based on.

The Birds novel and film share little in common other than the fact that birds are jerks. In Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film, wealthy San Francisco socialite Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren, in a highly controversial performance) follows a love interest to his family home in an isolated California town by the bay, complete with an overprotective mother. Flocks of birds suddenly begin to attack everyone in town, and there's essentially no defense from an endless swarm of beaks and talons. The novel, meanwhile, takes place in the United Kingdom's Cornwall shortly after World War II, where a farmhand and his community must deal with the sudden bird attack.

As stated, the TV drama will stick closer to the novel and will be written by Conor McPherson, who is something of a The Birds expert. He adapted the novella into a play back in 2009, and possibly didn't want to drew too many comparisons to one of Hollywood's biggest legends. That said, we can likely expect some visual similarities.

If, for whatever reason, you haven't seen The Birds, that's something you need to change. Even though it sounds like a corny concept on paper, it's actually quite gripping in execution. Thanks to the movie's pacing and build-up of tension, you really get sucked in once the action kicks in, and these birds indeed become a very scary threat. Take a look at this clip of just what these non-fine-feathered creatures are capable of. They blow up a gas station!

The Birds television adaptation has no release date just yet, as the nest is just coming together, but stick with CinemaBlend for all the latest updates. While you're at it, stay in the know and check out our summer TV schedule and our fall TV premiere guide to learn about all the shows you need to look out for.

For a lot of people, this has been a long year, and we're finally saying goodbye to 2016 to welcome in 2017.The new year will bring many exciting new movies with it, so let's celebrate the holiday with some epic movie marathons. Plenty of networks are going out with a bang with huge franchise-length marathons, and we've collected some of the best right here for you. Check out the dates and times for some of these below to plan your schedule accordingly.

Harry Potter Franchise, Freeform

It wouldn't be a holiday weekend (or any given weekend, for that matter) if Freeform wasn't airing a Harry Potter marathon. Freeform will be showing every single Harry Potter film over the course of the weekend. It all starts on Saturday, Dec. 31 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at 7 a.m. EST. There will be repeat showings for each film, but the marathon officially ends on Monday, Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II.

Ghostbusters, BBC America

BBC America will be running a marathon of Ghostbusters all afternoon, though it's without the recent Ghostbusters film that didn't perform so hot over the summer. Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2 will be playing all afternoon starting on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 1:30 p.m. and running until 11:30 p.m. EST.

The Fast And The Furious, Spike

Want to end 2016 with action, really fast cars and girl butts? You won't find a better place than Spike with its The Fast and the Furious marathon. The network will be playing the first five movies in the franchise, beginning on Sunday, Jan. 1 at 12 p.m with The Fast and The Furious and ending at 10 p.m. EST with Fast Five. The marathon will also air Monday, Jan. 2 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST.

The Lord Of The Rings, TNT

You could end the year by sitting on the couch literally the entire day by watching The Lord of the Rings marathon on TNT. For some reason, the network is forgoing The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and will instead air the second and third films in the fantasy franchise. Beginning on Saturday, Dec. 31 with limited commercials is The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers at 4:22 p.m., followed by The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King at 8 p.m. EST.

The Hobbit, Also TNT

If Lord of the Rings wasn't enough for you, then TNT has you covered with another trip to Middle-Earth. The network is running the first two films in the Hobbit trilogy, beginning with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Sunday, Jan. 1 at 1:18 p.m., followed by The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug at 4:45 p.m. EST.

Tyler Perry Films, BET

You can always count on Tyler Perry for some entertaining and emotional fee- good films. BET will be running a Tyler Perry movie marathon for the holiday weekend. On Sunday, Jan. 1, the marathon will be mostly Madea-less and begins with Why Did I Get Married Too at 12:05 p.m.; Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor at 3:15 p.m.; Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself at 6:05 p.m.; and it all ends with a repeat showing of Why Did I Get Married Too at 9 p.m.

James Bond, Esquire

Send 2016 packing in style! Esquire will be holding a James Bond marathon, though it does come with a caveat depending on your Bond preferences -- they'll only be airing the Pierce Brosnan Bond movies. The marathon begins Monday, Jan 2. with GoldenEye at 7 p.m. followed by Tomorrow Never Dies at 9:30 p.m.; The World is Not Enough at 12 p.m.; and Die Another Day at 2:30 p.m. Then rinse and repeat with GoldenEye at 5:30 p.m.; Tomorrow Never Dies at 8 p.m.; and The World is Not Enough at 10:30 p.m.

Alfred Hitchcock, TCM

Finally, a treat for any film fan. TCM will be airing the classics of director Alfred Hitchcock for an epic movie lovers marathon. Running all day on Sunday, Jan.1 from 6 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. EST, you'll be able to see such classics including, but not limited to, Strangers on a Train, Psycho, Marnie, The Birds, Rear Window and Vertigo. 24 hours of suspense if there ever was one.

When it came to actresses, the late filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock had a type. Blonde. Icy. Gorgeous and stately, but accessible. Grace Kelly epitomized the on-screen Hitchcock femme fatale, though it's off-screen allegations from one of his frequent collaborators that has the director's name back in the headlines these days, for disturbing reasons.

Tippi Hedren made two thrillers with Alfred Hitchcock: the famous The Birds (1963) and its less notorious follow-up, Marnie (1964). Now, in an upcoming memoir titled Tippi, the actress once again is accusing Hitchcock of sexual assault, in excerpts that have been acquired by the New York Post. In the stories, Hedren discusses how protective the director would get of his actress, and how their relationship escalated to very uncomfortable situations when the director would get perverse. Hedren claims that Hitchcock once threw himself on her in the back of his limo. The worst accusation, Hedren now writes, occurred in her dressing room on the set of Marnie, where she elaborates:

This is not the first time that Tippi Hedren has spoken out about the alleged treatment by Alfred Hitchcock on the set of the two movies that they made together. In a 2012 interview with the BBC, Hedren says that the working conditions on Hitch's sets were the equivalent of being in "a mental prison," and she went on to say that the director ruined her professional acting career in the years following her work on The Birds and Marnie, though she successfully acted in more than 50 film and TV projects following Marnie, proving that Hitchcock's influence couldn't completely destroy her image.

In that BBC interview, Tippi Hedren addresses the concept of Alfred Hitchcock's long-time spouse, Alma, who reportedly acknowledged the situation at the time. Hedren explained:

The culture of on-set behavior has changed, drastically. What you say and do lingers now, where more was swept under a proverbial rug in the past. Even in the political forum, accounts of past indiscretions can affect a presidential campaign, or get an entertainment reporter like NBC's Billy Bush fired.

These allegations have swirled around Alfred Hitchcock's name for years following his death, and Hedren bringing them up again in her forthcoming memoir will only add heat to the conversation about whether or not these accusation will tarnish the director's reputation. There are filmmakers with horrific transgressions on their personal ledger, from Woody Allen to Roman Polanski. How do you feel about Tippi Hedren's continued claims? How do you feel about Alfred Hitchcock in light of these ongoing accusations?

Steven Spielberg, one of the most well-known directors of all time, wasn't always one of the most well-known directors of all time. In his late teens, he used to sneak onto the Universal lot with an expired three-day pass and watch TV shows get made. That three-day pass lasted him three months, and Spielberg got to see a ton of stuff that he would apply to his own career down the road. However, he was still a 16 year old kid who wasn't supposed to be there and one time he got kicked off the set of another superstar director: Alfred Hitchcock.

Entertainment Weekly got the chance to tour the Universal lot with Steven Spielberg, in order to talk about The BFG and the rest of his legendary career. The director even shared some stories about his earliest experiences with the studio that he would make his home. EW asked him if he ever saw any famous filmmakers during his unofficial time on the set as a teenager, and Spielberg answered with delight, "Hitchcock! But I got thrown off that set very quickly." Spielberg had wandered onto the set of Torn Curtain and could see Alfred Hitchcock himself talking to Julie Andrews. and he explains his expulsion as follows:

I would love to know if that AD ever found out he kicked out Steven Spielberg, because I was that person, I'd tell that story for the rest of my life.

