Launched to the press today with an hour-long presentation and Hitchcockian lunch, the British Film Institute proudly unveiled a fittingly hefty programme of screenings, events, exhibitions and publications celebrating the work of Alfred Hitchcock - inarguably Britain’s most iconic and influential film director. Hailing from London’s East End, Hitchcock worked in the British film industry for two decades before signing a deal with David O. Selznick and decamping to Hollywood, where he continued to go from strength to strength with films such as Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo.
The BFI’s programme will run from June to October and will involve a three-month BFI Southbank season (kicking off in August) featuring all 56 Hitchcock films, with extended runs of key titles and Q&As. There will also be a tie-in “39 Steps” guide in the form of a new publication and online resource, a Hitchcock-themed BFI Southbank Mediatheque collection and a Mezzanine display available to view.
The jewels in this particular crown are appearances from Tippi Hedren (pictured above right), star of The Birds, and Family Plot star Bruce Dern, along with a number of gala screenings - pairing newly restored BFI National Archive versions of Hitchcock’s silent masterpieces with live performances of new scores. The films are The Pleasure Garden, Blackmail, The Ring and The Lodger, with the scores performed by Daniel Patrick Cohen, Neil Brand, Soweto Kinch and Nitin Sawhney respectively. These gala events are available to book via the BFI website now.
- The Genius of Hitchcock runs from June to October 2012
- Enter the BFI Hitchcock trailer competition
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