MacGuffins and More: Hitchcock's Masterworks and the Art of Pure Cinema




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ClassGraphic From 1943 to 1960, Alfred Hitchcock perfected the psychological thriller, crafting films that probe the darkest corners of human nature while revolutionizing cinematic technique. These seven masterworks explore the director’s recurring themes: suspicion, guilt, chance encounters, mistaken identity, voyeurism, and the thin line between sanity and madness. As we discuss Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Notorious (1946), Strangers on a Train (1951), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960), we’ll analyze how Hitchcock transformed genre entertainment into profound psychological studies through ingenious scripts, innovative camera work, groundbreaking editing, iconic performances, and unforgettable musical scores. We’ll explore how Hitchcock manipulated audience identification and built unbearable suspense through visual storytelling rather than dialogue—what he called “pure cinema.” Participants will watch each film in advance via streaming or DVD. We’ll use as a text The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: Fifty Years of His Motion Pictures by Donald Spoto (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2d ed. 1991) and share discussion questions before each session.
 

Class Details

7 Session(s)
Weekly - Tue

Location
TBD

Instructor
Multiple

Tuition: 

$0.00

Email olli@northwestern.edu for more information. Send to Friend »

Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
3/3/2026 - 4/14/2026 Weekly - Tue 01:15 PM - 03:15 PM TBD Jim Gecker  ; Jim Burns 

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