Getting back to The Adventures of Young Spielberg, the director says that his time sneaking around the lot gave him a master class lesson in editing. Spielberg could only spend so much time on the sound stages before someone could question him, so he learned more going into the editing room and watching the editors cut film. As he tells it, he was honest with them about sneaking in, but no one ever blew the whistle on him. He would just look over their shoulders the whole time to see what they were doing. Apparently, he became good enough friends with the editors that they started pulling pranks on him. In an absolute gem of a story, Spielberg remembers how the editors tricked him into walking in on a naked Marlon Brando.

You can listen to that story and see the rest of Spielberg's Universal tour in the video here. It's definitely worth the 10-minute runtime and you get to see a lot of sound stages from movies like War of the Worlds, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Psycho.

Steven Spielberg's next project is Ready Player One, which begins filming next month. He's also got Indiana Jones 5 lined up, but that one won't be for a few more years.

By this point we’re all well aware of just how clever Pixar movies are. These aren’t just simple cartoons designed to be aesthetically appealing to the eye. Sure, these films are visual marvels, but they’re also intricate stories, emotionally engaging narratives, and full to overflowing with Easter eggs and references to movies from throughout the history of cinema. A new video collects many of the references to classic films that can be found in the works of Pixar. Some will be obvious, while still other reference and nods may be more surprising.

This five-minute-long video compiled by Jorge Luengo Ruiz runs through the entire Pixar catalog, providing side-by-side evidence of the various nods, homages, and references that can be found in their films. There is one notable absence, however, as A Bug’s Life is not included since, as Ruiz points out, the entire plot is a tribute to Akira Kurosawa’s epic The Seven Samurai. It would be difficult to include an entire movie, to be sure.

These references run the gamut from modern movies like a Mission: Impossible gag that can be found in the Toy Story franchise, to allusions to classics like Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane and even Billy Wilder’s Jack Lemmon-starring drama The Apartment. You’ve even got references to various entries from the Star Wars saga, Total Recall, and even Kramer Versus Kramer. Alfred Hitchcock shows up a few times, like with a nod to Vertigo and an almost shot for shot recreation of one of the swarming scenes from The Birds that can be found in Finding Nemo.

Some of these are obvious and readily apparent, like the recreation of the rolling rock scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark in Toy Story, though some are much more subtle. Take the same movie, for instance. When Buzz and Woody must escape from Sid’s house, the carpet is the same color and pattern as the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

This is just one of the references you might not expect to find in what is ostensibly a kid’s movie, but it’s definitely par for the course for Pixar, who wants to keep audiences of all ages alert and engaged and involved in their movies on a number of levels. Another is the chest burster scene from Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror/sci-fi classic Alien, but there’s a nod to that gory situation, and a blatant one at that. Monsters Inc. even features an homage to the wood chipper scene from the Coen Brothers’ modern noir tale Fargo, which is a particularly brutal and unexpected instance.

But these little tips of the cap to the long and varied history of cinema are a big part of what set Pixar movies apart from other animated films, and part of why we love pouring over them with an especially close eye.

Alfred Hitchcock was well known for not allowing any disrespect to the filmmaking process on the set of his movies, but in the early 1960s the legendary director was able to extend his influence to every theater that showed his would-be classic horror film, Psycho. Ensuring that the movie was seen exactly how it was meant to be presented, Hitchcock had the following warning shown to the audience:

This is epic, and, quite frankly, it’s something modern filmmakers and theaters should make note of and possibly think about putting back into practice. In his warning, courtesy of Imgur, Hitchcock first and foremost encourages proper movie-going etiquette. It’s a simple request: show up on time in order to properly see the film you’re spending time and money to see. It’s not exactly rocket science, but it’s a message from which current audiences could certainly learn. While tardiness might not be the biggest problem, audiences are still easily distracted, often using mobile devices in theaters instead of paying attention to the movie showing on the gargantuan screen in front of them.

What Hitchcock does most impressively with his warning is set the tone for the experience audience members were going to have for the following 109 minutes. Using murderous linguistics and nods to the genre he helped create, Hitchcock proceeds to threaten his audiences into properly enjoying Psycho. It’s really brilliant. Before the first shot of the film, ticketholders are already in the tense and anxious mood that Hitchcock utilizes brilliantly in his films.

Psycho revolves around a weekend in the Bates Motel, where secretary Marion Crane checks in, and begins noticing the strange occurrences between the Hotel Manager and his unseen mother. Starring Janet Leigh as Crane and Anthony Perkins as the disturbed Norman Bates, the film uses Hitchcock’s cinematography to keep the audience at the edge of their seat throughout. It also defied cinematic norms by killing off Leigh early in the film, which was one of the key reasons why the director was so insistent about audience members not showing up late to screenings.

Psycho is now regarded as one of the most influential and renowned horror films of all time. The infamous shower scene has become a legendary moment in pop culture, with countless references found in films and TV shows. Additionally, A&E has gone on to make a prequel television series, Bates Motel, starring Vera Farmiga, which has recently aired its third season. Farmiga’s performance as Bates’ mother has been acclaimed, earning her a primetime Emmy nomination.

Can warnings like Hitchcock’s be implemented for modern movie audiences? It would be quite the adjustment from the way movie theaters have been running lately. After all, movie theater staffs seem to be shrinking, and if a filmmaker won’t allow late seating, it would probably require additional staff to be enforced. And in the lawsuit-happy climate we’re in, there would undoubtedly be problems with disgruntled audience members. Plus, with the price of movie tickets continuing to rise, should moviegoers reserve the right to come and go as they please?

What do you think? Sound off below and let us know if these warnings can go off with or without a Hitch.

Throughout the canon of Alfred Hitchcock classics, there's one actor Hitch could always depend on showing up to do their part... himself! Now a YouTuber has put together a full compilation of all of Hitchcock's classic cameos, available for your perusal below.

User Will Erickson went through the entire Hitchcock catalog, which reaches back to his silent film work starting in 1927 and spans through his original British films, before making the leap to the man's Hollywood days. So when Erickson says "every Hitchcock cameo ever," he's not fooling around. And if you should find yourself unable to spot the legendary director in an appearance, never fear – there's a handy guide in the video's description that'll tell you where to look. For fun though, give the video a once over before cheating with the guide, and see how many appearances you can spot.

As any Hitchcock fan will tell you, one of the legendary director's signature aspects to his films is his ritual of showing up in almost every film he's ever made. The roles are typically silent, with the director being placed full on in the midst of the action of whatever scene he's in. Though some cameos, such as his guest spot in 1954's Rear Window, you'll definitely have to work to point him out. Of course, a man as dedicated to storytelling wouldn't sacrifice a plot's efficacy for his own vanity, which explains how his cameo in 1944's Lifeboat is that of appearing in a newspaper ad for a weight loss product.

In another obscure game of "Where's Alfred," Hitchcock sneaks himself into the opening of Rope as a bystander walking on the street in the film's opening scene. Break out your field glasses though, as he's a bit hard to spot. Seeing as the film is supposed to operate as one big take, there's no realistic way for the man to appear in the film, unless he were a party guest. It's safe to assume that Hitchcock eschewed such an appearance, as it would ultimately distract from the taut action of the film's suspenseful plot. Throughout his many cameos in almost as many films as he's directed, there are a couple of notable ones in the bunch.

Take for instance, his appearance in 1956's The Wrong Man. Instead of his usual on screen appearance, he makes a vocal cameo to explain how the film's story is one of truth not fiction. While one could argue that this isn't so much a cameo as the director is acting as a disclaimer for his film's plot, we'll allow it because it keeps that streak alive! In another stand out cameo, 1959's North By Northwest shows the director just missing a local bus after his credit has flashed up on the screen. And who can forget 1966's Torn Curtain, which features Hitch holding a baby as a tune familiar to all Alfred Hitchcock Presents fans plays on.

