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Thriller Master's Personal Hell: 8 Fears of Alfred Hitchcock
Thriller Master's Personal Hell: 8 Fears of Alfred Hitchcock

Video: Thriller Master's Personal Hell: 8 Fears of Alfred Hitchcock

Video: Thriller Master's Personal Hell: 8 Fears of Alfred Hitchcock
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The name of Alfred Hitchcock is known even to people indifferent to thrillers. The American director became famous for creating films that kept the viewer in suspense from the very first to the last frame. He was a true master of psychological horror, creating an incredible atmosphere of growing anxious expectation in his paintings. But Alfred Hitchcock himself, as it turns out, lived his whole life in tension and could not get rid of his own fears and phobias.

Policemen

Alfred Hitchcock as a child
Alfred Hitchcock as a child

Alfred Hitchcock, even in deep childhood, could not call himself a daredevil. His father was a supporter of extremely harsh methods of education and once, for some minor offense, he sent a five-year-old baby to the police station. Moreover, he gave him a note in which he asked the chief to help in raising his son. As a result, Alfred spent two whole hours in the cell, having previously listened to a loud and very emotional tirade about naughty children who need special methods of influencing them. Since then, Alfred Hitchcock was not only afraid of the police, he was ready to faint when he saw a man in uniform.

Chaos

Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock

The whole life of Alfred Hitchcock was subordinated once and for all to the established order. He demanded the same from his family: strict adherence to the daily routine, only scheduled visits from relatives and friends, food exclusively at the set time. He was desperately afraid of chaos, and therefore sought to control everything around him. He was reassured by a clear schedule, strict observance of his instructions and his own, almost manic control over everything that happens on the set, up to the choice of a shade of lipstick for the actress.

Death

Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock

It may seem completely incredible, but Alfred Hitchcock was desperately afraid of his own films. What was the reason for this panic fear of death. Throughout his life, the master of suspense has visited the doctor weekly and, despite the global workload, has never canceled or rescheduled the visit, just as he has never been late for an appointment with the doctor. At the same time, he categorically refused hospitalization, even when his state of health required it. When his beloved wife Alma ended up in the hospital, the doctors had to expel the director from there almost by force.

Fear of rejection

Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock

Even in his youth, having made several attempts to court the girl he liked and having received a refusal, Alfred Hitchcock became afraid of being rejected. That is why for a long time he did not show his sympathy for Alma Reville. Fortunately, the girl, for timid attempts at courting an awkward and unknown young man at that time, was able to consider his vulnerable soul and enormous talent. And as a result, she agreed to become his wife.

Oblivion

Alfred Hitchcock with his bust next to Universal Studios
Alfred Hitchcock with his bust next to Universal Studios

The successful director, who has made many classic films, was very afraid of being forgotten. He took every failure with the desperation of a beginner. When Vertigo, after its premiere in San Francisco on May 9, 1958, received a rather cool reception, Alfred Hitchcock bought all the rights to it. And he gave his word to his daughter to leave "Dizziness" to her as an inheritance, thanks to which she will get rich. By the way, Hitchcock was right: in 2012, the film took the first line of the rating "50 Greatest Films of All Time" by the British cinematographic magazine Sight & Sound. Vertigo was not the first film the director bought all the rights to. After cold receptions by the public, he became the sole owner of the paintings "Rope", "The Man Who Knew Too Much", "Trouble with Harry" and "Window to the Courtyard".

People

Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock

The director led an active social life throughout his creative career. At the same time, he was afraid of strangers, and therefore at all receptions and parties he instantly got drunk and immediately fell asleep surrounded by hundreds of people. Even at dinner with Thomas Mann, he allowed himself to fall asleep directly during a conversation with a famous writer. But the brilliant director was all forgiven for his talent.

Appearance jokes

Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock had a rather dense physique and was very complex about this. From time to time, he even went on a diet, lost weight to 86 kilograms, and then gained it again to 150, suffered from psychogenic overeating. And he was always afraid of jokes about his appearance. They were able to infuriate the director or plunge into the most severe depression.

Chicken eggs

Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock

Hitchcock was not only afraid of ordinary chicken eggs, he felt a real disgust towards them. It seemed to him that there was nothing more unpleasant and disgusting in the world than the contents of a raw egg. At the same time, the red blood seemed to him "cheerful".

They were completely different, the maestro of fear Alfred Hitchcock and his petite wife Alma Reville. She seemed to be lost against his background and looked like a gray mouse, but the director himself would never agree with this statement. For more than half a century, he was happy next to the woman whom he once called his wife. True, sometimes Hitchcock admitted: this woman knows too much. And her eloquent silence meant so much that sometimes he felt uncomfortable.

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