It is no surprise that Alfred Hitchcock remains the master of suspense. An expert in the craft of directing some of the finest thrillers in a tasteful, artistic way, there is much to unpack and study in his many films.
Paula Marantz Cohen’s Alfred Hitchcock: The Legacy of Victorianism delves into the Victorian era and examines how characteristics of the period served to inform Hitchcock’s work. Cohen draws upon the films spanning Hitchcock’s varied career and connects them to larger themes and theories, including feminism, psychoanalysis, and family systems. Through her analysis, Cohen argues that Hitchcock’s films are a masculine response the novels that were so popular–and scandalous–during the Victorian era and consumed primarily by women.
Hitchcock’s work primarily balances masculinity and law with the feminine characteristics of feeling and imagination in order to entertain audiences. As Hitchcock’s career unfolded, his films reflected a Victorian legacy while also outlining various ideological trends, building upon and discarding a Victorian cultural identity.
Cohen’s work offers a thoughtful, scholarly analysis of Hitchcock’s work and Victorian ideologies. Fans of Hitchcock’s film and socio-cultural theories are sure to enjoy this book.
Hometowns to Hollywood 