What could perhaps be called Alfred Hitchcock's most fitting cameo is, indeed, his last in 1976's Family Plot. In Hitchcock's final film, he appears as a shadow being viewed through a pane of frosted glass. That glass belongs to the door of the Registrar Of Births And Deaths, and if that's not a fitting exit for the master of suspense and covertly cheeky humor, we don't know what is. It's no secret that Hitchcock is one of Hollywood's sacred heroes, even despite the recent and negative portraits of his own personal history. What cannot be questioned though is the intensity and dedication the man brought to his work, and this cameo clip reel is one of the best testaments to a career spent making audiences laugh as much as they gasped.

Since the moment they've opened their doors, YouTube has always been a fine purveyor of everything from DIY hacks to cute animal videos, with tons of gaffes, live TV moments, and movie trailers filling the gaps in between. Yet there's one thing YouTube isn't primarily known for, at least when it comes to the legal enjoyment of filmed entertainment: they've got a lot of good movies sitting on their servers, just waiting to be viewed -- in their entirety. Some are classics that have fallen into public domain, and can be watched for free. Others are big studio pictures or legacy titles that are locked up tighter that Citizen Kane's past. Yet they all have one thing in common: they're on the YouTubes and available for anywhere from free to a nominal fee.

So if you're looking for something to watch, Netflix or Amazon Prime are exhausted options, and your Blu Ray collection has been picked over so frequently you know all the words to X-Men: Days Of Future Past, why not frequent some of these easy to view picks? Chances are there's something you've always been meaning to watch sitting on the list below.

Big

Year Of Release: 1988

IMDB Score: 7.3 / 10

Synopsis: After Josh Baskins makes a wish upon a carnival fortune-telling machine, he grows up to become a more Tom Hanks-looking version of what he'd look like as an adult. With the help of his best friend, he embarks on a journey to make better toys, reverse the wish, and learn how to deal with women... not necessarily in that order. If you need a good reminder of just how funny Tom Hanks can be, or if you just want to relive the piano scene one more time, look no further.

Broadcast News

Year Of Release: 1987

IMDB Score: 7.2 / 10

Synopsis: The world of television news is tough, especially when the ax is looming and some pretty boy wants your dream job (and dream woman). Aaron (Albert Brooks) has to contend with Tom (William Hurt) for both breaking news and the heart of Jane (Holly Hunter,) his best friend. Set against the backdrop of 1980's network news, Broadcast News tells the story of talent vs. looks -- a debate that was waged on no greater battlefield than the ever-evolving landscape of TV news. Funny, heartbreaking, and thought provoking -- this is a comedy that's in rare form, and you'll be hard pressed to find anything like it today.

Robocop

Year Of Release: 1987

IMDB Score: 7.5 / 10

Synopsis: Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) was the perfect cop, a good husband, and a great father. At least he was, until he was killed in the line of duty by a gang of criminals he was trying to apprehend. Given a new lease on life, Murphy finds himself back on the streets... as a cyborg law enforcement officer who's "part man, part machine, all cop." Robocop is Paul Verhoeven's satirical action masterpiece, skewering the politics of 1980's Reganomics, as well as drawing attention to the sad state Detroit would eventually find itself in. Come for the action, stay for the smart-assed one liners.

The Incredibles

Year Of Release: 2004

IMDB Score: 8.0 / 10

Synopsis: Years after a superhero registration act leaves all powered heroes with new identities, and witness relocation-style packages, Bob and Helen Parr (Craig T. Nelson & Holly Hunter) find themselves dealing with mid-life crises, defiant children, and what to do without a world to save. Before they know it, they're inadvertently swept up in something greater than themselves... something incredible. The Incredibles is a landmark moment for Disney/Pixar, as Brad Bird took the medium they used strictly on toys and animals and turned it loose on human characters. It's dramatic, it's thrilling, and it lives up to its name.

The Philadelphia Story

Year Of Release: 1940

IMDB Score: 8.1 / 10

Synopsis: Getting married is a nerve-racking prospect the first time around, but the second time around can be just downright horrifying. Tracy (Katherine Hepburn) is about to learn that the hard way, as not only has her ex-husband (Cary Grant) popped up out of nowhere, the tabloids also want in on the nuptials... and they've sent a good looking reporter (Jimmy Stewart) to file the story! If you're a fan of top-notch romantic comedies, you owe it to yourself to watch The Philadelphia Story and see just where all the old tricks came from.

The Fog Of War

Year Of Release: 2003

IMDB Score: 8.2 / 10

Synopsis: If anyone knew the Vietnam War inside and out, it would be its chief strategist – former Secretary Of Defense, Robert McNamara. Errol Morris focuses his keen documentarian eye on McNamara, and goes into detail on his life, his days in the private sector, and eventually his tenure as Lyndon B. Johnson's Defense secretary during Vietnam. If you're looking for concrete answers, or any sort of apologies, you're probably going to walk away from this empty handed. But if you want an intriguing profile of an enigmatic man, then you're going to enjoy this greatly.

The Searchers

Year Of Release: 1956

IMDB Score: 8.0 / 10

Synopsis: When his niece is kidnapped in the wild west of post Civil War Texas, Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) heads out into the great frontier to try and save her. Throughout his five-year mission he’ll fight the indigenous Native Americans, and anyone else who gets in his way. John Ford’s picturesque Western is considered by many to be the epitome of the genre, with Wayne displaying his usually stellar mix of bravado and vulnerability for all to see. How the hell this man was considered a "B-Actor," the world will never know – but The Searchers is the perfect case as to why that assumption is dead wrong.

Citizen Kane

Year Of Release: 1941

IMDB Score: 8.4 / 10

Synopsis: Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) is as enigmatic as he is powerful. Yet for all of the power he holds, not one person could tell you that they truly knew him. Upon hearing news of his death, a reporter (William Alland) tasks himself with decrypting the meaning of the man's final words. Through those that knew him best (and worst,) the life of Charles Kane is unraveled. A monumental classic, this is the movie RKO and William Randolph Hearst didn't want you to see! If you've ever wondered why people would say, "It's no Citizen Kane," after a particularly bad movie, now's the time to find out.

North By Northwest

Year Of Release: 1959

IMDB Score: 8.4 / 10

Synopsis: Ever feel like you've been in the wrong place at the wrong time? Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) sure has, and he's wanted for murder because of it! Now, embroiled in a case of mistaken malfeasance, he has to clear his name, get the girl (Eva Marie Saint), and scale Mount Rushmore in the process. One of Alfred Hitchcock's finest, North By Northwest brings Hitch's trademarks of suspense, gallows humor, and lightly-veiled innuendo to life yet again. There are many Hitchcock classics that you should be watching, but this one has to be one of the most tightly wound.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Year Of Release: 1975

IMDB Score: 8.7 / 10

Synopsis: When given the choice of hard labor or time in a mental institution, Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) opts for the latter, unwittingly pitting himself against the vicious Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher.) During his stay in the institution, McMurphy makes friends with several of the inmates, and eventually connects with them in ways he couldn't have imagined... which further puts him at odds with Ratched, who has a very different approach with McMurphy and his colleagues. This is peak Jack Nicholson, and it's all at once funny, heartbreaking, and uplifting.

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Year Of Release: 1942

IMDB Score: 7.8 / 10

Synopsis: James Cagney went down in history as one of Hollywood's most iconic hard-asses. Yet for all of that whooping and hollering he made as gangsters and madmen, he really wanted to be a song and dance man. Thus Yankee Doodle Dandy was born, finding its way onto his resume like a note to a song sheet! This biography of legendary performer and jack of all trades, George M. Cohan, might fudge things just a tiny bit, but at the very least it delivers some good old fashioned musical thrills. Just don't watch it as the second half of a double feature opening with White Heat.

