As a teenager, Hitchcock was my favourite director. I remember when my mother bought me my Hitchcock Collection DVD box set that it was the start of my love for horror and thriller films. It also branched me out into the old film genre. So when I heard about the release of this biographical film, called Hitchcock, I was extactic.

Psycho is my favourite Hitchcock film so I was guaranteed to love this film, as it is centred on Hitchcock’s making of the film. It shows his transition from Hollywood-style horror to present-day-style horror where the focus is more on the criminal and his mindset rather than the victim — usually a damsel in distress.

I don’t know much about the history of Hitchcock but I have been told that Peter Ackroyd’s recently published biography (Alfred Hitchcock, Chatto & Windus, 2015) of him will tell you all about why he was so obsessed with the thrills and the horrors of life. So I can’t comment on the accuracy but certainly the film was fantastic. Mainly because you got to see full view of his genius meaning the collaboration of Hitchcock with his wife Alma who is played brillantly by Helen Mirren.

The one thing that really surprised me was how much of an innovator he was in liberalising the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA). Without his push many of the films we love and have broken boundaries for example Sinister and 12 Years a Slave would not be allowed. His movement towards the horror side when movies were considered to be more about a girl in trouble and a handsome hulk saves the girl—film over. However, with Hitchcock when you left the cinema he had you talking and thinking and questioning the film which is what directors strive for today.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film not just cause it centres on Hitchcock but also the amazing cast with Anthony Hopkins at the helm giving a fantastic performance in my opinion — just how I imagined him. Definitely something worth watching if like biopics or a fan of Hitchcock but also a great thrill ride to see how Psycho might have been made. I almost forgot but Scarlett Johansson’s performance of the shower scene and throughout the film is why she should be taken more seriously as an actor. Go and watch it if you wanna see the Horrors of Hollywood! HAHAHA!

As always feel free to comment below if you have an opinion or suggestion!