هیچکاک

Any book-length interview with Alfred Hitchcock is valuable, but considering that this volumes interlocutor is François Truffaut, the conversation is remarkable indeed. Here is a rare opportunity to eavesdrop on two cinematic masters from very different backgrounds as they cover each of Hitchs films in succession. Though this book was initially published in 1967 when Hitchcock was still active, Truffaut later prepared a revised edition that covered the final stages of his career. Its difficult to think of a more informative or entertaining introduction to Hitchcocks art, interests, and peculiar sense of humor. The book is a storehouse of insight and witticism, including the masters impressions of a classic like Rear Window (I was feeling very creative at the time, the batteries were well charged), his technical insight into Psychos shower scene (the knife never touched the body it was all done in the editing), and his ruminations on flops such as Under Capricorn (If I were to make another picture in Australia today, Id have a policeman hop into the pocket of a kangaroo and yell Follow that car!). This is one of the most delightful film books in print. --Raphael Shargel