Network

Year Of Release: 1976

IMDB Score: 8.2 / 10

Synopsis: Howard Beale (Peter Finch) is mad as Hell, and he's not gonna take it anymore! After he finds out he's got two weeks left as UBS's news anchor, Beale goes from a mad man to the mad prophet of the airwaves. This naturally leaves the executives (Faye Dunaway, Robert Duvall) nervous and excited, as the ratings are climbing and a merger is at stake. You've heard the quote, but you need to see one of the first films to predict reality television, questionable content, and Glenn Beck's future – except with a lot more intentional dark humor.

The Goonies

Year Of Release: 1985

IMDB Score: 7.8 / 10

Synopsis: Ok, confession time: who hasn't seen The Goonies? Those of you with your hands up, stick around. Those of you who are already hip to the game, feel free to forward this to as many converts as you want. For the uninitiated, The Goonies is what happens when you mix an Indiana Jones film with a classic 80's kids flick. When their town is about to be bulldozed to make way for a country club, our band of ruffians seek out a legendary pirate treasure. Unfortunately for them, some local mobsters have a very similar idea. A classic romp in every sense of the word.

Free Movies

Plan 9 From Outer Space

Year Of Release: 1959

IMDB Score:4.0 / 10

Synopsis: So you might have noticed how low of a rating this one has compared to all the others. Well, don't let Plan 9 From Outer Space’s reputation fool you, as this film is a cult classic of filmmaking so bad, it actually swings back to good. While the film's plot is a bit hard to find in the actual film itself, the official synopsis has this movie down as a tale about aliens turning the dearly departed into undead creatures... all because we're trying to build "the bomb." It's not exactly Citizen Kane, but Plan 9 From Outer Space makes for a fun watching experience, especially with the RiffTrax commentary.

Night Of The Living Dead

Year Of Release: 1968

IMDB Score: 8.0 / 10

Synopsis: A new threat to humanity emerges without warning, trapping a handful of people in the same local farmhouse. As day turns to night, the dead continue to rise from their graves and make life hell for the living. All it takes is one bite or one scratch, and you're done for. It might be hard to believe, but George A. Romero's zombie classic, Night Of The Living Dead still packs an atmospheric punch this very day. From its unassuming beginning, right through its tense middle, and landing on the granddaddy of shocking finales, this widely acknowledged classic is still something you don't want to watch alone at night.

The General

Year Of Release: 1926

IMDB Score: 8.3 / 10

Synopsis: When a train engineer (Buster Keaton) is rejected from enlisting in the Confederate Army, a huge misunderstanding ensues and the love of his life leaves him. Sometime later, the two meet again, although under the circumstance that Union saboteurs have seized our hero’s train, The General, and his lady love is a captive aboard. Buster Keaton had a way with physical comedy, as well as filmmaking that was extreme for its time. If you enjoy silent, more physically expressive comedy; you’ll be locked in from the beginning.

Meet John Doe

Year Of Release: 1941

IMDB Score: 7.7 / 10

Synopsis: Deciding to use her last assignment as a blaze of glory, reporter Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) accidentally starts a public movement in support of one John Doe. Of course, there’s just one problem with John Doe… he doesn’t exist; which means it’s time for Ann to roll with the con and hire a homeless baseball player (Gary Cooper) to play the part. But just when does a gag to sell papers stop being harmless and start becoming immoral? One of Frank Capra’s early efforts, Meet John Doe isn’t one of the filmmaker’s better-known pictures, but it’s certainly worth a look.

His Girl Friday

Year Of Release: 1940

IMDB Score: 8.1 / 10

Synopsis: Walter (Cary Grant) still loves his ex-wife / ex-co worker Hildy (Rosalind Russell.) In fact, he loves her so much, he tries to save her from a life of dull marriage by bringing her along to cover an execution for the paper they both worked for. Fast-talking antics and romance ensue, in a classic that not only inspired quite a few remakes, but was a remake itself tailored to be a romantic comedy instead of a buddy comedy. His Girl Friday director Howard Hawks was a genre hopper, and this entry in his career showcases his more laughable side - and to great degree!

House On Haunted Hill

Year Of Release: 1959

IMDB Score: 6.9 / 10

Synopsis: What would you do if you were offered $10,000 to stay in a house that was supposedly haunter? What would you do if that offer was made to you, via peak horror era Vincent Price? Doesn’t sound so fun now, does it? While House On Haunted Hill’s events aren’t something you’d wish on your worst enemy, it’s certainly a fun classic to enjoy with or without its Rifftrax commentary track. After all, what horror fan worth their salt could say no to Vincent Price and legendary director William Castle working together to scare the living daylights out of the weaker audience members?

The Gold Rush

Year Of Release: 1925

IMDB Score: 8.3 / 10

Synopsis: And of course, what comprehensive film list is complete without a Charlie Chaplin buffet of dry, visually inspired punchlines? The Gold Rush certainly delivers, as it puts The Tramp in the race to claim some of those sparkling riches just waiting to be claimed in the Klondike. Of course, being a Chaplin picture, things get silly and unpredictable. So if you’ve ever seen a parody of the shoe eating gag, or even the dancing potato gag, you really should see the film that inspired many generations of comedy practitioners to come.

Normally, directors usually go out of their way to heap praise onto Alfred Hitchcock, rather than bad-mouthing one of his most-revered films. But Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is a breathtakingly unique filmmaker, and after his hugely anticipated black comedy, Birdman, was recently compared to Hitchcock’s 1948 thriller Rope, he surprised many by reacting negatively to the analogy.

One of the big talking points about Birdman has been that it ambitiously sets out to come across as though it were filmed as one long continuous take. This, of course, has been done before, most notably by Alfred Hitchcock when he made the thriller Rope. However, during a discussion with Time to promote Birdman Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu admitted that he doesn’t like that his film is constantly being compared to Rope. Because, well, he hates Hitchcock’s film.

To be fair to Inarritu, it’s not as though he has a problem with Hitchcock’s attempt to shoot the long scenes - it’s just that he clearly has an issue with its plot and attempts to create suspense. Reviews at the time of the film’s release echoed these sentiments too, with Variety magazine declaring, "Hitchcock could have chosen a more entertaining subject with which to use the arresting camera and staging technique displayed in Rope."

However it would also be very harsh to try and genuinely compare Birdman and Rope’s technical achievements too. Hitchcock’s film was created during an era when the cameras were so cumbersome and large that it was impossible to move or pan the device without laborious effort - and there wasn’t any CGI or special effects to assist his attempt either. Instead, he had to either pan against or track into an object, which included zooming into a jacket that blocked the entire screen, in order to hide his edits. He also had to contend with the fact that the length of a film camera magazine back in 1948 was only ten minutes long, which meant that he needed to cut at that point wherever the camera was. This means that rather than being one long continuous take, Rope is actually made up of 10 segments.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu had no such issues with Birdman, as he was able to seamlessly track through a variety of locations, allow day to turn into night, and to even deploy expensive special effects that meant he could make it look as if a giant bird had just destroyed a car on a New York street. Either way, it doesn’t really matter. Both films have their merits, but while Rope was almost condescendingly appreciated rather than adored, Birdman has so far been met with near universal acclaim ahead of its release on Friday. Hitchcock would probably beat Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu in a pie-eating contest, though.

It’s becoming harder and harder for any filmmaker to get funding for their projects these days. In the past few weeks both David Fincher and Ang Lee have had to withdraw from projects because of the interference from the higher-ups. Nowadays, it seems as though studios are only willing to either splash out hundreds of millions of dollars on blockbusters with an established fan-base, or throw a couple of million at a low-risk, low-budget effort that might strike a chord and become hugely popular.

In the heyday of creative movie-making, the 1970s, filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich, Robert Altman and Martin Scorsese were given a wide berth of creative freedom by various Hollywood studios to create the films that they wanted to make, without the pressure of profitability, and with only artistic intentions in mind. They didn’t have to worry about the film’s intended audience or whether intimidating blockbusters would squash its release. Instead, their films were made to show just how powerful, intimate and extraordinary cinema could be.

