Alfred Hitchcock is quite rightly considered to be one of the greats of cinema. With a career that started in the 1920s and ending in the 70s, Hitchcock left a lasting mark thanks to his masterpieces such as ‘Rear Window’ (1954), ‘Vertigo’ (1958) and ‘Psycho’ (1960). His work is now been documented and celebrated in a new coffee table book, ‘Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards’ by Tony Lee Moral. Featuring the storyboards for nine of Hitchock’s classic films, the book is a must for all fans of the iconic film-maker.
The films included in ‘Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards’ are ‘Vertigo’, ‘The Birds’, ‘Psycho’, ‘North by Northwest’, ‘The 39 Steps’, ‘Torn Curtain’, ‘Marnie’, ‘Shadow of a Doubt’ and ‘Spellbound’. The book’s introduction outlines Hitchcock’s passion for creating detailed storyboards to ensure that his vision was brought to screen exactly how he wanted it. Following a brief biography of Hitchcock, the book delves deep into the director’s storyboarding process with plenty of illustrations along the way. The level of detail that author Tony Lee Moral goes into is impressive and he adds plenty of context and background to each of the storyboards presented in the book.
Starting with ‘The 39 Steps’, Moral takes you through the selected films in chronological order. The pages are filled with jaw-dropping reprinted storyboards, and the level of detail Hitchcock worked with is remarkable. Each chapter also gives a plot summary for the relevant film and there’s information on the artists and storyboard creators he worked with over the course of his career. Packed with fascinating insights, the book will draw people in to find out more about Hitchcock’s career highlights ‘Psycho’ and ‘The Birds’. In the ‘Psycho’ chapter there’s a deep dive into the iconic shower scene and the shocking death of detective Arbogast, while in ‘The Birds’ chapter, you can see how Hitchcock’s storyboards evolved with the introduction of colour in cinema.
At the end of the book there is a short chapter that touches upon ‘Topaz’ and ‘Family Plot’, rounding things out nicely. By the time you get to the final pages, you feel you’ve had a substantial tour through Hitchcock’s career, and Moral certainly manages to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. The book feels like a historical document, capturing iconic moments from a much-celebrated career, and it’s a book you’ll keep being drawn back to.
‘Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards’ is perfect for film fans and anyone who wants to know more about the legendary film-maker’s process. The insights in this book are stunning and Tony Lee Moral really delivers the goods. There is so much packed into the book’s 144 pages and even if you think you know everything about Hitchcock, there’ll be plenty in here that you don’t know. As an avid Hitchcock fan, this book is a true delight!
Publisher: Titan Books Release date: 6th February 2024 Buy ‘Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards’ now
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