Alfred Hitchcock on Filmmaking, Fears, and Practical Jokes

Personal Fears and Character

• 💡 Alfred Hitchcock expresses a personal fear of policemen and the law, preferring a "clear horizon" without any trouble.
• 🧠 He describes himself as a placid, calm individual, contrasting with the public perception of him as a "monster" due to his film content.
• 😤 Stupidity and a lack of attention to detail (e.g., pouring wine from the wrong bottle) are things that make him angry.

Filmmaking Approach

• 🎬 Hitchcock emphasizes that he discusses scenes with actors privately, ensuring the drama is on the screen, not the set.
• 🎯 His films often feature ordinary people caught in bizarre situations, which allows the audience to identify more closely with the characters.
• 🔑 He differentiates suspense from mystery, explaining that suspense involves giving the audience information and making them wait, thereby creating emotional involvement.

Reflections on Media and Content

• 📺 Hitchcock believes that modern communication overload disturbs people, leading to the copying of negative behaviors seen in media.
• ⚠️ He regrets a scene from his film "Foreign Correspondent" being copied in a real-life assassination, highlighting the influence of media.
• 🚫 He avoids gratuitous content, specifically unnecessary nudity and "all-in wrestling matches in bed," considering them cheap and vulgar.

Hitchcock's Humor and Stories

• 😂 He enjoys elaborate practical jokes, recounting instances like disowning an engaged old lady at a party or serving an entirely blue dinner.
• 🗣️ Hitchcock explains rhyming slang, an old English jargon, providing examples such as "apples and pears" for stairs and "German bands" for hands (toilet).
• 📚 He shares two dark stories: one about a man who cut down 12 larch trees to give himself an appetite, and another about a remote family with a leper daughter.

Later Career and Recognition

• 🚀 Despite his age, Hitchcock continues making films, stating he has many more stories to tell and no reason to stop.
• 🌍 He finds it most gratifying to appeal to world audiences, citing recognition in places like Tokyo and at international borders.
• 🍎 He maintains a strict diet to manage his weight, consuming 750 calories a day with no bread, butter, or desserts.