Or maybe that’s just a naïve and rose-tinted view of how Hollywood was. Because there’s always been a struggle between financiers and filmmakers, and even some of the greats never managed to get certain dream projects off the ground. Don’t believe me? Just check out the list below…

Darren Aronofosky, Batman Year One

Would a Darren Aronofksy film have inspired the barrage of mature, grounded super-hero films in the same manner as Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins? I’m not so sure. Nolan’s Memento teemed with mainstream potential, while Aronofsky’s work has always been delightfully singular and impossible to either pigeonhole or imitate. That’s probably why it was good that Aronofksy eventually dropped out of his proposed fifth film in the Batman franchise: Batman: Year One. You can’t help but wonder, though, what he would have brought to the series. The Pi filmmaker worked alongside Frank Miller -- who wrote the graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns -- on the screenplay, and he even declared, "Toss out everything you can imagine about Batman! Everything! We’re starting completely anew." Warner Bros. eventually decided that Aronofsky’s R-rated Batman pitch aimed at adult fans, which included a suicidal Jim Gordon, an African-American Alfred, and a more guerrilla-style Batman, was just too risky. Aronofksy has since admitted that he’d have still cast Christian Bale, though.

Frank Darabont, Indiana Jones 4

Back in 2003, Shawshank Redemption’s Frank Darabont was trying to get an Indy film of his own off the ground. It was entitled Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods, and apparently Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford both absolutely adored the script. Anticipation around a new addition to the franchise gathered more and more momentum, until George Lucas intervened. The Star Wars director declared that he wasn’t interested, and it quickly fell apart. Adamant that the film would make an incredible fourth installment to the series, Darabont even told MTV that he confronted Lucas and declared, "You have a fantastic script. I think you’re insane." Unfortunately, Lucas didn’t react well to these remarks, and, as a result, the film entered movie-limbo, where it has never materialized from since.

John Hughes, National Lampoon’s Jaws 3, People 0

Outside of Steven Spielberg’s sumptuously, superb original; there isn’t much to love about the Jaws franchise. Jaws 2, 3-D and The Revenge are regarded as diabolical knock-offs of the 1975 classic. But had John Hughes’ script for the third installment to the series been greenlit, he wouldn’t have just taken it in a completely different direction by combining it with another hugely popular franchise -- The National Lampoon. According to Splitsider, Hughes was an unknown who hadn’t even written a screenplay when his boss at the National Lampoon publisher, Matty Simmons, offered him National Lampoon’s Jaws 3, People 0. Universal eventually pull the plug, though, because Steven Spielberg thought it would demean the franchise. He even threatened to leave the studio if they proceeded. On a more positive note though, this is how Hughes entered the movie industry. Jaws 3-D, meanwhile, surely did more damage than a National Lampoon version ever could.

Steven Soderbergh, Cleopatra

The most recent entry on the list, Soberbergh envisioned that his Cleopatra would be a 3-D rock musical that starred Catherine Zeta-Jones and consisted of songs from Guided By Voices’ Robert Pollard. A $30 million budget was organized, while Hugh Jackman and Ray Winstone were attached to star. But when Wolverine dropped out back in 2009, Soderbergh realized that his full slate had gone off-schedule, so the entire project deflated. There have been some discussions that it would find a new home on Broadway, but that never materialized.

Stanley Kubrick, Napoleon

One of the greatest minds to ever step-foot behind a camera, Kubrick had a number of cinematic efforts that he was never able to find funding for. But there is one in particular that movie scholars and experts despair over immensely. Buoyed by the success of 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1969, Kubrick set out to make an epic biography of Napoleon Bonaparte. He conducted research, intimately reading dozens, if not hundreds of books, on the French emperor, scouted locations across Europe, and even made a deal with the Romanian army to let him use 50,000 of their troops for filming, before spiraling budget estimates and the release of the 1970 flop, Waterloo, convinced Kubrick to make Barry Lyndon instead. According to Taschen’s comprehensive book, Stanley Kubrick's Napoleon, The Greatest Movie Never Made, Kubrick even started to imitate the legendary figure's eating habits. Now that's dedication.

Charlie Chaplin, Napoleon

It’s probably safe to assume that Chaplin’s depiction of Napoleon would have been slightly different to Kubrick’s. It just goes to show how delightfully askew Chaplin’s mind was, that he reportedly saw something deeply comic about Bonaparte’s eyes, and even his pose. Chaplin developed several screenplays for a project that he never filmed (and simply referred to as N, according to a visual essay by Chaplin archivist, Cecilia Cenciarelli). Chaplin also found himself receiving advice from none-other than Winston Churchill. But when he eventually became aware that his cinematic dream would never be realized, he used the material he’d collected to help him with his satire on Hitler in his seminal 1941 masterpiece, The Great Dictator.

Alfred Hitchcock, Titanic

Alfred Hitchcock’s debut in American cinema could have been oh so different. Having wowed Hollywood from afar with his British cinematic exploits, Hitchcock decided to make the trek across the Atlantic. When he arrived, his first planned picture was supposed to be a drama about the sinking of the Titanic, which would be produced by David O. Selznick. It was even reported that the movie heavyweight planned to buy the SS Leviathan and sink it for production. Despite the fact that Selznick and Hitchcock seriously wanted to make the movie, it never really got close to production. In fact there wasn’t even a script, except for a 20-page treatment (that is difficult to dig up). Instead Hitchcock made Rebecca, which was a huge hit, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Orson Welles, Heart Of Darkness

Having adapted Joseph Conrad’s epic novel for radio, Welles wanted Heart Of Darkness to be his first foray onto the big screen. However, there were reported issues from the get-go. Welles’ script clocked in at a whooping 184 pages, while the amount of special effects work needed, the huge jungle set planned, and excessive use of POV, led R.K.O’s interests to cool. The final nail in this cinematic coffin came when it was predicted that the film’s budget would be more than $1 million. Welles was told to make another film. He decided on Citizen Kane, and eventually Francis Ford Coppola turned Heart Of Darkness into Apocalypse Now. It’s hard to say that things didn’t turn out for the best of both counts.

Mel Gibson, Fahrenheit 451

Would the world have a better opinion of Mel Gibson if he’d made Fahrenheit 451? Probably not, but it's worth noting that Gibson was a stellar filmmaker before his private conversations doomed him in the court of public opinion. Years ago, Gibson planned to direct a remake of Francois Truffaut’s 1966 adaptation of Bradbury’s seminal novel, which is set in a future world where books are outlawed and burned. He even planned to cast Brad Pitt in the leading role. But the project ended up being delayed for a number of years as Gibson moved to other films. His private conflicts temporarily derailed his career, though Gibson has been returning to acting gigs. He may return to the director's chair some day, but nothing has been heard of this film in years.

John Huston, Harrow Alley

Allegedly one of the greatest scripts to never be produced, Walter Brown Newman’s period drama revolved around the black plague ripping through a 17th century English town. As you can imagine, it wasn’t full of laughs. Unfortunately it was a case of a great script landing at the wrong time. The film’s rather depressing subject matter was an obstacle. One producer told Newman, "I read it on a rainy Sunday and damn near committed suicide." The proposed film faced a nap-inducing run time, according to reports. Meanwhile, the collapse of the studio-system in the 1960s meant that there wasn’t a whole host of producers or studios lining up to bring the film to the big screen. Legendary director John Huston was the closest man who came to doing so. Despite his previous clout, though, he’d had a string of flops by the time he wanted to make Harrow Alley, and financiers wouldn’t let him near it. Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.

Though it's now considered one of Alfred Hitchcock's masterworks, Psycho was initially deemed a risky prospect by everyone in Hollywood, even Hitch's most ardent supporters like his wife Alma Reville and his devoted assistant Peggy Robertson. The struggle to get Psycho made is the focus of the new film Hitchcock, but at its throbbing heart are the two women who helped this genius filmmaker make the best out of Hitch's films and his iconic image.

