It's been half doz years since I watched this ( having watched it at least 3 in last 20 years) but still I learned more from it. Such a beautifully made doco.
Hitchcock,was one of those rate one of a kind,bigger then life's figures. In his case,the biggest one,for all time,in the motion picture business and entertainment venue. An absolute genius,who understand the hidden and suppressed emotions of humanity,and it's often,need and desires to be emotionally fully involved,even scared, and then released from such stress,even if not fully aware,of it. And as most bigger then life figures,he also had his share of being repressed and used by those,he had to deal with,to become successful. And he sometimes,failed on his own,by his own mistakes. But,no matter what,as they all are,you couldn't ignore Hitchcock. He was both on the set and off,the biggest story,all the way to the very end. And indeed,as just the greatest do,he still remained the prime figure,to this day,the one who can't forget,when any of his pictures,are seen. A few directors,are that way,but in reality,when most pictures are seen,very few directors,are on every viewers mind. Some are not even remembered. Some are just a passing thought,no matter how great. But with a Hitchcock film,no matter,how great the film,or how good or famous the actors or actresses were,who played the film roles,you never forgot,the image of Hitchcock,as your watching one of his movies. A lasting tribute,indeed to this very complicated,man who shall forever be in the hall of fame when it comes to the greatest figures,in movie history.
34:56 “I once committed a grave error…” I have to disagree with Alfred Hitchcock here. One of the best things about _Sabotage_ is the bomb going off and killing Stevie (and, presumably, a whole lot of other people), not only because the audience absolutely does _not_ expect him to be killed but because its intensity drives the rest of the film. As film critic Michael Sragow says, “…this uncompromising lucidity is precisely what raises the movie to greatness.”
44:51 - 45:17 Selznick didn't make any money off Gone With The Wind, one of the most successful films of all time... Apparently, Selznick International Pictures (yes, the ENTIRE company) was kept afloat by loaning Hitchcock out and making a profit that was exactly equal to Hitchcock's salary. I'm sorry, but I think that woman is going senile.