Toni Collette tackled the role of Peggy Robertson, who served as Hitchcock's personal assistant through four decades and scores of films and television productions. While she is known to have been Hitch's right hand woman and dedicated defender, little else is certain about her or her role in the makings of his films. This offered a unique challenge to Collette, who had much fewer historical resources on which to base her character than the rest of the cast. But by focusing on what kind of person Peggy must have been to be able to handle 40 years of Hitchcock's reputed bad behavior and wicked humor, Collette created a portrait of Robertson that shows her to be sharp, collected, and ready for anything.

Talking with the bright and cheerful Collette last weekend in a posh New York hotel, we discussed Peggy, her relationship with Hitch, as well as what it was like working with Sir Anthony Hopkins and Dame Helen Mirren. And of course, we weighed in on the still vibrant work of Hitchcock.

I was surprised that despite being titled Hitchcock, the film is largely about the women who influenced his works, not only his iconic Hitchcock blondes, but also those behind the scenes, Alma and Peggy. What was most important for you to get across about Peggy Robertson?

Well, the real Peggy worked with Hitchcock for over four decades. I just found it interesting that here was a very astute, strong, capable, stoic woman who serves as a kind of second rock for Hitch. There's Alma and Peggy; they're kind of in the same pool in a way. But she also kind of gave up her life for him. It's kind of an odd contradiction in a way. I just wanted their relationship to be real. Yes, it is about the contrast of the fantasy blondes in his life and these supportive, real women in his life. And I just love the fact that she didn't take any crap from him, you know?

How were you able to research her? Because it seems like she was largely in the shadows.

There was very little. There were a few photos and one interview with her when she was probably in her 50s. So a lot of it was good writing and imagination. [Laughs]

It's clear from your portrayal that Peggy is so a part of the Hitchcocks lives that she has an easy shorthand of them. A glance or a gesture gets across a great deal of information.

That's good to hear! [Laughs.]

How did you, Helen Mirren and Anthony Hopkins develop this sense of camaraderie for the film?

We had one very short morning of rehearsing with Sacha and we just talked about it and tried to imbue it with a sense of reality. For me, the first film I ever made [The Efficiency Expert]—I was 17 years old in Australia—and Anthony was the lead in the movie and I was a baby. Being able to work with him again so many years later in a way helped for me, because I felt like I had some knowledge of him. Although to be honest, every time that he turned up on set I didn't see him as Tony, I saw him as Hitchcock because he had to get in to early to be made up. And it was so shocking at the end of the day sometimes he would rip off his prosthetics and I'd be like, "Oh my god, your eyes are actually crystal clear blue! Who are you?" [Laughs.]

I'd really love to see photos of him ripping the prosthetics off.

I think there are a few, but you may not see them. But [Mirren and Hopkins] they're both fine actors that I admire, and that's an actor's job to make it feel real and I had a lot of fun doing that with them.

I imagine it could be intimidating working with someone with a reputation as prestigious as Hopkins', was it more or less intimidating when he seems like Hitchcock?

Well, Hitchcock, I'm seeing him through Peggy's eyes, and she's someone who rolls her eyes at him and knows every little idiosyncratic quirk, so I don't think she's taken by what seems to be quite a domineering, controlling, moody, insecure man.

And she also seems aware of his weaknesses.

Yeah, but she's also incredibly protective. So I think she's aware of the flaws and the greatness, and takes it all in her stride.

Having worked with him for so long, do you believe Peggy shared Hitch's sense of macabre humor or just understood it?

I think she probably oscillated between the two, but I don't think any of them really, initially were supportive of his idea to adapt Psycho into a film. I think they were shocked and thought it may have been a folly until they realized how obsessed he was. And then you get on the train because that's the job. I think they were all aware of him as a whole person and that's why they were so—um—easy in a way.

What was your first exposure to Hitchcock?

I think I was aware of the shower scene [from Psycho]. In terms of pop culture it's such a known kind of image and the music is also very familiar. So perhaps as a teenager? I remember doing this kind of thing [gesturing iconic stabbing motion, then laughs warmly.] Then throughout my life I've kind of taken his films in. Yeah, it's interesting with Psycho, because—obviously making the film I watched it again—and I found Tony Perkins performance—and other people disagree—but I found it really, really contemporary. I mean, it could have been in a film now. But they are all so—I love how stylized they are, and how beautiful they are to look at. And Hitch was kind of a rebel, kind of a rock star. Even the way he promoted his movies, he just thought outside the box and that's always inspirational.

Do you have a favorite Hitchcock movie?

I love the voyeurism of Rear Window.

Do you remember the first time you saw Psycho?

I can't remember when it was. It might have been in my early twenties—I don't know if I was in my teens or twenties—life is chugging along! My memory is going to shit.

I think it's hard to pick out that movie, like I can't remember a time before I knew the ending, and I don't remember the first time I saw the movie. But I watched it again yesterday and was shocked at how differently I saw it.

How you remembered it to how you see it now?

Well, also how I experienced it. Like you said about Anthony Perkins, I feel if that movie had come out now, there'd be tumblr pages dedicated to how dreamy he is.

Yeah yeah yeah, totally.

Which makes it even more disturbing.

I agree I think the fact that somebody can be so monstrous and so fragile; it was a really great performance. It was good casting I guess. I don't know how involved Hitch was as a director, where he says, "I don't know, you do it." So I don't know how much of it was the actor and how much was the script. I mean, you never know do you. It's always a combination.

Talk about a win-win. At some point, Universal decided to release fifteen Alfred Hitchcock movies in one badass collection to celebrate the studio’s 100th anniversary. Whether through incredible planning or sheer luck, the set’s release date (yesterday) wound up falling directly between two extremely high profile projects about the late director. The second, entitled Hitchcock and set to be released by Fox Searchlight on November 23, follows the making of Psycho, while the first, entitled The Girl and released by HBO a few weeks ago, follows the director’s strange relationship with Birds star Tippi Hedren.

Both of the afformentioned films are being released as part of Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection, and not surprisingly, there are a ton of special features about both acclaimed works. To help hype the release of its collection, Universal put a few of the bonuses online , and I’ve chosen my favorite to include below.

What you’re about to see is Hedren’s screen test for The Birds. Without any film credits to her name, the actress walks into the shot and commands the entire room like she’s the biggest star in the entire world. I can’t take my eyes off of her, and apparently, Hitchcock felt the exact same way. Take a look at the greatness below…

An overwhelming majority of actors are just actors. Only a tiny fraction of those in Hollywood have the potential to be movie stars, and Tippi Hedren had that potential. It’s a great shame her problems with Hitchcock prevented her from taking a few roles that could have turned her into one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Still, having The Birds as a legacy isn’t half bad.

To check out a full list of all the movies and special features found in Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection, you can check out our previous news story.

Before we even get into the video in question, I want to address the inherent irony. This is a PSA recorded by Anthony Hopkins, in character as Alfred Hitchcock as he will be in the upcoming film Hitchcock, that is airing in movie theaters and warning moviegoers not to text or use their phones during the film. The entire reason we can see this video is because someone was, in fact, using their phone to record it. We do not support piracy and especially using your phone to text in the middle of a movie like a jackass. That said, it's a good ad and gets the point across. Take a look below.

Though this looks like a bootleg, PR people who are promoting Hitchcock are forwarding the video around, so it's maybe a release cannily made to look like a bootleg. The joke probably would have worked better if it had ended with another audience member screaming at the camera-holder to turn the damn thing off, which is what i generally do when people use a phone in a theater around me (the only time I've actively seen piracy is when I saw the 3D re-release of The Phantom Menace and someone was recording it… a movie widely available on DVD and airing on cable every day. It was an act of idiocy so insane I couldn't bring myself to speak up.)

If you want to see more of Hopkins as the great horror director, see Hitchcock in theaters November 23. If you watch a pirated copy of it, you will have definitely missed the point. And if you text in the theater when you see it, the person screaming at you from inside the theater will probably be me.

It's been a busy few days for the late Alfred Hitchcock, even though the director has been dead for nearly 32 years. Earlier in the week, Hitchcock’s Vertigo displaced Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane from the top of the Sight and Sound Top 10 movies of all time poll. But that high is leading into a crushing new low, courtesy of an iconic Hitchcock leading lady.

Tippi Hedren, who starred in the classic Hitchcock horrors The Birds and Marnie, bad-mouthed the famed director during a panel discussion sponsored by HBO (via TheWrap). Describing Hitch as “sad,” Hedren went on to say:

The panel was being held on behalf of The Girl, director Julian Jarrold’s recounting of the time spent on the set of The Birds, with Sienna Miller playing Hedren and Toby Jones cast as the Master of Suspense. The movie makes all sorts of accusations, claiming Hitchcock forced a kiss on Hedren in the back seat of a car and made work conditions hazardous by forcing her to work with live birds for days on end. Hedren, 82, claims, “He ruined my career but he didn't ruin my life. If this had happened today i would be a very rich woman.”

Miller, for her part, added, “I think it's a very different world for women in film today than it was for women then.”

Hedren choosing to come forward with these claims and accusations now is unseemly, her timing makes it appear as fodder to help promote an HBO production. Hitchcock, of course, isn’t able to defend himself, and while Hedren talks of joyous times they spent on set together, that isn’t what’s going to create headlines. Judge for yourself when HBO airs The Girl later this year.

Universal has been celebrating its 100-year anniversary with new Blu-ray editions of many of their very best films, including upcoming titles such as Born on the Fourth of July, Jaws, Double Indemnity, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The bar has been raised, however, with the announcement of a 15-film box set entitled Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection. This is looking to be a damn-near-definitive Hitchcock release, with 13 of the 15 films never having had a Blu-ray release before. The line-up includes Psycho, The Birds, Rear Window, Vertigo, and more, but mark your calendar for the September 25th release date – this set will only be available for a limited time.

The films have all been digitally restored and remastered in 1080p, with DTS-HD Master Audio. In addition to the bonus features on each film (specified below), the set will also include a 50-page collectible book filled with "storyboards, costume sketches, correspondence, photographs, and much more." The set will list for $299.98, but you can pre-order a copy right now from Amazon for $209.99 (a 30% discount). That's a decent chunk of change, but then again this is a pretty damned impressive set. If you're looking to fill that Hitchcock-shaped hole in your Blu-ray collection, you'll be hard pressed to do better than this collection.

Here's a look at the film line-up and bonus features for the Masterpiece Collection, which span Hitch's career from 1942 through 1976. If you'll excuse me, I need to update my Amazon wish list…

Saboteur (1942)

• Saboteur: A Closer Look
• Storyboards: The Statue of Liberty Sequence
• Alfred Hitchcock’s Sketches
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

• Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock’s Favorite Film
• Production Drawings by Art Director Robert Boyle
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer

Rope (1948)

• Rope Unleashed
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer

Rear Window (1954)

• Rear Window Ethics: An Original Documentary
• A Conversation with Screenwriter John Michael Hayes
• Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of The Master
• Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock
• Hitchcock-Truffaut Interview Excerpts
• Masters of Cinema
• Feature Commentary with John Fawell, author of Hitchcock’s Rear Window: The Well-Made Film
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer
• Re-Release Trailer Narrated by James Stewart
• Blu-ray exclusives: BD Live, Pocket Blu

The Trouble with Harry (1955)

• The Trouble with Harry Isn’t Over
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

• The Making of The Man Who Knew Too Much
• Production Photographs
• Trailers

Vertigo (1958)

• Obsessed with Vertigo: New Life for Hitchcock’s Masterpiece
• Partners in Crime: Hitchcock’s Collaborators
• Hitchcock / Truffaut Interview Excerpts
• Foreign Censorship Ending
• The Vertigo Archives
• Feature Commentary with Associate Producer Herbert Coleman, Restoration Team Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz, and Other Vertigo Participants
• Feature Commentary with Director William Friedkin
• 100 Years of Universal: The Lew Wasserman Era
• Theatrical Trailer
• Restoration Theatrical Trailer
• BD Live, Pocket Blu (Blu-ray Exclusive)

North by Northwest (1959)

• Feature Commentary by screenwriter Ernest Lehman
• The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style
• Cary Grant: A Class Apart
• North by Northwest: One for the Ages
• Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest
• Music-only audio track
• Stills gallery
• Theatrical trailers and TV spot

Psycho (1960)

• The Making of Psycho
• Psycho Sound
• In The Master’s Shadow: Hitchcock’s Legacy
• Hitchcock-Truffaut Interview Excerpts
• Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho
• The Shower Scene: With and Without Music
• The Shower Scene: Storyboards by Saul Bass
• The Psycho Archives
• Posters and Psycho Ads
• Lobby Cards
• Behind-the-Scenes Photographs
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer
• Re-release Trailers
• Feature Commentary with Stephen Rebello (author of Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho)

The Birds (1963)

• Deleted Scene
• Original Ending
• The Birds: Hitchcock’s Monster Movie -- New! (Blu-ray Exclusive)
• All About The Birds
• Storyboards
• Tippi Hedren’s Screen Test
• Hitchcock-Truffaut Interview Excerpts
• The Birds Is Coming (Universal International Newsreel)
• Suspense Story: National Press Club Hears Hitchcock (Universal International Newsreel)
• Production Photographs
• 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics
• 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
• Theatrical Trailer
• BD Live, Pocket Blu (Blu-ray Exclusive)

Marnie (1964)

• The Trouble with Marnie
• The Marnie Archives
• Theatrical Trailer

Torn Curtain (1966)

• Torn Curtain Rising
• Scenes Scored by Bernard Herrmann
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer

Topaz (1969)

• Alternate Endings
• Topaz: An Appreciation by Film Historian and Critic Leonard Maltin
• Storyboards: The Mendozas
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer

Frenzy (1972)

• The Story of Frenzy
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer

Family Plot (1976)

• Plotting Family Plot
• Storyboards: The Chase Scene
• Production Photographs
• Theatrical Trailer

Though Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho is the Hitchcock-centric project making headlines right now, we’ve also got The Girl coming up, which focuses on the filmmaker’s notoriously tumultuous relationship with The Birds’ star, Tippi Hedren. Hitchcock is long gone, so clearly star Toby Jones won’t be able to collaborate with his real-life counterpart, but Sienna Miller has had the pleasure of working with Hedren.

While promoting Free Samples at the Tribeca Film Festival, Hedren elaborated on the production. “It is a very exciting thing that’s going on.” She continued, “To have a movie made about you is pretty scary.” She joked, “Because I’m still alive!”

But Hedren also has a number of concerns, which you can see int he video below. “The thing that really bothered me is the director, [Julian Jarrold], didn’t want to have any kind of meetings with me.” She added, “I’m rather offended by that.”

On the bright side, Hedren’s experience working with Miller has been a pleasure. “A meeting with Sienna was just absolutely fabulous.” Hedren recalled, “She came to the Shambala Preserve where I live and we had a couple of hours in order to talk.” Hedren wanted to ensure that Miller understood “why this whole horrible situation happened with Alfred Hitchcock,” something Hedren blames on her personal values and her understanding of what’s right and wrong.

Hedren also mentioned that Miller would call her during shooting to keep her updated on the state of the production. Unfortunately, that’s where some trouble cropped up. “[Sienna] said that she was fearful that the director wasn’t letting her be as strong as I was during that time.” Hedren lamented, “I’m apprehensive about seeing the film and a little bit nervous about it.”

While we wait for The Girl to arrive, keep an eye out for our full interview with Hedren and director Jay Gammill on their Tribeca Film festival entry, Free Samples.

While it's hard to imagine a movie about the making of Psycho could ever be as interesting as the movie itself, Sacha Gervasi's recently retitled Hitchcock has a lot going in its favor, namely the dynamite cast that includes Scarlett Johansson, Toni Collette, Helen Mirren, James D'Arcy and, OK, Jessica Biel. Topping them all, though, is Anthony Hopkins, who is on board to play Hitch himself, and who recently revealed his commitment to the character with a first-look image that shows just how impressive an actor's transformation can be. Take a look at the image below, via People.

That's a pretty impressive getup, especially when you consider that Hopkins's normal face doesn't really make him look anything like Hitchcock. It's hard to know how the effect will work in the actual film, but it doesn't seem like they're really going for physical resemblance anyway-- how else can you explain how Scarlett Johansson gets cast as Janet Leigh? Hopkins can undoubtedly bring the right gravitas to the role of Hitch, though, and that's really all we need to be looking for-- though the ability to step into that famous profile won't hurt either.

It seems that Hitchcock will be telling a fairly sprawling story about all the people working behind the scenes of the film, so despite the title it's not just going to be Hopkins's show. So if that's the case, are they going to release images of everyone in character? Are we going to see Johansson repeating the famous shower scene? Or is this image just out there to prove they're doing a good job with it, and encourage us to leave them alone until the film is wrapped? My guess is the latter, but keep your eyes peeled for new images just in case.

What does L.B. Jefferies (Jimmy Stewart) see through his binoculars as he stares out of his apartment window? It’s a mystery that powers Alfred Hitchcock’s breathtaking Rear Window, a 1954 Oscar nominee that ranks among the all-time greats from the Master of Suspense. This is pretty great, as well. Vimeo user Jeff Desom splices together a time-lapsed vision of everything in Jefferies’ eyesight. It was shared on Twitter by @jonathanwakeham, and we have it for you below:

It’s like Rear Window for someone with attention-deficit disorder – a cubed layout of Hitchcock’s grand design that shows how Michel Gondry or Spike Jonze might tackle the recognizable back alley outside Jefferies apartment if they were tasked with adapting Cornell Woolrich’s short story.

I do love when Grace Kelly’s character makes her move on Raymond Burr’s apartment, though without Stewart’s pained reaction shots., the suspense of the thriller is scrubbed away.

Where did Desom find the time? One has to wonder if he, too, broke his leg and is limited to a wheelchair, giving him the hours/days/weeks it must have taken to time-lapse all of the alley footage from Hitchcock’s masterpiece. It’s a neat trick, but all it makes me want to do is pop in the original and relish in Hitchcock’s turn-the-screws intensity. How about you?

Dreamworks is no stranger to remaking Alfred Hitchcock's best work. In 2007 the studio hired director D.J. Caruso to helm Disturbia, a modern-day redo of Rear Window starring Shia LaBeouf, Carrie-Anne Moss and David Morse. Now they are at it again, but this time they are tackling the only movie from Hitchcock's career to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

According to Variety, Dreamworks is now teaming up with Working Title to remake Rebecca, Hitchcock's thriller from 1940 starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. The companies have already hired writer Steven Knight to work on the project. Whether or not it will be a straight remake is unclear, as Knight will apparently be going back to Daphne Du Maurier's novel on which the original film was based. Knight's previous work includes David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises, Michael Apted's Amazing Grace and Stephen Frears' Dirty Pretty Things, which earned him an Oscar nomination. The writer is currently working on an adaptation of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.

The story is about an unnamed young woman who falls in love with and marries a rich widower named Max. While his wife, Rebecca, died the year before, upon moving into his mansion she learns that Rebecca still has a strong hold over Max and his servants.

There have been other Hitchcock remakes done before, such as Dial M For Murder (turned into A Perfect Murder) and Psycho (remade shot-for-shot by Gus Van Sant), so this isn't exactly a new idea. But still, it's hard to grasp the idea of any filmmaker or studio thinking that they can do Hitchcock better than Hitchcock could. Knight is a talented writer, but we'll have to wait and see if he can do this right.

You may not know this, but Alfred Hitchock's 1963 horror classic The Birds was actually based on real events. In 1961, birds around Monterey Bay in California began to drop off and act disoriented, ramming into people's houses. Much like in the movie, the cause of this was completely unknown, but it was clear that something was going very, very wrong in the ecosystem. Now, half a century later, scientists believe that they may have found out the answer to the mystery.

Ocean environmentalist Sibel Bargu of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge has revealed that the birds' strange behavior could be attributed to plankton that had been poisoned and subsequently eaten by birds. Reported in USA Today, the story says that researchers examined the stomach contents of various animals in the area in 1961 and found that 79% of plankton were infected with a toxin-producing type of alge that would cause nerve damage that led to "confusion, seizures and death. "I am pretty convinced that the birds were poisoned," said Bargu.

Call it cruel, but the article says that some of the poisoned plankton was discovered in the stomachs of turtles. Can you imagine if birds had been unaffected and Hitchcock had decided to make a movie about the slow moving reptiles instead? Something tells me that the result would have been far less dramatic and Tippi Hedren's screaming and panic would have been a lot less realistic. Now all we have to do is hope that nobody in Hollywood gets inspired to make a belated sequel.

The Hitchcock biopic Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho has been in the works for several years now, but it looks like the project is finally filling out its cast and inching closer to theaters. Anthony Hopkins will be playing the famous director, and now they've attracted an actress of equal caliber to play the female lead: THR says that the ever-foxy Dame Helen Mirren is in talks to take on the role of Alma Reville, Hitchcock's wife.

The biopic is based on the book by Stephen Rebello and screenwriter John McLaughlin wrote the adaptation, which landed on the Black List back in 2007. Sasha Gervasi (Anvil! The Story of Anvil) is directing. While Mirren hasn't signed on the dotted line, the project is gaining steam thanks to a move from Paramount over to Fox Searchlight. Assuming it all comes together, the movie could begin shooting in April 2012.

As the title suggests, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho looks at the period of Hitchcock's life when he was engaged in making what would become arguably his most iconic film. While Psycho is an inarguable classic now, at the time it was considered a huge risk for a respected director to make a horror movie. Paramount execs wouldn't give Hitchcock the budget he insisted on, so the director wound up financing it himself and deferring his fee in exchange for a partial ownership of the film negative. I guess we know who got the last laugh out of that deal.

I read a copy of the Black List-nominated script a few years back and it was a fascinating and funny look at the director who became almost as much an icon as a director. It looks like several writers have worked on the script since then, including Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story). This is one I'm hoping comes together soon.

When I sit here and type complaints about whatever it is that's being remade or rebooted in Hollywood, I honestly assume my whining is just traveling off into the ether, while the producers responsible for the given remake stroll merrily along in their rich and comfortable lives. And for the most part, that's probably true, But apparently Platinum Dunes producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form pay at least some attention to online backlash-- and that might have spared us their remake of The Birds.

Speaking to journalists on the set of the new A Nightmare on Elm Street (via CHUD), Fuller said that with any project, "We lay ourselves out there and get annihilated out there online all day long, and [The Birds] just opens us up to a whole different level of annihilation.” Still, Fuller isn't quite ready to apologize for his mistake and vow to never let his producing partner Michael Bay mess with Hitchcock again. The best they got from him was a meek "It doesn't feel like that's up next for us."

But you know what's a great argument against them ever, ever going near this? Both Form and Fuller complained that birds don't do enough to build a horror movie around them. "What do they do? They peck and poke," Fuller complained, as Form interjected, "And poop." You know, when Hitchcock made the original movie, I'm pretty sure he realized this, which is why he made The Birds an exercise in sound design and cooped-up tension rather than some generic horror movie in which you look forward to all the different ways the victims can get killed. You know, like Friday the 13th, which Platinum Dunes-- of course!-- just remade.

Seriously guys. There are some stories that are only meant to be told once. While I'm sure there will never be an official announcement that Platinum Dunes came to their goddamn senses and scrapped this project, all this sounds like an admission that Fuller and Form definitely bit off more than they could chew by trying to remake a Hitchcock classic. We all could have told them this months ago, but I guess it was a lesson they had to learn for themselves.